RNTF 21 inch Mark 2 torpedo, 1915
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มี.ค. 2021
- This 21 inch (533mm) torpedo was used by the Royal Navy from 1911 through to 1918 (and beyond). Designed and built by the Royal Naval Torpedo Factory, the Mark 2 (Mark II) was operational in 1911 and was modified several time (this is the Mod 5 version, about 1915) before being superseded by 21 inch Mk 4 (Mark IV) torpedo by 1918.
It is a wet - heater design with fuel being burnt in a stream of air before being cooled by a spray of water (which then boils to steam - adding to the volume of gasses delivered to the engine). The 4-cylinder Brotherhood engine was capable of being fired from a submarine’s bow torpedo tube, from Battleship side tubes or from above-water launcher mountings on smaller warships. By adjusting the fuel and air flow rates, the Mk 2 could be set to run fast (44.5 knots) to a range of 4,500 yards, or out to 18,500 yards at 19 knots.
The torpedo was was designed to be launched from a flooded tube. Once the air start valve is opened, the air in the pressure vessel is first reduced to a steady 350 psi and then fed to the engine to turn it over and clear the water in the cylinders and crank case. The pistons have a vent hole that connects the cylinder head and the crank case. The vent hole is closed during the power stroke but open during the return stroke - allowing any water to vent into the crank case. However, the fuel is not ignited until the engine has been cleared of water (underwater launch) or has had time to enter the water for an above-water launch (the wet-heater Generator and Engine need to be cooled by sea water), so the ignition cartridges are not fired until the engine has rotated a preset number of revolutions using the cold air - this is the Ignition Delay - 4-5 revs for an underwater launch and 20-30 revs for an above water launch. When the fuel is then ignited, the engine accelerates to full power.
Fuel was Shale oil - a light oil with a flashpoint of 71 deg C.
Mark II torpedoes could be launched with a Gyro Angle setting. When fired from a beam tube or above-water launcher, the torpedo would then turn through the required Gyro Angle - which meant that the torpedo course was not dependent on the ship’s course. Gyro Angle could be set in 5 degree steps, Left or Right.
Sources:
CB523 Handbook for RNTF Torpedoes, 18inch Marks VII to VII****, 21inch Marks II to IV*, 1918
CB243 Manual of Gyroscopes for Torpedoes, 1916
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This animation was made using Cinema 4D. Background music is ‘Your Suggestions’ by Unicorn Heads.
I greatly appreciate how you manage to make the insanely complex workings of military engineering understandable. Really shows why it took people so long to produce reliable torpedoes.
That was bloody sophisticated for 1915.
That was awsome work, As an engineer of over 25 years that is some cad work.
It's remarkable how many complicated mechanical operations went into it's operation. I never guessed there was this much going on in ww1 torpedo, due to its disposable nature. The music fits the princibles and how they function well.
Needless to say, these torpedoes are MUCH more complicated machines than I thought.
The fact that you can make sense of the engineering and translate it all into the imagery is fantastic. These devices are really incredible when you think of how they evolved and the thought put towards making them run and stabilize. Thanks Rob!
Thank You
i dare say lad i hope this stuff is archived, material like this is just marvelous for the preservation of war & engineering history
As someone who did computer aided design with a bit of 3D modelling (using AutoCAD) I appreciate the time and effort that went into this.
Simply amazing. I've waited ages to get a decent look at these types of torpedoes. This series definitely needs the G7 a and e variants covered with the Fat, Lut and acoustic systems covered. Amazing all the same how they didn't differ too much from the 1915 design shown here.
It is more than 100 years old design, wow, how nice!
Such an amazing, intricate, and incredible feat of engineering only to be destroyed.
Amazing computer model! Even more amazing that the original engineers did this all on paper.
Look at this fabulous technology from the England of 106 years ago! How proud it makes me and how sad too that life is short.
Thank you for your work on this channel and for others. Firstly fascinating subjects in there own right, secondly the light of understanding finally goes on.
People forget: The Military always has tech ahead of modern civilian tech. Always.
I can't say it's a job well done... It's a beautifully done job! Great job! Excellent!
I have seen some real time wasting videos on TH-cam. This one is not. It's truly interesting and very well put together. Thanks for posting it.
I am a mechanical engineer and these hydromechanical control systems still make my head dizzy ;p
Its like pulling up all strings solving each problem that is occurring and then adding everything to equation 😍😍😍 very precise ... I loved it