Peter Zieminski Posted 4 July , 2011 Share Posted 4 July , 2011 Can anyone assist with an explanation of what 'aerial torpedoes' were please - where they rifle grenades? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 4 July , 2011 Share Posted 4 July , 2011 Hi Peter. Quite a few old threads on the subject. One HERE It appears to be quite a vague term, for a number of bombs? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 4 July , 2011 Share Posted 4 July , 2011 They were large trench mortars often with large fins (French versions especially). The key aspect is that they were large and slow and could be seen coming, which I'm not sure is good or bad if you were on the receiving end! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc2 Posted 4 July , 2011 Share Posted 4 July , 2011 Not what you are looking for, but we can't forget the Kettering "Aerial Torpedo", which was an early (1917) cruise missile (unpiloted aircraft with an explosive charge). Doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 4 July , 2011 Share Posted 4 July , 2011 They were large trench mortars often with large fins (French versions especially). The key aspect is that they were large and slow and could be seen coming, which I'm not sure is good or bad if you were on the receiving end! John To be pedantic, trench mortar rounds in which the projectile often fitted over the barrel of the mortar and the warhead was always external so that a much larger warhead was possible than if it had been contained within the barrel. As said usually finned however toffee rounds (especially German ones fired by the Krupp Trench Howitzer) were some times referred to as torpedoes. The name comes from the old name for a mine (the modern naval torpedo started life being called a dirigible torpedo) so an aerial torpedo meant a mine thrown through the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Zieminski Posted 4 July , 2011 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2011 Many thanks to all for the information - the context being some research I am carrying out into a soldier who died according to the Btn Diary 'during a salvo of aerial torpedoes launched against the British Front line' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 4 July , 2011 Share Posted 4 July , 2011 Many thanks to all for the information - the context being some research I am carrying out into a soldier who died according to the Btn Diary 'during a salvo of aerial torpedoes launched against the British Front line' Do you have a date? Might be able to suggest what these were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Zieminski Posted 4 July , 2011 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2011 The date was the 7th October 1915 and the location was Gun Trench just north of the Vermelles / Hulluch Road and west of Cite St Elie (Trench Map Sheet 36C N.W. Sheet 3 Square G 12) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 4 July , 2011 Share Posted 4 July , 2011 The date was the 7th October 1915 and the location was Gun Trench just north of the Vermelles / Hulluch Road and west of Cite St Elie (Trench Map Sheet 36C N.W. Sheet 3 Square G 12) My immediate guess would be the Krupp Trench Howitzer which fired a toffee apple type round somewhat bigger that the British Vickers Trench Howitzer and the 2 inch (Toffee Apple) medium mortar. It was a pre war weapon previously ignored by the German Army but adopted quickly when the war broke out. It was primarily a blast weapon. The bomb travelled fairly slowly in the air so it could be seen coming. British troops hated them. I've seen them referred to as Aerial Torpedos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Zieminski Posted 4 July , 2011 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2011 Many thanks for the info and illustration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 6 July , 2011 Share Posted 6 July , 2011 Here's a photo of one that I'm sending to a client today (by car). It was restored by a French Bomb disposal unit for a French collector. Hence the like new look. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 6 July , 2011 Share Posted 6 July , 2011 Here's a photo of one that I'm sending to a client today (by car). It was restored by a French Bomb disposal unit for a French collector. Hence the like new look. John But the OP is asking about German aerial torpedos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 6 July , 2011 Share Posted 6 July , 2011 But the OP is asking about German aerial torpedos I am trying to be helpful! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkman3811 Posted 24 August , 2011 Share Posted 24 August , 2011 Can anyone assist with an explanation of what 'aerial torpedoes' were please - where they rifle grenades? To further confuse (or clarify!) your request re. German aerial torpedoes. I have transposed below an excerpt from the fascinating diary of my wife's Great Grand Father (Private John Moore of A-Coy 9th Cheshires): OCTOBER 1915 BRICKFIELDS, NORTH LA BASSEE These trenches are the hottest we have been in yet, Whizz Bangs day and night, one night I will not forget about midnight 3 bright lights shone behind German lines coming towards ours and with a roar like an express train it buried itself in front of our trenches, it was an aerial torpedo, when they strike the ground the pointed end goes in the ground and get deeper and deeper till they get under the trenches and then explode, same as this did. It buried a traverse or two off ours, the ground seemed to lift for miles around and it blew in all the traverse, it was awful till we knew we were safe and then the Germans let us have it, they sent Gas Bombs, Trench Mortars and Shells of all description, I was glad when i was day break, while writing this they are shelling us like mad. Hope this helps kind regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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