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The problem of aiming a [[torpedo]] has occupied military engineers since [[Robert Whitehead]] developed the modern torpedo in the 1860s. These early torpedoes ran at a preset depth on a straight course (consequently they are frequently referred to as "straight runners"). This was the state of the art in torpedo guidance until the development of the homing torpedo during the latter part of [[World War II]].<ref name=othertorps>There were other forms of torpedo guidance attempted throughout WWII. Notable are the Japanese human-guided ''[[Kaiten]]'' and German [[G7e#G7e/T3|pattern running]] and [[acoustic homing]] types for attacking convoys. Today, most submarine-launched torpedoes are wire-guided with terminal homing.</ref> The vast majority of submarine torpedoes during World War II were straight running and these continued in use for many years after World War II.<ref name=USMk14his>{{cite web|url = http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/1592/ustorp5.htm|title= Part Five: Post WW-II Submarine Launched/ Heavyweight Torpedoes|accessdate=2006-07-26|author= Frederick J Milford|date= October 1997|work= US Navy Torpedoes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060523064716/http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/1592/ustorp5.htm|archivedate=2006-05-23}}</ref> In fact, two World War II-era straight running torpedoes — fired by the British nuclear-powered submarine {{HMS|Conqueror|S48|6}} — sank the [[ARA General Belgrano|ARA ''General Belgrano'']] in 1982.
During [[World War I]], computing a target intercept course for a torpedo was a manual process where the fire control party was aided by various [[slide rule]]s<ref name=fleetsub>{{cite web | title = Torpedo Data Computer | work = FleetSubmarine.com | year = 2002 | url = http://www.maritime.org/tdc.htm | accessdate = 2006-07-03 }}</ref> (the U.S. examples were the [[Mark VIII Angle Solver]] (colloquially called the "banjo", for its shape), and the "Is/Was" circular sliderule ([[Nasmith Director]]), for predicting where a target will be based on where it is now and was)<ref>Holwitt, Joel I. ''"Execute Against Japan"'', Ph.D. dissertation, Ohio State University, 2005, p.147; Beach, Edward L., Jr. ''Run Silent, Run Deep''.</ref> or mechanical calculator/sights.<ref name = dread>{{cite web |title = Firing a Torpedo Using A Mechanical Computing Sight |work=The Dreadnought Project |url =http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Torpedo_Director|year=2000
|accessdate=2006-07-11}}</ref> These were often "woefully inaccurate",<ref>Holwitt, p. 147.</ref> which helps explain why torpedo spreads were advised.
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