| Bliss-Leavitt Mark 7 torpedo | |
|---|---|
 Bliss-Leavitt Mark 7 torpedo outside the torpedo factory on Goat Island, Newport, Rhode Island, August 1913. | |
| Type | Anti-surface shiptorpedo[1] |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1912–1945[1] |
| Used by | United States Navy |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Frank McDowell Leavitt |
| Designed | 1911[1] |
| Manufacturer | E. W. Bliss Company |
| No. built | 240[2] |
| Variants | Short Mark 7 torpedo Mod A[2] Mod 2A Mod 5A |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1628 pounds[1] |
| Length | 204 inches[1] |
| Diameter | 17.7 inches (45 centimeters)[1] |
| Effective firing range | 3500–6000 yards[1] |
| Warhead | Mk 7 Mod 5,TNT orTorpex |
| Warhead weight | 326 pounds[1] |
Detonation mechanism | Mk 3 Mod 1 contact exploder[1] |
| Engine | Turbine[1] |
| Maximum speed | 35 knots |
Guidance system | Gyroscope[1] |
Launch platform | Destroyers andsubmarines[1] |
TheBliss-Leavitt Mark 7 torpedo was aBliss-Leavitt torpedo developed and produced by theE. W. Bliss Company and theNaval Torpedo Station inNewport, Rhode Island in 1911.
The Mark 7 was a major step in the evolution of the modern torpedo.[1] This innovative design featured the use ofsteam, generated from water sprayed into the combustion pot along with thefuel. The resulting mixture dramatically boosted the efficiency of the torpedo, leading to markedly improved performance.[3] The Mark 7 torpedo was issued to the US Navy fleet in 1912 and remained in service throughWorld War II. This torpedo was also experimented on as an aircraft-launched weapon in the early 1920s.[2] It was used on submarines of the K, L, M, N and O classes. It was also used on seven submarines of theR class (R-21 throughR-27) which were decommissioned in 1924 and 1925.
After 1925, the only class of US Navy submarines armed with 18-inch torpedoes was theO class. Seven O boats, out of an original 16, were in commission during World War II. During the war, all of the O boats were stationed at theNew London Submarine Base and served as training platforms. The service of the Mark 7 torpedo ended when the last O boat was decommissioned in September 1945.
