I have a thing for torpedoes. A member recently mentioned that they had an IJN Kawachi hull available... I'm not really into the earlier ships, but when I learned it had 5 torpedo tubes (2 per side and 1 in the stern) I've become more interested... Then I discovered the Mutsu and Nagato also carried them..4 per side, 2 above the waterline (which could be aimed 15* forward/35* rearward) and 2 below... as well as other Japanese Battleships (I'm well aware of their usage on other smaller IJN vessels) and even some IJN Armed Merchant Cruisers carried double, twin torpedo mounts! Has anyone mounted/used these torpedoes?! (any special mounting?)
Ahoy TorpCruiser, you would probably be interested in Big Gun combat. We use several thicknesses of balsa wood and several sizes of shot, based on historical ship specs, and torpedoes are simulated using fixed-direction cannons of the largest caliber. I am currently stationed in Kingston Washington, and I try to host build sessions whenever I can. My schedule is a little uncertain right now, but I would highly recommend you swing by and check out the fleet.
Pretty interesting thread about a quad-tube Torpedo launching system for an Alfa class sub... Seems very adaptable for other/our uses. I Got Dirty Pictures - Page 6 - RC Groups
I love the technology the R/C sub guys come up with. Some of it is quite useful, and all of it is very creative. That sort of gas-propelled torpedo system, unfortunately, does not translate over very well. Great for large scale submarines, but not suitable for combat. I saw a couple at a SubRegatta in San Francisco a while ago, and talked at length with the builders. The big problem for combat is safety. Self-propelled underwater torpedoes like the ones used in non-combat submarine models lack the hitting power to penetrate balsa at a distance. The low-pressure gasses they use can't get the torpedo moving fast enough. If you use a gas that's high enough pressure to reach penetrating velocity underwater, it becomes a major safety hazard if launched above the water. If you stick with low-pressure gas, you'd need some kind of penetrating tip on it. Explosive tips are right out (for hopefully obvious reasons), as are spiked tips. It is possible to have a blunt-tipped spring-powered penetrator, but I have never seen a functional one scaled down enough to work in a 1:144 scale sub. Heck, I haven't even seen one in 1:72 scale, and they have twice the space to work with. Overall, torpedoes in Big Gun combat are in a pretty good place right now. They have a well-defined role, it is a historically-accurate role, and it is well-balanced from a gameplay perspective. My garage will be open this weekend if you are interested in attending a build session and seeing the fleet. There are several of us in WA who are interested in Big Gun combat, and I have a fleet that can make that happen.
Due to the non-viability of exploding torpedoes how about mechanically expanding torpedoes?! Based off of mechanical/expanding broadhead arrow tips... It seems that much cheaper versions could be easily 3D printed... NAP Slingblade 2 TI Broadhead 100 Grain 3PK (midwayusa.com) NAP Backflip 2 TI Broadhead 100 Grain 3PK (midwayusa.com) Innerloc Devastation Broadheads 100 grains – Lancaster Archery Supply SWAT Vector Broadheads – Lancaster Archery Supply BlackOut Lazer Strike II Mechanical Broadhead | Cabela's (cabelas.com) With max expanded diameter being limited by scale warhead size/length... Allen Co Stryke Tomakawk 100gr Expandable Broadhead - 3 Pack | Sportsman's Warehouse (sportsmans.com) Of course I'm not saying to use the actual broadheads as shown, they're for illustration purposes. For our usage the retracted blades/tines/arms would have to be flush with the sides of the warhead of the torp. to fit inside launch tubes. The blades/tines/arms would only deploy upon impact with hull.
