The oldest class of battleship still on the naval lists as of 1910, the Gloriosum class battleship also represents the first major step away from smaller, less seaworthy coastal defense ships. The class is also the first to use the combination of a fully enclosed turret on a barbette. As such, the class has some flaws when compared with later contemporaries. Maintained at this point for the role she displaced, retirement from any likelihood of frontline service is likely coming within a few years.
Ships in Class: Two
--IRS Gloriosum
--IRS Timere
QuoteGloriosum, Imperial Roman Republic Battleship laid down 1890
Displacement:
11,000 t light; 11,431 t standard; 12,184 t normal; 12,787 t full load
Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
(360.89 ft / 354.33 ft) x 75.46 ft x (26.25 / 27.32 ft)
(110.00 m / 108.00 m) x 23.00 m x (8.00 / 8.33 m)
Armament:
2 - 13.39" / 340 mm 30.0 cal guns - 1,102.31lbs / 500.00kg shells, 60 per gun
Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1890 Model
2 x Single mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
16 - 5.51" / 140 mm 45.0 cal guns - 79.37lbs / 36.00kg shells, 125 per gun
Breech loading guns in casemate mounts, 1890 Model
16 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
8 hull mounts in casemates- Limited use in heavy seas
12 - 2.95" / 75.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 13.23lbs / 6.00kg shells, 250 per gun
Breech loading guns in deck mounts, 1890 Model
12 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
4 - 1.77" / 45.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 2.76lbs / 1.25kg shells, 500 per gun
Breech loading guns in deck mounts, 1885 Model
4 x Single mounts on side ends, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 3,644 lbs / 1,653 kg
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 13.8" / 350 mm 206.07 ft / 62.81 m 12.30 ft / 3.75 m
Ends: 5.91" / 150 mm 148.23 ft / 45.18 m 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
Upper: 3.94" / 100 mm 206.07 ft / 62.81 m 8.20 ft / 2.50 m
Main Belt covers 89 % of normal length
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 15.0" / 380 mm 9.84" / 250 mm 15.0" / 380 mm
2nd: 3.94" / 100 mm 0.98" / 25 mm 3.94" / 100 mm
3rd: 0.59" / 15 mm - -
- Armoured deck - single deck:
For and Aft decks: 1.97" / 50 mm
Forecastle: 0.98" / 25 mm Quarter deck: 0.98" / 25 mm
- Conning towers: Forward 14.96" / 380 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm
Machinery:
Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines,
Direct drive, 2 shafts, 14,000 ihp / 10,444 Kw = 18.20 kts
Range 4,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,356 tons (100% coal)
Complement:
579 - 753
Cost:
£0.976 million / $3.902 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 543 tons, 4.5 %
- Guns: 543 tons, 4.5 %
Armour: 4,088 tons, 33.6 %
- Belts: 2,306 tons, 18.9 %
- Armament: 977 tons, 8.0 %
- Armour Deck: 635 tons, 5.2 %
- Conning Tower: 171 tons, 1.4 %
Machinery: 2,718 tons, 22.3 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,491 tons, 28.7 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,184 tons, 9.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 160 tons, 1.3 %
- Hull below water: 20 tons
- Hull above water: 40 tons
- On freeboard deck: 80 tons
- Above deck: 20 tons
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
15,328 lbs / 6,953 Kg = 12.8 x 13.4 " / 340 mm shells or 2.0 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.45
Metacentric height 6.2 ft / 1.9 m
Roll period: 12.7 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.29
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.49
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck ,
a ram bow and a cruiser stern
Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.608 / 0.613
Length to Beam Ratio: 4.70 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 18.82 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 47
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -20.00 degrees
Stern overhang: -8.20 ft / -2.50 m
Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
Fore end, Aft end
- Forecastle: 20.92 %, 18.86 ft / 5.75 m, 18.86 ft / 5.75 m
- Forward deck: 30.00 %, 18.86 ft / 5.75 m, 18.86 ft / 5.75 m
- Aft deck: 28.16 %, 18.86 ft / 5.75 m, 18.86 ft / 5.75 m
- Quarter deck: 20.92 %, 9.84 ft / 3.00 m, 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
- Average freeboard: 16.98 ft / 5.17 m
Ship tends to be wet forward
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 89.5 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 122.2 %
Waterplane Area: 19,697 Square feet or 1,830 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 104 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 133 lbs/sq ft or 649 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.89
- Longitudinal: 2.94
- Overall: 1.00
Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
Excellent accommodation and workspace room
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily
Misc Distribution
--Below Water (20t)
----18t 12x350mm Torpedos (35 Pattern A)
----2t Additional Torpedo Handling Equipment
--Above Water (40t)
----30t Flag Facilities
----10t Construction Reserve
--On Deck (80t)
----30t Flag Facilties
----30t Additional Troop Acomidations
----20t Construction Reserve
--Above Deck (20t)
----15t Improved Aquisition Structures
----5t Additional Searchlights