Mk.6 depth charge

The Mk.6 depth charge on the Higgins 81 ft PT-6.

Description

The Mk.6 depth charge is a US depth charge widely used on American coastal vessels, but also post-WW2 German and Japanese. Each charge has a mass of 190 kg, and is filled with 136 kg TNT explosive filler (300 lb). These depth charges are either dropped behind the vessel, or ejected with a use of depth charge throwers (which is different from Mk.6 mortar depth charge, which has a much larger ejection force, but otherwise is identical).

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

Vehicles equipped with this weapon
Motor torpedo boats	PT-3 · PT-6 · PT-103 · PT-658 · PT-810
Motor torpedo gun boats	USS Candid
Gunboats	Akebono
Sub-chasers	Carmi (PC-466) · PC-451 · SC-497
Frigates	USS Hoquiam · USS Dealey
	Köln · Lübeck

General info

Typically for other depth charges, Mk.6 can have its activation time adjusted between 3 and 10 seconds, with 4 seconds being the default. If launched from a mortar, the charge will not explode on contact with an enemy vessel, but either land on it or bounce off it, depending on the impact angle.

Effective damage

Owning it to a large explosive filler, and the explosion below the water surface, even a single Mk.6 will typically sink all the coastal vessels that are caught in the explosion radius, and either cripple or outright kill destroyers. Heavier vessels might require multiple depth charges, but everything short of a battleship is sinkable with the use of these charges.

Comparison with analogues

Compared to its peers, Mk.6 has one of the largest explosive fillers and heaviest masses. Also, quite unusually compared to its peers, it's available in both: mortar fitting and dropped off the stern.

Name	Country of origin	Mass (kg)	Explosive type	Explosive mass (kg)	TNT equivalent (kg)
7.2 in T37		29	Torpex	15.9	25.44
B TG		63	TNT	50	50
B TG 100		126	TNT	100	100
BAS		160	Torpex	70	112
BB-1		165	TNT	130	130
BM-1		45	TNT	25	25
Guiraud		176	TNT	130	130
K-gun Mk.9		190	TNT	136	136
Limbo mortar		177	Minol	94	108.1
Mk.10 Hedgehog mortar		29	Torpex	15.9	25.44
Mk.4		160	Minol	94	108.1
Mk.6		190	TNT	136	136
Mk.6 mortar		190	TNT	136	136
Mk.9		190	TNT	136	136
Mk.VII		196	TNT	130	130
RBM mortar		160	Amatol	70.8	70.8
Type 3		50	Type 88	20	26
Type 95		160	Amatol	100	100
WBD		196	Amatol	130	130
WBF		139	Amatol	60	60
WBG		160	Amatol	100	100
Y-gun Mk.VII		196	TNT	130	130

Usage in battles

The Mk.6 depth charges are most affective against submarines or smaller boats. Since there are no submarines, however, most players tend to not use depth charges at all.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Can potentially destroy enemies sailing behind you

Cons:

• Can explode when hit
• Ineffective at fights with more than 100 meters distance
• Currently there are no submarines in War Thunder which the weapon would be most useful against

History

Mark 6 depth charge entered service in 1938 and used a new manufacturing techniques to reduces the costs, compared to its predecessors. It was the most-produced American depth charge of the World War Two.

It was sinking at 2.4 meters per second, and used hydrostatic fuse which could be set between 15 and 91 meters depth (a delay of 6.25 - 40 seconds).

Depth charge could be dropped astern or with the use of Projector Mark 6, also known as K-gun, which was introduced in 1941 and used a black powder propellant to launch depth charges at 55 to 137 meters away from the vessel, allowing to drop more charges simultaneously.

Media

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

See also

• Mk.6 mortar depth charge
• Mk.9 depth charge
• K-gun Mk.9 depth charge

External links

• [NavWeaps] United States of America ASW Weapons
• [San Francisco Maritime National Park Association] Depth Charges, Mark 6, Mark 6 Mod. 1, Mark 7, Mark 7, Mod. 1, OP 747, 1943