Tony Hughes
Harold Warner moves a new dummy torpedo into the warehouse at Hawthorne Ordnance Museum.
From the action packed submarine movie, produced by Columbia Pictures in 1928, to the Hawthorne Ordnance Museum (HOM) come two replica Mark 10 torpedoes.
The torpedoes were props used in the old silent movie “Submarine”, the first film feature hit produced by Columbia Pictures. The scenario for the movie was a submarine colliding with a large navy ship causing the sub to sink to the ocean floor 400 feet below. After many unsuccessful attempts to reach the submarine and save the men, as the last resort the navy called on their number one deep-sea diver, Actor Jack Holt, to attempt to rescue the crew. The climax of the movie he successfully completed the mission and made the rescue.
The two replica Mark 10 torpedoes each are 16 ½ feet long and made of tin and wood, were acquired by the Submarine Vets Group in Port Ludlow, Wash. and have been used as part of a parade float for several years and were put out of use and for sale.
Recently Peter Papadakos, Hawthorne Ordnance Museum Curator learned that the group had the torpedoes up for sale. Arrangements were made between the Submarine Vets Group and Papadakos for the purchase of the torpedoes. Last month Papadakos and his wife, Barbara, went to Port Ludlow to get the torpedoes. They now belong to Hawthorne Ordnance Museum (HOM), along with a copy of the movie “Submarine” and are located in Hawthorne ready to be viewed by the public. The two torpedoes are now being restored and will be available to view in the near future.
The museum is located at 925 E Street in Hawthorne with visiting hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. There is no admission to visit the museum and see first hand the large display of military artifacts that are available.
