Chapter 1042 Tesla’s new toy (Third update, please subscribe)
Xuanwu Lake in the Ming Dynasty.
Not in Yingtian, and certainly not in Nanjing. The moraine lake created by glaciers on the Patagonia Plateau, a large lake with an area of 1,850 square kilometers surrounded by the Andes, was discovered from the air by the aerospace troops during training.
, before this, he had never entered the sight of the world.
Because it is far away from civilization, has a wide water surface, and the depth of the lake exceeds 586 meters, it has been a testing ground for the navy's underwater weapons in the past few years.
In fact, it is also a torpedo testing ground. You can conduct fish tests here without worrying about the torpedo getting lost at sea.
In fact, if it had a choice, the Navy would even want to train troops here. But this is not the sea after all. Whether it is a destroyer, a torpedo boat, or a submarine, it needs to conduct ocean navigation training on the sea. Although the lake is big, it can't compare to the sea.
There are no violent winds and waves on the sea.
What is a torpedo?
It is Daming’s product with the longest confidentiality period!
Since the early models were put into service in 1867, the Ming Dynasty has eliminated no fewer than five generations of torpedoes.
From the first-generation torpedo's speed of only 10 knots, to the eight-year-old torpedo's speed of 20 knots.
From relying solely on coaxial counter-rotating twin propellers to resist rolling torque, to a new three-cylinder air engine, from being driven by compressed air stored in the mine body with a pressure of only 370 pounds per square inch, to a gas storage bottle that can withstand 1,500
Pounds per square inch of air pressure.
It took Ming Dynasty fifteen years to maintain its absolute leadership in torpedoes. This leadership was not just about the torpedoes themselves, but also many sub-technologies.
"Steel gas cylinder? It's been phased out!"
Last year, when Nanhua Company agreed to fund his establishment of a laboratory, the "Empire Central Laboratory" sent him an invitation. Faced with the invitation from the "Imperial Central Laboratory", he chose to join without hesitation.
Half an hour later, under the gaze of everyone, an electric torpedo flew out of the launch tube with a "boom" driven by the compressed air. Although it caused some waves when it entered the water, it then disappeared!
"It's gone!"
Nicholas said, pointing to a wooden boat target three or four kilometers away on the lake.
Colonel Mikun, who was sitting next to him, was the commander of the Third Destroyer Fleet of the Atlantic Fleet. Destroyers were the most adept at using torpedo attacks, so they naturally knew a lot about torpedoes. This was entirely because Nikolai did not know the existence of submarines.
After all, even in the "Imperial Central Laboratory", no one is allowed to have access to all secrets.
"How can this be!"
"So, you have already conducted experiments in this area?"
Mikun stood up quickly with a telescope in hand. Although it tried hard to observe the water, the torpedo disappeared without a trace.
"If the speed is 20 knots, the range can reach 8 kilometers. Of course, this requires further improvement of the gyroscope. After all, with the current gyroscope technology, yaw will occur beyond 6,500 meters."
"4000 meters!"
"Sir, did you see that target?"
What does 4000 meters mean?
This means that the navy's destroyers, torpedo boats and submarines can carry out lightning strikes on enemy ships at the edge of the naval gun's combat range! Unlike in the past, they had to get close to a few hundred meters to carry out lightning strikes.
There are no straight lines formed by the usual boiling bubbles, and the lake is calm without any ripples.
"There are range issues and bubble issues. Because of this, I proposed a new plan last year...an electric torpedo!"
"Unlike aerodynamic torpedoes, electric torpedoes use lead-acid batteries to drive motors as power. Because they are driven by electric motors, the electric torpedoes themselves do not need to be exhausted like aerodynamic torpedoes, and naturally do not produce bubbles. Therefore, there is no need to use them.
Obvious torpedo tracks.”
"Where's it? Where's the torpedo?"
When mentioning steel gas cylinders, Starr, an Irish-born naval engineer who was in charge of torpedo research, looked very proud.
Facing everyone's astonishment, Nicholas took out a cigarette from the cigarette case, lit it, blew out a smoke ring, and then spoke slowly.
"It is 4,000 meters away from us. Please come to the high platform above in a moment so that you can directly observe its trajectory."
"Indeed, bubbles can easily expose the presence of torpedoes."
"This is a well-known thing. Now the company has successfully researched a new type of steel gas cylinder..."
"With the support of the 50-kilowatt power of the General-purpose-50 motor we currently use, the Model 1 electric torpedo has a maximum range of more than 4,000 meters at the fastest speed of 25 knots..."
When Nikolai shrugged helplessly, Mikun, Speyer and several other naval officers all walked up to the electric torpedo, looked at the open battery compartment and power compartment, and then asked.
At the test site by Xuanwu Lake, facing more than a dozen naval officers, Nicholas pointed to the two launch tubes on the launch pad, looking extremely confident.
Nicholas' casual words almost choked Spier to death, but his next words immediately convinced him.
It was here that he came into contact with torpedoes. Faced with this secret weapon, Nikolai immediately saw its shortcomings in performance.
What to observe?
Can't see it at all!
In fact, even now, the Ming Dynasty still has the most advanced bronze compressed air bottle technology in the world. Only the Ming Dynasty and the United Kingdom have the technology to cast and roll pressure vessels. However, except for the Ming Dynasty, no company has mastered the manufacturing of steel pressure vessels.
Technology. As for the steel pressure vessel technology, it took five years to successfully develop it under his leadership.
Spier said in shock.
"Range!"
Compared with the speed of 25 knots, he is more concerned about the range of 4000 meters.
Although lead-acid batteries and electric motors have been used in submarines more than ten years ago, no one has ever applied them to torpedoes. This invention of Nikola is not so much an invention as it is a countermeasure.
Integration of existing technologies.
"Three-cylinder engine, high-pressure gas cylinder, coupled with the gyroscope, this is the biggest advantage of our torpedo! Four years ago, we installed the gyroscope on the universal joint of the torpedo, and the rotor relied on the preload spring to make it rotate at 2400
The rotor rotates at a speed of rpm. The rotor has reached this speed before the torpedo comes out of the chamber, so that the torpedo can maintain the direction it was aimed at before launching without being affected by the water flow. This greatly improves the shooting accuracy of the torpedo, and the gyroscope can ensure
Torpedoes do not yaw within a distance of 6,500 meters...but our torpedoes can only barely run 1,000 meters at the farthest!"
Facing the officers present, Nicholas said.
"This is its biggest shortcoming."
Pointing to the torpedo behind him, Nicholas introduced.
The colonel's answer made Nicholas nod.
"No matter how developed the gas cylinder is, it is a weapon that can easily reveal its existence. After all, when compressed air drives a torpedo, it will produce a large number of bubbles, and the bubbles will reveal the existence of the torpedo, Colonel Mi,
Am i right?"
"It sails through the water!"
It was sailing in the water, leaving no traces, just flying straight and silently towards the target...
A few minutes later, a huge water column suddenly exploded on the calm lake!
At this moment, everyone looked at the water column rising into the sky in astonishment and could not calm down for a long time...