Torpedo and adjusting device? …………..
We have a small number of exhibits that don’t directly fit our collecting policy but would otherwise have been lost or be permanently in storage so we have provided a viewing opportunity.
One being a German WW1 torpedo of 500mm diameter, and length of 600cm; the interior is exposed and captioned. Whilst none appears to survive in German museums, valuable help has been given by them to identify ours as likely having been of the type carried by submarines UB21 to UB38. We suspect our example came from a submarine that surrendered after WW1.
However, what is this?
An object from our own stores has now created some speculation as its curvature suggests the same diameter as the torpedo.
The metal plate is exceptionally heavy so tends to discount the original view that it came from an airship: the wording on it refers to Schwanzlastig (tail heavy), Hohenflosse (tailplane) and Kopflastig (nose heavy).
There are the remains of a wheel with three flat “spokes” so we now wonder if this could be an instrument for adjusting the steering mechanism of a torpedo.
We would be interested in views.
Author :: Ian Hancock
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