Difference between revisions of "Danton Class Battleship (1909)"
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| + | France built six '''Danton-class battleships''' shortly before World War I. They were sometimes referred to as semi-dreadnoughts, as, while they were propelled by turbine power, they lacked an all-big-gun armament. | ||
| + | |||
<div name=fredbot:ships> | <div name=fredbot:ships> | ||
{| class="wikitable collapsible" border=2 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 0 0 1em 0.5em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse;" align=center; | {| class="wikitable collapsible" border=2 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 0 0 1em 0.5em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse;" align=center; | ||
| Line 13: | Line 15: | ||
! align=center | Fate | ! align=center | Fate | ||
|- align=left | |- align=left | ||
| − | | {{ | + | | {{FR-Condorcet}} |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
| | | | ||
| − | | | + | |23 Aug, 1907 |
| + | |20 Apr, 1909 | ||
| + | |25 Jul, 1911 | ||
| + | |Sunk 7 Mar, 1944 | ||
|- align=left | |- align=left | ||
| − | | {{ | + | | {{FR-Danton}} |
| − | + | ||
| | | | ||
| + | |9 Jan, 1908 | ||
|4 Jul, 1909 | |4 Jul, 1909 | ||
| − | | | + | |24 Jul, 1911 |
| − | | | + | |Sunk 19 Mar, 1917 |
|- align=left | |- align=left | ||
| − | | {{ | + | | {{FR-Diderot}} |
| − | + | ||
| | | | ||
| + | |20 Oct, 1907 | ||
|19 Apr, 1909 | |19 Apr, 1909 | ||
| − | | | + | |25 Jul, 1911 |
| − | | | + | |Scrapped 31 Aug, 1937 |
|- align=left | |- align=left | ||
| − | | {{ | + | | {{FR-Mirabeau}} |
| | | | ||
| − | | | + | |4 May, 1908 |
| − | | | + | |29 Oct, 1909 |
| − | | | + | |1 Aug, 1911 |
| − | | | + | |Condemned 27 Oct, 1921 |
|- align=left | |- align=left | ||
| − | | {{ | + | | {{FR-Vergniaud}} |
| − | + | ||
| | | | ||
| + | |Jul, 1908 | ||
|12 Apr, 1910 | |12 Apr, 1910 | ||
| − | | | + | |18 Dec, 1911 |
| − | | | + | |Sold 27 Nov, 1928 |
|- align=left | |- align=left | ||
| − | | {{ | + | | {{FR-Voltaire}} |
| − | + | ||
| | | | ||
| + | |8 Jun, 1907 | ||
|16 Jan, 1909 | |16 Jan, 1909 | ||
| − | | | + | |5 Aug, 1911 |
| − | | | + | |Expended 27 May, 1938 |
|} | |} | ||
</div name=fredbot:ships> | </div name=fredbot:ships> | ||
| + | |||
==Fire Control== | ==Fire Control== | ||
| − | The first French class of battleships with coincidence rangefinders and stepper motor order transmitters | + | The first French class of battleships with coincidence rangefinders and stepper motor order transmitters as designed. Otherwise organistion was as previous ships. |
| − | Later the [[Transmitting Station | + | |
| + | Later the P.C. (Post Central, or [[Transmitting Station]]) was fitted with a Le Prieur fire control table (probably an M1916) during WWI. | ||
===Rangefinders=== | ===Rangefinders=== | ||
| − | Barr & Stroud 9ft devices either side of the bridge. Turrets had 4.5ft devices. | + | |
| + | Barr & Stroud 9ft devices either side of the bridge. Turrets had 4.5ft devices. | ||
===Bearing Indicators=== | ===Bearing Indicators=== | ||
| − | Possibly | + | Possibly added by late in WWI. |
===Directors=== | ===Directors=== | ||
| − | The notion of director did not exist for these ships, although ranges may have been transmitted automatically late in WWI. | + | The notion of director did not exist for these ships, although ranges may have been transmitted automatically late in WWI. Fire was directed by the commander in the blockhouse. |
===Gunnery Control=== | ===Gunnery Control=== | ||
| − | The ship's guns were organized in | + | The ship's guns were organized in three groups: |
