Canopus Class Battleship (1897)
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.[1]
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.[2]
Gunnery Control
The ship's guns were organized in 3 control groups:[3]
- Two 12-in turrets
- Starboard 6-in guns ('A' & 'X')
- 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.[4]
Transmitting Stations
These ships likely had fore and aft TSes.[5][Inference]
A C.O.S. allowed[Inference] control options of
- Fore
- After
- 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."[6]
Dreyer Table
These ships never received Dreyer tables.[7]
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.[8][9]
The Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909 lists the Mark I equipment for (Mark II in Glory) as:[10]
- 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:[11]
- 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.[12]
Torpedo Control
Radio
I 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.[13][Inference]
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
- ↑ Director Firing Handbook, 1917, pp. 142-3.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 8.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, pp. 50-1.
- ↑ Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, p. 3.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 56.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1906, p. 82.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 59.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 59.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 11.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1901, pp. 111-112.
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
- Template:BibUKARTS1902
