Clocks on French ships

[BlueNautilus]

I recently noticed that some French ships have what looks like a clock showing 12:00 hrs placed on bridges, e.g. Siroco (DD), Algerie (CL), and Dunkerque (BB).

 

Does anyone know what these clock-like things are meant to do, why they're placed where they are, and what the story/history behind them are...?

 

[ColonelPete]

they are Range Dials

http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Range_Dial

[anonym_cwVecOS6ecVy]

It is a range clock or range dial.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_range_clock

[Takethatyoubeast]

They are range clocks

 

When operating in a division which ever ship found the range first, indicated it in yards / metres x 1,000 on the range clock so 8 o’clock would equal 8’000 yard / metre range 

[BlueNautilus]

Thanks guys for the reply, I learnt something interesting today!

[Karasu_Browarszky]

... and.. why was it only the French who had them?

[NoirLotus]

3 minutes ago, Karasu_Hidesuke said:

... and.. why was it only the French who had them?

If I remember correctly, these range dials were common in WWI and the interwar, you can see some on Kamikaze/Minekaze/Mutsuki, Danae or Iron Duke.

 

But it became obsolete a bit before WW2. As France cease combat early in war and then scuttled its navy, its ships didn't get refit during the war so they weren't updated contrary to ships of other navies.

 

Thus french ships in the game tend to appear with their look pre-WW2 which is not the case of ships that remain active during all the war.

[Karasu_Browarszky]

5 minutes ago, NoirLotus said:

If I remember correctly, these range dials were common in WWI and the interwar, you can see some on Kamikaze/Minekaze/Mutsuki, Danae or Iron Duke.

 

But it became obsolete a bit before WW2. As France cease combat early in war and then scuttled its navy, its ships didn't get refit during the war so they weren't updated contrary to ships of other navies.

 

Thus french ships in the game tend to appear with their look pre-WW2 which is not the case of ships that remain active during all the war.

 

Ah... never spotted that. The Iron Duke seems to have one in the game model.. though.. I'm not sure if it's in the right spot. On some pictures it appears in the same spot as in the game.

[Aethervoxx]

This is not a clock. It is a  device (pendulum-like) that measures if the weights in a ship hull are balanced so the ship floats on an even keel (& especially not leaning to either side which could cause a capsize).

These devices are mounted on the centre-line of a ship & normally inside the hull somewhere - they are not normally outside exposed to the elements (trust landlubbers from Russia to get this detail wrong).

The modellers did not even have to include this detail - it's rather unnecessary considering (but it is a nice touch - so long as the 'clock' arm is from the centre to the 6 o'clock position (it's a 'pendulum') .

[Hugh_Ruka]

7 hours ago, ColonelPete said:

they are Range Dials

http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Range_Dial

Interesting. However those on the ships looks like normal clocks, don't match the description from the link. I have found one mention of range dials on french ships and they also talk about a setup of numerals for 0 - 9 on the "clock". The 2 I have available ingame on french DDs are set up like normal clocks.

[MementoMori_6030]

Vor 7 Stunden, Karasu_Hidesuke sagte:

... and.. why was it only the French who had them?

On some IJN DD, like Mutsuki iirc, you can also find them.

 

Regarding the French... I was almost guessing those clocks show the time until surrender. 

[ColonelPete]

5 minutes ago, Hugh_Ruka said:

Interesting. However those on the ships looks like normal clocks, don't match the description from the link. I have found one mention of range dials on french ships and they also talk about a setup of numerals for 0 - 9 on the "clock". The 2 I have available ingame on french DDs are set up like normal clocks.

The article includes a picture with different types of dials, some look like normal clocks.

[Uglesett]

Haven't actually gotten around to watching this one yet, but it's been on my list for a while.

 

 

[Hugh_Ruka]

2 hours ago, ColonelPete said:

The article includes a picture with different types of dials, some look like normal clocks.

yes, but no single face one goes up to 12 in arabic numerals. unfortunately I cannot find an authentic picture of an actual french one....

[invicta2012]

24 minutes ago, Hugh_Ruka said:

yes, but no single face one goes up to 12 in arabic numerals. unfortunately I cannot find an authentic picture of an actual french one....

Here you go.  (Strasbourg and Foch shown). Early ones go from 0-9, later ones from 0-12. Ships operating in the Mediterranean usually had theirs painted white with black lettering to reflect heat. 

 

You'll also see ones on other nations' ships - there are ones on the Weymouth, Caledon, Iron Duke, Oklahoma. On a Royal Navy ship you are more likely to find them on a ship which is directing a squadron rather than a ship of the line, so more often on cruisers and the like.)

 

[Hugh_Ruka]

8 minutes ago, invicta2012 said:

Here you go.  (Strasbourg and Foch shown). Early ones go from 0-9, later ones from 0-12. Ships operating in the Mediterranean usually had their painted white with black lettering to reflect heat. 

 

THANK YOU GOOD SIR !!!

[ColonelPete]

25 minutes ago, Hugh_Ruka said:

yes, but no single face one goes up to 12 in arabic numerals. unfortunately I cannot find an authentic picture of an actual french one....

You can freely interchange arabic and latin numerals.

I think the UK went with latin and the french with more modern arabic numerals.

[Karasu_Browarszky]

1 hour ago, ColonelPete said:

You can freely interchange arabic and latin numerals.

I think the UK went with latin and the french with more modern arabic numerals.

 

http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Range_Dial

 

Then I found also this one:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_range_clock

 

[ColonelPete]

14 minutes ago, Karasu_Hidesuke said:

 

http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Range_Dial

 

Then I found also this one:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_range_clock

 

Both links have been posted...

[IlljustcallhimDave]

 

[Procrastes]

Marvellous! 

 

I have been wondering about those little clocks, their place in the universe and why they would only (as far as I could see at the time) appear on French vessels. Was it a countdown clock to help with making a timely retreat, or did it it signal Baguette Break, or what? They have been a constant enigma.

 

And now I know. Who said gaming wasn't an educational hobby?

 

Further on the subject of French ship design: Aren't those little benches, that are placed around the decks of various in-game French ships, just so adorable? 

After a hard and bloody battle, how good to be able to sit down, catch your breath, and perhaps enjoy a tasty onion soup along with a generous helping of wine and cheese!

 

 

[DISCLAIMER: This post contains national stereotypes that do not reflect the real values and opinions of the poster. Reader discretion advised.]

[Camperdown]

There is some confusion here between range dials and range clocks.

A range dial is the device seen on the French ships. At least RN and USN ships also carried these. Earlier the RN had also used range drums.

A range clock is a very different device, which was used to predict the enemy range for the next salvo. It was an early analog calculator 

[Karasu_Browarszky]

1 hour ago, ColonelPete said:

Both links have been posted...

 

Too long a time ago...

[Karasu_Browarszky]

1 hour ago, IlljustcallhimDave said:

 

 

Put the kettle on, the good colonel is going to pay you a visit.

[ColonelPete]

7 minutes ago, Karasu_Hidesuke said:

 

Put the kettle on, the good colonel is going to pay you a visit.

No worries, looks like there is a need for repeating the same thing over and over.

Please continue