HMS Hero (1885)

Painting of HMS Hero by William Frederick Mitchell
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Hero
BuilderChatham Dockyard
Laid down11 April 1884
Launched27 October 1885
CommissionedMay 1888
FateSunk as target, 18 February 1908
General characteristics
Class and typeConqueror-class ironclad battleship
Displacement6,440 long tons (6,540 t)
Length270 ft (82 m)
Beam58 ft (18 m)
Draught
  • 21.6 ft (6.6 m) (light)
  • 25.7 ft (7.8 m) (deep load)
Installed power4,500 ihp (3,400 kW)
Propulsion
Speed14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement330
Armament2 × BL 12 in (300 mm) guns, 4 × 6 in (150 mm) guns, 7 × 6 pdr (2.7 kg) guns, 6 × 14 in (360 mm) torpedo tubes, armoured ram
Armour
  • Belt: 12 in (30 cm), tapering to 8 in (20 cm)
  • Citadel: 10.5–12 in (27–30 cm)
  • Turret: 14 in (36 cm) (face), 12 in (30 cm) (sides)
  • Conning Tower: 6–12 in (15–30 cm)
  • Bulkhead: 10.5–11.5 in (27–29 cm)
  • Deck:1.25–2.5 in (3.2–6.4 cm)

HMS Hero was the second and final Conqueror-class battleship. She was an ironclad who served in the Victorian Royal Navy.

The Conqueror-class ships were designed to be improved versions of Rupert with a ram as their main armament. It was assumed by the Board of Admiralty and within Naval Architecture circles, that the supremacy of armour over artillery would allow such a ship to ram an enemy vessel without being seriously damaged by enemy gunfire. This assumption was never tested in action.