NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Foudre			Soc de la Gironde, Bordeaux	6/1892	20.10.1895	9/1897	repair ship 1907, minelayer 1910, aircraft depot ship 1912, seaplane carrier 1913, stricken 12.1921

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	5994
Displacement full, t	6089
Length, m	116.0 pp 118.7 oa
Breadth, m	15.6 wl 17.2 oa
Draught, m	7.14 max
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 VTE, 24 Lagrafel d'Allest
Power, h. p.	11500
Max speed, kts	19
Fuel, t	coal 1260
Endurance, nm(kts)	7500(10)
Armour, mm	Harvey Nickel steel; deck: 60 with 120mm slopes, shields: 55, CT: 120
Armament	8 x 1 - 100/45 M1891, 4 x 1 - 65/50 M1891, 4 x 1 - 37/20 M1885, 8 - 10 18m TBs
Complement	410

Project history

A ship of cruiser type with three funnels close together and overhead gear for handling her TBs forward and aft of the funnels. The 100mm were at bow and stem with six in upper deck sponsons. The 18m TBs for the Foudre were known by letters A to I. Of these, eight were built by Le Creusot at Chalons-sur-Saône, and one, C, by Yarrow.

Ship protection

The armour deck was 60mm total on the flat and 120mm max on the slopes, and there was the usual cofferdam and cellular layer above, with 120mm on the CT.

Modernizations

1907: - (8 - 10) TBs

1910: + 80 mines

1911: hangar was fitted between rear funnel and the mainmast, crane added.

1913: + 4 - 8 flying boats (F.B.A. A)

1918: - some 1 - 100/45; + some 1 - 90/24 M1891

Naval service

The Foudre was converted to a minelayer and then in 1912 to a seaplane carrier with a hangar abaft the funnels, and operated two aircraft in the 1913 manoeuvres, one being hoisted out and the other launched from a runway. In 1914-1918 she also was used as submarine tender. After the war she was also used as aviation school ship.