The Whitehead Torpedo. It was designed in the mid 1860's by Robert Whitehead. On board the British warship 'Thunderer', liutenant Wilson, director of torpedo construction in England, examined the new torpedo-fish constructed from thin sheets of hardened steel. Engraving depicting torpedo practice on board H.M.S Thunderer, preparing to launch a Whitehead Fish Torpedo, in Portland. La Ilustracion Espanola y Americana, 1878.