Danae Class Cruiser (1917): Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 01:30, 19 July 2012
The eight light cruisers of the Danae Class (sometimes called the Dragon Class or the Dunedin Class or the Diomede Class, perhaps with some distinction not apparent now) were completed between 1918 and 1922. An additional four planned ships were not completed.
Machinery
Generators
In 1916, it was stated that ""C" and "D" class light cruisers" have three 52.5 kw dynamos at 105 volts.[1]
Armament
The ships were armed as follows.[2]
Guns
- Six 6-in 45cal BL Mark XII guns on the centre-line with a maximum elevation of 30 degrees.[3] The guns had armoured shields of 1.5 inches on the face, 1 inch on sides and top, weighing 4.25 tons.[4]
- Two 3-in 20cwt QF Mark I on HA mountings
- Two 2-pdr pom-poms
Torpedoes
- Twelve 21-in above water tubes on four triple mountings disposed in pairs abreast, bearing 60-120 degrees.[5]
As the 6-in guns fired over these, they likely proved untenable for manned firing as the 6-in guns would have necessitated a blast shield projecting fully 18 feet from the muzzle. The ugly expedient taken was to train the tubes to a pre-arranged bearing on coming to action stations and to use remote firing from the primary and secondary control positions.[6]
Fire Control
Range Dials
As of 1920, Diomede and Despatch had a single Range Dial Type C with a 9 foot dial and the other six ships had two Type Cs with 9 foot dials and a Type L.[7]
Mechanical Aid-to-Spotter
By 1920, all the ships were likely equipped with four Mechanical Aid-to-Spotter Mark II*s. Delhi, Durban and Dunedin had Elliott's Bearing Transmitters, and the others the more customary Evershed arrangement. The installations generally consisted of placing one on each side of the foretop, driven by flexible shafting from a gearbox on the director tower (or the Evershed rack).[8]
Supplies of these devices began in June 1918.[9]
Rangefinders
Sometime during or after 1917, an additional 9-foot rangefinder was to be added aft to augment torpedo control.[10]
Evershed Bearing Indicators
These ships almost certainly had Evershed gear for gun control from delivery, and were the first new light cruisers to also feature Evershed installations for searchlight control.[11]
Gunnery Control
Control Positions
Control Groups
Directors
All ships were completed with gunnery directors in place.[12] The director was in a tower on a pedestal mounting and may have been augmented by use of their "X" gun as a directing gun as on the earlier Caledon class ships.[13]
Transmitting Stations
Dreyer Table
All eight ships carried a Dreyer Table Mark III*, Dauntless, Danae and Dragon possessing a modified form.[14]
Fire Control Instruments
Torpedo Control
In 1916, it was decided that all light cruisers of Bristol class and later should have torpedo firing keys (Pattern 2333) fitted on the fore bridge, in parallel with those in the CT, and that a flexible voice pipe be fitted between these positions.[15]
By 1917, modifications to the torpedo control voice pipe system were desired. The voice pipes (port and starboard) to the CT were ordered to be removed in 1917, and in 1918, stop cocks were to be added just abaft the after torpedo positions to allow the after control position to be chopped out to improve the acoustic efficiency of the networks to remaining the rangefinder platform control position forward. [16]
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School', 1916', p. 120.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906-1921, p. 61.
- ↑ Progress in Naval Gunnery, 1914-1918", p. 10.
- ↑ Technical History and Index, Vol 3, Part 28, p. 18.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1916, p. 35.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1916, p. 35. I am inferring that the faults in Caledon carried through to this class.
- ↑ Manual of Gunnery of H.M. Fleet, Volume III, 1920, p. 45.
- ↑ Manual of Gunnery of H.M. Fleet, Volume III, 1920, p. 35, 37.
- ↑ The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships, 1919, pp. 25-6.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917, p. 199. (possibly pertinent: C.I.O. 481/17)
- ↑ The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships, 1919, p. 29.
- ↑ The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships, 1919, p. 11.
- ↑ Handbook of Captain F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, 1918, p. 142 and plate opposite.
- ↑ Admiralty. Pamphlet on the Mark III* Dreyer Table, 1930, p. 1.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1916, p. 146.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1918, p. 214. CT VP removal per C.I.O. 4037/17.
Bibliography
- Template:BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917
- Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1910). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909. Copy No. 173 is Ja 345a at Admiralty Library, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
- Template:BibUKDreyerTableHandbook1918
- Template:BibUKFireControlInHMShips1919
- Template:BibUKProgressInNavalGunnery1914-1918
