NAVYPEDIA
Support the project with paypal
HOME
FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
FRANCE
OCÉAN central battery ships (1870-1873)
Ships
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Océan | Arsenal de Brest | 18.4.1865 | 15.10.1868 | 15.7.1870 | stricken 11.1894 | ||
| Marengo | Arsenal de Toulon | 7/1865 | 4.12.1869 | 1.5.1872 | sold 3.1895 | ||
| Suffren | Arsenal de Cherbourg | 7/1866 | 24.11.1870 | 5.8.1873 | stricken 7.1897 |
Technical data
| Displacement normal, t | 7580 - 7775 |
|---|---|
| Displacement full, t | |
| Length, m | 87.7 wl |
| Breadth, m | 17.5 |
| Draught, m | 8.99 - 9.07 max |
| No of shafts | 1 |
| Machinery | 1 3-cyl HC return connecting rod, 8 oval boilers |
| Power, h. p. | 3780 - 4180 |
| Max speed, kts | 13 - 14 |
| Fuel, t | coal 650 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | |
| Armour, mm | wrought iron; belt: 200 - 180, battery: 160, barbettes: 150 |
| Armament | Océan: 4 x 1 - 274/18 M1864-66 MLR, 4 x 1 - 240/18 M1864-66 MLR, 6 x 1 - 139/19 M1864-66, 12 x 1 - 37/21 revolvers Marengo, Suffren: 4 x 1 - 274/18 M1870 BLR, 4 x 1 - 240/18 M1870 BLR, 6 x 1 - 139/21 M1870 BLR, 12 x 1 - 37/21 revolvers, 4 - 356 TT |
| Complement | 750 - 778 |
Standard scale images
Océan 1870
Project history
Wooden-hulled central battery ships, altered and much delayed in construction. The original design envisaged a displacement of 7200t with 4 194mm and 4 165mm in the battery instead of 4 274mm. The waterline belt was complete and the unarmoured wooden areas above were plated with 15mm iron. For the first time in a French battleship iron watertight bulkheads were fitted, though as there were only three their efficacy in a wooden hull was dubious. The barbette armour was later removed to reduce top weight as metacentric height was only 0.5-0.65m. The 274mm guns in the battery were about 3.5m above water and the hull was not recessed to give axial fire, which was provided by the 240mm in upper deck half-barbettes over the corners of the battery. The ram projected nearly 2.7m and was tipped by a 20t bronze casting. A full rig seems to have been originally intended, but the vessels were later rigged as barquentines or barques. Sail area is given as 1900-2000m². Except for the greater power of the 274mm/18cal M1870 compared with that of the 254mm RML, this class were much inferior to HMS Hercules.
Ship protection
Belt was 200-180mm, battery had 160mm and barbettes 150mm armour.
Modernizations
1870, Océan: was rearmed as later ships.
Naval service
No significant events.
