Item Number: A01878

Item Title: Spectacular CS Frame Torpedo From Jack Bell Collection

Price: $7800

Shipping: Not included

Provenance: CS

Type: Torpedo

Size:

Sabot:

Fuse:

Book:

Location Recovered: Cape Fear River Below Wilmington

Description:
This is one of the most spectacular if not the heaviest explosive device we've offered on here. This is a Confederate Frame Torpedo used to offer protection from invading Union ships on Southern waterways. A series of them were mounted on underwater frame that an invading ship would strike when coming upriver and cause it to detonate then hopefully disable the ship.

Rather than spend a lot of typing to try and give lots of details, I've included the text and pictures from the book Torpedoes by Michael Kochan and John Wideman. See the images below. I've also included an image of the one in Jack Bell's heavy artillery book.

As you can see, the iron on this relic is extremely good. It has been cleaned and coated and displays spectacularly. It has all 4 flanges on the bottom where it was bolted to the frame. Also included with it is an original lifting hook that will screw into or out of the torpedo. This is what was used to pick these up with a hoist during the war. Then this was removed, the powder cavity filled and the Rains fused screwed in which made it water tight. Note that there is a fuse included with this torpedo but it is a faithful reproduction. It completely disassembles and screws into the torpedo. Jack displays it with the fuse installed and the lifting ring next to it for display. As you can see, the threads on the lifting ring are very good.

Also note the groove around the body about 2/3 of the way up. This was designed as a weak point so when the torpedo blew, the nose would separate and all the explosive force would go forward and into the bottom of the ship making it more effective. Many don't have this improvement.

One thing that really makes this relic cool is that it is from the collection of Jack Bell who write the "Civil War Heavy Explosive Ordnance" book.

This relic is currently located in northern Virginia and the weight of about 440 pounds will require some logistics coordination to get it to the buyer. For questions, please text or call Carl at 404-394-5128.

Device is inert, cleaned and coated.