Colossus gundeck

Animation of the main gun deck of HMS Colossus (1882 - 1906) showing turret loading process. For test purposes. No audio. For more information on HMS Colossus visit http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tech/colossus/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• colossus
• animation
• experimental

[vbbsmyt]

Er.. yes. The application I was using at the time (Rhino 3D) could not generate smoke and flames, so I improvised!

[ZerokillerOppel1]

Very intersting! So all the reloading was done in the open? The shells and the charges having somewhat armoured protection I suppose but nevertheless; 1 well aimed shot on the deck while the reloading procedure was going on and the whole ship would be a loss.

[vbbsmyt]

@ZerokillerOppel1 On the contrary, the whole gun deck was enclosed within a central citadel with 19 inch armour plate and further teak backing. At the start of the animation you can see the oval armoured citadel surrounding the gun deck, lifts and loading rams. It also protects the boilers and engines. I 'hid' half of the armour early on to give good views of the guns and loading mechanism. Vertical armour only needed as fighting ranges would be about 1,000 yards and trajectory horizontal.

[JigarGanatra]

How did you make this video?

[vbbsmyt]

@JigarGanatra. Modeled in Rhino 3D, rendered with Flamingo, and animated using Bongo. Search web for Rhino3D. Drawings from the National Maritime Museum, London, at a scale of 1:48, so each deck and elevation view is over 7 feet in length. They cost quite bit. Then, because I am a simple hobbist, I draw reference lines and measure each point with a rule and magnifying glass, and enter the points manually into Rhino. Takes Months!. Search web for Colossus 1882 for more info.

[DaMatta11]

Loved the BOOM BOOM!

[vbbsmyt]

@kraigthorne and 181srTIE. While your comments regarding cased vs bagged charges are valid, I should point out that in 1882 - the time period covered by this gun, the propellant was gunpowder (prismatic brown powder to be more precise) as cordite had not been invented then. This gun design was the first large (12') breech-loading gun ever used by the British, and the technology was just beginning to be developed. Bagged charges, however, had been used from many years.

[kraigthorne]

@181stTIE I see your point on having the casing, but a cassing that big is exspecive and heavy. Not to mention it is hard to change the charge in a cased shell.

I know because I was in artillery.

[181stTIE]

Well done on the animation, particularly with shell and cordite loading aspect.

Still can't believe that the British (and US) Navy continued with cordite bags during WWI and into WWII after almost or actually losing numerous ships to magazine explosions (Dogger Bank, Jutland, Denmark Strait, Pearl Harbour, Iowa post WWII).

The Germans with their propellant charge inside a casing made for much safer handling and reduction of potential danger with turret penetration.

[vbbsmyt]

@Wyrmshadow The Ting Yuan (as it was called in 1886) was built by the Germans, and mounted 4 12' Krupp guns, had 14" armour and steamed at 15 knots. It is superficially like the Colossus, having a central armoured citadel to protect the machinery and main armament, but then so did many other ships of that era (Andrea Doria, Duilio - Italy, El Plata - Argentina, Inflexible, Devastation - UK). That style was almost essential for turret mounted guns in ships with the central citadel.