Good Evening All,
I'm looking for diagrams or photos (except for the War Nose Mk 1) of the following early Whitehead torpedo "War noses" (pistols), particularly interested in the War Nose Mk2 Mod0; Mk2 Mod1 and Mk5.
The following extract provides a text description of the various Whitehead War Noses Mk1 - Mk5
(kindly borrowed from Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA) - "History of Early Torpedos" p23-p-24)
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EXPLODER MECHANISMS
All of the early torpedoes employed a mechanical impact warhead detonating mechanism. These devices used percussion caps to initiate the detonation of the explosive train, and, where used, the primers (boosters) were dry guncotton placed bare in the primer case (exploder cavity) prior to installation of the mechanism. The detonating mechanisms were called "war noses."
War Nose Mk 1 was designed and manufactured by the Whitehead Torpedo Works, Weymouth, England, prior to 1900. The war nose was mounted in the primer case (exploder cavity) in the forward end of the warhead, on the longitudinal centerline of the torpedo. A firing pin capable of longitudinal motion within the body of the war nose was held in place away from the percussion cap by a shear pin made of tin. Upon impact with the target, the shear pin would be cut and the firing pin would impact the percussion cap initiating detonation of the explosive train.
To prevent accidental detonation during handling, war nose installation, tube loading, etc., the war nose had a mechanical arming feature. A screw fan (propeller) located on the forward end of the war nose (figure 13), had to be rotated about 20 revolutions (equivalent to about 70 yards of torpedo travel through the water) before the firing pin was free to move and impact the percussion cap.
Figure 13. War Nose Mk 1
War Nose Mk 1 weighed about 2-1/2 pounds, was 6 inches long and 2-1/2 inches in diameter. A very simple device, the war nose was sensitive only when impact with the target was directly on the war nose along the torpedo longitudinal axis.
War Nose Mk 2 Mod 0 was slightly larger than the Mk 1. It weighed 4-1/2 pounds, was 6-1/2 inches long and 3 inches in diameter; the same detonator as the Mk 1 was used, but a primer of dry guncotton was also used to insure detonation of the warhead.
The main advantage of the Mk 2 war nose was that it had four levers (whiskers) extending outward from the body casting which would, if struck, cause the firing pin to impact the detonator. This war nose would cause warhead detonation if struck with something less than a direct blow on the end of the war nose. War Nose Mk 2 had the same safety features as did the Mk 1.
War Nose Mk 2 Mod 1 weighed 8 pounds, was 8 inches long, and 4 inches in diameter. Identical to War Nose Mk 2 Mod 0 except for minor mechanical details, the Mod 1 had longer whiskers and thus would fire on a more glancing blow.
War Noses Mk 3 and Mk 4 never materialized beyond the experimental stage. The Mk 3 was a Mk 2 Mod 1 version with longer whiskers. The Mk 4 was an experimental model of the War Nose Mk 5 that followed the Mk 4 version.
War Nose Mk 5 was the first warhead detonating device designed to fire on impact from any angle/direction. It was also the first to have a safety device that kept the screw fan from turning while in a submerged tube. In addition, the Mk 5 incorporated a multiple detonator system to eliminate failures from this aspect. Designed for use with slow speed torpedoes, War Nose Mk 5 was unsatisfactory when torpedo speeds approached 30 knots because the releasing pin plate, which prevented the screw fan from turning prior to torpedo launch, bound due to frictional forces. The Mk 5, which was about 11 inches long, 2 inches in diameter, and weighed about 5 pounds, employed a complicated firing mechanism that downgraded its reliability.
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Thanks
Cheers
Drew
I'm looking for diagrams or photos (except for the War Nose Mk 1) of the following early Whitehead torpedo "War noses" (pistols), particularly interested in the War Nose Mk2 Mod0; Mk2 Mod1 and Mk5.
The following extract provides a text description of the various Whitehead War Noses Mk1 - Mk5
(kindly borrowed from Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA) - "History of Early Torpedos" p23-p-24)
=============================================================================================================================================
EXPLODER MECHANISMS
All of the early torpedoes employed a mechanical impact warhead detonating mechanism. These devices used percussion caps to initiate the detonation of the explosive train, and, where used, the primers (boosters) were dry guncotton placed bare in the primer case (exploder cavity) prior to installation of the mechanism. The detonating mechanisms were called "war noses."
War Nose Mk 1 was designed and manufactured by the Whitehead Torpedo Works, Weymouth, England, prior to 1900. The war nose was mounted in the primer case (exploder cavity) in the forward end of the warhead, on the longitudinal centerline of the torpedo. A firing pin capable of longitudinal motion within the body of the war nose was held in place away from the percussion cap by a shear pin made of tin. Upon impact with the target, the shear pin would be cut and the firing pin would impact the percussion cap initiating detonation of the explosive train.
To prevent accidental detonation during handling, war nose installation, tube loading, etc., the war nose had a mechanical arming feature. A screw fan (propeller) located on the forward end of the war nose (figure 13), had to be rotated about 20 revolutions (equivalent to about 70 yards of torpedo travel through the water) before the firing pin was free to move and impact the percussion cap.
Figure 13. War Nose Mk 1
War Nose Mk 1 weighed about 2-1/2 pounds, was 6 inches long and 2-1/2 inches in diameter. A very simple device, the war nose was sensitive only when impact with the target was directly on the war nose along the torpedo longitudinal axis.
War Nose Mk 2 Mod 0 was slightly larger than the Mk 1. It weighed 4-1/2 pounds, was 6-1/2 inches long and 3 inches in diameter; the same detonator as the Mk 1 was used, but a primer of dry guncotton was also used to insure detonation of the warhead.
The main advantage of the Mk 2 war nose was that it had four levers (whiskers) extending outward from the body casting which would, if struck, cause the firing pin to impact the detonator. This war nose would cause warhead detonation if struck with something less than a direct blow on the end of the war nose. War Nose Mk 2 had the same safety features as did the Mk 1.
War Nose Mk 2 Mod 1 weighed 8 pounds, was 8 inches long, and 4 inches in diameter. Identical to War Nose Mk 2 Mod 0 except for minor mechanical details, the Mod 1 had longer whiskers and thus would fire on a more glancing blow.
War Noses Mk 3 and Mk 4 never materialized beyond the experimental stage. The Mk 3 was a Mk 2 Mod 1 version with longer whiskers. The Mk 4 was an experimental model of the War Nose Mk 5 that followed the Mk 4 version.
War Nose Mk 5 was the first warhead detonating device designed to fire on impact from any angle/direction. It was also the first to have a safety device that kept the screw fan from turning while in a submerged tube. In addition, the Mk 5 incorporated a multiple detonator system to eliminate failures from this aspect. Designed for use with slow speed torpedoes, War Nose Mk 5 was unsatisfactory when torpedo speeds approached 30 knots because the releasing pin plate, which prevented the screw fan from turning prior to torpedo launch, bound due to frictional forces. The Mk 5, which was about 11 inches long, 2 inches in diameter, and weighed about 5 pounds, employed a complicated firing mechanism that downgraded its reliability.
==============================================================================================================================================================================
Thanks
Cheers
Drew
