USS Topeka, United States Cruiser laid down 1881
Displacement:
1,558 t light; 1,626 t standard; 2,414 t normal; 3,044 t full load
Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
(271.00 ft / 259.00 ft) x 35.00 ft x (17.75 / 21.32 ft)
(82.60 m / 78.94 m) x 10.67 m x (5.41 / 6.50 m)
Armament:
2 - 4.00" / 102 mm 40.0 cal guns - 28.00lbs / 12.70kg shells, 150 per gun
Breech loading guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1881 Model
2 x Single mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
6 - 4.00" / 102 mm 40.0 cal guns - 28.00lbs / 12.70kg shells, 150 per gun
Breech loading guns in casemate mounts, 1881 Model
6 x Single mounts on sides, forward deck aft
6 hull mounts in casemates- Limited use in all but light seas
2 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm 40.0 cal guns - 6.00lbs / 2.72kg shells, 150 per gun
Breech loading guns in deck mounts, 1881 Model
2 x Single mounts on sides, aft deck forward
Weight of broadside 236 lbs / 107 kg
Machinery:
Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines,
Direct drive, 2 shafts, 3,519 ihp / 2,625 Kw = 16.00 kts
Range 5,600nm at 12.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,418 tons (100% coal)
Complement:
171 - 223
Cost:
£0.168 million / $0.671 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 40 tons, 1.6 %
Machinery: 717 tons, 29.7 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 801 tons, 33.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 855 tons, 35.4 %
Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
2,382 lbs / 1,080 Kg = 86.0 x 4.0 " / 102 mm shells or 0.6 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.27
Metacentric height 1.6 ft / 0.5 m
Roll period: 11.7 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.25
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck,
a normal bow and a cruiser stern
Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.525 / 0.551
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.40 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 16.09 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 46 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 75
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -2.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
Fore end, Aft end
- Forecastle: 25.00 %, 18.00 ft / 5.49 m, 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
- Forward deck: 30.00 %, 16.00 ft / 4.88 m, 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
- Aft deck: 30.00 %, 15.00 ft / 4.57 m, 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
- Quarter deck: 15.00 %, 15.00 ft / 4.57 m, 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
- Average freeboard: 15.60 ft / 4.75 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 102.1 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 105.0 %
Waterplane Area: 6,180 Square feet or 574 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 155 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 63 lbs/sq ft or 305 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.84
- Longitudinal: 5.23
- Overall: 1.01
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather
This is a forum for discussion of topics relating to the Dreadnought era, prior to the ascendency of naval aviation. We will be discussing history, ship design, and naval wargaming.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
The USS Topeka, unarmoured cruiser
Over at "My Victorian Navy", I have posted a rare photograph of the unarmoured cruiser USS Topeka. The photograph was taken in 1898, when the Topeka was painted gray. I thought that I would try the Topeka in Springsharp. One issue that the exact mean draft is in dispute. The source for the photograph gives the mean draft as only 15ft-6in. I have seen other sources that give the draft as over 17ft. The primary problem with my Springsharp design is that the roll period is too short. I had to experiment to get the roll period over a short 11 seconds. The Topeka originally carried 8-4in guns, but later had the guns reduced to 6-4in. The speed was 16 knots. A sister ship lasted a long time in the Peruvian navy as the Lima. This is the Springsharp report:
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