Locomotive Torpedoes

For images of the weapons listed here, click on the appropriate link.

British-built Torpedoes

Date Model Diameter Length Engine Weight Max. Speed Max. Range Charge Notes
1872 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 16" Mk.I* 16" - - 530 lbs. 12 knots 600 yards 26 lbs. Fitted with twin contra-rotating propellers.
1876 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.I* 14" 14' 6" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 525 lbs. 18 knots 600 yards 32 lbs. -
1876 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.II 14" 14' 7" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 575 lbs. 19 knots 600 yards 34 lbs. -
1882 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.III 14" 14' 7" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 575 lbs. 20 knots 600 yards 34 lbs. -
1883 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.IV 14" 14' 6" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 630 lbs. 23 knots 600 yards 60 lbs.  
1885 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.V 14" 14' 6" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 654 lbs. 25 knots 600 yards 60 lbs.  
1886 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.VI 14" 14' 6" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 648 lbs. 25 knots 600 yards 60 lbs.  
1887 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.VII 14" 15' Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 707 lbs. 27 knots 600 yards 70 lbs.  
1888 Royal Laboratory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.VIII 14" 15' Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 708 lbs. 26 knots 600 yards 65 lbs. Triple bladed propeller adopted.
1890 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) 18" Mk.I 18" 16' 7" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 1213 lbs. 30 knots 800 yards 188 lbs.  
1887 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) Short 14" 14" 12' 5" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 861 lbs. 28 knots 800 yards 85 lbs. Designed for use with small boats.
1892 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.VIII 14" 15' Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 708 lbs. 26.5 knots 600 yards 65 lbs.  
1892 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) 18" Mk.II 18" 16' 7" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 1227 lbs. 30.5 knots 800 yards 188 lbs.  
1893 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.IX 14" 15' Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 726 lbs. 27.5 knots 600 yards 77 lbs. Quadruple bladed propeller adopted.
1894 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) 18" Mk.III 18" 16' 7" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 1213 lbs. 30.5 knots 800 yards 171 lbs.  
1895 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) 18" Mk.IV 18" 16' 7" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 1218 lbs. 30.6 knots 800 yards 171 lbs.  
1895 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) 18" Mk.V 18" - Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine - - - -  
1897 Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich) 14" Mk.X 14" - - 762 lbs. 30 knots 800 yards 77 lbs.  

French-built Torpedoes

Date Model Diameter Length Engine Weight Max. Speed Max. Range Charge Notes
1887 M1887 14" 16' 4" - 701 lbs. 27 knots 437 yards 92.5 lbs. -
1887 M1887 15" 18' 7½" - 933 lbs. 28 knots 656 yards 92.5 lbs. -
1892 M1892 17.7" 16' 6¾" - 1168 lbs. 31 knots 875 yards 165 lbs. -

German-built Torpedoes

Date Model Diameter Length Engine Weight Max. Speed Max. Range Charge Notes
1876 Schwartzkopff 14" 14" 14' Compressed Air Engine 602 lbs. 17 knots 440 yards 31 lbs. Copy of the Whitehead Fiume 14" with phosphor bronze body.
1883 Schwartzkopff 14" 14" - - 581 lbs. 21 knots 640 yards 44 lbs.  

Howell Flywheel Torpedoes

Date Model Diameter Length Engine Weight Max. Speed Max. Range Charge Notes
1870 - 14" 8' - - 8.5 knots 400 yards 70 lbs. -
1884 - 14" - - 300 lbs. 15.6 knots 200 yards - -
1890 - 14" - - - 24 knots 400 yards - -
1894 - 14" 8' 11" - 520 lbs. 26 knots 500 yards 70 lbs. -
1895 - 18" 14' 5" - 700 lbs. 30 knots 800 yards 180 lbs. -

Italian-built Torpedoes

Date Model Diameter Length Engine Weight Max. Speed Max. Range Charge Notes
1877 A37-356 14" 14' 4" Compressed Air Engine - 22 knots 850 yards 81.5 lbs. Steel body.
1879 B43-356 14" 14' 5" Compressed Air Engine - 22 knots 850 yards 95 lbs. Bronze body.
1885 B57-356 14" 14' 7" Compressed Air Engine - 24 knots 1080 yards 125 lbs. Bronze body.
1889 B90-450 17.7" 16' 3" Compressed Air Engine - 30 knots 1100 yards 198 lbs. Bronze body
1897 A60-450 17.7" 16' 3" Compressed Air Engine - 32 knots 850 yards 132 lbs. Steel body
1897 A62-450 17.7" 16' 6" Compressed Air Engine - 31 knots 2150 yards 137 lbs. Steel body
1898 A90-450 17.7" 15' 7" Compressed Air Engine - 34 knots 2150 yards 198 lbs. Steel body
1898 A110-450 17.7" 16' 6" Compressed Air Engine - 34 knots 2150 yards 242 lbs. Steel body

