Losing leg in torpedo chute, WW2 submarine

Oct 28, 2012 14:51

There is this character, a vampire, who is thrown off a submarine (German U-Boot during WW2). This happens via a torpedo chute. Once he is in the water, he has lost one or both of his legs ( Read more... )

~boats and other things that float, germany: military, germany (misc), ~world war ii, germany: history

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stormwreath October 29 2012, 16:02:29 UTC
From the US Navy's Submarine Information and Instruction Manual, 1942 - I imagine German procedure would be similar, if not identical.

In the control room, throw in torpedo firing circuit switch, located on switchboard, or radio room bulkhead.

See air on 100 lb. line forward.

See high pressure air line to torpedo room is open.

Open forward trim line blow valve on air manifold. In torpedo room (1) flood the torpedo tubes from forward trim tank, (2) open the shutters to desired tubes, (3) open the tube outer doors, (4) see curve firing gear disengaged, (5) check ready lights, (6) open stop valve from air line to solenoids, volume tank, open independent valve to solenoid H. P. (there is one valve for each solenoid,) (7) build up pressure from H.P. line to impulse tank to 135 lbs., (8) crack and open the firing valve stop, (9) throw in tube ready light switch.

The torpedo is now ready to be fired, electrically, from the control room. When the firing key is pressed, the solenoid is energized and lifts the solenoid off its seat, allowing the air from solenoid to enter the stop bolt cylinder behind the piston, forcing the stop bolt rod forward and withdrawing the stop bolt from in front of the torpedo drive stud. As the piston moves forward, it uncovers a port, allowing the air to continue to the after end of the over balanced piston; when the air enters the after side of the over balanced piston it overcomes the overbalanced condition of the firing valve, allowing the firing valve to open. The impulse air then enters the tube, forcing the torpedo from the tube. The tripping latch strikes the starting lever as the torpedo moves forward, and starts the torpedo under its own power.

In other words, the torpedo (or vampire) is blown out of the tube by compressed air at 135 pounds pressure (I assume that's 135 psi), and a latch triggers the torpedo's motor as it leaves the tube. I think the vampire would need to be restrained (or unconscious), or it could just grip the sides of the tube with its vampiric superstrength and keep itself from being blown out.

The torpedo tube is designed to blow the torpedo well clear of the submarine, of course. However one possibility would be that the vampire regain consciousness, or breaks his bonds, just as he's blown out of the tube. He struggles to cling to the slippery hull of the boat, but loses his grip and somehow manages to get sucked into the propeller. Most U-boats did have a rear-facing torpedo tube as well as the main forward ones, and it might be better if the vampire was fired out of that one - in theory so he'd be left behind as the sub moved on, but also be closer to the propeller.

An alternative would be if he got caught on some underwater wreckage as he was being fired out of the tube. Maybe the steel cable of a mine or anti-submarine net gets tangled around his leg. Maybe, if you're feeling particularly sadistic, he has to gnaw off his own leg to get free of the cable - especially if it is a mine, and trying to break the cable instead will make the mine explode.

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