Mark 14 torpedo
Problematic US anti-ship weapon of WWII / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Mark 14 torpedo was the United States Navy's standard submarine-launched anti-ship torpedo of World War II. This weapon was plagued with many problems which crippled its performance early in the war. It was supplemented by the Mark 18 electric torpedo in the last two years of the war. From December 1941 to November 1943 the Mark 14 and the destroyer-launched Mark 15 torpedo had numerous technical problems that took almost two years to fix.[3] After the fixes, the Mark 14 played a major role in the devastating blow U.S. Navy submarines dealt to the Japanese naval and merchant marine forces during the Pacific War.
| Mark 14 torpedo | |
|---|---|
 Mark 14 torpedo side view and interior mechanisms, as published in a service manual | |
| Type | Anti-surface ship torpedo[1] |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1931[dubious – discuss]–1980 |
| Used by | United States Navy |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Naval Torpedo Station Newport, Rhode Island[1] |
| Designed | 1931[1] |
| Manufacturer | Naval Torpedo Station Newport, RI[1] Naval Torpedo Station Alexandria, VA Naval Torpedo Station Keyport, Washington Naval Ordnance Plant Forest Park, IL |
| Produced | 1942-1945[2] |
| No. built | 13,000[2] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Mod.0: 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) Mod.3: 3,061 lb (1,388 kg) |
| Length | 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m) |
| Diameter | 21 in (530 mm) |
| Effective firing range | 4,500 yards (4,100 m) at 46 knots (85 km/h) 9,000 yards (8,200 m) at 31 knots (57 km/h) |
| Warhead | Mod.0 TNT Mod.3 Torpex |
| Warhead weight | Mod.0: 507 lb (230 kg) Mod.3: 643 lb (292 kg) |
Detonation mechanism | Contact or magnetic pistol |
| Engine | Wet-heater combustion / steam turbine with compressed air tank |
| Propellant | 180 proof ethanol blended with methanol or other denaturants |
| Maximum speed | 46 knots (85 km/h) |
Guidance system | Gyroscope |
Launch platform | Submarines |
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By the end of World War II, the Mark 14 torpedo was a reliable weapon ultimately remaining in service for almost 40 years in the U.S. Navy, and even longer with other navies.