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 Author  Topic: Torpedo warhead colors
TGConnelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 11, 2008 - 3:12pm
Gentlemen,

Could someone tell me the actual color of the warheads of the Mark XIII torpedoes that were carried in the roll-off racks on PT boats in WW2?

I've been told that they were painted to match the base color of whatever camouflage scheme the boat carried. I've been told that they were also painted to match the camouflage area that they were in front of.

Which is correct?

Were they gray? Were they yellow? What?

Thank you,

Garth


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newsnerd99

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 11, 2008 - 3:37pm
I can't offer you an answer...only photographs.

Shine on the bodies, dark heads (Phillipines, 1945):



Same time frame, same general location (looks yellow to me, in black and white):



Fresh from the paintshop, 1945 (camo torp):



And I couldn't readily find it, but there is that semi-famous color photo of maybe Alaskan PT's with bright yellow warheads?

Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net

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Frank J Andruss Sr

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank J Andruss Sr   Send Email To Frank J Andruss Sr Posted on: Sep 11, 2008 - 5:03pm
seems like most modelers keep the war heads the color of the boats. the ones i have in my exhibit with the exception of pt 41 have warheads to match the boats..............


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Will Day

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Will Day   Send Email To Will Day Posted on: Sep 11, 2008 - 6:50pm
I've got at least one shot where the warhead is cammo to match the boat....

Will

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CJ Willis

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of CJ Willis  Posted on: Sep 11, 2008 - 7:55pm
Garth: I believe the color was left up to the Captain of the boat. The war heads on the torpedos of 242 was a dull black. The same color as the after portion. We received Mk 13 torpedos in early January 1944 at Tulagi after having the head blown off of the old Mk 8 off the coast of Bougainville. I was one of two torpedomen aboard 242 and recall painting them as they were installed. On page 223 of "At Close Quarters" is a picture of 242 and you can see the after portions and the heads are both black.

C. J. Willis

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TGConnelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 12, 2008 - 7:50am
THANK YOU to you all.


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  TED WALTHER

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: Sep 12, 2008 - 2:22pm
James;
You are right, I have also seen a photo where the warheads are yellow, I believe it was on PT 564(Higgins Hellcat). However, to answer Garth's question, "in the zone" photos are mostly black, or to match camo. My guess is lighter looking colors in B/W photos are either gray or green. Lets face it, MK XIII's were aerial torpedos, were'nt they? So most aerial torpedo's I have seen, the warheads were painted red.
Take care,
TED


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TGConnelly

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 12, 2008 - 2:54pm
Thank you Ted.


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newsnerd99

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 13, 2008 - 10:13am
I'd default to CJ's oberservations...I keep meaning to call Henry Beazley, who was a TM on PT 209 and later on the USS Pontus to ask what the torps were painted in the Med and late Pacific.

The camo torps only seemed to show up in photos I've seen late in the war, often only carried in twos (when the boats were being used more and more as gunboats). I can only imagine the pain it would be to have to paint the new torpedo everytime you fired one off.

Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net

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steve deyo

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of steve deyo  Posted on: Sep 17, 2008 - 8:55am
From the photo it looks like different colors are used for the head and possibly the same for the tail. Tough to tell with the below b&w photo.




Steve . . . .


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