Difference between revisions of "H.M.S. Erin (1913)"

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* 25 knots to 10,000 metres
 
* 25 knots to 10,000 metres
  
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In 1916 or soon thereafter, she may have received some of the 21-in Weymouth Mark III torpedoes previously allotted to {{UK-Agincourt}}'s stern tube after they had been re-ranged for 21-knot running.{{ARTS1916|p. 46}}
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In 1916 or soon thereafter, she may have received some of the [[21-in Weymouth Mark III Torpedo]]es previously allotted to {{UK-Agincourt}}'s stern tube after they had been re-ranged for 21-knot running.{{ARTS1916|p. 46}}
  
 
==Fire Control==
 
==Fire Control==

Revision as of 12:04, 30 November 2012

H.M.S. Erin (1913)
Pendant Number: 56 (Aug 1914)
61 (Jan 1918)
76 (Apr 1918)[1]
Builder: Vickers[2]
Ordered: Requisitioned, Aug 1914[3]
Laid down: 1 Aug, 1911[4]
Launched: 3 Sep, 1913[5]
Commissioned: Aug, 1914[6]
Sold: 19 Dec, 1922[7]
Fate: Scrapped


HMS Erin was a dreadnought battleship ordered along with her uncompleted sister-ship Reshad-i-Hamiss by the Ottoman Navy in 1911. She was considered very similar in design to the King George V class.

Launch

Reshadieh was launched on Wednesday, 3 September, 1913, by Naile Hanoum, the daughter of the Turkish Ambassador to Britain, Tewfik Pasha. Rose water instead of the usual bottle of wine was used to christen the ship, which took the water in 45 seconds. Hanoum was afterwards presented with a platinum necklace set with diamonds. Hakki Pasha, Grand Vizier when the order for Reshadieh was placed with Vickers, was also present and gave a speech at the post-launch luncheon.

Armament

Main Battery

This section is sourced from The Sight Manual, 1916.[8]

  • ten 13.5-in 45calMark VI "Vickers Special"[9] guns were in special mountings able to elevate 20 degrees and depress 5 degrees. The sights, however, were limited to 15 degrees elevation (18,800 yards). It is not known whether "20 degree super-elevation strips" were provided. 6 degree super-elevation prisms may have been provided by 1916.[Inference]

The sights were F.T.P. and gear-worked with a range gearing constant of 17 and range dials for 2379 fps, 2000 fps and 6-pdr sub-calibre guns. Muzzle velocity was corrected by adjustable scale plate.

The deflection gearing constant was 57.5, with 1 knot equalling 2.69 arc minutes, calculated as 2379 fps at 5500 yards. Drift was corrected by automatic displacement of the deflection pointer.

The side position sight line was 37.5 inches above the bore and 52 inches abreast. The central position's sight lines were 46.5 inches above and 41.4 inches abreast.

Presumably, the sights had temperature and "C" correctors, but no detail is known.

The original storage was 80 rounds per gun.[10]

Secondary Battery

  • sixteen 6-in 50 cal, 150 rounds per gun.[11]

Torpedoes

  • four Elswick 6.3m 21-in submerged broadside tubes, depressed 2 degrees with forward pair bearing 85 and aft pair 90.[Inference] Impulse from Elswick H.P. air.[12]

At the start of the war, all 21-in Weymouth torpedoes in England were purchased: ten 21-in Weymouth Mark II Torpedoes intended for Japan were given to Erin, but her Elswick type submerged tubes required the torpedoes be shortened to 6.5m from 6.8m by removing a section at the rear of the head. The modified Mark II torpedoes retained their settings for:[13]

  • 41 knots to 1,000 metres
  • 41 knots to 2,000 metres (sic)
  • 38 knots to 3,500 metres
  • 29 knots to 7,000 metres
  • 25 knots to 10,000 metres

In 1916 or soon thereafter, she may have received some of the 21-in Weymouth Mark III Torpedoes previously allotted to Agincourt's stern tube after they had been re-ranged for 21-knot running.[14]

Fire Control

Erin's Fire Control Systems
As shown in Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1915.

