Gato - torpedo numbering & firing sequence Q??

[steveuk]

Hi guys, I know someone will know the answer to these questions I have. I would like to know please...
What is the torpedo tube numbering on a Gato - eg, is it tubes 1 & 2 top set, tubes 3 & 4 middle set, tubes 5 & 6 bottom set

Also when firing say a spread of two would they normally be fired in certain groupings eg always 1 & 3 together, or always 1 & 2 together ...something to do with balancing the boat

I'm not getting silly. This is for a static model sub diorama I am planning and I want two torpedo's coming out of the tubes of the model, but I wanted it to be accurate.

Any light you can shed on this will be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve.

[boss subfixer]

Steve,
As a general rule, not

Steve,
As a general rule, not necessarily etched in stone, the numbering system used is even numbers on the port side (even and port have the same number of letters if that helps) and odd numbers on the starboard. So the tubes would be 1,3,5, starboard forward. 7&9 aft. Tubes 2,4,6 port forward and 8&10 aft. As for the firing sequence? I don't know if there is one.
Don

[steveuk]

Thanks Don. I can rest

Thanks Don. I can rest now.

So when I call my diorama piece "fire 1 & 2" I know which tubes the torpedo tracks will be coming out of. ..happy man.

[boss subfixer]

Sure thing. How about showing

Sure thing. How about showing off the diorama here when your done.
Don

[steveuk]

Oh yeah, definitely.

When I

Oh yeah, definitely.

When I post it (in the static modelling section) I will stick a link here in this thread to take you straight to it.

I've no idea how long it will take to complete. But my intention is to go to town with it. It is one of those tiny 1/700 Tamiya kits, so the difficulty level is high. But if it turns out as good as it looks in my mind it will be worth the wait.

[mkeatingss]

Firing Procedure

For what it's worth, here's what I remember.
A "normal spread"was three torpedoes. They were targeted fore-aft-MOT (Middle Of Target). Bigger targets (like a carrier) got more "fish".
The forward shot was supposed to make up for short error in range (Target farther away) or target speed, faster that plotted.
The aft shot was to make up for long error (target closer than plotted) or lower target speed.
Naturally, if you had a good plot, and a good solution, he'd eat all three.
Due to turbulence around a running torpedo, there was, at least a ten second delay between each torpedo firing.
Some skippers liked a "high-low-high" firing sequence (Tube #1, Tube #6, tube #2, or some variation of that) to further reduce the chance of turbulence messing up the shot.
At least those were the procedures preferred by the skippers I served with.
Mike K.

[steveuk]

Thanks Mike. It's nice hearing

Thanks Mike. It's nice hearing from your experience as a submariner.

I wonder how many submariners end up making model submarines when they leave the service. You just can't give up submarines can you?

[mkeatingss]

Submarineitus

I'm afraid you're right. Getting involved with subs, is like having malaria. It stays in your blood. It may go into remission for awhile, but it always comes back.
Mike K.

[steveuk]

Mike, as a submariner -

Mike, as a submariner - did you ever hear strange noises coming through the hull from sea creatures, eg whales, when it was quiet on board
(This is my captain Nemo fantasy coming out here ) Well for us land lubbers sailing a model sub is the nearest we will ever get to diving under the waves.

[steveuk]

Ahh, I saw this over

Ahh, I saw this over on Bobs W5BLT website of Pampanito in dry dock 2007, confirms what you said

..caption reads "both torpedo doors open on tube 1"

http://www.w5blt.com/Pampanito/012907/Pampanito.htm

What a craking site, those pics are excellent.
I also watched the vid of tubes 4 and 6 outer doors closing - what a solid clonk sound!

[mkeatingss]

Biologics

Hi, Steve. I'm afraid you can't hear biologics thru the hull. But you can hear them on sonar.
And, Yes, the outer door, does make a real solid thunk, when closed. It, also, makes a similar noise when opened.

Mike K.

[steveuk]

Thanks http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_smile.gif
Another question...

I

Thanks
Another question...

I was recently reading about submarine disasters, one story is of a British submarine just built and out on its maiden voyage, carrying guests and represesntatives of the building yard - on her first dive she sank to the bottom of the estuary... someone had opened the inner torpedo tube door without realising the outer door was already open and the tube was open to the sea! Of course this was disasterous. The crew were unable to close the inner door and stem the heavy in-rush of water. Unfortunately even though the sub was only 30ft down, and actually managed to raise her stern above the water most of the crew still perished on board as only the stern escape chamber was useable and even this was rendered in-operable after only a few had exited.

The book states that at that time there was no indication to show weather the outer door was open and the tube flooded. Since then indicators were added into the design.

So my question is - What form do these "topedo tube open to sea" sort of indicators take on a fleet boat like a Gato
(eg warning light?, glass tube?, drain cock?)

[mkeatingss]

Interlocks

Yes, there are indicators and sight glasses to check for the condition of the doors and water in the tube.But, there are also interlocks that prevent opening one door when the other is open.
If you want a detailed explanation go here: http://www.maritime.org/fleetsub/tubes/chap4.htm
That's the chapter on interlocks. If you want the whole books on torpedo tubes use this]http://www.maritime.org/fleetsub/tubes/[/url]
That's O.P. 1085, 21" Submerged Torpedo Tubes.

DBF,
Mike K.

[steveuk]

Wow, thanks for that Mike.

Wow, thanks for that Mike. That was really interesting reading!
I feel I could almost shoot one those fish out of a Gato now

Interlocking mechanism - good design!

First time I looked at a torpedo tube as a naval 'gun'.

I often wondered about the sudden weight change when a torpedo is fired effecting the subs trim - so it turns out the tube being full of sea water balances things out. Who'd have thought.

Also I didn't know about the poppet valve function, collecting the compressed air from being discharged out of the tubes muzzle...so all our Hollywood films are wrong when we see a gush of bubbles coming out as a torpedo leaves the tube!!

[mkeatingss]

Hollywood

Actually Hollywood isn't entirely wrong. You usually, had some air, escape out the muzzle. But unless it was a dead flat calm, it wasn't enough to mark the firing point.
But the "steam fish" still left a nice clear wake, pointing right back at the firing point.
That's why, as soon as you fired your final fish, you'd put the helm hard over, kick her in the tail and go deep. Then quiet. You knew there'd be some P.O.d SOB, that'd follow the "bread crumbs" back, to have "Words" with you, And you didn't want to be there when he got there.

Mike K.