Q&A ยท 2:43:57-2:45:08

What if every Axis torpedo became an early Mark 14?

Giving the Axis the Mark 14's early defects would sharply weaken U-boat and Japanese torpedo warfare at a critical moment in 1942.

Question

How would the war change if all Axis torpedoes became defective early Mark 14s in January 1942?

Short answer

Britain would gain a major advantage in the Atlantic, while Japan would lose much of its effective torpedo armament. The scenario includes faults in both the Mark 6 exploder and the early Mark 14 itself.

Notes

Replacing every Axis torpedo with the defective early Mark 14 in January 1942 would greatly benefit Britain in the Battle of the Atlantic. Japan would also lose much of the effective torpedo armament behind its naval victories. The scenario includes the Mark 6 exploder's problems, while faults elsewhere in the torpedo make changing the exploder alone an incomplete solution. The Mark 14 eventually became a workable weapon, so the criticism concerns its early defective form.