Canopus Class Battleship (1897): Difference between revisions

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{{Canopus Class (1896)}}
{{Canopus Class (1896)}}
<!-- data
nat=UK
cat=PreDreadnought
type=pre dreadnought
{ship
name=Albion
pend=
builder=[[Thames Iron Works]]
order=
laid=
launch=1898
comm=25 Jun, 1901
}
{ship
name=Canopus
pend=
builder=[[Portsmouth Royal Dockyard]]
order=
laid=
launch=1897
comm=5 Dec, 1899
}
{ship
name=Glory
pend=
builder=[[Laird]]
order=
laid=
launch=1899
comm=1 Nov, 1900
}
{ship
name=Goliath
pend=
builder=
order=
laid=
launch=1898
comm=27 Mar, 1900
}
{ship
name=Ocean
pend=
builder=[[Devonport Royal Dockyard]]
order=
laid=
launch=1898
comm=20 Feb, 1900
}
{ship
name=Vengeance
pend=
builder=[[Vickers]]
order=
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launch=1899
comm=8 Apr, 1902
}
data -->

Revision as of 17:23, 14 August 2012

Searchlights

In 1907, these ships, along with battleships of the Majestic, London, and Duncan classes, along with armoured cruisers of the Powerful, Drake, Cressy, Monmouth and Devonshire classes were to land their searchlights from their tops and obtain two additional 24-inch models from their dockyards for placement on the shelter or boat deck. These were to be augmented by (or further upgraded to?) a pair of 36-in searchlights when they became available.[1]

Armament

During the war, along with those of other older ships, the eight 6-inch guns casemated on the first deck proved of little use in practical sea states. It was decided to remove the eight casemate guns, plate their ports over and move 4 of them to the upper deck. Four of the twelve 12-pdr guns were also surrendered due to this alteration.[2]

Main Battery

The 12-in guns were Mark VIII, though the turrets used differed by ship:[3]

Mounting Ships
B V Vengeance
B IV Albion, Glory
B III Canopus
B ??? Goliath, Ocean

Secondary Battery

Other Guns

Twelve 12-pdr guns, later reduced to eight when the 6-in casemate guns were relocated.

Torpedoes

Two submerged tubes forward, presumably firing directly abeam, and two aft, firing at 22.5 degrees abaft the beam.[4]

Fire Control

Though it may have little relevance given the age difference, the general system of wiring between the TSes in ships prior to Lord Nelson class is illustrated in Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914.[5]

Rangefinders

Evershed Bearing Indicators

It is unlikely that this equipment was ever provided.[Inference]

Directors

These ships never received directors for main or secondary batteries.[6]

Gunnery Control

The ship's guns were organized in 3 control groups:[7]

  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.[8]

Transmitting Stations

These ships likely had fore and aft T.S.es.[9][Inference]

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

  1. Fore
  2. After
  3. Separate

Each control group had transmitters 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."[10]

Dreyer Table

These ships never received Dreyer tables.[11]

Fire Control Instruments

By 1909, all were equipped with Siemens gongs and bells and Siemens Mark I Fire Control Instruments for range, orders and deflection, except Glory which had Mark II equipment.[12][13]

The Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909 lists the Mark I equipment for (Mark II in Glory) as:[14]

  • Range: 6 transmitters, 32 receivers
  • Orders: 8 transmitters, 18 receivers
  • Rate: 4 transmitters, 12 receivers
  • Deflection: 6 transmitters, 32 receivers

Additionally, the entire class had the following Siemens equipment:[15]

  • Group Switches: 3
  • Turret fire gongs: 8 (6 in Vengeance) with 2 keys
  • Fire Gongs: 12 with 4 keys
  • Captain's Cease Fire Bells: 18 with 1 key

These ships lacked Target Visible and Gun Ready signals.[16]

Torpedo Control

Radio

It appears likely that the entire class was completed with or soon received a Jackson or Marconi W/T kit soon after completion, based on a 1901 push to equip older battleships.[17][Inference]

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1907, p. 35. The location for each ship type was placement stipulated in C.N.2 11884/13066, 13.12.1906
  2. ↑ Technical History and Index Vol. 4, Part 36, p. 9.
  3. ↑ The Sight Manual, 1916, p. 109.
  4. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1896, p. 40.
  5. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
  6. ↑ Director Firing Handbook, 1917, pp. 142-3.
  7. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 8.
  8. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50.
  9. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
  10. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, pp. 50-1.
  11. ↑ Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, p. 3.
  12. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 56.
  13. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1906, p. 82.
  14. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 59.
  15. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 59.
  16. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 11.
  17. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1901, pp. 111-112.

Bibliography



Template:CatClassUKPreDreadnought

Template:Canopus Class (1896)


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