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H.M.S Dreadnought
Ref: DM53
This Deans Marine kit boasts the the following features:
Glassfibre hull with armour belting, plating and porthole detail moulded in
Glassfibre turrets and cast resin barrels
Laser cut ply subdeck, with thin Birch ply printed overdeck
Computer drawn Plasticard superstructure
Vac-formed ships boat and funnels
Cast white metal and resin fittings
Propshafts with oiling tube and cast scale 'A' frames, cast metal rudder assembly, non working display props
Multi-sheet plan and illustrated building instructions
Scale: 1:96
Model Length: 1660mm
Minimum Radio Control functions: 2
Number of propshafts: 4
Recommended motors: Four Low drain 545 motors
Recommended battery: One 6v 10ah sealed lead acid
History
At the end of the nineteenth century the world's major navies measured their power in terms of the number of battleships in their fleets. Battleships were the most powerful warships afloat and no other type of vessel could hope to stand up to one in a fight. They had evolved logically from the great wooden three deckers of Nelson's day by absorbing the technology of the industrial revolution. Iron and then steel had replaced oak, rifled breech-loading guns had replaced smooth bore muzzle-loaders and steam engines had replaced sails as the motive power. The resulting ships were remarkably similar regardless of which navy they served in.
They would usually have four large guns (about twelve to thirteen inch bore) in twin turrets; one forward and one aft; a battery of intermediate guns (about six or seven inch) in casemates in the hull and superstructure, and a battery of smaller weapons (about twelve to eighteen pounders) distributed in the open around the decks, masts and superstructure. For protection against enemy shells, thick steel armour was provided in a belt along the waterline and around the more important gun positions. The whole mass was pushed through the water at about fifteen knots by triple expansion reciprocating steam engines fed by coal fired boilers.
In the early years of the twentieth century however, several countries gave thought to changing this design. Improvements in gunnery had made it possible for ships to fire shells at much longer ranges but being able to hit anything at those ranges depended on being able to identify your own shell splashes so that you could correct your aim. This was almost impossible when a forest of different sized splashes from a mixed calibre armament with different rates of fire, surrounded the target. H.M.S. Dreadnought was the first battleship to be completed with a uniform armament of twelve-inch guns, thus allowing effective fire control. Using a Director Gun-sight and an Admiralty Fire Control Table - a mechanical computer that calculated the training and elevation settings for all the guns together, later enhanced this. One innovation which Dreadnought incorporated but which no other navy was considering at the time was the use of steam turbine engines. These gave the ship a top speed of twenty-one knots, significantly faster than her contemporaries.
She was built at Portsmouth Naval Dockyard in a record breaking '4 year and a day' although this was largely a publicity stunt and final fitting out added another month or so to this figure. Even a so, it was an outstanding achievement for such a big ship and demonstrated Britain’s mastery of shipbuilding at the time. So revolutionary was her design that when she joined the fleet in 1907 all battleships became classified as 'Dreadnoughts' or 'Pre-Dreadnoughts', the latter being regarded as obsolete and fit only for second line duties. Such was the pace of development from then on that Dreadnought herself was virtually obsolete by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Ironically enough, she missed the Battle of Jutland as she was undergoing a refit at the time.
Her only claim to fame as far as enemy action is concerned, was that she was the only battleship ever to sink a submarine. This happened on 18th February 1915 when she rammed U29, which sank with no survivors. She was finally broken up in 1923.
The name Dreadnought was taken from the family motto of Admiral 'Jackie' Fisher who was the First Sea Lord largely responsible for her building. 'Fear God But Dread Nought'.
Price:
£652.95/€718.25
(Including VAT at 15%)
US$851.67
(Tax Free)
SPECIAL OFFER
Buy this kit and two or more R/C package items shown below (with a RCPD code prefix), and get a 5% discount off each
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