Difference between revisions of "Formidable Class Battleship (1898)"

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(Fixed formatting.)
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===Evershed Bearing Indicators===
 
===Evershed Bearing Indicators===
  
−
It is unlikely that this equipment was ever provided{{INF}}.
+
It is unlikely that this equipment was ever provided.{{INF}}
  
 
===Directors===
 
===Directors===
  
−
These ships never received directors for main or secondary batteries<ref>''Director Firing Handbook, 1917''.  pp. 142-3.</ref>.
+
These ships never received directors for main or secondary batteries.<ref>''Director Firing Handbook, 1917''.  pp. 142-3.</ref>
  
 
===Gunnery Control===
 
===Gunnery Control===
  
−
The ship's guns were organized in 3 groups<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''.  p. 8.</ref>:
+
The ship's guns were organized in 3 groups:<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''.  p. 8.</ref>
 
# Two 12-in turrets
 
# Two 12-in turrets
 
# Starboard 6-in guns ('A' & 'X')
 
# Starboard 6-in guns ('A' & 'X')
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===Local Control in Turrets===
 
===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<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''.  p. 50.</ref>.
+
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.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''.  p. 50.</ref>
  
 
===Transmitting Stations===
 
===Transmitting Stations===
  
−
These ships likely had fore and aft [[TS]]s<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).</ref>{{INF}}.
+
These ships likely had fore and aft [[TS]]es.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).</ref>{{INF}}
  
 
A [[C.O.S.]] allowed{{INF}} control options of
 
A [[C.O.S.]] allowed{{INF}} control options of
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===Shipwide Network===
 
===Shipwide Network===
  
−
By late 1914, ''Formidable'' and ''Implacable'' were equipped with [[Barr and Stroud]] Mark II range, B & S Mark I order, and [[Vickers]] deflection instruments<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''.  p. 72 (''Irresistible'' omitted, presumably owing to her loss as the handbook was being prepared).</ref>.
+
By 1909, ''Formidable'' and ''Implacable'' were equipped with [[Barr and Stroud]] Mark II instruments for range and rate, B & S Mark I for orders, and [[Vickers]] instruments for deflection.  There is a conspicuous lack of mention of equipment for ''Irresistible'', though some references apply to the class.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909''.  pp. 58-9.</ref>
  
−
These ships lacked ''Target Visible'' and ''Gun Ready'' signals<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''.  p. 11.</ref>.
+
The ''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909'' lists the equipment on this class as:<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909'', p. 59.</ref>
 +
* Range (B. & S. Mark II):  6 transmitters, 30 receivers
 +
* Orders (B. & S. Mark I): 6 transmitters, 20 receivers
 +
* Rate (B. & S. Mark II): 4 transmitters, 8 receivers
 +
* Deflection (Vickers): 6 transmitters, 26 receivers
 +
* Group Switches:  3 (converted by Chatham)
 +
Additionally, this class had the following Siemens fire control equipment:<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909'', p. 59.</ref>
 +
* Turret fire gongs: 8  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.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914''.  p. 11.</ref>
  
 
===Torpedo Control===
 
===Torpedo Control===
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==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
 
<small>
 
<small>
 +
*{{BibUKHandbookFireControlInstruments1909}}
 
*{{BibUKHandbookFireControlInstruments1914}}
 
*{{BibUKHandbookFireControlInstruments1914}}
 
*{{BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917}}
 
*{{BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917}}

Revision as of 17:29, 19 September 2009

Fire Control

Though it may have little relevance given the age difference, the general system of wiring between the TSs 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 groups:[3]

  1. Two 12-in turrets
  2. Starboard 6-in guns ('A' & 'X')
  3. 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

  1. Fore
  2. After
  3. 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].

Shipwide Network

By 1909, Formidable and Implacable were equipped with Barr and Stroud Mark II instruments for range and rate, B & S Mark I for orders, and Vickers instruments for deflection. There is a conspicuous lack of mention of equipment for Irresistible, though some references apply to the class.[8]

The Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909 lists the equipment on this class as:[9]

  • Range (B. & S. Mark II): 6 transmitters, 30 receivers
  • Orders (B. & S. Mark I): 6 transmitters, 20 receivers
  • Rate (B. & S. Mark II): 4 transmitters, 8 receivers
  • Deflection (Vickers): 6 transmitters, 26 receivers
  • Group Switches: 3 (converted by Chatham)

Additionally, this class had the following Siemens fire control equipment:[10]

  • Turret fire gongs: 8 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.[11]

Torpedo Control

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
  2. ↑ Director Firing Handbook, 1917. pp. 142-3.
  3. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 8.
  4. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 50.
  5. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
  6. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. pp. 50-1.
  7. ↑ Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables. p. 3.
  8. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909. pp. 58-9.
  9. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 59.
  10. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909, p. 59.
  11. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 11.

Bibliography

Template:Formidable Class (1898)

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