HMS Bellerophon (1865)

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For other ships with the same name, see HMS Bellerophon.

HMS Bellerophon as she appeared when completed in 1866.
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Bellerophon
NamesakeBellerophon
Ordered23 July 1863
BuilderChatham Dockyard
Cost£356,493
Laid down28 December 1863
Launched18 April 1865
Completed11 April 1866
CommissionedMarch 1866
RenamedIndus III in 1904
ReclassifiedTraining hulk in 1904
Stricken1914
Nickname(s)"Old Billy"
FateSold for scrap 12 December 1922
General characteristics
Type
Central battery ironclad
Displacement7,551 long tons (7,672 t)
Length300 ft (91.4 m)
Beam56 ft 1 in (17.1 m)
Draught26 ft 7 in (8.1 m)
Installed power6,521 ihp (4,863 kW)
Propulsion1 shaft, 1 Trunk steam engine
Sail plan
Ship rigged
Speed
  • 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
  • 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) under sail
Range1,500 nmi (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)
Complement650
Armament
  • 1866:
  • 10 ×
    9-inch (229 mm) muzzle-loading rifles
  • 5 ×
    7-inch (178 mm) muzzle-loading rifles
  • 1885:
  • 10 ×
    BL 8-inch (203 mm) Mk III guns
  • 4 ×
    6 in (152 mm) breech loaders
  • 6 ×
    4 in (102 mm) breech loaders
  • 2 × 16-inch (406 mm) torpedo carriages
Armour

HMS Bellerophon was a

central battery ironclad built for the Royal Navy
in the mid-1860s.

Design and description

Right elevation drawing. The shaded areas represent the ship's armour.

In this ship, designed by

Sir Edward Reed, the power-to-weight ratio
was increased; the long rows of guns on the broadside were replaced by a small number of guns, centrally placed, of the largest possible calibre; the armour was increased in thickness but reduced in length, and a sharp beak ram was combined with a classical style plough bow.

This double bottom had the added advantage of allowing the engine to be carried higher, raising the centre of gravity of the whole ship and making her thereby a steadier gun platform.[1] Unlike earlier classes, Bellerophon's bow and stern had a U-shaped profile, giving increased buoyancy at the ends noticeably absent in some earlier battleships.[1] Bellerophon carried the first balanced rudder in Royal Navy service. Full helm could be applied by eight men in about 27 seconds,[2] whereas in HMS Warrior it took forty men 90 seconds to perform the same manoeuvre.[3]

HMS Bellerophon was 280 feet (85.3 m) long between perpendiculars. She had a beam of 56 feet 1 inch (17.1 m) and a maximum draught of 26 feet 7 inches (8.1 m).[4]

Propulsion

Cutaway view of Bellerophon's trunk engine

Bellerophon had one 2-cylinder

boilers provided steam to the engine at a working pressure of 27 psi (186 kPa; 2 kgf/cm2). The engine produced a total of 6,521 indicated horsepower (4,863 kW) during the ship's sea trials in August 1864 and the ship had a maximum speed 14.17 knots (26.24 km/h; 16.31 mph).[6] Bellerophon carried 640 long tons (650 t) of coal, enough to steam 1,500 nmi (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).[7]

The ironclad was

ship rigged and had a sail area of 23,800 square feet (2,211 m2). Bellerophon was "dull under canvas" and only made 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) under sail in a moderate gale.[8] The ship's propeller could be disconnected to reduce drag while under sail.[9]

Armament

Bellerophon was the first British ironclad to carry the

breech-loading 12-pounder Armstrong guns for use as saluting guns.[10]

The shell of the 14-

muzzle. The 16-calibre 7-inch (178 mm) gun weighed 6.5 long tons (6.6 t) and fired a 112-pound (50.8 kg) shell. It was credited with the nominal ability to penetrate 7.7-inch (196 mm) armour.[11]

When the ship was refitted in 1881–85,

machine guns were fitted for defence against torpedo boats.[12] The ship also received two 16-inch (406 mm) Whitehead torpedo launchers that were carried on the main deck, outside the armoured battery.[1] The new eight-inch guns were some 7 feet (2.1 m) longer than the original nine-inch guns and the central battery proved to be too small for effective use of the guns.[10]

Armour

Bellerophon had a complete waterline belt of wrought iron that was 6 inches (152 mm) thick amidships and tapered to 5 inches (127 mm) thick at the bow and stern. From the height of the main deck, it reached 6 feet (1.8 m) below the waterline. The central battery were protected by a section of 6-inch armour,[7] 98 feet (29.9 m)[13] long, with 5-inch (127 mm) transverse bulkheads at each end. The forward chase guns were protected by a strake of 4.5-inch (114 mm) armour. The upper deck was 1 inch (25 mm) thick over the battery and the main deck was 0.5 inches (13 mm) thick. The armour was backed by 8–10 inches (200–250 mm) of teak and the skin of the ship was 1.5 inches (38 mm) thick. The total weight of her armour was 1,093 long tons (1,111 t).[7]

Construction

For the first time since the construction of

Nathaniel Barnaby was adopted. This system allowed for the inclusion into the ship of a double bottom, with clear survival implications if damaged, while at the same time allowing for a saving in weight so that 100 feet (30 m) of the hull of Bellerophon weighed 1,123 long tons (1,141 t), versus 1,303 long tons (1,324 t) for 100 feet (30 m) of HMS Black Prince.[1] Some steel was used in the hull to save weight.[14]

HMS Bellerophon was ordered on 23 July 1863 from the Royal Dockyard in Chatham, Kent.[15] She was laid down on 28 December 1863 and launched on 26 April 1865.[16] The ship was commissioned in March 1866 and completed on 11 April 1866.[15] Bellerophon cost £356,493.[Note 1][7]

Service history

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, while with the North America and West Indies Squadron
, circa. 1889–1892

Bellerophon was commissioned at Chatham, and served in the

colony of Bermuda.[17] On 24 November 1873, Bellerophon collided with the Liverpool, Brazil and River Plate Steam Navigation Company's steamship Flamsteed, which sank. All on board Flamsteed were rescued by the Portuguese ship Blimani.[18] Bellerophon remained on the North America and West Indies Station until 1881. An extensive refit, including new boilers and new armament was followed by a further period on the North America and West Indies Station until 1892, when she paid off at Plymouth. She was re-commissioned as port guardship at Pembroke until 1903. Bellerophon was converted into a stokers' training ship in 1904, and renamed HMS Indus III. The ship was sold on 12 December 1922 to P. and W. McLellan for scrap, although she did not arrive in Bo'ness for breaking-up until March 1923.[17]

Notes

  1. ^ Adjusted for inflation to 2024 pounds, £36,288,859.

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d Parkes, p. 103
  2. ^ a b Parkes, p. 104
  3. ^ Parkes, p. 20
  4. ^ Ballard, p. 241
  5. ^ Ballard, p. 246
  6. ^ Ballard, pp. 246–47
  7. ^ a b c d Parkes, p. 102
  8. ^ a b Parkes, p. 106
  9. ^ Ballard, p. 67
  10. ^ a b c Ballard, p. 66
  11. ^ Gardiner, p. 6
  12. ^ Parkes, p. 105
  13. ^ Ballard, p. 65
  14. ^ Brown, p. 30
  15. ^ a b Ballard, p. 240
  16. ^ "The Bellerophon". Belfast News-Letter. No. 33073. Belfast. 26 May 1865.
  17. ^ a b Ballard, pp. 67–69
  18. ^ "Latest Shipping Intelligence". The Times. No. 27866. London. 6 December 1873. col D, p. 7.

References

External links

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