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[tonyH]

The torpedo tubes on Arquebuse (the pointy one) appear to use compressed air to eject the torpedo. There is what appears to be a bayonet type connection point on the plans for the tube and, also, what appears to be a large (3ft diameter) rope drum approx. 30ft from each of the tubes (one amidships and the second aft). Since I can't find any 'plumbing' details on the drawing, would it be possible that the drum carried air hose and that the tubes were connected to the compressor via this hose?
It does seem to be a bit DIY but........

It's not a major problem but it would be nice to get the model details fairly right.

Thanks

Tony

[Jimmy James]

Tony
 You've stumped me --- I would have thought an explosive charges would have discharged the Tube  and an air blast would have been used to vent the Tubes of gases and burning Debris before reloading??? Mind you it is French....
Freebooter

[tobyker]

I'm only guessing but I'd have thought that even the French would have put a compressed air connection rather closer to the tubes. Are the hose reels not for fire hoses?  If the torpedoes are launched by air, I'd have thought thet the air connection should have been built into the tube mounts, or you'd have had the hose flapping about in the breeze and tripping up the matelots while they were training the tubes. Mind you, french engineering is either excellent or barking, with little in between.

[tonyH]

It's the lump under the back end of the tube that holds the key if it can be identified because it could either be a pipe connection or it could be a cordite charge holder if that's the way they went. Both types of projection/propulsion were in use at the time.

Tony

[victorian]

Tony, is that photo taken on the Druzki? Do you have others?

David

[tonyH]

Hi David,

No it's from a disc of goodies from Belgium from a friend of Xtian 29. It ties up well with the detail drawing from the Ministere de la Marine and the G/A drawings of Bombarde from the same class. The detail drawing is too large to fit on the forum, unfortunately, even when reduced. I can e-mail to you if you want. It's obviously from another, larger, vessel but the only material difference I can discover from the ones on l'Arquebuse is that the hole where the wire comes from is used for a locking wheel and clamp to prevent rotation of the tube.

Tony