[artichokegrower]

Oops!

[MCF]

It wasn’t only the torpedo that was a dummy.

[ThunderSleeps]

“Career limiting move” ...

[Travis T. OJustice]

That’ll end the Captains naval officer career.

[VeniVidiVici]

“WHOOMP! There it is!”

[sockmonkey]

Unless it was a Nerf Torpedo, wouldn’t it still tear some things up? No, per my tagline, I didn’t read the article.

[muir_redwoods]

Command position(s) open

[blueunicorn6]

Don’t you listen to them torpedo! You’re not a dummy! You’re as smart as any torpedo! Don’t let those haters get you down!

[Vendome]

And received glowing remarks for it I’m sure...

[S.O.S121.500]

Practice/dry run ?

[CrazyIvan]

Skipper will be awarded the Order of the Pail and Shovel.

[jagusafr]

“Mulligan!”

[MasterGunner01]

One of the anti-submarine weapons developed in WW2 was the “Hedgehog” (aka the 7.2-inch projector charge). Hedgehog resembled a rifle grenade on steroids with a weight of 65 lbs and warhead of 35 lbs of Torpex. The Hedgehog carried a black powder propellant charge in its tail boom and 24 charges were mounted on four spigots attached to six rails. The six rails could be moved to vary the pattern of the charges thrown ahead of the ship from a round to an elliptic pattern either 267 feet (round) or 195x165 feet from 250 to 300 yards. Hedgehog charges were launched in pairs from their launchers at 0.2 second intervals. Total recoil force applied to the ship's deck was some 40 tons and so it was installed on destroyer escorts or destroyers.

On this particular morning, a DD was getting ready for an ASW exercise off Mayport, FL. The two launchers were loaded with target practice charges (2x24). Exercise charges were the same as live Hedgehogs with the exception that the Torpex filler for the warhead was replaced by concrete. Just prior to departure for the exercise zone, the exercise was rescheduled to the next day; the 48 charges were left on their spigots overnight.

The next morning after quarters, a TM1 (first class torpedoman) went out to do voltage checks on the Mk 13 launcher. He plugged-in his meter, inserted the firing key in the panel, cocked the ripple switch, and tripped it. [Normally, at least one or more switches were open from underwater battery plot to the Mk 13 launcher and would have interrupted the firing voltage to the spigots — but not today. All five switches were closed and the spigots were fully armed and ready.]

The first indication anything was amiss was the first two charges left the spigots followed by the remaining 22 at 0.2 second intervals. The 24 projectiles soared into the air before plunging down into a base parking lot. The projectiles buried themselves about two feet into the ground. Three cars suffered “direct hits”; one in the trunk, one in the middle of the roof, and one in the middle of the hood. There were lots of ashen faces, followed by lots of excitement. One of the crew that watched from the bridge said: “This was the best pattern we [the ship] ever shot!”

[Clay Moore]

OK. There are two leevers on this thing. If you don’t know what leever “A” does, you had best leever “B.”

[HippyLoggerBiker]

The article doesn’t say anything about ranges involved or if the torpedo motor started.

Still, the Stingray 324mm (12.8in) diameter torpedo could cause a significant dent even if it was just propulsed (compressed air launch sysetm)out of the tube. While it is classified as a “lightweight” torpedo, it is 2.6m (8.5ft) long and weighs 267kg(589lbs). Running speed (45Knots) would cause significantly more damage.

[MUDDOG]

Capt. Binghampton sank a truck on the beach with a topedo from PT-73.

[Hatteras]

[dfwgator]

[DakotaRed]

And here we thought it was only in the movies?

http://youtu.be/N2ttd48u0J0

[Secret Agent Man]

someone got a new career cleaning toilets.

[faucetman]

“A British warship accidentally launched an inert torpedo during a training exercise on Wednesday, sending a dummy weapon crashing into a wharf at a naval base in southern England used by nuclear submarines.”

Let me apply this headline to the US.

An American warship accidentally launched a surface to air missile during a training exercise on Wednesday, sending a live weapon crashing into a commercial airliner off the coast Long Island.