The Whitehead Torpedo - the "Secret" revealed by "The Engineer" publication in 1891

[Dronic69]

Good Afternoon All,

Attached is a very interesting article I found on the Whitehead torpedo, published in 1891 by "The Engineer" which seems to be the first British public publication on the technical aspects of Whitehead's torpedo. Bear in mind that Whitehead refused to patent his torpedo designs, reasoning that it could easily be copied via the patents (obviously Schwartzkopf found other means to copy it).

The article also provides a comprehensive technical description stating how the Mk 1 pistol operates and states that the pistol was introduced with the 1886 torpedo (Fiume 14" Mk 4?).

[Another source indicates that he had produced a highly sophisticated system by which a safety "fan", operating a spindle, prevented the striker from making contact with the detonator until the torpedo had traveled a certain distance in water > the Mk1 pistol]

Enjoy!

Cheers
Drew

BTW - Sorry I have not found the second part to the article.

 

[Dronic69]

I have now located both the second and third (final) parts - I'll post over the w/end as I need to "adjust" the resolution.

Cheers

Drew

 

[Dronic69]

Here's the remainder of the article (the text is in sequence to the attachments)

Enjoy!

Cheers
Drew

 

[kaskowiski]

Thanks Drew - or should we call you Mr Snowden.
That is Brilliant information.
I have attached a plan of the Auckland Torpedo & Submarine Mining Depot produced in 1886 . The Whitehead store has a room at the back (circled) called the secret room. I have always presumed that dismantling and or assembly and maintenance of the guidance system was carried out in there by a select few.
Ken

 

[kahu1]

Ken,

Is that the site of the new Navy museum?.

Bob

 

[kaskowiski]

yes that's the one Bob. The plan is not quite how it was ultimately built but reasonably close. IT shows the original 1886 buildings inlcuding the whitehead torpedo store and the proposed new buildings c. 1899 including test room, cable pond, connecting up shed and mine store all of which survive in good condition.

 

[Dronic69]

Thanks Ken, great diagram!

Interesting enough I recently found a reference that Australia had ordered 34 Whitehead torpedoes back in 1885, of which 20 were delivered to Victoria.

There were 4 types:

1) R.L Mark II (14") (Woolwich)
2) Fiume Mark IV (14");
3) Fiume Mark V; &
4) 19-foot Torpedo (Fiume 15"?)

Subsequent searches found the following site, which has a number of late 1800 Victorian Naval Forces manuals available for download, the one of interest was of course the 1889 Whitehead torpedo manual - as I was hoping to find some diagrams /drawing of the pistols............unfortunately no diagrams included! But check out the assortment of naval manuals - some of these are the only surviving manuals known!!!

There's even a couple of Nordenfelt manuals down towards the bottom of the page - absolutely priceless information!!!

http://www.cerberus.com.au/manuals_printing.html

Happy downloading!!!

Cheers
Drew (aka Snowy!)

 

[kaskowiski]

Thanks for the link Drew.
some interesting manuals. I have original hard copies of some of them.
New Zealand purchased 20 Fiume Mk IV (14") Whitehead torpedos arriving in October 1886. One went missing in the Auckland Harbour during practice never to be seen again. Unfortunately the Thornycroft spar Torpedo Boats imported at the same time couldn't cope with the weight of the Whiteheads - one slung on each side - The boats, torpedos and compressors were scrapped in the late 1890s. The photo shows the Auckland boat with Mk IV slung on side - it looks partly dismantled?
Ken

 

[Dronic69]

some interesting manuals. I have original hard copies of some of them.
New Zealand purchased 20 Fiume Mk IV (14") Whitehead torpedos arriving in October 1886.
Ken

Hi Ken,

I always wonder when you read "the only existing /known copy" as there are always bound to be others about, just not in the public visibility!

That's also interesting that NZ purchased 20 Fiume Mk IV around 1886 - according to the "La Storia Del Siluro 1860-1936", the chart at the back of the book doesn't indicate that any were sold to NZ - perhaps from a different factory?

under "Oceania"

1885:
====
Australia 10
Tasmania 4
Vittoria 20 (sounds like coffee!)

1887:
====
Vittoria 5


The only other countries that purchase in Asia was China & Japan.

Cheers
Drew

 

[Dronic69]

This is the first photo I have found of the "secret" chamber, highlighting the pendulum weight used to maintain the torpedo's depth - the photo is of an exhibit in the Royal Danish Naval Museum...............I'm currently not sure of the torpedo details or approx. period, however appears to be later than what is described in the 1891 The Engineer - it certainly hasn't the large 2 x springs.

Enjoy!

Cheers
Drew

BTW - I found it interesting that the description of how the diaphragm was used to transmit the outside water pressure, is exactly the same principle involved in a balance piston 1st stage SCUBA regulator, where here a constant pressure of ~120 psi is delivered to the 2nd stage (ie mouthpiece) regardless of the tank pressure (that's why it was called a "balance" rather than "unbalanced" where the 2nd stage delivery pressure varied did vary with tank pressue)