# Fore and aft turrets | # Fore and aft turrets | ||
# Starboard turrets | # Starboard turrets | ||
| Line 81: | Line 86: | ||
===Local Control in Turrets=== | ===Local Control in Turrets=== | ||
| − | Each turret could operate as an independent section if required | + | Each turret could operate as an independent section if required being equipped with a rangefinder and range tables. They may also have had a portable range clock. |
===Transmitting Stations - Post Central=== | ===Transmitting Stations - Post Central=== | ||
| − | + | ||
| + | Only one for the entire ship, passing orders for range using Lecomte-Aubry (L.A.) stepper motor transmitters for range and hydraulic Germain system for other functions. Some ships may have used the more advanced L.A. system for other gunnery data by late WWI. | ||
Le Prieur tables would have been fitted from 1916 onwards. | Le Prieur tables would have been fitted from 1916 onwards. | ||
| Line 94: | Line 100: | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==Footnotes== | ==Footnotes== | ||
| Line 104: | Line 106: | ||
==Bibliography== | ==Bibliography== | ||
{{refbegin}} | {{refbegin}} | ||
| + | *{{ARTS1911}} | ||
| + | *{{FCHMShips}} | ||
| + | *{{DirectorH}} | ||
| + | *{{DreyerH}} | ||
| + | *{{SumidaIDNS}} | ||
| + | *{{BrooksDGBJ}} | ||
| + | *{{UKJutlandOD}} | ||
{{refend}} | {{refend}} | ||
| Line 116: | Line 125: | ||
nat=FR | nat=FR | ||
| − | cat= | + | cat=Dreadnought |
| − | type= | + | type=dreadnought |
chain=Battleships | chain=Battleships | ||
| Line 126: | Line 135: | ||
builder= | builder= | ||
order= | order= | ||
| − | laid= | + | laid=23 Aug 1907 |
| − | launch=20 | + | launch=20 Apr 09 |
| − | comm= | + | comm=25 Jul 11 |
| − | fate= | + | fate=Sunk |
fate2= | fate2= | ||
| − | fatedate= | + | fatedate=7 March 1944 |
} | } | ||
| Line 139: | Line 148: | ||
builder= | builder= | ||
order= | order= | ||
| − | laid= | + | laid=9 Jan 08 |
| − | launch=4 | + | launch=4 Jul 09 |
| − | comm= | + | comm=24 Jul 11 |
| − | fate= | + | fate=Sunk |
fate2= | fate2= | ||
| − | fatedate= | + | fatedate=19 Mar 17 |
} | } | ||
| Line 152: | Line 161: | ||
builder= | builder= | ||
order= | order= | ||
| − | laid= | + | laid=20 Oct 07 |
| − | launch=19 | + | launch=19 Apr 09 |
| − | comm= | + | comm=25 Jul 11 |
| − | fate= | + | fate=Scrapped |
fate2= | fate2= | ||
| − | fatedate= | + | fatedate=31 Aug 1937 |
} | } | ||
| Line 165: | Line 174: | ||
builder= | builder= | ||
order= | order= | ||
| − | laid= | + | laid=4 May 08 |
| − | launch= | + | launch=29 Oct 09 |
| − | comm= | + | comm=1 Aug 11 |
| − | fate= | + | fate=Condemned |
fate2= | fate2= | ||
| − | fatedate= | + | fatedate=27 Oct 1921 |
} | } | ||
| Line 178: | Line 187: | ||
builder= | builder= | ||
order= | order= | ||
| − | laid= | + | laid=Jul 08 |
| − | launch=12 | + | launch=12 Apr 10 |
| − | comm= | + | comm=18 Dec 11 |
| − | fate= | + | fate=Sold |
fate2= | fate2= | ||
| − | fatedate= | + | fatedate=27 Nov 28 |
} | } | ||
| Line 191: | Line 200: | ||
builder= | builder= | ||
order= | order= | ||
| − | laid= | + | laid=8 Jun 07 |
| − | launch=16 | + | launch=16 Jan 09 |
| − | comm= | + | comm=5 Aug 11 |
| − | fate= | + | fate=Expended |
| − | fate2= | + | fate2=as target |
| − | fatedate= | + | fatedate=27 May 1938 |
} | } | ||
| + | |||
data --> | data --> | ||
Latest revision as of 10:13, 5 January 2023
France built six Danton-class battleships shortly before World War I. They were sometimes referred to as semi-dreadnoughts, as, while they were propelled by turbine power, they lacked an all-big-gun armament.
