Difference between revisions of "London Class Battleship (1899)"

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==Fire Control==
 
==Fire Control==
  
Though it may have little relevance given the age difference, the general system of wiring between the TSs in ships prior to [[Lord Nelson Class Battleship (1906)|''Lord Nelson'' class]] is illustrated in ''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).</ref>
+
Though it may have little relevance given the age difference, the general system of wiring between the TSs in ships prior to [[Lord Nelson Class Battleship (1906)|''Lord Nelson'' class]] is illustrated in ''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).</ref>  
  
 
===Rangefinders===
 
===Rangefinders===
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===Directors===
 
===Directors===
  
These ships never received directors for main or secondary batteries<ref>''Director Firing Handbook, 1917'', pp. 142-3.</ref>.
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These ships never received directors for main or secondary batteries.<ref>''Director Firing Handbook, 1917'', pp. 142-3.</ref>
  
 
===Gunnery Control===
 
===Gunnery Control===
  
The ship's guns were organized in 3 groups<ref>possibly omitted from a section at ''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 8.</ref>{{INF}}:
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The ship's guns were organized in 3 groups:<ref>possibly omitted from a section at ''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 8.</ref>{{INF}}
 
# Two 12-in turrets
 
# Two 12-in turrets
 
# Starboard 6-in guns ('A' & 'X')
 
# Starboard 6-in guns ('A' & 'X')
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===Local Control in Turrets===
 
===Local Control in Turrets===
  
There was no provision in these ships for local turret control wherein the receivers in the turret could be driven by transmitters in the officer's position at the back of the turret<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 50.</ref>.
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There was no provision in these ships for local turret control wherein the receivers in the turret could be driven by transmitters in the officer's position at the back of the turret.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 50.</ref>
  
 
===Transmitting Stations===
 
===Transmitting Stations===
  
These ships likely had fore and aft [[TS]]s<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).</ref>{{INF}}.
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These ships likely had fore and aft [[TS]]es.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).</ref>{{INF}}
  
 
A [[C.O.S.]] allowed{{INF}} control options of
 
A [[C.O.S.]] allowed{{INF}} control options of
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===Dreyer Table===
 
===Dreyer Table===
  
''Prince of Wales'' was the original home to the [[Original Dreyer Table]] for some period between early-mid 1911 until [[Frederic_Charles_Dreyer|Captain Dreyer]] took it with him to [[H.M.S. Hercules (Hercules)|''Hercules'']]<ref>''Pollen Aim Corrector System, Part I. Technical History and Technical Comparison with Commander F. C. Dreyer's Fire Control System'', p. 12.</ref>.  Beyond that, these ships never received Dreyer tables<ref>''Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables'', p. 3.</ref>.
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''Prince of Wales'' was the original home to the [[Original Dreyer Table]] for some period between early-mid 1911 until [[Frederic_Charles_Dreyer|Captain Dreyer]] took it with him to [[H.M.S. Hercules (Hercules)|''Hercules'']]<ref>''Pollen Aim Corrector System, Part I. Technical History and Technical Comparison with Commander F. C. Dreyer's Fire Control System'', p. 12.</ref>.  Beyond that, these ships never received Dreyer tables.<ref>''Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables'', p. 3.</ref>
  
 
===Shipwide Network===
 
===Shipwide Network===
  
By late 1914, the surviving units (''Bulwark'' almost certainly the same, as she had just been lost{{INF}}) were equipped with [[Vickers|Vickers, Son and Maxim]] instruments for range, deflection and orders and with [[Barr and Stroud]] [[Range Rate|rate]] instruments<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 72 (''Bulwark'' omitted).</ref>.
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By 1909, the ships were equipped with [[Vickers|Vickers, Son and Maxim]] instruments for range, deflection and orders and with [[Barr and Stroud]] [[Range Rate|rate]] instruments.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909'', p. 56.</ref>
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 +
The equipment listed in the ''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909'' is as follows:<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909'', p. 60.</ref>
 +
 
