S.I. 250/533,4X7,5 Tipo A (533 mm)

Description

S.I. 250/533,4X7,5 Tipo A (533 mm) is a typical Italian naval torpedo - in its base version an extremely fast, but also extremely short-ranged. With the Torpedo Mode increasing range by 8000 meters to a respectable 12 km but at a much slower pace - just 48 km/h.

S.I. 250/533,4X7,5 Tipo A ejected from a twin torpedo turret on RN Bartolomeo Colleoni

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

• RN Aquilone
• RN Bartolomeo Colleoni
• RN Leone
• RN Tigre
• RN Turbine

General info

Just like most of the other Italian torpedoes on the bluewater ships, Tipo A undergoes a radical transformation once the Torpedo Mode is researched and installed. From being a situational, short-range burst weapon able to take down enemy cruisers while giving them a minimal time to react, to a standard long-range torpedo able to threaten stationary and predictable targets.

Comparing to the other Italian 533mm torpedoes Tipo A has the lowest, but still very respectable maximum speed and a slightly smaller warhead.

Effective damage

Due to a relatively mediocre warhead this torpedo neither excels nor disappoints in terms of a damage potential. Hit near turrets of destroyers and cruisers will nearly always score a direct kill, while hits into the engines will be survivable by cruisers and some of the better-armored destroyers.

Comparison with analogues

Comparison chart with other naval torpedoes

Name	Country of origin	Diameter (mm)	Mass (kg)	Explosive type	TNT equivalent (kg)	Max speed (km/h)	Max range (km)
12.75 inch Mark 44		324	235	HBX	54.4	56	5.49
12.75 inch Mark 46		324	235	TNT	44.5	91	7.30
18 inch Mark XII		450	702	TNT	176	74	1.37
18 inch Mark XV		450	817	Torpex	395.2	61	3.20
18 inch Type 38 No.2 B		450	663	Shimose	104.5	59	2.00
18-inch Mk.7		450	720	TNT	93	59	3.65
21 in Mk.8		533	1,252	TNT	146	50	9.14
21 inch Mark I		533	1,270	TNT	102	56	11.00
21 inch Mk.20 Bidder		533	821	TNT	89	37	11.00
21 inch Type 43 (1910)		533	1,187	Shimose	143	50	8.00
45-36NU		450	951	TNT	200	76	4.00
53-38		533	1,615	TNT	300	82	4.00
53-39		533	1,780	TNT	317	94	4.00
53-56		533	2,000	TNT	400	93	8.00
53-57		533	2,000	TNT	306	83	18.00
53-65		533	2,070	TNT	300	126	12.00
Bliss-Leavitt Mk.1		533	680	TNT	91	50	3.66
C/06D		450	810	TNT	122.6	50	5.90
G6c		533	1,008	TNT	160	50	5.00
G7a		533	1,528	SW39a	358.4	81	6.00
H/8		600	2,160	SW39a	268.8	67	6.00
LT 1A/1		450	812	TNT	250	74	2.00
Mark 35		533	803	Torpex	196	50	13.71
Mk.8-3 C/D		533	1,373	TNT	174.2	50	12.35
Mk.13		569	884	TNT	178	56	5.21
Mk.15		533	1,559	TNT	224	83	5.50
Mk.16		533	1,766	Torpex	915.2	85	6.40
Mk.IV		533	1,454	TNT	234	65	7.30
Mk.IX		533	1,693	TNT	340	67	9.60
Mk.IX**		533	1,693	Torpex	587.2	76	10.00
Mk.V		533	1,736	TNT	305	74	4.57
Mk.VIII		533	1,566	TNT	327	84	4.57
Model 1923DT		550	2,100	TNT	308	72	9.00
Pattern 1910		450	665	TNT	100	54	3.00
Pattern 1912		450	810	TNT	100	80	2.00
R.G.F. Mark VI**		450	700	TNT	134	56	5.49
S.I.170/450X5,25		450	860	TNT	170	76	4.00
S.I.270		533	1,715	TNT	270	74	4.00
S.I. 250/533,4X7,5 Tipo A		533	1,781	TNT	250	76	4.00
S.I. 270/533,4X7,2 Tipo I		533	1,700	TNT	270	89	4.00
S.I. 270/533,4X7,2 Tipo M		533	1,715	TNT	270	93	4.00
S.I. 270/533X6.84 Tipo L		533	1,700	TNT	270	93	4.00
Seal DM2A1		533	1,370	TNT	250	61	20.00
SET-40		400	550	TNT	80	54	8.00
SET-53M		533	1,480	TNT	100	54	14.00
SET-65		533	1,740	TNT	205	74	16.00
Type 2		450	1,000	Type 97	448	72	3.00
Type 6		533	1,432	Shimose	223.3	65	7.00
Type 8 No.2		610	2,362	Shimose	380.6	70	10.00
Type 43		450	663	Shimose	104.5	48	5.00
Type 44 No.2		450	750	Shimose	121	65	4.00
Type 54 model 3		533	1,600	TNT	100	44	6.00
Type 72 mod.1		533	1,760	TNT	300	120	10.00
Type 89		533	1,660	Type 97	384	83	5.50
Type 90		610	2,540	Type 97	480	85	7.00
Type 93 Model 1, Mod 2		610	2,700	Type 97	627.2	91	20.00
Type 93 Model 3		610	2,800	Type 97	998.4	91	15.00
W.200/450X5,75		450	930	TNT	200	81	3.00
Whitehead A 110/450		450	936	TNT	110	56	4.00

Usage in battles

The high speed and a short range make this torpedo perfect for ambushes with a use of terrain, especially in the Realistic Battles where torpedo speeds are much lower and ships less manoeuvrable than in the Arcade Battles. Torpedoes have a minimum arming distance of 50 meters, so that separation should be kept in mind when attacking enemy ships, in particular these on a collision course.

Torpedo mode turns them into a much more conventional gameplay, being able to take down NPC-controlled ships from a safe distance and weaponising narrow choke-points between islands.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Without Torpedo Mode
  • Very high speed
• With Torpedo Mode
  • Good range

Cons:

• Without Torpedo Mode
  • Its short range makes it very situational
• With Torpedo Mode
  • Lower maximum speed than most cruisers and battleships makes it easy to avoid

History

In 1924 Italy annexed Fiume where the Whitehead torpedo factory was located and begun manufacturing their own derivatives of the design. And thus in the interwar years the Silurificio Italiano 270/533.4 Type A was born and manufactured in Baiae. S.I. standing for Silurificio Italiano, the name of the factory.

These torpedoes were produced with the following characteristics, a 250 kg charge of TNT, with a diameter of 533.4 mm and a length of 7.5 metres, used by surface ships and submarines.

The torpedo could be set in one of 3 modes:

• Short Range 3000 metres with a speed of 63 km/h

• Medium Range 7000 metres with a speed of 51.5 km/h

• Long Range 12000 metres with a speed of 40 km/h

The S.I. 250/533.4X7.5 Type A with new modifications, was used by the Italian Navy until 1968.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;
• references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.

External links

• [NavWeaps] List of Torpedoes of Italy
• [Comando Supremo] Whitehead Torpedo: Its Origin and Italian Adaptation
• https://www.altomareblu.com/sommergibile-sa3-kammamuri/ (Italian source)