On This Day…October 13th
October 13th 1944...
Crew of a PBY Catalina rescue Sgt James Latta and Sgt Willis Morlan out of the Adriatic after being forced to bail from their B-24H Liberator after a raid on Vienna, Austria.
Crew of the USS Wasp (originally named the Oriskany and renamed in honour of CV 7 which was lost in ‘42) preparing a Mark XIII torpedo for a TBM Avenger.
Nice!
Amazing to think these photos were actually taken on this day. One can argue that dates by the Julian calendar (or any other) are just manufactured reference points but anniversaries are very powerful connectors, bringing us closer in some way to history, whether it’s a worldwide historical event or a simple birthday.
Good stuff...thanks for the pics.
Thanks, Craig. Anyone out there know why they shrouded the head of the torpedo in plywood?
Probably to protect the gyros/fuses etc which had to be protected/adjusted according to target distances.
Part way down on here...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_13_torpedo
"Early experiments with parachutes attached to aircraft torpedoes had demonstrated that a drag had a beneficial effect on the airflight characteristics of the weapon. While parachutes did not appear [to be] the solution to the problem, discovery of the principle involved led to the development of the drag ring. Constructed of plywood, the ring was attached to the head of a torpedo and served as a stabilizer for the period that the weapon was airborne. Oscillations were reduced and the ring effected a 40 percent deceleration in air speed, then acted as a shock absorber when the torpedo struck water. Better water entry, a byproduct of air stabilization, reduced damage so substantially that pilots were able to increase the heights and speeds at which torpedoes were released. "
@dirtylittlefokker
@robbo
Fantastic, don’t you love learning? Especially at a ‘certain’ age.
I love Catalina's, why have I never built one ?...Hmmm
Ah, the 2am Siren call, “you have to buy me, you have to own me, your stash means nothing without me...I’m right here on Amazon/eBay...you are the chosen one, you need me...”
@neil_foster
Great photo that celebrates picking up at least part of the B-24 crew.
That was one BIG torpedo - it likely could cause a world of hurt!
Thanks David @dirtylittlefokker
Jeff, I’m absolutely sure it did cause a world of hurt.
@mikegolf
😉