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[george]

Hello
 I would like to know IF anyone has drawings, measurements of the WWII British Torpedo used on the Vosper MTB and Submarines during that time period. I would like to try to build some in 1/32 scale for use with my Vosper. I would like to make them battery powered.
 Any pictures of the body, details of the size and ANY details on the hull of the torpedo would be Greatly appreciated.
 Thanks for your Time and Help. George
 

[Fred Ellis]

Hi George

Have you tried your local Submariners Association branch?

Try the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in  Haslar, Jetty Road, Gosport PO12 2AS what you need is details on the Mk 18
https://www.nmrn.org.uk/submarine-musum
You could also try the National Maritime Museum but that will cost you https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum


Hope that this is of some help

Fred

[T888]

The Explosion Museum in Gosport may also be able to help.

[John W E]

Hi there


There is a full set of drawings for torpedos and torpedo tubes in John Lambert's and Al Ross' book Allied Coastal Forces of WW2 volume 2 and also a more detailed drawing in  Anatomy of the Ship, The Fairmile 'D' MTB - also by John Lambert.


Hope this helps.


John

[Colin Bishop]

Yes, the Explosion Museum have examples of a number of RN Torpedoes.

https://www.nmrn.org.uk/explosion-museum-naval-firepower

The Vosper MTBs carried 18 inch torpedoes not Mk 18 torpedoes. I think they were Mk XV.

There is some dimensional information here:

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5ATMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT199&lpg=PT199&dq=rn+mk+XV+torpedo+mtb&source=bl&ots=__e7oXA1yi&sig=ACfU3U2laVXkxeDX2xHryJv2RE80l-Pvrw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwijke777abqAhX3aRUIHQ-_CmYQ6AEwFXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=rn%20mk%20XV%20torpedo%20mtb&f=false

Colin

[Fred Ellis]

You could be more than right with regards to the Mark 15 Colin, I think that the 15 came about in 1938 until some time in the mid 50's, I only said the 18 as the late Chairman of the Medway Submariners Association who was on HMS/M Conqueror at the time of the Falkland's war, said that the Mk 8's that was used to sink the General Belgrano was just like the ones used in the second world war.


I do seem to recall that most WW2 Sub's had a 21" torpedo tube, this was so that if they had to make Port out side of the U.K they could reload with that country's torpedo's, as the 21" was a common slandered size for most country's. 
I do know that the Mk three "T" class did have 21" tube as my late Farther loss his life on HMS/M Truculent in 1950 and she had 21" tubes, that took Mk8 torpedo's,


Was not the Mk18 only used by Aircraft?


Sorry if this all sounds big headed.


Fred



 

[Colin Bishop]

No Fred. it is interesting as the 18 inch torpedo was normally used only by aircraft but there is a reference to it also being used on the Vosper MTBs from 1943 which put me on to the book mentioned in my last link above.

I think that pretty much all other warships carried versions of the 21 inch torpedo except for the Battleships Nelson and Rodney which had 24.5 inch torpedoes. I don't think they were more powerful than the 21 inch type but had to be shorter and fatter to fit into the underwater bow section of the ships. Rodney fired some at Bismarck and claimed a hit!

Colin

[Fred Ellis]

Hi Colin
Very interesting as they used to say in the Rowan & Martin's show, you just never stop learning.


Keep Safe


Fred

[Steve40]

George


As mentioned, there are dimensioned drawings of RN torpedoes by John Lambert in various of his publications on Coastal Forces craft and weapons. For early and mid war design Vosper 70 foot boats, and those Vosper designs produced in the US for the RN 21 inch torpedoes were carried, usually the Mk VIII. This is the torpedo carried, for example, by MTB 77, the Vosper modelled by Italeri in 1/35 scale. The later 73 foot Vospers, designed in 1943, carried the smaller 18 inch aerial torpedo as discussed above, so it will depend on what kind of Vosper you are building. If you can’t get plans then Mikro Mir make a 1/35 scale Mk VIII torpedo as a kit in injection moulded plastic - you could use this to take off the dimensions. Various plastic aeroplane kits - Swordfish, Beaufighter etc, include 18 inch torpedoes. Hope this helps.


Steve

[george]

 Hello
 Thank You ALL for your replies and help.
 Thank You Steve40
 That is the way I am going to go with Mikro Mir make a 1/35 scale Mk VIII torpedo as a kit in injection moulded plastic for the shape and design. Yes it is for my 1/35 Italeri Vosper.
 Thanks Again for the help. George

[Steve40]

Whoops!


May have jumped the gun on Mikro Mir, they have one planned but it may not yet be released. As an alternative Micro Model offer a Mk VIII through their shapeways shop. As with many things on shapeways, it is a wee bit pricey. Also, doesn’t the Italeri kit already contain two torpedoes? Clearly they aren’t motorised, but they would give you the dimensions etc.
 


Cheers


Steve

[george]

Hi Steve40
 Yes the Italeri Vosper has a pair of torpedos BUT as a plain shell. I would like to add detail to the finish so I was looking for pictures, plans or a model etc.