- Author
- Bastock, John
- Subjects
- None noted
- Tags
- None noted.
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- December 1971 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
The DREADNAUGHT Period
Following upon the success of the famous prototype, Britain lost no time in building up her fleet of Dreadnoughts. Typical of these fine vessels was Bellerophon, in which the calibre of the secondary armament was increased to 4-inch. The massive tripod masts were a feature of the period, as were the torpedo-net booms along the side. Equipment was becoming more sophisticated. The early fighting tops had given place to the more elaborate gunnery control tops mounted on the tripods. Wireless aerials were strung from and between the masts, searchlights were appearing around the superstructures, and the stockless anchor had long since displaced the so-called ‘close-stowing’ type of earlier days.