Difference between revisions of "Vickers Fire Control Instruments"

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==F.T.P. Instruments==
 
==F.T.P. Instruments==
 +
:<small>([[Vickers F.T.P. Fire Control Instruments|main article]])</small>
  
===Mark I Instruments===
+
The need to keep sights set for range and deflection was one that suffered from error and latency if the process were not automatic or at least one that could be done in a manner catering to simple eye-hand mechanics.  The Royal Navy experimented with a number of efforts to entirely automate sightsetting, but the difficulties were such that a follow-the-pointer was seen as a reliable and reasonable expedient. 
:[[Vickers Mark I Fire Control Instruments|Main article]]
 
TODO:
 
* HFCI Plate 11 Mark I FTP diagram
 
* HFCI Plate 12 Mark I FTP tx
 
  
===Mark II Instruments===
+
As a result, the front-line ships of the Royal Navy in the war relied on Vickers F.T.P. instruments to allow indicated data to be quickly and accurately established on sights at guns and directors.
:[[Vickers Mark II Fire Control Instruments|Main article]]
 
TODO:
 
* HFCI Plate 13 Mark II FTP diagram
 
* HFCI Plate 14 Mark II FTP tx+rx
 
 
 
===Mark III Instruments===
 
:[[VickersFire Control Instruments Mark III|main article]]
 
TODO:
 
* HFCI Plate 15 Mark III FTP
 
* HFCI Plate 16 Mark III FTP details
 
 
 
These differed from Mark II by having the receiver not be part of the sight, rendering it cheaper and simpler in construction,  and the transmitter did not have a sight dial as a tell-tale; simply a drum transmitter and repeat receiver.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1909'', p. 148.</ref>
 
 
 
===Mark III* Instruments===
 
:[[Vickers Mark III* Fire Control Instruments|Main article]]
 
 
 
The transmitters of the Mark III* devices could use [[Cross-connecting Gear]] by virtue of their wheel gearing.<ref>''Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1909'', p. 148.</ref>
 
 
 
===Mark IV* Instruments===
 
:[[Vickers Mark IV* Fire Control Instruments|Main article]]
 
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==

Revision as of 16:14, 22 April 2011

Vickers manufactured a variety of Step-by-Step Fire Control Instruments and bells for shipboard communication. The Royal Navy tested and deployed Vickers instruments in a number of ships, eventually favouring their F.T.P. instruments for use in keeping sights set to the proper range and deflection.

Dial Instruments

TODO:

  • HFCI Plate 6 diagram circuit
  • HFCI Plate 7 range tx
  • HFCI Plate 8 combined range and def rx
  • HFCI Plate 9 check fire switch
  • HFCI Plate 10 Cross-connecting gear

Vickers dial instruments were step-by-step devices. The range and deflection transmitters had tell-tale receivers built into them to indicate the value, and a single handle by which to drive the value through its range.

There were no separate order instruments, but the transmitters featured a 3 position "check fire switch" could be set to "Control Fire" or "Check Fire" to cause the receivers to expose a red or a white disc, respectively. The intermediate position of this switch was labelled "Off" and removed power from the attached instruments entirely.

F.T.P. Instruments

(main article)

The need to keep sights set for range and deflection was one that suffered from error and latency if the process were not automatic or at least one that could be done in a manner catering to simple eye-hand mechanics. The Royal Navy experimented with a number of efforts to entirely automate sightsetting, but the difficulties were such that a follow-the-pointer was seen as a reliable and reasonable expedient.

As a result, the front-line ships of the Royal Navy in the war relied on Vickers F.T.P. instruments to allow indicated data to be quickly and accurately established on sights at guns and directors.

See Also

Footnotes

Bibliography