Lion Class Battlecruiser (1910)
Fire Control
Rangefinders
Directors
Main Battery
At some point, the ships were fitted with a cam-type tripod-mounted director in a light aloft tower on the foremast along with a directing gun (in 'Y' turret?)[1]. The battery was divisible into forward ('A' & 'B') and aft ('Q' & 'Y') groups, and a C.O.S. in the TS allowed the following modes of control[2]:
- all turrets on aloft director
- all turrets on directing gun
- forward group on aloft, aft group on directing gun
By 1917, Lion and Princess Royal were awaiting fitting of a second tripod-type director aft, at which time they would have been fitted with a 5-way C.O.S., possibly in the manner[3]:
- all turrets on forward aloft director
- all turrets on aft director
- all turrets on directing gun
- forward group on forward director, aft group on aft director
- forward group on forward director, aft group on directing gun
Secondary Battery
The 4-in broadside guns are not listed as ever having had directors installed[4].
Torpedo Control
Transmitting Stations
Like most previous large British ships of the era, Lion and Princess Royal had 2 TSs, but Queen Mary established the new pattern of using a single TS[5].
Dreyer Table
At the Battle of Jutland, Lion and Princess Royal carried Mark III Dreyer tables[6], while Queen Mary was using a Mark II Dreyer table when she was destroyed[7][8].
By 1917, Lion and Princess Royal had been upgraded to a Mark IV* Dreyer table, but had no Turret Control Tables[9].
Shipwide Network
By late 1914, these ships were equipped with Barr and Stroud Mark II equipment for range, orders and deflection[10].
Gun Ready signals mounted in the TS(s) and control positions indicated which which guns were ready[11].
Lion and Princess Royal also had Target Visible signals mounted in their TSs and control positions to indicated which turrets could see the target. Queen Mary and later ships lacked this equipment[12].
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. pp. 88, 142.
- ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. p. 88.
- ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. p. 88.
- ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. pp. 143.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, pp. 6-7.
- ↑ Brooks, John. Dreadnought Gunnery and the Battle of Jutland, p. 8.
- ↑ Sumida, Jon. In Defence of Naval Supremacy, p. 252.
- ↑ Brooks, John. Dreadnought Gunnery and the Battle of Jutland, p. 166.
- ↑ Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, p. 3.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 72.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 11.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 11.
Bibliography
Template:BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917 Template:BibUKDreyerTableHandbook1918 Template:BibSumidaIDNS Template:BibBrooksDreadnoughtGunnery