Navy dolphins discover rare old torpedo off Coronado (San Diego, CA)

LA Times ^ | May 17, 2013 | Tony Perry

[Born to Conserve]

“Be careful what you teach animals to bring home:”

Our neighbors dog would knock down a fence to fetch a firecracker before it went of.

[smoothsailing]

Mustang Class Torpedo Flyer

The Mustang class torpedo flyer was conceived in 1884 as an inexpensive craft capable of patrolling and defending America's Eastern Coast. An Army project, it was also an attempt to demonstrate that the US Army should "own" the skies, not the "New Navy." Senior generals reasoned that if flyers like the Mustang class could effectively prevent foreign fleets from approaching the coast, and harass enemy shipping, it would ensure that the Army would be the nation's first line of defense (and ensure ample funding).

......................

Armament of Mustang ClassClass

4 Howell Torpedo Launchers (16 torpedoes)
3-inch BLR (40 rounds)
8 Hotchkiss Revolving Steam Cannon 37mm/5 in 4 double turrets (9600 rounds)

Source

:o)

[stuartcr]

How did it track? What was it’s propulsion system?

[smoothsailing]

Mustang Class Torpedo Flyer

The Mustang class torpedo flyer was conceived in 1884 as an inexpensive craft capable of patrolling and defending America's Eastern Coast. An Army project, it was also an attempt to demonstrate that the US Army should "own" the skies, not the "New Navy." Senior generals reasoned that if flyers like the Mustang class could effectively prevent foreign fleets from approaching the coast, and harass enemy shipping, it would ensure that the Army would be the nation's first line of defense (and ensure ample funding).

......................

Armament of Mustang Class Torpedo Flyer

4 Howell Torpedo Launchers (16 torpedoes)
3-inch BLR (40 rounds)
8 Hotchkiss Revolving Steam Cannon 37mm/5 in 4 double turrets (9600 rounds)

Source

:o)

I think that Howell torpedo guy was a distant cousin three times removed on my great-great-great granddaddy's sister's nephew's side of the family.

[jazusamo]

LOL!

Gads I love these military history threads, I learn something new on every one of them. ;-)

Good to see your yacht again, it just keeps going and going:)

[jazusamo]

Check the Wiki link at post 5. It was powered by a flywheel spinning at 10 to 12 thousand RPM before launch and had a range of about 400 yds.

[smoothsailing]

The Army/Navy rivalry runs deep in my family. :o)

[stuartcr]

I saw that after I posted, I didn’t see anything about tracking.

[jazusamo]

I haven’t seen anything about tracking either, looks like there wasn’t any. I guess they aimed as best they could, launched and hoped it would hit.

[smoothsailing]

LOL, my boat stalled in post#27!

[stuartcr]

Pretty clever propulsion

[jazusamo]

It didn’t stall, the wind quit. Must have been due to global warming! ;-)

[smoothsailing]

LOL! Yep, these pups would have come in handy!

[DogByte6RER]

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