NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Rochambeau (ex-Dundenberg)			W. H. Webb, New York, USA	3.10.1862	22.7.1865	7.8.1867	stricken 4.1872

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	7800
Displacement full, t
Length, m	107.4 pp 115.0 oa
Breadth, m	22.2
Draught, m	6.52 mean
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 2-cyl HSE return connecting rod, 6 'return flame' tubular boilers
Power, h. p.	4500
Max speed, kts	15
Fuel, t	coal 540 - 1000
Endurance, nm(kts)	1200(8)
Armour, mm	wrought iron; belt: 89 - 63, deck: 18, casemate: 114, CT: 250
Armament	4 x 1 - 274/18 M1864-66 MLR, 10 x 1 - 240/18 M1864-66 MLR
Complement	600

Project history

Build largely of green wood with weak framing and very heavy longitudinal timbers, the sides being 2.3m thick at the knuckle, this ship had a low hull with pronounced ram bow and an amidships casemate on the lines of the better known Virginia (Merrimack). The hull armour sloped outwards and the casemate inwards, both at 35°. There were 22 gun ports, six on each broadside, two at each corner and two axial, four of the 279mm SBML guns being arranged to traverse at these end ports, while the 381mm were at the foremost broadside ones. The port sill height was only 1.4m. There was a light brigantine rig, and though US trials in June 1867 gave only 11.7 kts at 3778 ihp, a maximum of 15.07 kts at 4535 ihp and designed draught was claimed in France a year later. Named the Rochambeau by the French she was rearmed with French guns, but was only commissioned for some weeks in 1870.

Ship protection

Belt had 89-63mm and casemate 114mm iron armour with 0.9m timber backing.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

No significant events.