 +
* Vickers ange transmitters:  6
 +
* Vickers deflection transmitters:  6
 +
* Vickers combined range and deflection receivers: 6
 +
* Vickers C.O.S.: 3
 +
* Vickers Check fire switches: 6
 +
* Barr and Stroud rate transmitters: 4
 +
* Barr and Stroud rate receivers: 8
 +
* Siemens turret fire gongs: 8 with 2 keys
 +
* Vickers fire gongs: 12 with 4 keys
 +
* Captain's Cease Fire Bells:  18 with 1 key (supplier not stated)
  
 
These ships lacked ''Target Visible'' and ''Gun Ready'' signals<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 11.</ref>.
 
These ships lacked ''Target Visible'' and ''Gun Ready'' signals<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 11.</ref>.
Line 50: Line 63:
  
 
==Footnotes==
 
==Footnotes==
<small>
+
{{reflist}}
<references/>
 
</small>
 
  
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
 
<small>
 
<small>
 +
{{BibUKHandbookFireControlInstruments1909}}
 
{{BibUKHandbookFireControlInstruments1914}}
 
{{BibUKHandbookFireControlInstruments1914}}
 
{{BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917}}
 
{{BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917}}

Revision as of 18:50, 20 September 2009

Fire Control

Though it may have little relevance given the age difference, the general system of wiring between the TSs in ships prior to Lord Nelson class is illustrated in Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914.[1]

Rangefinders

Evershed Bearing Indicators

It is not known if this equipment was ever provided.

Directors

These ships never received directors for main or secondary batteries.[2]

Gunnery Control

The ship's guns were organized in 3 groups:[3][Inference]

  1. Two 12-in turrets
  2. Starboard 6-in guns ('A' & 'X')
  3. Port 6-in guns ('B' & 'Y')

Local Control in Turrets

There was no provision in these ships for local turret control wherein the receivers in the turret could be driven by transmitters in the officer's position at the back of the turret.[4]

Transmitting Stations

These ships likely had fore and aft TSes.[5][Inference]

A C.O.S. allowed[Inference] control options of

  1. Fore
  2. After
  3. Separate

Each control group had transmitters (of various type, see Shipwide Network) with a pair of receivers, one wired directly to the transmitter as a tell-tale, and the other fed off the wires going to the distant guns (i.e., the aft guns for the fore TS and vice-versa) as a repeat. "These repeat receivers are necessary to keep the idle transmitters in step; when changing back from separate control they are required to enable both halves of the group to be set alike before being paralleled on to one transmitter."[6]

Dreyer Table

Prince of Wales was the original home to the Original Dreyer Table for some period between early-mid 1911 until Captain Dreyer took it with him to Hercules[7]. Beyond that, these ships never received Dreyer tables.[8]

Shipwide Network

By 1909, the ships were equipped with Vickers, Son and Maxim instruments for range, deflection and orders and with Barr and Stroud rate instruments.[9]

The equipment listed in the Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909 is as follows:[10]

  • Vickers ange transmitters: 6
  • Vickers deflection transmitters: 6
  • Vickers combined range and deflection receivers: 6
  • Vickers C.O.S.: 3
  • Vickers Check fire switches: 6
  • Barr and Stroud rate transmitters: 4
  • Barr and Stroud rate receivers: 8
  • Siemens turret fire gongs: 8 with 2 keys
  • Vickers fire gongs: 12 with 4 keys
  • Captain's Cease Fire Bells: 18 with 1 key (supplier not stated)

These ships lacked Target Visible and Gun Ready signals[11].

Torpedo Control

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
  2. Director Firing Handbook, 1917, pp. 142-3.
  3. possibly omitted from a section at Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 8.
  4. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50.
  5. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
  6. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, pp. 50-1.
  7. Pollen Aim Corrector System, Part I. Technical History and Technical Comparison with Commander F. C. Dreyer's Fire Control System, p. 12.
  8. Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, p. 3.
  9. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 56.
  10. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 60.
  11. 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:BibUKTechnicalHistoryComparisonArgoAndDreyer

Template:London Class (1899)