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Cold Water Temperature Torpedo Probe

Dronic69

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Hi All,

Spotted this in an antique shop recently - it was advertised as a "Cold Water Temperature Torpedo" probe, supposedly fired out of a torpedo tube and undetectable by sonar.

Had a quick google but nothing relevant (looks more like an aerial dropped device as the head resembles the common practice bomb type)

Is anyone familiar with this device? (vintage etc?)

Thanks

Cheers
Drew
 

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Looks more along the lines of intrumentation.
The lug would indicate retrievable.
Maybe to measure the water temperature at depth? maybe to see if the whales are migrating?

Just did a google search, an image of one of these comes up as a bathythermograph!(wiki)
 
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Very Interesting...................it appears that some are retrieved, others are basically "eXpendable" BathyThermograph (XBT) and deployed from ships, aircraft and apparently submarines.

Here some on fleabay from Germany:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BW-MARINE-B...TORPEDO-WTD-/281321046787?hash=item41800a8303

(Even with the shipping cost would be cheaper than what the antique dealer is asking for here!!!!!)

This link provides a little history of it:

http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Bathythermograph

Thanks
Cheers
Drew
 
These are not frequently seen, but when they do crop up they are most often mistaken for ordnance. Mine turned up near San Diego, initially described as an "experimental bomb".


DSC_6361.jpg
 
I think I have a Sippican type somewhere,(some time since I have seen it)I think it is expendable and has reels of thin copper wire inside which pay out as it sinks,if anyone wants one,let me know,
Cheers,
Don,
 
One of the XBT types,a Sippican brand,in my collection.I posted this on here a while ago, i think in response to a similar ID request(Search for Unknown bomb/rocket)

View attachment 111344

Bob

Hello,
Does anyone could give dimensions (length and diameter) of this sippican type XBT (expendable bathythermograph).
Thank you.
 
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