Difference between revisions of "King George V Class Battleship (1911)"

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====Control Groups====
 
====Control Groups====
−
 
 
The five 13.5-in turrets were each a separate group with a local [[C.O.S.]]{{INF}} so that it could be connected to  
 
The five 13.5-in turrets were each a separate group with a local [[C.O.S.]]{{INF}} so that it could be connected to  
 
* Forward TS  
 
* Forward TS  
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====Secondary Battery====
 
====Secondary Battery====
−
 
 
The 4-in guns never had directors installed.<ref>absent from list in ''The Director Firing Handbook, 1917''.  pp. 143.</ref>
 
The 4-in guns never had directors installed.<ref>absent from list in ''The Director Firing Handbook, 1917''.  pp. 143.</ref>
  
 
===Torpedo Control===
 
===Torpedo Control===
 +
[[File:ARTS1911Plate14.jpg|thumb|400px|'''Alternative Torpedo Director Position added c1911'''<br>In 1910, it was decided to equip the ships with hoods situated near the broadside tubes.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1911'', Plate 14.</ref> ]]
 +
 +
The ships had small armoured hoods fitted and enjoyed frontal protection from the ship's side armour.  A 4-inch embrasure as drawn here gave a line of sight from 70 degrees before to 80 degrees abaft the line of the tube, but this was later modified before construction to do 80 degrees on either side of the tube.  Hinged shutters allowed the embrasure to be closed when not in use, and the stand for the director could be swiveled to match any gyro angle in use at the tube.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1911'', p. 43.</ref>
  
 
===Transmitting Stations===
 
===Transmitting Stations===
−
 
 
These ships discarded the second [[TS]] found in earlier dreadnoughts and relied on a single TS.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', pp. 6-7.</ref>
 
These ships discarded the second [[TS]] found in earlier dreadnoughts and relied on a single TS.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', pp. 6-7.</ref>
  
 
===Dreyer Table===
 
===Dreyer Table===
−
 
 
[[H.M.S. King George V (1911)|''King George V'']] had a [[Mark III Dreyer Table]] while the other three units received [[Mark II Dreyer Table]]s.<ref>''Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables'', p. 3.</ref><ref>Brooks, John. ''Dreadnought Gunnery and the Battle of Jutland'', p. 166.</ref>  As of June 1918, they had not been provided [[Dreyer Turret Control Table]]s.<ref>absent from list in ''Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables'', p. 3.</ref>
 
[[H.M.S. King George V (1911)|''King George V'']] had a [[Mark III Dreyer Table]] while the other three units received [[Mark II Dreyer Table]]s.<ref>''Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables'', p. 3.</ref><ref>Brooks, John. ''Dreadnought Gunnery and the Battle of Jutland'', p. 166.</ref>  As of June 1918, they had not been provided [[Dreyer Turret Control Table]]s.<ref>absent from list in ''Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables'', p. 3.</ref>
  
 
===Fire Control Instruments===
 
===Fire Control Instruments===
−
 
 
Continuing the pattern established in the [[Colossus Class Battleship (1910)|''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*{{INF}}) instruments for other purposes.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', pp. 72.</ref>
 
Continuing the pattern established in the [[Colossus Class Battleship (1910)|''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*{{INF}}) instruments for other purposes.<ref>''Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914'', pp. 72.</ref>
  

Revision as of 11:06, 30 October 2009

Fire Control

Rangefinders

Evershed Bearing Indicators

All 4 units were likely fitted with this equipment before late 1914.[1]

The transmitting positions were

  • Conning Tower (transmitters to port and starboard with C.O.S. to select one in use)
  • Gunnery control tower
  • 'B' turret
  • 'X' turret

The protocols for handling wooding of the turrets is outlined in the Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914.[2]

Mechanical Aid-to-Spotter

At some point, all ships were equipped with two Mark I Mechanical Aid-to-Spotters, one on each side of the foretop, keyed off the Evershed rack on the director. As the need for such gear was apparently first identified in early 1916, it seems likely that these installations were effected well after Jutland.[3]

Gunnery Control

The control arrangements were as follows.[4]

Control Positions

  • Gunnery control tower
  • 'B' turret
  • 'X' turret

Some ships had C.O.S.s within the control positions so they could be connected to either TS.[5]

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

Training and Elevation Circuits
As shown in Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1913.

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.[6]

The main battery could be divided into forward ('A', 'B' & 'Q') and aft ('X' & 'Y') groups for split director control.[7]

A C.O.S. in the TS afforded these options:[8]

  • 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.[9]

Torpedo Control

Alternative Torpedo Director Position added c1911
In 1910, it was decided to equip the ships with hoods situated near the broadside tubes.[10]

The ships had small armoured hoods fitted and enjoyed frontal protection from the ship's side armour. A 4-inch embrasure as drawn here gave a line of sight from 70 degrees before to 80 degrees abaft the line of the tube, but this was later modified before construction to do 80 degrees on either side of the tube. Hinged shutters allowed the embrasure to be closed when not in use, and the stand for the director could be swiveled to match any gyro angle in use at the tube.[11]

Transmitting Stations

These ships discarded the second TS found in earlier dreadnoughts and relied on a single TS.[12]

Dreyer Table

King George V had a Mark III Dreyer Table while the other three units received Mark II Dreyer Tables.[13][14] As of June 1918, they had not been provided Dreyer Turret Control Tables.[15]

Fire Control Instruments

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.[16]

The ships had Gun Ready signals in the TS and control positions, but were the first dreadnoughts to discontinue the use of Target Visible signals that appeared in earlier classes.[17]

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 36.
  2. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 38.
  3. ↑ The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships, 1919, pp. 25-6.
  4. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 7.
  5. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 7.
  6. ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. pp. 88, 142.
  7. ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917, p. 88.
  8. ↑ The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. p. 88.
  9. ↑ absent from list in The Director Firing Handbook, 1917. pp. 143.
  10. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1911, Plate 14.
  11. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1911, p. 43.
  12. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, pp. 6-7.
  13. ↑ Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, p. 3.
  14. ↑ Brooks, John. Dreadnought Gunnery and the Battle of Jutland, p. 166.
  15. ↑ absent from list in Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, p. 3.
  16. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, pp. 72.
  17. ↑ Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914, p. 11.

Bibliography

Template:CatClassUKDreadnought

Template:King George V Class (1911)

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