Dreyer Calculator: Difference between revisions

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The '''Dreyer Calculator''' was a British [[Fire Control Instrument]] that determined the aggregate effect on [[Gun Range|gun range]] attributable to a number of factors.  It was invented by [[John Tuthill Dreyer]], brother to Captain [[Frederic Charles Dreyer]] and worked in concert with his brother's [[Dreyer Fire Control Table|fire control table]].
The '''Dreyer Calculator''' was a British [[Fire Control Instrument]] that determined the aggregate effect on [[Gun Range|gun range]] attributable to a number of factors.  It was invented by [[John Tuthill Dreyer]], brother to Captain [[Frederic Charles Dreyer]] and worked in concert with his brother's [[Dreyer Fire Control Table|fire control table]].
[[File:ProposedDreyerCalculator.jpg|thumb|512px|'''The Dreyer Calculator as Proposed'''<br>Visible are the means of setting the [[Air Density]], [[Range Rate]], [[Plot Range]], and Wind along the line of fire.  The [[Range Spotting Correction|range spotting correction]] is read off of scale H. Only the grayish piece N is peculiar to the [[Gun System|gun system]] in use. ]]
The Dreyer calculator was a small calculating board that eventually enjoyed a place on the bulkhead of Royal Navy [[Transmitting Station]]s.  It calculated several separate factors that would cause the [[Plot Range]] and [[Gun Range]] to differ and summed them together to produce an aggregate spotting correction for range.
In ships with [[Dreyer Fire Control Table]]s, this correction would be entered into the [[Spotting Corrector]] as a [[Straddle Correction]].
==Inputs and Mechanical Design==
The Dreyer Calculator was customized to a given [[Gun System]] by the choice of which backplate (bearing the range scale) was fitted.  Milled curves along these backplates expressed ballistic relationships taken from the [[Range Table]], such as range to [[Time-of-Flight|time-of-flight]].
The inputs were:
* Range Rate
* Air Density (difference from the standard atmosphere of the range table)
* Wind along the line of fire
* Plot Range
By entering the plot range, the backplate's milled curves would expressed a time-of-flight, and this was the means by which the other 3 inputs could weight their effect on how the range would alter during time-of-flight.


==See Also==
==See Also==

Revision as of 14:22, 9 August 2009

The Dreyer Calculator was a British Fire Control Instrument that determined the aggregate effect on gun range attributable to a number of factors. It was invented by John Tuthill Dreyer, brother to Captain Frederic Charles Dreyer and worked in concert with his brother's fire control table.

The Dreyer Calculator as Proposed
Visible are the means of setting the Air Density, Range Rate, Plot Range, and Wind along the line of fire. The range spotting correction is read off of scale H. Only the grayish piece N is peculiar to the gun system in use.

The Dreyer calculator was a small calculating board that eventually enjoyed a place on the bulkhead of Royal Navy Transmitting Stations. It calculated several separate factors that would cause the Plot Range and Gun Range to differ and summed them together to produce an aggregate spotting correction for range.

In ships with Dreyer Fire Control Tables, this correction would be entered into the Spotting Corrector as a Straddle Correction.

Inputs and Mechanical Design

The Dreyer Calculator was customized to a given Gun System by the choice of which backplate (bearing the range scale) was fitted. Milled curves along these backplates expressed ballistic relationships taken from the Range Table, such as range to time-of-flight.

The inputs were:

  • Range Rate
  • Air Density (difference from the standard atmosphere of the range table)
  • Wind along the line of fire
  • Plot Range

By entering the plot range, the backplate's milled curves would expressed a time-of-flight, and this was the means by which the other 3 inputs could weight their effect on how the range would alter during time-of-flight.

See Also

Footnotes

Bibliography