Torpedo attacks (how to)

[Janov]

Hi everybody,

being the nice person that I am I will share what I have found out about making torpedo attacks on ships. A relatively foolproof way is to use the PT-Boat. The CV-Group travels at 35 Mph, the PTs max speed is 47 Mph. You need to make your attack from  the CV-Groups 10:30 or 1:30 o´clock position, so try to spawn out ahead of CV, or you will spend a lot of time getting into position.
Once there, slow your PT-Boat to 39 Mph (exactly 23.5 RPM). This is the exact speed the torpedoes will run at. The trick is now to aim (steer) the PT in such a way, that it would hit the target (Carrier or Cruiser), if both courses were not changed. To achieve this, you need to get 0 relative motion. Steer about 42 degrees lead (ships are near edge of screen). Now switch to a gun, zoom all the way in, aim at targets smokestack. If the target moves out of your sight (relative motion), you need to adjust your heading. Do this in small steps, until the target is steady in the sight (aiming the sight at the target anew after each heading change).

If nothing would change now, the target would grow bigger and bigger, and you would finally run into it. Of course the defence guns would chew you up beforehand, so drop your torpedoes once close enough (target fills about half the reticle). The US-torpedoes will run for 4 minutes, traveling about 4000 meters.
Now you can drive away, and hope that nobody saw you who has enough wits to change the CV-Groups heading. I like to aim at the targets aft third, that way if its turning it will still give my torps a chance to hit (since turning slows the targets relative motion).
Using German torpedoes with the JU-88 is a lot harder. They are a little slower than US torpedoes (about 37 Mph, according to my measurements) and run only 1:30 mins (about 1400meters). So you need to get closer, lead about 44 degrees (target touching side of monitor). you cant use the "0-relative bearing change" method here, so good luck!

Now one final word of advice: Never use this against a Knight CV!!:mad:

Litjan, 1.Hessische Freibierstaffel

[Saintaw]

Thanks Litjan!
I for one, was never able to hit anything with torpedoes, I'll save this, try it & report back with my stories of successfull sinkings

[AcId]

Originally posted by Janov
The trick is now to aim (steer) the PT in such a way, that it would hit the target (Carrier or Cruiser), if both courses were not changed.

Just to add, in naval terms this is called CBDR Constant Bearing Decreasing Range. It's what every Con Officer doesn't want to hear but if he does he better get a recommended course change to go with it.

Whats really fun is when the Con Off's ego takes over and he doesn't agree with you. At which point we repeat our findings & recommendations, log it, log the Con Off's reply, tape up the log books and don life jackets. Had to do that once, bastard almost hit the USS Enterprise. It took a while for him to be able to set foot on the bridge again.


<--Ex-Navy-dude (Operations Specialist 3rd class)

[Sharky]

If xUm = xDmht  target go boom.

Sharky

[ViFF]

Thanks Litjan !
Such a simple yet very effective solution... !

[Jackal1]

Geez, all I need now is a slide rule, a little weather equipment, an onboard targeting solutiion computer and a written , notarized letter From Horatio Hornblower stateing he won`t turn the CV and I`m good to go.