Second World War British Torpedo

[ww2ni]

Can someone identify this Torpedo for me.
On looking on the web it may be a British Mark 8 but I am not sure.

[PNK]

I think it's a dummy head, probably a blowing head as opposed to an empty warhead. They were coloured red or yellow but I have been unable to establish what the clouours actually meant. The only types I have drawings for don't have the annular shroud on the tail. If it was a wartime one the air tail would not have fitted on the end, nor the earlier drogue and dashpot attachments, both for air dropping. It also looks long so this may indicate and earlier type and more likely used on ships or submarines. Not much help I'm afraid.

[PETERTHEEATER]

It is indeed a British 21 inch Mark VIII** (Mark 8 if Roman numerals are no longer taught in school!). The most common submarine load of WW2 representing about 56% off expenditure. 21 feet and 7 inches long approx,around 3452 pound weight (805 pounds Torpex in warhead) Range 5000 yards at 45 knots.

This is outside the Waterside Museum in Derry, does the inscription on the plaque identify it?

The colour of display munitions is often spurious and enthusiastically applied to draw attention to the warhead. ( remember in all those action movies the bombs and missiles always have red tips and heads) so may not represent the head that is actually fitted but is probably an inert practice version that would have had a calcium phosphide unit within to give a smoke and flame issue so that it could be seen an retrieved for reuse at the end of the run.

[ww2ni]

Hi Peter,
Thanks very much for the information.
This is indeed that very torpedo however the plaque is pathetic - The precise wording being "Battle of the Atlantic 1939 - 1945. WW11 Torpedo. Donated by the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport, England 1995"
I will be putting a photograph with accurate detail, thanks to you, on my website and also contacting the Museum suggesting they try a little harder.

Cheers