(1900) Fleurus Class - LB

-- Overview --

Class of three ships Fleurus, Massena, and Couronne. Lain down January 1900, and completed October 1901. Featured new primary 33cm/40 model 1899, and tertiary 15cm/45 model 1895, guns. Introduced a 25cm gun secondary battery in single turrets. Also possessed a thicker 15" belt than to proceeding Bretagne Class.

-- Design --

Fleurus Class, Celtica BB laid down 1900

Displacement:

   12,144 t light; 12,883 t standard; 13,862 t normal; 14,646 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)

   (380.00 ft / 380.00 ft) x 76.00 ft x (28.00 / 29.30 ft)

   (115.82 m / 115.82 m) x 23.16 m  x (8.53 / 8.93 m)

Armament:

     4 - 12.99" / 330 mm 40.0 cal guns - 1,200.00lbs / 544.31kg shells, 60 per gun

     Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1899 Model

     2 x 2-gun mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread

     6 - 9.84" / 250 mm 45.0 cal guns - 500.01lbs / 226.80kg shells, 100 per gun

     Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1899 Model

     6 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread

     12 - 5.91" / 150 mm 45.0 cal guns - 100.00lbs / 45.36kg shells, 150 per gun

     Quick firing guns in casemate mounts, 1895 Model

     12 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread

       12 hull mounts in casemates- Limited use in all but light seas

     12 - 3.54" / 90.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 20.00lbs / 9.07kg shells, 250 per gun

     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1892 Model

     12 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread

       12 raised mounts

     4 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 2.01lbs / 0.91kg shells, 400 per gun

     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1892 Model

     4 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread

       4 raised mounts

     Weight of broadside 9,248 lbs / 4,195 kg

     Main Torpedoes

     4 - 17.7" / 450 mm, 13.12 ft / 4.00 m torpedoes - 0.472 t each, 1.886 t total

   submerged side tubes

Armour:

  - Belts:        Width (max)    Length (avg)        Height (avg)

   Main:    15.0" / 381 mm    250.80 ft / 76.44 m    9.50 ft / 2.90 m

   Ends:    6.00" / 152 mm    129.20 ft / 39.38 m    9.50 ft / 2.90 m

   Upper:    6.00" / 152 mm    250.80 ft / 76.44 m    7.50 ft / 2.29 m

     Main Belt covers 102 % of normal length

  - Torpedo Bulkhead - Strengthened structural bulkheads:

       1.00" / 25 mm    250.80 ft / 76.44 m    25.00 ft / 7.62 m

   Beam between torpedo bulkheads 65.00 ft / 19.81 m

  - Gun armour:    Face (max)    Other gunhouse (avg)    Barbette/hoist (max)

   Main:    15.0" / 381 mm    8.00" / 203 mm        12.2" / 310 mm

   2nd:    6.00" / 152 mm    3.00" / 76 mm        1.25" / 32 mm

   3rd:    6.00" / 152 mm    1.25" / 32 mm        1.25" / 32 mm

   4th:    1.25" / 32 mm          -                  -

  - Protected deck - multiple decks:

   For and Aft decks: 3.05" / 77 mm

   Forecastle: 1.30" / 33 mm  Quarter deck: 1.30" / 33 mm

  - Conning towers: Forward 13.00" / 330 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:

   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,

   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 11,182 ihp / 8,342 Kw = 17.00 kts

   Range 5,861nm at 10.00 kts

   Bunker at max displacement = 1,763 tons (100% coal)

Complement:

   638 - 830

Cost:

   £1.361 million / $5.443 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:

   Armament: 1,865 tons, 13.5 %

      - Guns: 1,862 tons, 13.4 %

      - Weapons: 4 tons, 0.0 %

   Armour: 5,203 tons, 37.5 %

      - Belts: 2,400 tons, 17.3 %

      - Torpedo bulkhead: 232 tons, 1.7 %

      - Armament: 1,335 tons, 9.6 %

      - Armour Deck: 1,074 tons, 7.7 %

      - Conning Tower: 162 tons, 1.2 %

   Machinery: 1,747 tons, 12.6 %

   Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,328 tons, 24.0 %

   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,718 tons, 12.4 %

   Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:

   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):

     14,766 lbs / 6,698 Kg = 13.5 x 13.0 " / 330 mm shells or 7.1 torpedoes

   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.26

   Metacentric height 5.0 ft / 1.5 m

   Roll period: 14.3 seconds

   Steadiness    - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 69 %

           - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.68

   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.38

Hull form characteristics:

   Hull has low quarterdeck ,

     a normal bow and a cruiser stern

   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.600 / 0.606

   Length to Beam Ratio: 5.00 : 1

   'Natural speed' for length: 19.49 kts

   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 48 %

   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50

   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees

   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m

   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):

               Fore end,     Aft end

      - Forecastle:    17.00 %,  15.00 ft / 4.57 m,  15.00 ft / 4.57 m

      - Forward deck:    33.00 %,  15.00 ft / 4.57 m,  15.00 ft / 4.57 m

      - Aft deck:    33.00 %,  15.00 ft / 4.57 m,  15.00 ft / 4.57 m

      - Quarter deck:    17.00 %,  7.50 ft / 2.29 m,  7.50 ft / 2.29 m

      - Average freeboard:        13.73 ft / 4.18 m

   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:

   Space    - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 101.4 %

       - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 94.6 %

   Waterplane Area: 21,122 Square feet or 1,962 Square metres

   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 91 %

   Structure weight / hull surface area: 154 lbs/sq ft or 751 Kg/sq metre

   Hull strength (Relative):

       - Cross-sectional: 0.90

       - Longitudinal: 2.59

       - Overall: 1.00

   Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space

   Adequate accommodation and workspace room

   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

Armament:

33cm/40 model 1899

25cm/45 model 1899

15cm/45 model 1895

9cm/45 model 1892

4cm/50 model 1892

45cm/4 model 1892

Armor:

Main belt extends 2' below waterline

1.25" protected deck & slopes plus 1.25" battery and 0.5" upper

Main barbette 15" above battery 8" below