Search found 2468 matches

by wadinga
Mon May 29, 2023 5:31 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Prince of Wales and Repulse again under attack.........
Replies: 3
Views: 1699

Re: Prince of Wales and Repulse again under attack.........

Hi All, From AP Malaysia’s maritime agency said it has detained a Chinese-registered vessel on suspicion of looting two Second World War-era British shipwrecks in the South China Sea. The agency said it had found a cannon shell believed to be from the Second World War on board the bulk carrier ship....
by wadinga
Fri May 12, 2023 9:12 am
Forum: The Ironclad & Pre-dreadnought Era (1860-1905)
Topic: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts
Replies: 43
Views: 5471

Re: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts

Hi Byron, I hope do not denigrate Pollen at all, like the other luminaries he was a highly motivated individual, who wanted the best for his country and was determined to push his case forward against what he saw as dangerously dull-minded conservative opposition. Such men undoubtedly deserve our ad...
by wadinga
Tue May 09, 2023 12:05 pm
Forum: The Ironclad & Pre-dreadnought Era (1860-1905)
Topic: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts
Replies: 43
Views: 5471

Re: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts

Hi All, It is likely there was rangefinding in the Spanish-American War. Quintin Barry, writing in his book "Disputed Victory" says Soon after this, however, the Brooklyn suffered her only fatal casualty, when Chief Yeoman Ellis was killed while taking the range of the Viscaya . As two men...
by wadinga
Thu May 04, 2023 6:17 pm
Forum: The Ironclad & Pre-dreadnought Era (1860-1905)
Topic: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts
Replies: 43
Views: 5471

Re: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts

Hi Marcelo, The book had an outrageous high price at the time of publishing You highlight a problem alluded to in another thread. Populist books, a description given to Guns at Sea elsewhere, get enough volume sales to keep the unit price down, but Brooks' book is unfortunately considered to be of s...
by wadinga
Thu May 04, 2023 12:15 pm
Forum: The Ironclad & Pre-dreadnought Era (1860-1905)
Topic: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts
Replies: 43
Views: 5471

Re: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts

Hi Paul, Byron provided the detail on those slow-firers. With such lengthy loading times, and so few guns, it was essential to get close enough to guarantee a hit, hence the short ranges anticipated. I imagine such battles would be a bit like duelling at ten paces, don't shoot till you see the white...
by wadinga
Wed May 03, 2023 1:49 pm
Forum: The Ironclad & Pre-dreadnought Era (1860-1905)
Topic: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts
Replies: 43
Views: 5471

Re: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts

Hello Paul, In fact as Marcelo's diagram makes clear the loading gear is under a deck in this design. However in the so called barbette ships the breech loading gun crews were totally exposed during loading. These ships expected to fight at close range 1-2000 yds max and incoming shells would have f...
by wadinga
Sat Apr 29, 2023 8:55 am
Forum: The Age of Sail (1571-1860)
Topic: Binnacle Location
Replies: 13
Views: 1968

Re: Binnacle Location

Hi All, Based on the shape, I would guess this represents a pump rather than a binnacle. Two handles would be inserted from the sides and the pumped water would flood out over the deck and into the scuppers. The helmsman must be able to see the compass if he is going steer a course. All the best wad...
by wadinga
Wed Apr 26, 2023 6:40 pm
Forum: The Age of Sail (1571-1860)
Topic: Spanish artillery in the age of sail
Replies: 37
Views: 3355

Re: Spanish artillery in the age of sail

Hi OpanaPointer, A Sprinkle of Breadcrumbs....... A media sacra cannon from El Gran Grifón sunk off Fair Isle is on display in the Shetlands museum on a "recreated" 2 wheel carriage. www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2010/07/30/cannon-from-armada-ship-wrecked-off-fair-isle-to-go-on-show-in-museum In...
by wadinga
Wed Apr 26, 2023 9:06 am
Forum: The Ironclad & Pre-dreadnought Era (1860-1905)
Topic: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts
Replies: 43
Views: 5471

Re: Fire Control of Pre-Dreadnoughts

Hello Marcelo, Padfield's Guns at Sea has mathematician Niccolo Tartaglia claiming to have measured range at sea using the known height of the ship's mast and a an angle from the "maine top" measured with a Gunner's Quadrant. He lived from 1500 to 1557 and applied mathematics to ballistics...
by wadinga
Tue Apr 25, 2023 12:42 pm
Forum: The Age of Sail (1571-1860)
Topic: Spanish artillery in the age of sail
Replies: 37
Views: 3355

Re: Spanish artillery in the age of sail

Hi All, Naval Guns by Hans Mehl has photo and drawing of a Saker 6 pdr bronze naval gun of 1551 cast by Remigy de Halut in Flanders for the Spanish Crown, which is 1.8 metres (5ft 10in) from muzzle to just before trunnions, and 3.8 metres (12ft 5in) overall. The weapon was taken from a privateer off...
by wadinga
Mon Apr 10, 2023 7:05 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 15632

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello All, Well at the risk of alienating someone else I shall continue to participate. How do you suppose Great Britain acquired a colonial empire covering a quarter of the Earth's surface and a quarter of the global population? Well by the aggressive taking over of the international assets of othe...
by wadinga
Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:30 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 15632

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello All, There are sources I have addressed above which not only fail to prove their own accusations eg Owen and McMeekin, and offered others which uncover Germany's longstanding plans for aggressive war like Fritz Fischer and Barbara Tuchman. German railways were built to Aachen specifically to s...
by wadinga
Wed Apr 05, 2023 9:23 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Prince of Wales in front
Replies: 32
Views: 9290

Re: Prince of Wales in front

Hello All, For smaller formations the practicality of follow-my-leader means the elimination of much unnecessary signalling. Hipper and Beatty, for instance, led with their flagships, although as when HMS Lion circled involuntarily, this could create some confusion. At Jutland, in the main action, w...
by wadinga
Wed Mar 08, 2023 3:55 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 15632

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello wmh829386, As OpanaPointer suggests Wilhelm II was crazy enough to do almost anything. People have obsessed about the High Seas Fleet being a challenger to Britain, but with his quest for "Martial Glory" meant he had other potential foes in mind as well. This site warfarehistorynetwo...
by wadinga
Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:38 am
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 15632

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hi OpanaPointer,

Germane.

All the best

wadinga