Orion Class Battleship (1910)
Fire Control
Rangefinders
Evershed Bearing Indicators
All 4 units were likely fitted with this equipment before late 1914, albeit only Orion is specifically known to have been fitted[1].
Orion's transmitting positions in late 1914 were
- Conning Tower
- Fore control platform (transmitters to port and starboard with C.O.S. to select one in use)
- 'B' turret
- 'Q' turret (scheduled to be changed to 'X' turret)
The protocols for handling wooding of the turrets is outlined in the Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914[2].
Gunnery Control
The control arrangements were as follows[3].
Control Positions
- Control top
- Gunnery control tower
- 'B' turret
- 'Q' turret
Some ships had C.O.S.s within the control positions so they could be connected to either TS[4].
Control Groups
The five 13.5-in turrets were each a separate group with a local C.O.S.[Inference] so that it could be connected to
- Forward TS
- After TS
- Local control from officer's position within turret
Directors
Main Battery
The ships were fitted with a cam-type tripod-type director in a light aloft tower on the foremast along with a directing gun (in 'X' turret?)[5].
This class was the first in which the main battery could be divided into forward ('A', 'B' & 'Q') and aft ('X' & 'Y') groups for split director control[6].
A C.O.S. in the TS afforded these options:
- All turrets on aloft tower
- All turrets on directing gun
- Forward group on aloft tower, aft group on directing gun
Secondary Battery
The 4-in guns never had directors installed[7].
Torpedo Control
Transmitting Stations
Like nearly all large British ships of the era prior to King George V and Queen Mary[8], these ships likely had 2 TSs.
Dreyer Table
Orion and Conqueror were eventually retro-fitted with a Mark II Dreyer tables, while Monarch and Thunderer received Mark III Dreyer tables[9]. As of June 1918, they had not been provided Dreyer Turret Control Tables[10].
Shipwide Network
Continuing the pattern established in the Colossus class, all 4 units used Vickers F.T.P. Mark III range and deflection instruments to the gun sights and Barr and Stroud (probably Mark II*[Inference]) instruments for other purposes[11].
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 36.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 37.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 7.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 7.
- ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. pp. 88, 142.
- ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. p. 88.
- ↑ absent from list in The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. p. 143.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, pp. 6-7.
- ↑ Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, p. 3.
- ↑ absent from list in Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, p. 3.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, pp. 72.
Bibliography
Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1914). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. G. 01627/14. C.B. 1030. Copy 1235 at The National Archives. ADM 186/191. Template:BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917 Template:BibUKDreyerTableHandbook1918