The 24.5" Mark I torpedo was a British torpedo carried only on Nelson-class battleships. This was the type of torpedo that HMS Rodney fired at the German battleship Bismarck, "the only known occasion that a battleship fired torpedoes at an enemy battleship."[1]
| British 24.5-inch torpedo | |
|---|---|
 Wrecked 24.5-inch Mark I torpedoes after HMS Nelson was torpedoed in 1941 | |
| Type | Torpedo |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1925[1] |
| Used by | Royal Navy |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1923 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 5,700 pounds (2,600 kg) |
| Length | 26 feet 7 inches (8.10 m) |
| Diameter | 24.5 inches (62 cm) |
| Effective firing range | 15,000 yards (14,000 m) at 35 knots (65 km/h) 20,000 yards (18,000 m) at 30 knots (56 km/h) |
| Warhead | TNT |
| Warhead weight | 743 pounds (337 kg) |
| Propellant | Oxygen-enriched air |
| Maximum speed | 30 knots (56 km/h) - 35 knots (65 km/h) |
Launch platform | Nelson-class battleships |
This torpedo design was the inspiration for the Japanese Type 93 'Long Lance' torpedoes.[citation needed]
References
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