Aetna-class ironclad floating battery

Lave, one of the Aetna class's French half-sisters.
Class overview
NameAetna class
Operators Royal Navy
Succeeded byErebus class
Built1854–1856
In service1855–1873
Planned5
Building6
Completed5
Lost2
Retired4
General characteristics
TypeIronclad floating battery
Tons burthen
  • 1,469 BOM
  • 1,535 BOM broad beam
  • 1,588 BOM lengthened Aetna[1]
Length
  • Overall
  • 172 ft 6 in (52.58 m)
  • 186 ft 0 in (56.69 m) lengthened Aetna
  • Keel
  • 146 ft 0 in (44.50 m)
  • 157 ft 9 in (48.08 m) lengthened Aetna[1]
Beam
  • 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)
  • 45 ft 2.5 in (13.780 m) broad beam
  • 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m) lengthened Aetna
  • For tonnage
  • 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m)
  • 44 ft 9.5 in (13.653 m) broad beam
  • 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m) lengthened Aetna[1]
Draught
  • 8 ft 8 in (2.64 m)
  • 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) lengthened Aetna[1]
Propulsion
  • 1 × screw propeller
  • 2 × cylinder horizontal single expansion 150 nhp engines[1] generating 530 ihp (400 kW) on Meteor's trials.[2]
  • (200 nhp for lengthened Aetna)[1]
Sail plan3 masts, 885 m2 (9,530 sq ft) sail[3]
Speed
  • 4.5–5.5 knots (8.3–10.2 km/h)
  • 4 knots (7.4 km/h) lengthened Aetna[1]
Complement200[1]
Armament
Armour
  • 3.5–4 in (89–102 mm) wrought iron
  • 4 in (100 mm) wrought iron lengthened Aetna[1][2]
HM Floating Battery Glatton in 1855

The Aetna-class ironclad floating batteries were built during the Crimean War for the attack of Russian coastal fortifications.

Britain and France each laid down five of these coastal attack vessels in 1854. The French used three of their batteries in 1855 against the defences at Kinburn on the Black Sea, where they were effective against Russian shore defences. The British plan to use theirs in the Baltic Sea against Kronstadt in 1856 was influential in causing the Russians to sue for peace.[4] The development of such iron-armoured batteries was a step towards the development of ironclad warships. "These armoured batteries were among the most revolutionary ships ever built and provided British and French designers with the germ of the battleship."[2]

One of the British batteries, Trusty, was used for trials in 1861 with a prototype rotating turret, based on Captain Cowper Phipps Coles' designs.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Cite error: The named reference LyonWinfield was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Brown156 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Brown, David K Before the Ironclad, development of ship design, propulsion and armament in the Royal Navy, 1815–60, pub Conway, 1990, ISBN 0-85177-532-2 page 5 has a drawing of Thunderer at sea with three masts and sails.
  4. ^ Lambert A. "Iron Hulls and Armour Plate"; Gardiner Steam, Steel and Shellfire p. 47-55