Miscellaneous Torpedoes

Date Model Diameter Length Engine Weight Max. Speed Max. Range Charge Notes
1870 Quick 24" - - - - 2000 yards 700 lbs. Built by George Quick (Portsmouth); Unsuccessful.
1871 USN Automobile   - - - 7 knots 300 yards 70 lbs. Built by Rhode Island Torpedo Test Station; Unable to maintain a straight course.
1872 Ramus - - Rocket - 35 knots - - Rocket-powered, surface-running torpedo.
1873 Ericsson - - Electric - - - - Electrically powered via cables from the firing platform to the torpedo; Suspended from a float.
1873 Barber 12" 7' Rocket 287 lbs. - - 48 lbs. Underwater rocket; Barber worked at the Rhode Island Torpedo Test Station.
- Peck - - Steam - - - - Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders; A version of the Whitehead design but powered by a steam engine.
- Cunningham - - Rocket - - - - -
1880 Hall - - Steam - - - - -
1880 Brennan 24" 24' Steam 7840 lbs. 30 knots 2825 yards 200 lbs. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence weapon; A steam winch transmitted power to the torpedo via wires running over drums inside the body of the torpedo.
1880 Lay Dirigible 18" 23' Compressed CO2 2500 lbs. 16 knots 4000 yards 200 lbs. Cable-controlled, surface running torpedo.
1880 Ericsson 16" 25' Rocket 1500 lbs. 61 knots 100 yards 300 lbs. -
1880 Paulson - - Superheated water - - - - Compass and electrically-controlled torpedo.
1880 Borden - - Gas-powered turbine - - 2000 yards - -
1880 Berdan - - Rocket - - - 200 lbs. -
1880 Lay-Haight - - Gas - - - - Development of the Lay Dirigible torpedo; Unsuccessful.
1883 Woolwich Rocket - - Rocket - - 50 yards - Built by the Royal Laboratory (Woolwich).
1884 Weeks - - Rocket - - 40 yards 100 lbs. Rocket-powered, surface-running torpedo.
1885 Wood-Haight - - Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine - - - - Suspended from a float.
1885 Hudson Maxim - - Steam - - - - Power to the torpedo via wires; Unsuccessful.
1886 Patrick 22" 42' Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 6000 lbs. 21 knots 2000 yards 200 lbs. Suspended from a float.
1888 Nordenfelt 29" - Electric 5000 lbs. 16 knots 4000 yards 400 lbs. Wire-controlled and suspended from a float; Unsuccessful
1889 Sims-Edison - - Electric - 12 knots 3500 lbs. 400 lbs. Development of the Ericsson torpedo; Electrically powered via cables from the firing platform to the torpedo; Suspended from a float.

Whitehead Torpedoes

Date Model Diameter Length Engine Weight Max. Speed Max. Range Charge Notes
1866 Prototype 14" - Compound Oscillating Air Engine 265 lbs. 6 knots 220 yards 18 lbs. Iron boiler plate body, single screw, no balance chamber, longitudinal fins.
1867 Trials (Austria) 14" 11' 7" Compound Oscillating Air Engine 346 lbs. 5.7 knots 200 yards 14 lbs. Iron boiler plate body, single screw, no balance chamber, longitudinal fins.
1867 Trials (Austria) 16" 14' 1" Compound Oscillating Air Engine 650 lbs. 6.7 knots 300 yards 67 lbs. Iron boiler plate body, single screw, no balance chamber, longitudinal fins.
1868 Trials (Austria) 14" 11' 7" Whitehead Vee-twin Air Engine 346 lbs. 7 knots 600 yards 40 lbs. Balance chamber added.
1868 Trials (Austria) 16" 14' 1" Whitehead Vee-twin Air Engine 650 lbs. 7 knots 600 yards 67 lbs. Balance chamber added.
1870 Trials (UK) 14" 13' 10½" Whitehead Vee-twin Air Engine - 7.5 knots 600 yards 18 lbs. -
1870 Trials (UK) 16" 14' Whitehead Vee-twin Air Engine - 7 knots 1000 yards 67 lbs. -
1871 Fiume Small 14" 14' Whitehead Vee-twin Air Engine - 16.5 knots 800 yards 26.5 lbs. -
1871 Fiume Standard 16" 16' Whitehead Vee-twin Air Engine - 7 knots 1000 yards - -
1876 Fiume 14" Mk.1 14" 14' 6" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 529 lbs. 17.5 knots 600 yards 26.5 lbs. Longitudinal fins removed.
1876 Fiume 14" Mk.2 14" 14' 6" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 594 lbs. 20 knots 600 yards 30 lbs. -
1876 Fiume 14" Mk.3 14" 13' 3" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 554 lbs. 21 knots 600 yards 58 lbs. -
1882 Fiume 15" 15" 18' 9½" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 904.5 lbs. 23.5 knots - 74 lbs. Steel or bronze body.
1882 Fiume Short 14" 11' Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 435 lbs. 21 knots 600 yards - Built for Russia.
1883 Fiume Baby 12" - Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 272 lbs. 21 knots 200 yards 33 lbs. Designed for use with small boats equipped with dropping gear.
1885 Fiume 14" Mk.4 14" 14' 9" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 660 lbs. 23.5 knots 600 yards 58 lbs. -
1885 Fiume 14" Short 14" 12' ¾" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 856 lbs. 28.5 knots 800 yards 88 lbs. -
1890 Fiume 18" Mk.1 18" 16' 7" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 1136 lbs. 30 knots 800 yards 198 lbs. -
1890 Fiume 18" Mk.2 18" 16' 7" Brotherhood 3-cylinder Radial Air Engine 1136 lbs. 29.5 knots 800 yards 187 lbs. -

Key

- = Unknown
lbs. = pound
Mk. = Mark

For images of the weapons listed here, click on the appropriate link.

© Robert George Cordery (2005)