US Copy Of A WW2 Era German G7 Torpedo Gyroscope

[apfsds]

A few years ago I purchased this really interesting, cased, US made torpedo gyroscope for our, MK14-MOD6 torpedos. It is a beautiful specimen, in an amazing case. It came complete with the appropriate tool kit (box said not included), a bunch of spare parts and even an extra set of gimbals and main rotor.
What is truly interesting and puzzling to me is the fact that it appears to a near exact copy of an early, German made, G7 torpedo gyroscope. Did the, US capture a, German torpedo and reverse engineer this gyro? The Mk14-MOD6 is post, WW2 torpedo, so maybe made under license with permission?


Jason


This is a, German G7 Torpedo Gyro




This is the US COPY made for our MK14 MOD6 Torpedo

 

[SG500]

Lovely gyro Jason and even nicer shells hiding in the background :tinysmile_shy_t:

Dave

 

[apfsds]

Haha!

Thanks big time, Pal



Jason

 

[Dronic69]

Now that's a great looking gyro Buddy!!!

Yes - the US definitely "reverse-engineered" (aka copied) it from the German one as highlighted by Natter's reply in post #5:

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threa...-German-G7-Torpedo-Gyro?highlight=german+gyro

Further, the following attached reference re the Mk 18 confirms that Westinghouse did indeed copied the G7E design based on several which ran ashore in 1942:

Finally, after the war, it would be logical to assume that the US would have had accessed to all of the GA VIII gryo variations, including the "ProgramSteering" types referred to as FAT I, II & III + LUT I & II
Fat = "Federapparat" or "Flächenabsuchender Torpedo" (spring device or area searching torpedo)
Lut = "Lageunabhängiger Torpedo" (bearing independent torpedo)

BTW - Natter refers to your one based on a GA VIII LUT type (stamped "LUT" on the transport box! :tinysmile_twink_t2
Cheers
Drew

 

[apfsds]

WOW! I am official getting old! I forgot all about that thread I started on this same gyro!

I cannot thank you and, Natter, enough. Truly EPIC INFORMATION.

Maybe a Moderator can delete this redundant thread?

Jason

 

[Dronic69]

Mate,

Ha ha - we are ALL getting old - you have some catching up to do!!!

Your previous thread only logically assumed that the US copied the gyro design - now we have further proof of that via the Mk18 Wiki info.

Cheers
Drew

 

[Natter]

This is a, German G7 Torpedo Gyro
View attachment 179315

Well, it started it's life as a standard german GA VIII, but yours have been altered post-WW2.

In the 1960's we (ie the Royal Norwegian Navy) modified about 500 ex-Kriegsmarine G7a(TI) torpedoes (norwegian designation "T1") for wire-guidance. The modified torpedo (designated "T1 mod 1") was entered into service with the Navy from 1970 on MTB's and submarines. From 1975 also with the shore batteries of the Coastal Artillery (which was the last user of the torpedo until it's final retirement in 2000).

The gyroscope was modifed so that it's reference could be moved in 1 degree-increments to each side by means of simply transmitting electrical pulses from the firecontrol system over a 6 or 12 km thin single conductor cable, using the sea as common ground. The polarity of the pulses determined the direction of the altered course. The gyroscope's reference was altered by physically rotating a disc breaking/making contact for the solenoid steering the pressurized air controlling the rudder's servoengine on top of the gyroscope. This was done by a stepping motor being controlled by the rather simple electronics rceving the control-pulses.

There were a few modifications to the system over the years, the last (and by far more complex) was enetred into service in 1994 (at that time the Coastal Artillery was the sole operater), introducing a fully computerized control unit in the torpedo with a fully two-way communication-protocol with the firecontrolsystem on shore. The firecontrolsystem was guiding the torpedo automatically, so the operator just picked the target, made changes to the waypoints if needed and then fired it (target could be changed after launch).
The torpedo and the firecontrol system exchanged data for the torpedo's speed and position, as well as the waypoints and target's position/speed/course. In case of the communication being cut off, the torpedo ran on the last received information, and if it missed the target it would initiate an electronically controlled search-pattern similar to the original german mechanical Lut-program.

I have attached a photo of the modified gyroscope (as you can see, your's have been stripped):

 

[Natter]

I have attached a photo of the modified gyroscope (as you can see, your's have been stripped):

There were two verions of the norwegian post-war modified gyroscope, with different steppingmotors. The attached photo shows the two versions (photo taken at Herdla torpedonattery outside Bergen, which is a museum now: We have 9 ex-german torpedoes with complete Kriegsmarine tools and equipment as well +++).

 

[Natter]

Did the, US capture a, German torpedo and reverse engineer this gyro?

Answered above.
The attached photo shows two other examples of the german GA VIII being copied: The drawing in the lower left is the british Type IV gyroscope used in the Mk XI torpedo (ie the british copy of the german G7e(TII), similar to the US Mk 18). The image in the lower right is a croatian gyroscope for the TR 53/IV torpedo.