Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:03:17-1:04:57

Why the Royal Navy's Mark IV torpedo could still fight

Although formally being retired, the British 21-inch Mark IV remained compatible enough with later practice to appear in wartime use more often than its status suggests.

Mark IV TorpedoRoyal NavyTorpedoesWeapons LogisticsWorld War II
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Question

Was the British 21-inch Mark IV torpedo retired when the Second World War began, and how useful was it?

Short answer

It was being retired but remained usable and probably saw more wartime combat than the formal designation suggests.

Notes

Several navies used weapons called Mark IV, so nationality matters. For the British torpedo, retirement did not mean instant disappearance from stores or ships. Its design experience and similarities with later weapons allowed the Royal Navy to keep using available examples. The Mark IV probably entered combat more often than a simple retired-in-1939 label implies.