Prince Consort-class ironclad

Class overview
NamePrince Consort
Operators Royal Navy
SubclassesHMS Royal Oak
Completed4
Scrapped4
General characteristics (HMS Ocean)
TypeArmoured frigate
Displacement6,832 long tons (6,942 t)
Length273 ft 1 in (83.2 m)
Beam58 ft 5 in (17.8 m)
Draught27 ft 6 in (8.4 m)
Installed power4,244 ihp (3,165 kW)
Propulsion
Sail planBarque rig
Speed12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 5 kn (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph)
Complement605
Armament24 × 7-inch (180 mm) rifled muzzle-loading guns
Armour
  • Belt: 3–4.5 in (76–114 mm)
  • Battery: 3–4.5 in (76–114 mm)

The Prince Consort class of ironclad battleship were four Royal Navy wooden-hulled broadside ironclads: HMS Royal Oak, HMS Prince Consort, HMS Ocean, and HMS Caledonia. They were originally laid down as Bulwark-class battleship, but were converted to ironclads. Royal Oak was Britain's fifth ironclad battleship completed.

Prince Consort, Ocean, and Caledonia were built to a common design and are today known as the Prince Consort class,[1] though contemporaries knew them as the Caledonia class.[2] Royal Oak was their half-sister.

  1. ^ Conways, "All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905" p10.
  2. ^ For example: Reed, "Our Iron-Clad Ships". Robinson, "Remarks on Admiral Yelverton's Report on the Cruise of the Channel Fleet". Parkes writing in the 1950s also called them the Caledonias, Parkes, "British Battleships" p55.