Difference between revisions of "Drake Class Cruiser (1901)"
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===Main Battery=== | ===Main Battery=== | ||
| − | This section is sourced in ''The Sight Manual, 1916''.<ref>''The Sight Manual, 1916'', pp 57, 105, 108, 110.</ref> | + | This section is sourced in ''The Sight Manual, 1916''.<ref>''The Sight Manual, 1916'', pp 57, 105, 108, 110. Plate 20, 21</ref> |
The two 9.2-in BL guns Mark X were arranged in single Mark V mountings fore and aft, able to elevate 13 degrees and depress 5 degrees. | The two 9.2-in BL guns Mark X were arranged in single Mark V mountings fore and aft, able to elevate 13 degrees and depress 5 degrees. | ||
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The deflection was on a gearing constant of 51.11, 1 knot being 2.61 arc minutes, calibrated for 2643 fps at 5000 yards. | The deflection was on a gearing constant of 51.11, 1 knot being 2.61 arc minutes, calibrated for 2643 fps at 5000 yards. | ||
| − | Drift was corrected by inclining the sight bracket 1.5 degrees. The sighting lines were 14 inches above the bore and 45 inches to the left and 50 inches to the right. | + | Drift was corrected by inclining the sight bracket 1.5 degrees. The sighting lines were 14 inches above the bore and 45 inches to the left and 50 inches to the right. The right sight was a vertical columns sight entirely different in nature than the left. |
| − | Neither "C" corrector nor temperature corrector are mentioned explicitly. | + | Neither "C" corrector nor temperature corrector are mentioned explicitly and none are visible in drawings. |
===Secondary Battery=== | ===Secondary Battery=== | ||
Revision as of 12:59, 2 August 2011
The four armoured cruisers of the Drake Class were completed in 1902 and 1903.
Armament
Main Battery
This section is sourced in The Sight Manual, 1916.[1]
The two 9.2-in BL guns Mark X were arranged in single Mark V mountings fore and aft, able to elevate 13 degrees and depress 5 degrees.
The sights were gear-worked with a range gearing constant of 49.26, graduated to only 12.5 degrees (or 14,000 yards, full charge). There was no MV correction, but a generous supply of range dials was provided: 2700/2675/2643/2625/2600/2575/2550 fps for full charge, 2250/2225/2196/2175/2150/2125/2100 fps for reduced charge, and 3-pdr sub-calibre and 1-in aiming rifle. The 2850 fps dial was noted as having range errors exceeding 25 yards, as it employed the same cam cut for the 2750 fps dial. The 2750 fps dial would be used for calibrating the sight. MV was corrected by adjustable pointer allowing a 100 fps decrease (only).
The deflection was on a gearing constant of 51.11, 1 knot being 2.61 arc minutes, calibrated for 2643 fps at 5000 yards.
Drift was corrected by inclining the sight bracket 1.5 degrees. The sighting lines were 14 inches above the bore and 45 inches to the left and 50 inches to the right. The right sight was a vertical columns sight entirely different in nature than the left.
Neither "C" corrector nor temperature corrector are mentioned explicitly and none are visible in drawings.
Secondary Battery
Torpedoes
Fire Control
Rangefinders
Evershed Bearing Indicators
Gunnery Control
Control Positions
Control Groups
Directors
Main Battery
Secondary Battery
Torpedo Control
Transmitting Stations
Dreyer Table
These ships never received Dreyer tables.[2]
Fire Control Instruments
By 1909, the 4 ships in this class were split into two different types of fire control equipment.
King Alfred differed from the other 3 ships in the class by having Barr and Stroud Mark II instruments for range and rate, B & S Mark I for orders, and Vickers instruments for deflection:[3]
- Range (B. & S. Mark II): 6 transmitters, 33 receivers
- Orders (B. & S. Mark I): 6 transmitters, 20 receivers
- Rate (B. & S. Mark II): 4 transmitters, 8 receivers
- Deflection (Vickers): 6 transmitters, 27 receivers
- Group Switches: 3 (converted by Chatham)
- Siemens Turret fire gongs: 4 with 2 keys
- Vickers Fire Gongs: 16 with 4 keys
- Siemens Captain's Cease Fire Bells: 20 with 1 key
Drake, Good Hope and Leviathan were equipped with Vickers, Son and Maxim instruments for range, deflection and orders and with Barr and Stroud rate instruments:[4]
- Vickers range transmitters: 6
- Vickers deflection transmitters: 6
- Vickers combined range and deflection receivers: 28 (27 in Drake)
- Vickers C.O.S.: 3
- Vickers Check fire switches: 6
- Barr and Stroud rate transmitters: 4
- Barr and Stroud rate receivers: 8
- Siemens Fire Gongs (turrets): 4 with 2 keys
- Vickers Fire Gongs (elsewhere): 16 with 4 keys (Siemens in Good Hope)
- Siemens Captain's Cease Fire Bells: 20 with 1 key
These ships lacked Target Visible and Gun Ready signals.[5]
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Sight Manual, 1916, pp 57, 105, 108, 110. Plate 20, 21
- ↑ Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables. p. 3.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909. pp. 56, 59.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, pp. 56, 60.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 11.
Bibliography
- Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1910). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909. Copy No. 173 is Ja 345a at Admiralty Library, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
- Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1914). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. G. 01627/14. C.B. 1030. Copy 1235 at The National Archives. ADM 186/191.
- Template:BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917
- Template:BibUKDreyerTableHandbook1918
- Template:BibBrooksDreadnoughtGunnery
