Qing Dynasty Beiyang fleet Zhiyuan(Chih Yuen) protected cruiser

WebKiller · August 16, 2023, 3:06pm

[Do you want this ship to be added to game?]

Yes
Yes, but with some unhistorical depictions (e.g. loading speed, unimplemented plan with more quick firing guns)
No

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This is a ship that has special value for many Chinese players.

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Original post here:ICN Zhiyuan(Chih Yuen) protected cruiser - China - War Thunder - Official Forum

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Zhiyuan (致遠號) was a protected cruiser of the Beiyang fleet of the Qing Dynasty of China. Zhiyuan and her sister ship Jingyuan was built in 1886 by Armstrong Whitworth in Elswick, England. She has a displacement of 2,300 tons and a speed of 18.5 knots(34.3 km/h).

In 1894, Zhiyuan took action in Battle of Yalu River in the First Sino-Japanese war. In which the Japanese Combined Fleet sank much of the Beiyang Fleed. After 3:00 p.m., the bow of Beiyang’s flagship Dingyuan was penetrated, causing a fire, and the artillery was shrouded in thick smoke. Dingyuan had to stop firing artillery fire to save herself, and the Japanese ships took the opportunity to besiege Dingyuan. At this time, Zhiyuan flew out of the fleet with a high dragon flag, attracting firepower to cover Dingyuan, but was severely injured and the hull was seriously tilted, and the artillery could no longer be aimed. After being severly damaged by the Japanese Forces, captain Deng Shichang ordered the ship to ram the Japanese flag ship Matsushima but being destroyed either by a hit on one of her torpedo tubes or from a Japanese torpedo. 246 officers and soldiers on the ship were martyred. After Deng Shichang fell into the sea, his entourage rescued him with a lifebuoy, but he refused, said: “I am determined to kill the enemy and serve the country, and now I die by the sea, for righteousness, so why do I want to survive!” and downed the sea with ship. This attack and the story of her brave Captain Deng became a icon, and placed Deng as a national hero in China.

Characteristics:

Spoiler

Type	Zhiyuan -class protected cruiser
Displacement	2,300 long tons (2,300 t)
Length	268 ft (82 m)
Beam	38 ft (12 m)
Draft	15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion	Compound-expansion steam engine , two screws 4 x boilers
Speed	18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Capacity	510 tons of coal
Complement	204–260 officers and men

Armament

3 × 210mm L\35 8 in Krupp guns
2 × 152mm 6-inch Armstrong guns on Vavasseur mounting
8 × 57mm QF 6-pounder guns
2 x 47mm QF 3-pounder guns
8 x 37mm 1-pounder guns
6 x 11.42mm 0.45in gatling guns
4 × 457mm 18in above water torpedo tubes

It was originally planned to be equipped with four 152mm guns, but due to funding problems, it was reduced to two.

Before the war, there were also plans of adding 120mm quick firing guns made by Kiangnan manufacturing Bureau to the Beiyang fleet, but it was also never implemented because of the war.

Armor

Deck armour: 4 in (10 cm) (flat), 3 in (7.6 cm) (slope)
Gun shields: 2 in (5.1 cm)|

The 210mm guns on the Zhiyuan ship. This specially constructed gun uses a German barrel and an English mount. The British who invented the well gun have long mastered the characteristics of the hydraulic cylinder and applied it to the gun mount. Because of this primitive recuperator, the "Zhiyuan" main gun's rate of fire is much higher than that of the ordinary Krupp frame gun.

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