Krabi villagers want decades-old torpedo removed

[webfact]

Krabi villagers want decades-old torpedo removed
The Nation

KRABI: -- Villagers in Krabi's Nua Khlong district yesterday clamoured for authorities to haul off a live pre-World War II torpedo that was found floating in the sea.

They said they were afraid the device, which could destroy an area in the range of 5 kilometres, might explode because of exposure to the heat.

Ban Koh Jam fishermen in tambon Koh Sriboya had discovered the 400-by-50-centimetre cylinder floating between Koh Cham and Koh Phi Phi on Tuesday.

They dragged it back to shore with the aim of dismantling it and selling the pieces to a junk shop, but were stopped by officials.

A bomb-disposal source said this weapon was made in Japan in 1937 and Thailand bought it for Bt10,000 to use during wartime.

Pol Sr Sgt-Major Siwadol Yodmuen, an inspector at Khlong Khanan Police Station, said an ordnance-disposal team from the Third Naval Area Command in Phuket had been contacted to inspect the torpedo later in the day, where it was kept in a sealed-off area at Mutu Pier.


-- The Nation 2014-05-29

[wprime]

Ban Koh Jam fishermen in tambon Koh Sriboya had discovered the 400-by-50-centimetre cylinder floating between Koh Cham and Koh Phi Phi on Tuesday.

They dragged it back to shore with the aim of dismantling it and selling the pieces to a junk shop, but were stopped by officials

[hanno]

They dragged it back to shore with the aim of dismantling it and selling the pieces to a junk shop, but were stopped by officials.

Jesus, did they not hear what happened in Bangkok a few weeks ago. Whilst I very much doubt that a torpedo could lever everything in a 5K radius, I am sure it is enough to flatten the village.

[GBK]

"just leave it over there mate, we'll drop by and look at it later...."

5Km blast radius? Nope.

Floating??? Torpedoes don't float. If the motor stops, they sink.

[h90]

"just leave it over there mate, we'll drop by and look at it later...."

5Km blast radius? Nope.

Floating??? Torpedoes don't float. If the motor stops, they sink.

who knows what they do after 70 years.....

[rabas]

... which could destroy an area in the range of 5 kilometres, might explode..........

5 kilometer blast range, wow. Maybe now people can stop blaming the US for the first nuclear weapons.

Edited May 29, 2014 by rabas

[rabas]

"just leave it over there mate, we'll drop by and look at it later...."

5Km blast radius? Nope.

Floating??? Torpedoes don't float. If the motor stops, they sink.

Looks like they can float (besides, a Thai villager said so.... )

Here is a brief description of a torpedo's air flask system. The torpedo is powered by a fuel-air mix. Most of the torpedo is a large air flask containing highly compressed air, which also makes the torpedo's density near that of water. After 70 years, if the flask develops a small leak, the compressed air will leak out making the torpedo loose weight until it is slightly lighter than water, then it will float to the surface, said Nai the villager ...........

General Description

The air-flask section (Figs. 18 and 19), combines the air compartment, the water compartment and fuel flask, and the mid-ship section. It is the main body of the torpedo, and may be called the "boiler room" of the torpedo. Herein are contained the compressed air, the fuel, and the water, which release the energy necessary to drive the mechanisms which propel and guide the torpedo.

The forward, and by far the greater, portion of the air-flask section (see Fig. 18) is in reality a storage tank for high-pressure air. Air alone, however, can not propel the torpedo for any useful distance at a sustained speed; but by combining the air with a highly volatile fuel and with water, in predetermined proportions, a gas and steam mixture is produced, which provides sufficient energy to propel the torpedo at its designated speed and range.

Immediately adjoining the air compartment, at its after end, is the water compartment, which also contains the fuel flask.

The midship section consists of the portion at the extreme after end of the air-flask section, where the air-flask section joins the afterbody, as shown in Fig. 18. This midship section provides a space for housing and cooling the parts which convey the hot gases to the turbines to supply the power for propelling the torpedo. Openings are provided in the midship-section shell for access to and adjustment of the parts therein.

[soalbundy]

"just leave it over there mate, we'll drop by and look at it later...."

5Km blast radius? Nope.

Floating??? Torpedoes don't float. If the motor stops, they sink.

Looks like they can float (besides, a Thai villager said so.... )

Here is a brief description of a torpedo's air flask system. The torpedo is powered by a fuel-air mix. Most of the torpedo is a large air flask containing highly compressed air, which also makes the torpedo's density near that of water. After 70 years, if the flask develops a small leak, the compressed air will leak out making the torpedo loose weight until it is slightly lighter than water, then it will float to the surface, said Nai the villager ...........

General Description

The air-flask section (Figs. 18 and 19), combines the air compartment, the water compartment and fuel flask, and the mid-ship section. It is the main body of the torpedo, and may be called the "boiler room" of the torpedo. Herein are contained the compressed air, the fuel, and the water, which release the energy necessary to drive the mechanisms which propel and guide the torpedo.

The forward, and by far the greater, portion of the air-flask section (see Fig. 18) is in reality a storage tank for high-pressure air. Air alone, however, can not propel the torpedo for any useful distance at a sustained speed; but by combining the air with a highly volatile fuel and with water, in predetermined proportions, a gas and steam mixture is produced, which provides sufficient energy to propel the torpedo at its designated speed and range.

