G7a torpedo

German G7a(TI) torpedo at the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum in Oslo

The G7a (T1) was the standard issue Kriegsmarine torpedo during the early years of World War II.

Design

The G7a(TI) torpedo was 533.4 mm (21 in) in diameter, 7163 mm (23 ft 6 in) in length (with a type Ka or Kb warhead and Pi1 or Pi2 pistol), the warhead holding a charge of approximately 280 kg (617lbs) of so-called Schießwolle 36. It was the standard issue torpedo for all German U-boats and surface torpedo-bearing vessels of the war.

The GA VIII gyroscope, as used in the G7a(TI) torpedo

The torpedo was of a straight-running unguided design, controlled by a gyroscope. The G7a(TI) was of variable speed, running a distance of 5,000 m at 81 km/h (5,500 yd at 44kt), 7,500 m at 74 km/h (8,250 yd at 40 kt), and 12,000 m at 55.6 km/h (13,200 yd at 30 kt). The 44 kt setting was used only by torpedo boats like the Schnellboote on torpedoes with reinforced engine.

The G7a(TI) was the last naval torpedo of German design to use a wet heat method of propulsion. The torpedo was powered by a steam-engine fed by a mixture of compressed air and steam. Fuel kerosene was burning in a combustion-chamber, creating steam from fresh water. The torpedo's speed was determined by the level of pressure (three settings for 30/40/44 kn) from the low-pressure regulator feeding air to the bottom of the combustion-chamber. The resulting superheated steam powered a four cylinder reciprocating engine, in turn powering a pair of contra-rotating propellers.

Though this system of propulsion gave the G7a(TI) great speed and endurance – the greatest of any production model German torpedo of World War II – it had the distinct disadvantage of being very noisy and leaving a long wake of bubbles, common to most torpedoes of the period, with the exception of the Japanese Type 93 and submarine Type 95, which were fuelled by enriched oxygen. For U-boats, this relegated the G7a(TI) for use mainly at night, when its wake was least noticeable, so as to not give away the element of surprise and the location of the submarine that fired it.

The G7a(TI) was initially fitted with a combined mechanical/magnetic exploder, which was inadequately tested (like the U.S. Navy's Mark 14), having never been live fired.[1] In addition, because the G7a's performance had never been assessed, between deep running and premature explosions[2] (both also familiar to the Mark 14),[3] the G7a suffered a thirty percent failure rate early in World War II.[4] The response of the high command, ignoring complaints and blaming the operators,[5] was also common to the U.S. Pacific Fleet's Submarine Force.[6] The problems were so serious, Admiral Dönitz said, "...never before in military history has a force been sent into battle with such a useless weapon."[7]

Use

There is at least one recorded case of a U-boat being bombed based upon her position being given away by a G7a's wake. On 14 September 1939, U-30 was attacked by loitering United Kingdom Fairey Swordfish naval bombers when she fired a G7a from her stern torpedo tube at the SS Fanad Head. U-30 was undamaged in the attack and served until she was scuttled at the end of the war.

Though the G7a could easily be spotted by surface ships, it remained the torpedo of choice for some U-Boat captains until the release of the G7e (TIII) electric torpedo in 1942, largely due to the inferior performance and tendency of the G7e (TII) (the wakeless electric torpedo available to U-boats from 1939–1942) to fail to detonate, both on proximity and contact fuses.

The G7a were also issued in versions with programsteering gyroscopes, using the Fat I ladder search pattern and the Lut I or Lut II pattern running for attacking convoys.

Technical data for G7a(TI) torpedo

1) Used in post-war service by several navies with different modifications and designations (Marina Española: G-7a, Bundesmarine: DM11, Royal Danish Navy: T1T, Royal Norwegian Navy: T1 mod 1). Last known operator was RNoN with the T1 mod 1 (G7a with wire-guidance: Although 4 modifications to the torpedo where carried out over the years – the last with computerised control in 1992 – the same designation "mod 1" was applied throughout its service). T1 mod 1 was used from FACs (until 1992), submarines (the 1980s) and Coastal artillery shore-batteries (1999). 2) 44kn was to be used by S-Boote (problems with initial design lead to breakdown on motors running 44 kn, so this setting was banned until the new engine was available) 3) Black used only from shore torpedobatteries, red from surfacevessels and blue from submarines 4) Early versions had 4-blade propellers

Other versions:

1) For launch with program setting, speed could only be set to 30 kn 2) For launch with program setting, speed could be set to 30 or 40 kn

Exercise- and Warheads/pistols used on the TI:

Exersiceheads:

Warhead/pistol statutory combinations according to Kriegsmarine regulations:

Warhead/pistol possible (technically) combinations – only on special demand, approved by torpedo-arsenal and with special consideration to depth-settings in order to assure proper function of the pistol:

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Bekker, Cajus. Hitler's Naval War (New York: Zebra, 1977), p.132.
  2. ↑ Bekker, pp.128, 133, and 137.
  3. ↑ Blair, Clay, Jr. Silent Victory (New York: Bantam, 1976), pp.160 & 413.
  4. ↑ Bekker, p.125.
  5. ↑ Bekker, p.125.
  6. ↑ Blair, pp.62 & 361.
  7. ↑ Bekker, quoted p.132.

Sources

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