Audacious-class ironclad

HMS Vanguard with the later barque rig
Class overview
NameAudacious class
Built1867–1870
In commission1870–1927
Completed4
Lost2
General characteristics
TypeIronclad warship
Displacement
  • Audacious/Invincible: 6,106 tons
  • Iron Duke/Vanguard: 6,034 tons
Length
  • Audacious/Invincible: 280 ft (85 m)
  • Iron Duke/Vanguard: 341 ft 3 in (104.01 m)
Beam54 ft (16 m)
Draught
  • Audacious/Invincible: 22 ft 7 in (6.88 m)
  • Iron Duke/Vanguard: 23 ft 2 in (7.06 m)
Propulsion
  • Coal-fired reciprocating steam engines
  • 6 boilers
  • 2 shafts
Sail plan
Speed
  • Audacious/Invincible: 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph)
  • Iron Duke/Vanguard: 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement450
Armament
  • Audacious/Invincible:
  • 10 × 9 inch guns
  • 4 × 64-pounder guns
  • Iron Duke/Vanguard:
  • 10 × 12-ton, 9 inch (229 mm) RML guns
  • 4 × 6 in (150 mm) 64-pounder (29 kg) RML 'chaser' guns (2 at bows; 2 at stern)
  • 6 × 20-pounder (9 kg) guns
  • Ram
Armour
  • Audacious/Invincible:
  • 8 ft (2.4 m) waterline belt 6 to 8 in (150 to 200 mm) thick
  • Central battery 6 to 8 in (150 to 200 mm) armour
  • 10 in (250 mm) teak backing
  • Iron Duke/Vanguard:
  • Iron plating with teak backing
  • Belt: 6 to 8 in (150 to 200 mm)
  • Battery: 4 to 6 in (100 to 150 mm)
  • Bulkheads: 4 to 5 in (100 to 130 mm)

The Audacious-class ironclad battleships were designed by Sir Edward Reed at the request of the Board of Admiralty to serve as second-class battleships on distant foreign stations.

  1. ^ Lyon & Winfield, p. 250