NAVYPEDIA

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Bellerophon

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Bellerophon			Chatham DYd	28.12.1863	26.4.1865	11.4.1866	guard ship 1892, TS 3.1904

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	7551
Displacement full, t
Length, m	91.4 pp
Breadth, m	17.1
Draught, m	7.52
No of shafts	1
Machinery	sails + 1 2-cyl HSE trunk, 8 rectangular boilers
Power, h. p.	6521
Max speed, kts	14.2
Fuel, t	coal 640
Endurance, nm(kts)	1500(8)
Armour, mm	iron; belt: 152 with 254mm teak backing, battery: 152 with 254mm teak backing, bulkheads: 127, CT: 203
Armament	10 x 1 - 229/14 MLR Mk IV, 5 x 1 - 178/16 MLR Mk III, 4 x 1 - 81/19 12pdr 8cwt BL (saluting)
Complement	650

Graphics

Project history

A major step forward in ironclad design, having increased engine power, protection and armament with improved hull design, manoeuvrability and seaworthiness. The hull was constructed on the bracket frame system with a complete double bottom for the first time, resulting in a substantial saving in weight. Some 200-300t of steel was also employed in the hull structure to save weight. The hull form was fuller than in earlier ships, with greater buoyancy fwd and aft. Ship was completed with an ordinary ram bow, but was very wet forward and a knee head was added to give a clipper-ram form. Ship handled well under steam, partly because she was the first RN ship having a balance rudder. Bellerophon was ship-rigged, sail area was 2210m2, but she did not handle well under sail.

229mm guns were installed in the central battery with 2 178mm guns at the fwd and aft ends of the main deck and 1 178mm gun on the aft end of the upper deck.

Ship protection

Full length belt from the main deck to 1.8m below the waterline was 152mm-thick amidships, reducing to 127mm before and abaft the battery, 76mm at the extreme bow and 114mm at extreme stern. The box battery on the main deck had 152mm sides and 127mm bulkheads. Chase guns at the fwd end of the main deck were protected by 114mm armour around the bow.

Modernizations

(1881-1884): was re-boilered, steam steering gear was fitted, ship was converted to barque rig and completely rearmed with 10 x 1 - 203/26 BL Mk III, 4 x 1 - 152/26 BL Mk III/IV/VI, 6 x 1 - 102/25 BL Mk I, 4 x 1 - 57/40 Hotchkiss QF Mk I, 12 x 1 - 11.4/87, 2 x 1 - 406 TC

Naval service

Sea-going service of Bellerophon ended in 1892, when she became a port guardship at Pembroke DYd. In 1904 she was converted to stokers` training ship at Plymouth and sold for BU 12.12.1922.