Whitehead Mark 5 torpedo

Whitehead Mark 5 torpedo
Type	Anti-surface ship torpedo^[1]
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
In service	1910–1922^[1]
Used by	United States Navy^[2]
Production history
Designer	Robert Whitehead
Designed	1901^[1]
Manufacturer	Torpedofabrik Whitehead & Co.^[3] Naval Torpedo Station^[1] Vickers Limited
Specifications
Weight	1452 pounds^[1]
Length	204 inches (5.18 meters)^[1]
Diameter	17.7 inches (45 centimeters)^[1]

Effective firing range	1000-4000 yards^[1]
Warhead	wet guncotton^[1]
Warhead weight	200 pounds^[1]
Detonation mechanism	War Nose Mk 5 contact exploder^[1]

Engine	4-cylinder reciprocating^[1]
Speed	27-40 knots^[1]
Guidance system	gyroscope^[1]
Launch platform	battleships, torpedo boats and submarines^[1]

The Whitehead Mark 5 torpedo was a Whitehead torpedo adopted by the United States Navy for use in an anti-surface ship role in 1910. The Mark 5 was the first torpedo to be manufactured by a foreign company, the Whitehead facility in the United Kingdom,^[4] and in 1908, by the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island. It was also the first torpedo to allow the firing ship to vary its speed and range.^[2]

Characteristics

The Mark 5 was a "hot-running" (powered by heated air) torpedo, as opposed to previous Whitehead designs, which were "cold-running". It was similar in performance to the Bliss-Leavitt torpedoes of that era. Around 500 units were produced by the Naval Torpedo Station and Vickers Limited. The Mark 5 had variable speed; at a high speed of 40 knots, it had a range of 1000 yards. A low speed of 27 knots allowed the weapon a range of 4000 yards; at medium speed of 36 knots, its range was 2000 yards. This variable speed was set before loading the torpedo in its tube by adjusting the reducing valve.^[2]

The Mark 5 was, however, overshadowed by the increasing efficiency and range of Bliss-Leavitt torpedoes. In 1922, all torpedoes prior to the Bliss-Leavitt Mark 7 torpedo in the US Navy's inventory were condemned in favor of more modern versions.^[2]

The Mark 5 was launched from battleships, torpedo boats and submarines.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Torpedo History: Whitehead Torpedo Mk1". Retrieved 10 June 2013.
1 2 3 4 "Artifact Spotlight: Whitehead torpedo" (PDF). Retrieved 8 June 2013.
↑ "Chronology: Torpedo in Word and Picture". Retrieved 2013-06-08.
↑ "United States of America, Torpedoes Pre-World War II". Retrieved 25 June 2013.

U.S. Navy torpedoes

Pre-World War II	Howell Mark 1 torpedo Whitehead Mark 1 torpedo Whitehead Mark 1B torpedo Whitehead Mark 2 torpedo Whitehead Mark 2C torpedo Whitehead Mark 3 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 1 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 2 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 3 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 4 torpedo Whitehead Mark 5 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 6 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 7 torpedo Short Mark 7 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 8 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 9 torpedo Mark 10 torpedo Mark 11 torpedo Mark 12 torpedo

World War II	Mark 13 torpedo Mark 14 torpedo Mark 15 torpedo Mark 16 torpedo Mark 17 torpedo Mark 18 torpedo Mark 19 torpedo Mark 20 torpedo Mark 21 torpedo Mark 21 Mod 2 torpedo Mark 22 torpedo Mark 23 torpedo Mark 24 mine Mark 25 torpedo Mark 26 torpedo Mark 27 torpedo Mark 28 torpedo Mark 29 torpedo Mark 30 torpedo mine Mark 31 torpedo

Post-World War II	Mark 32 torpedo Mark 33 torpedo Mark 34 torpedo Mark 35 torpedo Mark 36 torpedo Mark 37 torpedo Mark 39 torpedo Mark 43 torpedo Mark 44 torpedo Mark 45 torpedo Mark 46 torpedo Mark 48 torpedo Mark 50 torpedo Mark 54 MAKO Lightweight Torpedo

Related topics	Bliss-Leavitt torpedo Schwartzkopff torpedo Whitehead torpedo

See also: AUM-N-2 Petrel, Mark 60 CAPTOR, RUR-5 ASROC, RUM-139 VL-ASROC, and UUM-125 Sea Lance

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