A Mk VIII Torpedo, on display at the RAF Manston History Museum, during the Kent Strut charity fly-in to Manston, Kent
There have been a number of 21-inch () torpedoes in service with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Torpedoes of 21-inch caliber were the largest torpedoes in common use in the RN. They were used by surface ships and submarines; aircraft used smaller 18-inch torpedoes. The Mark VIII was designed circa 1925 and was the first British burner cycle design torpedo. It was used from 1927 on all submarines, beginning with the later versions of the L class and the Odin class, as well as motor torpedo boats. The principal World War II version was the improved Mark VIII**, 3,732 being fired by September 1944 ( of the total number). The torpedo is still in service with the Royal Navy albeit in a limited role,[citation needed] and was used by the Royal Norwegian Navy (Coastal Artillery: Kaholmen torpedo battery at Oscarsborg Fortress) until 1993. Specifications:[1] Mark VIII Entered service: 1927 Weight: 3,452 lb (1,566 kg) Length: 259 in ( m) Explosive charge: 750 lb (340 kg) TNT Range and speed: 5,000 yd (4,600 m) at 40 kn (74 km/h) Mark VIII** Explosive charge: 722 lb (327 kg) Torpex, later increased to 805 lb (365 kg) Torpex Range and speed: 5,000 yd (4,600 m) at kn ( km/h), 7,000 yd (6,400 m) at 41 kn (76 km/h) The Mark VIII** was used in two particularly notable incidents: On 9 February 1945 the Royal Navy submarine HMS Venturer sank the German submarine U-864 with four Mark VIII** torpedoes. This remains the only historically acknowledged intentional sinking of one submarine by another while both were submerged. On 2 May 1982 the Royal Navy submarine HMS Conqueror sank the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano with two Mark VIII** torpedoes during the Falklands War.[2] This is the only sinking of a surface ship by a nuclear-powered submarine in wartime and the second (of three) sinkings of a surface ship by any submarine since the end of World War II. The other two sinkings were of the Indian frigate INS Khukri and the South Korean corvet
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Manston Airport, Manston, Thanet, Kent
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -class, 21-, 750, british, charg, charity, explosive, fly-, history, kent, lb, manston, mk, museum, navy, raf, royal, strut, submarine, torpedo, viii
