Bliss–Leavitt Mark 8 torpedo
The Bliss–Leavitt Mark 8 torpedo was the United States Navy's first 21-inch by 21 feet torpedo. Although introduced prior to World War I, most of its combat use was by PT boats in World War II. The torpedo was originally designed in 1911 by Frank McDowell Leavitt of the E. W. Bliss Company and entered full mass production in 1913 at the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island. It was deployed on destroyers and battleships during World War I and cruisers built in the 1920s. All US battleships and most cruisers had their torpedo tubes removed by 1941. The Mark 8 remained in service through World War II on older destroyers, primarily the Wickes and Clemson classes. It also equipped PT boats early in World War II, but was replaced by the Mark 13 torpedo on most of these in mid-1943.
| Bliss–Leavitt Mark 8 torpedo | |
|---|---|
Bliss–Leavitt Mark 8 torpedo sitting on the deck of PT 21 | |
| Type | Anti-surface ship torpedo |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1911–1945 |
| Used by | United States Navy Royal Navy |
| Wars | World War I World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Frank McDowell Leavitt |
| Designed | 1911 |
| Manufacturer | Naval Torpedo Station Naval Gun Factory |
| Variants | Mod 1 Mod 2 Mod 2A Mod 2B Mod 3 Mod 3A Mod 3B Mod 3C Mod 3D Mod 5 Mod 6 Mod 8 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2,600 pounds (1179 kg) |
| Length | 256.3 inches (6.51 m) (6.51 m) |
| Diameter | 21 inches (533 mm) |
| Maximum firing range | 16,000 yards (14,630 m) |
| Warhead | TNT, Mk 8 Mod 4 |
| Warhead weight | 466 pounds (211 kg) |
Detonation mechanism | Mk 3 Mod 2, contact |
| Engine | Turbine |
| Propellant | Air (2800 psi, 23.4 cuft) Water (90 US pints or 43 L) Alcohol (49 US pints or 23 L) |
| Maximum speed | 36 knots (65.1 km/h) |
Guidance system | gyroscope |
Launch platform | Destroyers and PT boats |
Under the Lend-Lease Act, about 600 Mark 8 torpedoes were issued to the United Kingdom for use with 50 pre-1930 destroyers it received under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement.