And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Douglas TBD Devastators from USS Enterprise CV-6 off of Hawaii in August 1941
It was a very futile waste of lives as the Mk13 torpedoes had been test dropped from biplanes in the '30s and needed years of work to become effective weapons. "the Mod 1 proved to be an unreliable weapon, with only one of ten torpedoes dropped by VT-6 during an exercise in July 1941 having a hot, straight and normal run. Of the others, four sank and could not be recovered while the other five experienced erratic runs." The US Navy entered WWII with Mk13 airborne and Mk14 sub-launched torpedoes that were worthless. Be careful, this site will suck away all your time if you're interested in 20th century naval history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ5Ru7Zu_1I Al_in_Ottawa
The argument has been made that the Devastator's failure down low at Midway cleared the way for the Dauntless dive bombers up high. The "what ifs" from those four days can keep you busy for a long time.
How long did those men have left to live? Our torpedo bombers paid an awful price at Midway.
ReplyDelete4 months before their lives changed greatly..
ReplyDeleteOf the three air groups at Midway, I think 6 of 41 aircraft made it back.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very futile waste of lives as the Mk13 torpedoes had been test dropped from biplanes in the '30s and needed years of work to become effective weapons.
ReplyDelete"the Mod 1 proved to be an unreliable weapon, with only one of ten torpedoes dropped by VT-6 during an exercise in July 1941 having a hot, straight and normal run. Of the others, four sank and could not be recovered while the other five experienced erratic runs."
The US Navy entered WWII with Mk13 airborne and Mk14 sub-launched torpedoes that were worthless.
Be careful, this site will suck away all your time if you're interested in 20th century naval history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ5Ru7Zu_1I
Al_in_Ottawa
The argument has been made that the Devastator's failure down low at Midway cleared the way for the Dauntless dive bombers up high. The "what ifs" from those four days can keep you busy for a long time.
ReplyDelete