Sphinx-class aviso

1100th model of the French paddle steamer corvette Sphinx. Made by the model workshop of the Musée de la Marine in 1962, on display at Toulon naval museum.
Class overview
NameSphinx
BuildersRochefort
Operators French Navy
Completed6
General characteristics
TypeAviso
Displacement913 tonnes
Length48.20 m (158 ft 2 in)
BeamHull: 8.16 m (26 ft 9 in) Including paddles: 14 m (45 ft 11 in)
Draught3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
Speed7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)[1]
Armament
ArmourTimber

The Sphinx class was the first type of steamer corvettes in service in the French Navy. They were motorised by French-made steam engines cloned from a low-pressure Newcomen steam engine purchased from Fawcett, in Liverpool, and made at Indret.[2] Initially classified as "paddle corvettes", they were later reclassified as "first-class avisos".