Rube Goldberg Torpedo, Balikpapan edition
Some 80 years ago this week.
Balikpapan, Borneo, then part of the newly liberated Dutch East Indies.
Unlike the six types/classes of Japanese Kaiten manned suicide torpedoes, the below seems more akin to the Kriegsmarine’s “Neger” attack craft, which amounted to an awash delivery torpedo carrying a coxswain instead of a warhead while a live G7e was clamped below it, albeit much more ersatz in nature.
Original historic wartime caption: “The Japanese 21-inch controlled torpedo. Usual procedure of the 21″ was as follows: Torpedos were stored in shelter; placed on rails launched into sea; wooden super-structure visible on torpedo was tied on with rope; operator rode torpedo within a striking distance of target; armed torpedo utilizing a rope; dropped axe on ropes binding super-structure torpedo and was cast free. 10 August 1945. (Two torpedoes were found, but there was no evidence of them ever being used in the area.)”
Note very excited sun-helmeted khaki-clad U.S. Navy lieutenant “riding” the torp while two Australian troops look on. US Air Force Reference Number: 63295AC (National Archives Identifier: 204953594)