Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:12:02-4:14:22

Why fast torpedo boats used fixed launchers

Fixed torpedo mounts traded aiming flexibility for lower weight, lower complexity, and safety in a small boat pounding through rough water.

Motor Torpedo BoatsReliabilitySeakeepingTorpedo TubesWarship Design
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Question

Why did motor torpedo boats use fixed rather than trainable torpedo mounts?

Short answer

Because a fixed mount was lighter and safer, and steering the whole boat was preferable to a heavy traversing system that might break loose at speed.

Notes

A trainable torpedo launcher adds weight and a mechanism that must remain secure as a small boat pounds through rough seas. If its traverse gear or retaining catch fails, the torpedo can swing where the crew does not want it. A fixed installation avoids that failure mode. The crew can aim by steering the whole boat, making the extra flexibility of a traversing mount less valuable than its mechanical burden.