Marten (manned torpedo)
Marten with a torpedo attached
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The Marder was a manned torpedo of the German Navy in World War II and a further development of the Neger . The first units were built in spring 1944 by the Torpedoversuchsanstalt (TVA) Eckernförde .
Their first mission, which was disappointing, was experienced by the marten pilots off Sanremo ( Mediterranean Sea ) in the course of the Allied invasion of Italy and during the Allied landings in Normandy . However, due to its high losses , the marten was not developed consistently and until the end of the war it was only involved sporadically in missions in the Mediterranean and Norway.
technical structure
The marten consisted of two torpedoes (type G7e ), which were hung one below the other, whereby only the lower torpedo carried an explosive charge. In the upper torpedo there was a cockpit closed at the top with a plexiglass hood, in which a driver had space and a small diving and control cell was installed.
The entire vehicle was unarmed except for the lower torpedo. The combination of carrier torpedo and sharp torpedo could be aimed at a target and the lower torpedo triggered by means of a simple rear sight (the hare optical sight was later used) in the glass dome. With good visibility, the driver could trigger the torpedo under water, which had the advantage that it did not become a surface runner.
A model of the marten is exhibited in the Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr in Dresden.
