IRN Tornado (ES-1941)
The Tornado class were the major shipbuilding effort of the Iberian Navy during the war. Once the war had begun for Iberia then the main thrust of the countries production went into the Army and Airforce. The Navys major contribution to this was from the armouries which provided a lot of the weapons used by both the Army and Airforce. The first units of the Tornado class were completed in 1941 with the largest portion of the class being completed in 1943 when 12 units were completed. The original armament of the class was two single 4" mounted fore and aft with half a dozen 20mm and a few depth charge throwers.
From mid-1943 and onwards the new units were fitted as shown above. The older units were refitted to this standard when their refit schedule came due. From the bow to stern, the new armament was two pairs of G9b anti-sub / anti-ship torpedoes (see below), a 40mm cannon, two more 40mm cannon in echelon in the center, a 40mm cannon mounted above the main guns, a twin 4" in the stern mounting position, four depth charge throwers on the stern. The ships propulsion system was a set of marine diesels that gave good range and adequate maximum speed as the ships main duties was to escort the merchant ships through the Mediteranean or Biscay coasts. These ships had the most comprehensive radar array for the weapons carried. The 40mm were capable of radar control with radar predictors, while the 4" had radar ranging. The best electronics were saved for the G9b torpedoes where the Asdic and Radar control units were the best aboard.
| Displacement | 1,200 tons std, 1,600 tons full load |
| Length | 249 ft |
| Breadth | 33 ft |
| Draught | 11 ft |
| Machinery | 2 shaft diesel engines, 5,000bhp |
| Speed | 20 knots |
| Range | 8,000 at 10 knots |
| Armament | 2 x 4" (1x2) 4 x 40mm (4x1) |
| Torpedoes | 4 x 21" (2x2) on bow |
| Complement | 120 |
| Notes | IRN Tornado |
G9b Anti-Submarine & Anti-Shipping Torpedoes:
The G9b was an amalgamation of the German technology (acoustic homing) and the Japanese Long Lance technology. Though the Japanese did not release the details of the Type 93 (24") to the Germans, only the Type 95 details and design plans were shared with the Germans and their allies. However the two two technologies together paved the way for the G9a normally launched torpedo and the rocket launched G9b torpedo family which was released for service in 1943. The G9a fitted in the normal 21" torpedo tube mounted on most Axis Power ships and could be fired against surface ships by radar control in a fire and forget attack. Destroyers and other escorts that had sub-surface detection equipment could use the torpedo against submarines once detected. The G9b as shown above had a rocket assisted launch module attached to the end of the torpedo which was fitted in a fixed launcher (normally paired as shown) which when fired would take the torpedo 200/400 odd yards toward the target before entering the water and acquiring its target. The main advantage was in the range and speed of the torpedo which was:
The G9 family of torpedoes could be air launched, submarine launched, and ship launched. The G9 almost doubled the chance of a hit compared with the earlier marks of torpedo.
