Type Torpedo In service 1937-1945 Weight 1,548 lb (702 kg) | Place of origin United Kingdom Designed 1935 Length 16 ft 3 in (4.95 m) | |
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There have been a number of 18 inch torpedoes in service with the United Kingdom.
Contents
- 45 cm Fiume Whitehead torpedo
- 18 inch Mark V
- 18 inch Mark VI
- 18 inch Mark VII and VII
- 18 inch Mark VIII
- 18 inch Mark XI
- 18 inch Mark XII
- 18 inch Mark XIV
- 18 inch Mark XV
- 18 inch Mark XVI
- 18 inch Mark XVII
- 18 inch Mark 30
- References
These have been used on ships of the Royal Navy and aircraft of both the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force, while Royal Navy surface ships and submarines use 21 inch torpedoes.
The British "18 inch" torpedoes were 17.72 inches (45.0 cm) in diameter, beginning with the "Fiume" Whitehead torpedo of 1890.
45 cm "Fiume" (Whitehead) torpedo
First introduced into British service in 1894.
18 inch Mark V
Used on the River class and 1905 Tribal class destroyers.
18 inch Mark VI
Used on Destroyers of the early 1900s.
18 inch Mark VII and VII*
Introduced on the 1908 members of the 1905 Tribal class destroyers. Used by torpedo boats built before the First World War and destroyers. Used by RAF flying boats in the 1920s.
30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) for 6,000–7,000 yd (5,500–6,400 m)
41 knots (76 km/h; 47 mph) for 3,000 yd (2,700 m)
29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) for 7,000 yd (6,400 m)
35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) for 5,000 yd (4,600 m)
18 inch Mark VIII
18 inch Mark XI
18 inch Mark XII
Aircraft launched, used by Fleet Air Arm and RAF Coastal Command.
18 inch Mark XIV
The Mark XIV was an aircraft-launched torpedo. Stocks were lost with the fall of Singapore.
18 inch Mark XV
18 inch Mark XVI
Electric torpedo project not completed.
18 inch Mark XVII
18 inch Mark 30
An air-dropped passive acoustic homing torpedo known as "Dealer" and "Dealer B". "Dealer" did not see service use, but its successor, "Dealer B" (the Mark 30 Mod 0), was issued from June 1954. Considered very successful with approximately 1,200 being built, it served in both the Royal Navy and RAF until 1970. The Mark 30 Mod 1 had several improvements, but this program was cancelled in 1955 in favour of purchasing Mark 43 Mod 3 torpedoes from the USA.