| Overview of 6 vessels | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citations for this data available on individual ship pages | |||||
| Name | Builder | Laid Down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
| Condorcet | 23 Aug, 1907 | 20 Apr, 1909 | 25 Jul, 1911 | Sunk 7 Mar, 1944 | |
| Danton | 9 Jan, 1908 | 4 Jul, 1909 | 24 Jul, 1911 | Sunk 19 Mar, 1917 | |
| Diderot | 20 Oct, 1907 | 19 Apr, 1909 | 25 Jul, 1911 | Scrapped 31 Aug, 1937 | |
| Mirabeau | 4 May, 1908 | 29 Oct, 1909 | 1 Aug, 1911 | Condemned 27 Oct, 1921 | |
| Vergniaud | Jul, 1908 | 12 Apr, 1910 | 18 Dec, 1911 | Sold 27 Nov, 1928 | |
| Voltaire | 8 Jun, 1907 | 16 Jan, 1909 | 5 Aug, 1911 | Expended 27 May, 1938 | |
Contents
Fire Control
The first French class of battleships with coincidence rangefinders and stepper motor order transmitters as designed. Otherwise organistion was as previous ships.
Later the P.C. (Post Central, or Transmitting Station) was fitted with a Le Prieur fire control table (probably an M1916) during WWI.
Rangefinders
Barr & Stroud 9ft devices either side of the bridge. Turrets had 4.5ft devices.
Bearing Indicators
Possibly added by late in WWI.
Directors
The notion of director did not exist for these ships, although ranges may have been transmitted automatically late in WWI. Fire was directed by the commander in the blockhouse.
Gunnery Control
The ship's guns were organized in three groups:
- Fore and aft turrets
- Starboard turrets
- Port turrets
Local Control in Turrets
Each turret could operate as an independent section if required being equipped with a rangefinder and range tables. They may also have had a portable range clock.
Transmitting Stations - Post Central
Only one for the entire ship, passing orders for range using Lecomte-Aubry (L.A.) stepper motor transmitters for range and hydraulic Germain system for other functions. Some ships may have used the more advanced L.A. system for other gunnery data by late WWI.
Le Prieur tables would have been fitted from 1916 onwards.
Torpedo Control
Other Notes
Last ships to use French Electric turrets.
See Also
Footnotes
Bibliography
- H.M.S. Vernon. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1911, with Appendix (Wireless Telegraphy). Copy 15 at The National Archives. ADM 189/31.
- Admiralty, Technical History Section (1919). The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in H.M. Ships. Vol. 3, Part 23. C.B. 1515 (23) now O.U. 6171/14. At The National Archives. ADM 275/19.
- Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1917). The Director Firing Handbook. O.U. 6125 (late C.B. 1259). Copy No. 322 at The National Archives. ADM 186/227.
- Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1918). Handbook of Captain F. C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, 1918. C.B. 1456. Copy No. 10 at Admiralty Library, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
- Sumida, Jon Tetsuro (1989). In Defence of Naval Supremacy: Finance, Technology and British Naval Policy, 1889-1914. Winchester, Mass.: Unwin Hyman, Inc.. ISBN 0044451040. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
- Brooks, John (2005). Dreadnought Gunnery and the Battle of Jutland: The Question of Fire Control. Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 0714657026. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
- Admiralty (1920). Battle of Jutland 30th May to 1st June 1916: Official Despatches with Appendices. Cmd. 1068. London: His Majesty's Stationary Office.
| Danton Class Dreadnought | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Condorcet | Danton | Diderot | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mirabeau | Vergniaud | Voltaire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| <– | Liberté Class | Battleships (FR) | Courbet Class | –> | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
