Warrior-class ironclad
The two-ship Warrior class was a revolutionary British battleship design of the mid 19th century. They were the first ocean going iron-armored warships ever constructed, and were the most powerful naval vessels afloat at the time
Initally, they were to be labeled frigates, armed with 40 68-pdr guns. This was modified during construction to 10 110-pdrs, 26 68-pdrs, and 4 70 pdrs. Both ships were refitted and rearmed in 1867 (see "general characteristics" below).
HMS Warrior was laid down at the Ditchburn and Mare Shipyards on May 25 1859. She had frozen solid to her slipway, and had to be tediously pulled out using tugs. Warrior was completed on October 24 1861. She joined the Channel Squadron in July 1862 and was removed from active service in 1883.
Warrior was converted to a depot ship in 1902, and was hulked in 1923 at Portsmouth Harbor. There, she was converted once more into an oil pipeline pier and renamed C77. In 1979 C77 was moved to Hartlepool and restored. Warrior can now be seen alongside HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Black Prince, had a far less illustrious career. She was completed on September 12 1862. Converted to a training ship in 1899, she went through several re-namings before being sold and scrapped in 1923.
General Characteristics (1867 refit)
- Displacement:9,137 tons
- Length:420 ft
- Beam:58 ft
- Draft:26 ft
- Propulsion:10 Penn coal-fired boilers, 1 horizontal single expansion engine, 1 lifting screw, sails
- Max. Speed:13 knots sail, 14 knots steam
- Range:2,100 nm @11 knots
- Complement:707
- Armament:4 8-inch guns, 28 7-inch guns, 4 20-pdr guns
- Armor:4.5" armor + 18" wood, 4.5" bulkheads