Immediately adjoining the air compartment, at its after end, is the water compartment, which also contains the fuel flask.

The midship section consists of the portion at the extreme after end of the air-flask section, where the air-flask section joins the afterbody, as shown in Fig. 18. This midship section provides a space for housing and cooling the parts which convey the hot gases to the turbines to supply the power for propelling the torpedo. Openings are provided in the midship-section shell for access to and adjustment of the parts therein.

Torpedoes turn you on, don't they?

[watcharacters]

.

Seems to be a no brainer to me. An explosive device untended and capable of harming people should be the responsibility of the government to disarm ASAP.

Edited May 29, 2014 by watcharacters

[GBK]

"just leave it over there mate, we'll drop by and look at it later...."

5Km blast radius? Nope.

Floating??? Torpedoes don't float. If the motor stops, they sink.

Looks like they can float (besides, a Thai villager said so.... )

Here is a brief description of a torpedo's air flask system. The torpedo is powered by a fuel-air mix. Most of the torpedo is a large air flask containing highly compressed air, which also makes the torpedo's density near that of water. After 70 years, if the flask develops a small leak, the compressed air will leak out making the torpedo loose weight until it is slightly lighter than water, then it will float to the surface, said Nai the villager ...........

General Description

The air-flask section (Figs. 18 and 19), combines the air compartment, the water compartment and fuel flask, and the mid-ship section. It is the main body of the torpedo, and may be called the "boiler room" of the torpedo. Herein are contained the compressed air, the fuel, and the water, which release the energy necessary to drive the mechanisms which propel and guide the torpedo.

The forward, and by far the greater, portion of the air-flask section (see Fig. 18) is in reality a storage tank for high-pressure air. Air alone, however, can not propel the torpedo for any useful distance at a sustained speed; but by combining the air with a highly volatile fuel and with water, in predetermined proportions, a gas and steam mixture is produced, which provides sufficient energy to propel the torpedo at its designated speed and range.

Immediately adjoining the air compartment, at its after end, is the water compartment, which also contains the fuel flask.

The midship section consists of the portion at the extreme after end of the air-flask section, where the air-flask section joins the afterbody, as shown in Fig. 18. This midship section provides a space for housing and cooling the parts which convey the hot gases to the turbines to supply the power for propelling the torpedo. Openings are provided in the midship-section shell for access to and adjustment of the parts therein.

Finding myself much excited by torpedoes(!), I'll chime in again:

I have no argument with the basic principles quoted above. However there are a number of variables here. The torpedo in question is likely the early Mk 91 version, designed to be used in the arial role. It must have been in bloody good condition if serial numbers were intact, hence they know when it was bought and for how much. The main point here is that if it really was found "floating", as opposed to lying around in the mud, it would suggest that it had not been fired/dropped/similar, thus the pressurised air flask was still intact.

In general terms, the warhead on a torpedo is approximately ¼ of the total weight and the explosive is generally known as "Torpex". Also, the detonating system was and remains such that significant forward force (generated by impact) is required to actually detonate the warhead.

In other words, it would appear that some careless chappy just managed to "lose" this one.

There also remain the possibilities (quite high, IMO) that this weapon was dropped too high (probably without the wooden drag fins that were designed to be shed upon entry to the water), or it is simply a practise round with an empty warhead and such a round would almost certainly float.

Yes, it need dealing with, but is unlikely to present high risk to anything outside 200m and the EOD/CD sent to deal with it are more likely to cause it to detonate than if was just left alone. Remember the hammers and burning torches of the recent WW!! bomb found in Bangkok.

In general terms, though, if a fish is fired and hits nothing, it will simply sink to the sea bottom.

Just my 2.5 cents. ;-)

[Nemesis7]

Amazing Thailand

[Payboy]

Thailand bought it for Bt10,000 to use during wartime.

Overpaying for useless stuff since 1937.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Payboy

[CookieMonster1]

I'm sure you never done that have you payboy living in Thailand as a farang .....

[Payboy]

I'm sure you never done that have you payboy living in Thailand as a farang .....

Hey, I overpay pay for useful stuff.

[kurnell]

Why do I feel like I'm in a Bugs Bunny cartoon?

[impulse]

Whoever brought that sucker into port without blowing themselves up, should each buy a lottery ticket.

[GBK]

As mentioned above, it takes enormous force to detonate a torpedo and whilst I would not try it, it's very unlikely you could do it with a lump hammer.

It should be noted that there are 2 kinds of torpedo:

The Arial Torpedo, AKA Bunkerbuster and the Anti-ship torpedo used in either the arial, or underwater role and they have different detonators in them.

A remote controlled explosion on the warhead is the surest way to dispose of these.

[socksy01]

"A bomb-disposal source said this weapon was made in Japan in 1937 and Thailand bought it for Bt10,000 to use during wartime"

Did they have a Submarine to use it with?

[GBK]

..Which kind of guarantees it was designed to be delivered by air...

[Chao Lao Beach]

Why do I feel like I'm in a Bugs Bunny cartoon?

Do you really want to know the answer ? LOL

[taotoo]

..Which kind of guarantees it was designed to be delivered by air...

Not by font then?