How did the Japanese use torpedoes in Pearl Harbor?

The Japanese had to modify their Type 91 Modification 2 aerial torpedoes for the Pearl Harbor attack. It allowed the aircraft to drop their torpedoes from an altitude of 66 feet (20 m) and at a speed of 185 mph (160 kt, 300 km/h).

Why did the Japanese add the wooden fins to the torpedoes?

The Type 91 (modification 2), was a shallow-water aerial torpedo that was designed for and used in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Wooden fins and a softwood breakaway nose cone were added to allow for launching into shallow water at low altitudes.

What was done to the Japanese torpedoes before the Pearl Harbor attack?

Pearl Harbor was too shallow for conventional torpedoes; they would’ve just dived in and stuck to the bottom of the ocean floor. So a few months before the attack, Japanese designers created finned torpedoes that could perform “a feat like that of an acrobat high-diving in shallow water.”

What method did the Japanese use to attack Pearl Harbor and when did they attack?

They launched dive bombers, torpedo bombers and fighter planes. There were 353 Japanese aircraft involved in the attack, 29 of which were shot down. Only one Japanese ship that participated survived to the end of the war. In total, 2,404 U.S. military personnel and civilians were killed.

How do aerial torpedoes work?

An aerial torpedo (also known as an airborne torpedo or air-dropped torpedo) is a torpedo launched from a fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter from the air which subsequently drops into the water, after which the weapon propels itself to the target.

What new weapon did the Japanese use at Pearl Harbor?

By adding a fin to torpedoes, the Japanese created the secret weapon to a successful attack. The Type 91 was equipped with a wooden fin attachment, a stabilizer, and an acceleration system that controlled the rolling motions, making it one of the most advanced torpedoes of its time.

How many Japanese planes shot down at Pearl Harbor?

29
Japan’s fleet of 67 ships was located about 200 miles north of Oahu. They launched dive bombers, torpedo bombers and fighter planes. There were 353 Japanese aircraft involved in the attack, 29 of which were shot down. Only one Japanese ship that participated survived to the end of the war.

How did the Japanese surprise attack Pearl Harbor?

At about 8 a.m., Japanese planes filled the sky over Pearl Harbor. Bombs and bullets rained onto the vessels moored below. At 8:10, a 1,800-pound bomb smashed through the deck of the battleship USS Arizona and landed in her forward ammunition magazine. The ship exploded and sank with more than 1,000 men trapped inside.

Are aerial torpedoes still used?

Modern weapons Since the advent of practical anti-ship missile technology, pioneered in World War II with the MCLOS-guided Fritz X as early as 1943, aerial torpedoes have largely been reduced to use in anti-submarine warfare.

How many battleships did the Japanese sink at Pearl Harbor?

“They sank five battleships in the Pearl Harbor attack — four with torpedoes and one with a bomb that detonated the Arizona’s million-pound powder magazine.” “Nakajima “Kates” were the world’s most advanced carrier attack bombers at the start of the Pacific War.

What was the significance of the attack on Pearl Harbor?

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, in the United States Territory of Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States’ entry into World War II.

How did the Kanko compare to dive bombers at Pearl Harbor?

The kankō at Pearl Harbor had three times the bomb capacity of the dive bomber. It always dropped its bombs in level flight, increasing safety but limiting accuracy. Japan’s kankō when the war began was generically designated the B5N and the Type 97 Carrier Attack Aircraft.

Why did the Japanese use wooden fins for aerial weapons?

The major Japanese use of wooden fins for aerial weapons came about from a lack of bombs powerful or strong enough to penetrate the armored decks of battleships and cruisers. Instead, they fitted wooden fins to naval artillery shells – battleship/ cruiser shells – to give them stability when dropped.