NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Names	Builders	Completed	Losses	Transfers	Discarded
TB51 - 62	Thornycroft, Chiswick: TB51-62	1878: TB51 - 56 1879: TB57 - 62	TB62 (21.10.1890)	none	1902: TB55, 58 - 61 1904: TB52 - 54, 56, 57 1907: TB51

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	10.7
Displacement full, t
Length, m	18.5 oa 18.4 pp
Breadth, m	2.29
Draught, m	0.92
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 2-cyl VC, 1 locomotive boiler
Power, h. p.	120 - 150
Max speed, kts	15
Fuel, t	coal
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armament	2 - 356 TC
Complement	7

Project history

The concept of purpose-built small TBs capable of being lifted by the davits of large ships seems to have originated with the Royal Navy; certainly more were built for that service than for any other. One TB carrier, Vulcan, was specially built to carry them, and for some years numbers of this type of boat were built. However, in the long run experience showed it was better to use the slower but much sturdier and more seaworthy steam pinnaces for this purpose, rather than the frail specially built Second Class boats.

TB51 class were small, lightly built steam launches.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

TB51-54 were attached to Vulcan.