Ironclads

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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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Ocean Class Ironclad Armoured Frigate FS Marengo pictured c1890.
The Océan Class Ironclads were designed by Henri Dupuy de Lôme as an improved version of the Provence Class Ironclads. The ships were central battery ironclads with the armament concentrated amidships.For the first time in a French Ironclad three watertight iron bulkheads were fitted in the hull.Like most Ironclads of their era they were equipped with a metal-reinforced ram.
She measured 287 ft 10 in overall,with a beam of 57 ft 6 in. Marengo had a maximum draft of 29 ft 10 in and displaced 7,627 long tons.Her crew numbered between 750 and 778 officers and men.She had one horizontal return connecting rod compound steam engine driving a single propeller. Their engines were powered by eight oval boilers.On sea trials the engine produced 3,600 indicated horsepower and Marengo reached 13.5 knots.She carried 640 long tons of coal which allowed her to steam for approximately 3,000 nautical miles at a speed of 10 knots.The Océan Class were barque or barquentine-rigged with three masts and had a sail area around 22,000 sq ft.
Her main armament was mounted in four barbettes on the upper deck, one gun at each corner of the battery, with the remaining guns on the battery deck below the barbettes. Marengo's armament was upgraded, before she commissioned, to four 10.8 in guns in the barbettes, and on the battery deck, four 9.4 in and seven 5.4 in guns.She was sold for scrap in 1896.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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Ironclad Battleship FS Neptune pictured at Villefranche in 1898.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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Ironclad Battleship FS Jaureguiberry pictured at Villefranche c1899.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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Central Battery and Barbette Ironclad Battleship FS Redoutable pictured at Villefranche in 1892.
Laid down at Arsenal de Lorient in December 1872,she was the first warship in the world to use steel as the principal building material. Compared to iron, steel allowed for greater structural strength for a lower weight. France was the first country to manufacture steel in large quantities,using the Siemens process. At that time, steel plates still had some defects, and the outer bottom plating of the ship was made of wrought iron.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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Pre-Dreadnought Battleship FS Carnot pictured at Toulon in 1908.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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For the sleuths out there..An unidentified Ironclad pictured at Arsenal de Brest with what looks like a Dupleix Class Armoured Cruiser in the background,fixing the date somewhere around 1900 onwards.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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Amiral Baudin Class Ironclad Battleship FS Formidable with Pre-Dreadnought Battleship FS Jaureguiberry pictured at Arsenal de Brest c1899.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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Central Battery Ironclad and Barbette ship FS Devastation pictured at Arsenal de Lorient in May 1892.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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The hulk of Central Battery Ironclad Battleship FS Richelieu pictured being towed to the breakers at Amsterdam in 1911.
Richelieu was laid down at Toulon in 1869 and launched on December 3rd 1873.While the exact reason for such prolonged construction time is not known, it was probably due to financial pressures caused by slashing of the French Navy's budget which was cut after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71 coupled with the outdated work practices of the French dockyards at the time, which were not suitable for the Industrial Age.The ship began her sea trials on April 12th 1875, but did not begin her service with the Mediterranean Squadron, of which she became flagship, until February 10th 1876. She was placed in reserve on December 3rd1879.
While in Toulon harbor on December 29th 1880, Richelieu caught fire and had to be scuttled to prevent her magazines from exploding.
Richelieu was repaired and returned to service as the flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron on October 8th 1881 where she remained until 1886.The squadron made port visits in Tangiers and Lisbon in 1884 before sailing to Brest and Cherbourg for exercises.In 1885 Richelieu tested Bullivant torpedo nets, but they reduced her speed to a maximum of 4 knots and as a result were not considered successful. She was placed back in reserve in 1886 and became flagship of the Reserve Squadron on September 8th 1892 which, despite its name, consisted of ships in commission. The squadron conducted exercises from June to August 1892 in French waters.Richelieu was condemned on March 5th1900, but was not immediately sold. After having been sold to Dutch ship breakers, Richelieu departed Toulon on January 28th 1911. She was under tow in the Bay of Biscay, having left the Mediterranean for the first time in her existence, when a storm caused the tugboat to cast her loose.She remained afloat, however, and was subsequently recovered near the Scilly Isles and towed to Amsterdam where she was broken up.
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Brian James
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Re: Ironclads

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Lead Ship,Ironclad Battleship FS Amiral Baudin pictured at Villefranche c1889.
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