NAVYPEDIA

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Ajax

Ships

Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Agamemnon		Chatham DYd	9.5.1876	17.9.1879	29.3.1883	sold for BU 1.1903
Ajax	199	Pembroke DYd	21.3.1876	10.3.1880	30.3.1883	sold for BU 3.1904

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	8510
Displacement full, t
Length, m	85.3 pp 91.7 oa
Breadth, m	20.1
Draught, m	7.16
No of shafts	2
Machinery	sails + 2 3-cyl IVC, 10 tubular boilers
Power, h. p.	6000
Max speed, kts	13
Fuel, t	coal 960
Endurance, nm(kts)	4100(10)
Armour, mm	iron; citadel: 457 - 381 sides with 457mm wood backing, 419 - 343 bulkheads with 457mm wood backing, turrets: 406 - 356 (compound), decks: 76, CT: 305
Armament	2 x 2 - 318/16 MLR Mk I, 2 x 1 - 152/26 BL Mk II, 6 x 1 - 57/43 6pdr Nordenfelt Mk I, 2 - 356 TC
Complement	345

Graphics

Project history

Smaller variant of Inflexible with a shallow draught for possible employment against Russia in the Baltic and Black Seas, these were unsatisfactory ships, whose construction was based on economic rather than military considerations. Unlike Inflexible, the central citadel was of insufficient buoyancy to protect the ships' stability in the event of extensive damage to the unarmoured ends.

Agamemnon and Ajax were the last British capital ships armed muzzle loading guns and the first with secondary BL 152mm guns, placed at ship ends. Also they had 6pdr Nordenfelt guns and MGs for use against torpedo boats. Unlike Inflexible, these ships were designed without a sailing rig. They required a large amount of helm to stay on course and were erratic and dangerous, particularly at high speeds. They were bad seaboats, being very lively, uncomfortable and wet in heavy weather.

Ship protection

The citadel was31.7m long with sandwich protection on the sides and bulkheads, the sides being 457mm at the waterline and 381mm above and below, giving a total thickness of armour and backing of 940mm. The deck over citadel and lower deck fore and aft of it were 76mm. Sandwich protection was provided on the turrets, with 406mm faces and 356mm walls, the outer thickness being of compound armour.

Modernizations

1880s, both: + 8 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I

Naval service

No significant events.

Thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.