The new Rattlesnake-class cruisers are designed to serve as light cruiser killers and cruiser group flagships. Though lightly armored, they are very large and survivable, and well armed. They also have an excellent top speed, making them capable of catching their smaller prey. The entire class is being built under order from France in Halifax, Nova Scotia and will be ready sometime in 1908.
*five building*
Rattlesnake, Confederate States of America 2nd Class Cruiser laid down 1907 (Engine 1905)
Displacement:
5,000 t light; 5,243 t standard; 5,926 t normal; 6,473 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
470.00 ft / 470.00 ft x 50.00 ft x 19.00 ft (normal load)
143.26 m / 143.26 m x 15.24 m x 5.79 m
Armament:
4 - 6.00" / 152 mm guns in single mounts, 100.00lbs / 45.36kg shells, 1907 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 6.00" / 152 mm guns in single mounts, 100.00lbs / 45.36kg shells, 1907 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships
8 - 4.00" / 102 mm guns in single mounts, 25.00lbs / 11.34kg shells, 1907 Model
Quick firing guns in deck mounts
on centreline, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 1,000 lbs / 454 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 200
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 3.00" / 76 mm 340.00 ft / 103.63 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 111 % of normal length
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.00" / 25 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 3.00" / 76 mm
2nd: 1.00" / 25 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 3.00" / 76 mm
3rd: 0.50" / 13 mm - -
- Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm, Conning tower: 3.00" / 76 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Direct drive, 4 shafts, 19,579 shp / 14,606 Kw = 23.50 kts
Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,230 tons
Complement:
337 - 439
Cost:
£0.500 million / $2.001 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 140 tons, 2.4 %
Armour: 1,143 tons, 19.3 %
- Belts: 502 tons, 8.5 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 58 tons, 1.0 %
- Armour Deck: 561 tons, 9.5 %
- Conning Tower: 21 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 1,483 tons, 25.0 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,179 tons, 36.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 926 tons, 15.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 55 tons, 0.9 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
7,706 lbs / 3,495 Kg = 71.4 x 6.0 " / 152 mm shells or 1.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.34
Metacentric height 3.0 ft / 0.9 m
Roll period: 12.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.43
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.465
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.40 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 21.68 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 45 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 35
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
- Mid (50 %): 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
- Stern: 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
- Average freeboard: 18.48 ft / 5.63 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 101.3 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 154.4 %
Waterplane Area: 15,173 Square feet or 1,410 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 112 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 81 lbs/sq ft or 394 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.92
- Longitudinal: 2.07
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather
*NOTE: these ships mount a 25 ton Marconi transmitter*