NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Léon Gambetta			Arsenal de Brest	15.1.1901	26.10.1902	7.1905	sunk 27.4.1915
Jules Ferry			Arsenal de Cherbourg	10.1901	23.8.1903	9.1905	stricken 1927
Victor Hugo			Arsenal de Lorient	4.1903	30.3.1904	16.4.1907	stricken 1.1928

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	Léon Gambetta: 11959 Jules Ferry: 12379 Victor Hugo: 13108
Displacement full, t
Length, m	146.5 wl
Breadth, m	21.4
Draught, m	8.05 - 8.41 max
No of shafts	3
Machinery	Léon Gambetta: 3 VTE, 28 Niclausse boilers Jules Ferry: 3 VTE, 20 Guyot du Temple boilers Victor Hugo: 3 VTE, 28 Belleville boilers
Power, h. p.	28500
Max speed, kts	22.5
Fuel, t	coal 2065
Endurance, nm(kts)	6600(10)
Armour, mm	belt: 150 - 70, turrets: 200, turret bases: 180 - 100, secondary turrets: 165 - 130, bases of secondary turrets: 130 - 65, casemates: 140, lower deck: 65 - 45, main deck: 35, CT: 200
Armament	2 x 2 - 194/40 M1893-96, 6 x 2 - 164/45 M1893-96M, 4 x 1 - 165/45 M1893-96M, 24 x 1 - 47/40 M1885, 2 x 1 - 37/20 M1885, 2 - 450 TT (sub, beam)
Complement	728

Standard scale images

Project history

Well protected sea-going ships, first representatives of last generation of French armoured cruisers. At the moment of building they were considered as one of the most powerful in the world, but quickly became outdated and to the First World War beginning lost battle value. Léon Gambetta was dlayed in completion by running aground in fog early in her trials in December 1903 and these were not resumed until August 1904.

Ship protection

Main belt extended from 1.0m below water to 2.5m above and to upper deck in fwd part between stem and foremast, ending by 100mm bulkhead just near the stern. Its thickness was 150mm reducing to 120mm at the upper edge. Thickness of main belt near ship ends was 100mm decreasing to 70mm at raising fore part. Lower deck had 45mm (max) flat part connecting with lower edge of main belt by 65mm slopes. 35mm flat medium deck connected with top of main belt. A space between these decks was divided into many small compartments, filled with coal or stores. Casemates had 64mm rears, closed by 120mm fwd transverse bulkhead. Main turrets had 50mm crowns, secondary had 30mm.

Modernizations

1916 - 1917, Jules Ferry, Victor Hugo: - 6 x 1 - 47/40; + 4 x 1 - 47/50 M1902 AA.

Naval service

Léon Gambetta was sunk 27.4.1915 by two torpedoes from Austrian submarine U5 in the Strait of Otranto; rear-admiral Sénès and 137 of the crew were lost. Victor Hugo since 1923 was in the reserve.