Duke of Edinburgh Class Cruiser (1904)
The two armoured cruisers of the Duke of Edinburgh Class were completed in 1906.
Armament
Guns
The 9.2-in guns were Mark X, mounted in Mk V S single mountings.[1]
Torpedoes
Fire Control
Rangefinders
Evershed Bearing Indicators
It is unlikely that this equipment was ever provided.[Inference]
Directors
In 1916, it was approved that the ships of this class should be retrofitted with directors as time, resources and opportunity permitted,[2] but these plans were slow to execute. Duke of Edinburgh received one in October 1918, but Black Prince was likely lost before her equipment was ever ordered.[3][Inference]
Gunnery Control
Local Control in Turrets
Transmitting Stations
Dreyer Table
These ships never received Dreyer tables.[4]
Fire Control Instruments
By 1909, both ships were equipped with Vickers, Son and Maxim instruments for range, deflection and orders and with Barr and Stroud rate instruments as follows:[5]
- Vickers range transmitters: 10
- Vickers deflection transmitters: 10
- Vickers combined range and deflection receivers: 33
- Vickers C.O.S.: 5
- Vickers Check fire switches: 10
- Barr and Stroud rate transmitters: 4
- Barr and Stroud rate receivers: 8
- Siemens turret fire gongs: 12 with 6 keys
- Vickers fire gongs: 10 with 4 keys
- Captain's Cease Fire Bells: 16 (16 in Duke of Edinburgh) with 1 key (supplier not stated)
As in the Minotaur class, bearing instruments were installed in or by 1915. The receivers in the four 9.2-in broadside guns and the 6-in officers' positions are operated in by transmitters in the TS for their side or by their respective master transmitters in the foretop. The two centre-line turrets are connected to a transmitter in the TS or to one of the master transmitters. The 6-in guns are worked om transmitters in the O.O.Q. position on that side.[6] The overall bill of fare ran to:
- 2 special "master" bearing transmitters, Graham's type (in foretop, P&S)
- 6 Barr and Stroud bearing transmitters:
- 2 in the O.O.Q.'s position, P & S
- 2 in the foretop, P & S
- 2 in the TS, P & S
- 23 Barr and Stroud bearing receivers:
- 10 for the 6-in guns (1 each)
- 6 for the 9.2-in guns (1 per turret)
- 2 in the O.O.Q.'s position, P & S
- 1 repeat in the fore TS
- 2 repeats in the foretop
- Three C.O.S. (one in fore TS, and two in foretop)
These ships lacked Target Visible and Gun Ready signals.[7]
Torpedo Control
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Sight Manual, 1916, p. 110.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1916, p. 175.
- ↑ The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships, 1919, p. 15.
- ↑ Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables. p. 3.
- ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, pp. 56, 60.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1915, p. 219.
I am not fully sure I grasp this description. - ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 11.
Bibliography
- Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1910). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909. Copy No. 173 is Ja 345a at Admiralty Library, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
- 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:BibUKFireControlInHMShips1919