Rangefinders

As completed, she carried six rangefinders: one in the control top, one on the fore bridge, and four in turrets. A high angle model (likely a 2m F.T. 29) was added in 1918 over the control top.[15]

Evershed Bearing Indicators

Mechanical Aid-to-Spotter

At some point, Erin was equipped with a pair of Mechanical Aid-to-Spotter Mark Is, one on each side of the foretop, keyed off the Evershed rack on the director. As the need for such gear was apparently first identified in early 1916, it seems likely that these installations were effected well after Jutland.[16]

Gunnery Control

The control arrangements were as follows.[17]

Control Positions

  • Fore top
  • Spotting tower

Control Groups

Prior to the installation with director firing, wiring in the T.S. for the 13.5-in battery was flexible enough that "any gun can be controlled from any position", as there were 5 sets of transmitters with a C.O.S. as to whether to transmit from the T.S.'s own D.O.R. transmitter, or pass on that from the fore top or the spotting tower.[18] The 6-in guns were in 4 groups of 4 guns — 2 groups on each side.

Directors

In 1915, Erin had not yet been fitted with a director.[19]

Main Battery

Secondary Battery

Torpedo Control

By mid 1917 and likely a considerable time before,[Inference] she was provided a Torpedo Control Plotting Instrument Mark I in the T.C.T..[20]

Transmitting Stations

Erin had a single T.S..[21]

Dreyer Table

Fire Control Instruments

Erin was equipped with Mark III Vickers Fire Control Instruments with some Barr and Stroud instruments such as their Combined Range, Order and Deflection gear.[22]

Jutland

Main article

Alterations

Although in November, 1914 Erin was specified as a ship to receive a director and this task received special emphasis in mid 1915,[23] she fought at the Battle of Jutland without a director[24] and was not fitted until some time in July-August, 1916 at Invergordon.[Citation needed]

Erin received directors for her secondary battery in December, 1917.[25]

At some point, Erin was equipped with a pair of Mechanical Aid-to-Spotter Mark Is, one on each side of the foretop, keyed off the Evershed rack on the director. As the need for such gear was apparently first identified in early 1916, it seems likely that these installations were effected well after Jutland.[26]

Rangefinders

When in 1918 it was desired to give each capital ship possible an additional effective 9-foot rangefinder to support torpedo control, it was proposed that Erin should receive one aft of the after funnel, which would require a platform between No. 3 searchlight towers, on a transversing mounting to permit forward arcs. [27]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 34.
  2. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 36.
  3. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 33.
  4. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 36.
  5. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 34.
  6. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 36.
  7. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 34.
  8. ↑ The Sight Manual, 1916. pp. 32, 108.
  9. ↑ Burt. British Battleships of World War One. p. 248.
  10. ↑ Burt. British Battleships of World War One. p. 248.
  11. ↑ Burt. British Battleships of World War One. p. 248.
  12. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1915. p. 36.
    The bearing of aft tubes is not clearly indicated.
  13. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1914. pp. 10-11.
  14. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1916. p. 46.
  15. ↑ Burt. British Battleships of World War One. pp. 225, 230.
  16. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. pp. 25-6.
  17. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. pp. 222-223, Plate 110.
  18. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 223.
  19. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 223.
  20. ↑ Handbook of Torpedo Control, 1916. p. 38. Inference based on Mark II gear being in place in other ships in 1915.
  21. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 223 and Plate 110.
  22. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 223.
  23. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. p. 10.
  24. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. p. 11.
  25. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. p. 16.
  26. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. pp. 25-6.
  27. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1918. p. 177. Particulars are here described as offered for King George V.
  28. ↑ Stanley Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 432.
  29. ↑ Ellerton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 153.
  30. ↑ The Navy List (August, 1919). p. 788.
  31. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  32. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.

Bibliography


Dreadnought H.M.S. Erin
<– H.M.S. Agincourt Battleships (UK) Queen Elizabeth Class –>
<– H.M.S. Agincourt Foreign Orders (UK) H.M.S. Canada –>
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