NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Penelope			Pembroke DYd	4.9.1865	18.6.1867	27.6.1868	Coast Guard 2.1869-5/1887, guardship 2.1889, prison hulk 1897

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	4368
Displacement full, t
Length, m	79.3 pp
Breadth, m	15.2
Draught, m	5.10
No of shafts	2 (Griffiths)
Machinery	sails + 4 boilers, 2 3-cyl HSE, return connecting rod
Power, h. p.	4703
Max speed, kts	12.8
Fuel, t	coal 470
Endurance, nm(kts)	1360(10)
Armour, mm	iron; belt: 152 on 278-254mm teak plating, battery: 152, bulkheads: 114
Armament	8 x 1 - 203/15 MLR Mk III, 3 x 1 - 126/21 40pdr 35cwt BL, 2 x 1 - 100/21 20pdr 15cwt BL
Complement	350

Standard scale images

Project history

Last of the small ironclads, was classified as armoured corvette. She was a shallow draught vessel, this effect being obtained by providing a very square and full hull form. This neccessiated twin screws as a single screw would have had insufficient immersion. The space between the shafts was cut away to give two sections of deadwood, both screws were of the lifting type, and twin rudders were also provided. 203mm guns were mounted in the central battery, and the corners of the battery were angled and the ship's sides embrasured to provide for fire before and abaft the beam. She was ship-rigged, with 1700m² sail area. She did not sail well making not more than 8.5kts and tended to drift to leeward because of the shallow draught. However, she was a steady ship and good gun platform.

Ship protection

1.7m-wide waterline belt was 152mm amidships and 127mm at the ends from the lower deck to 1.2m below the waterline. The central battery was at main deck level, being 21m long with 152mm sides and 114mm bulkheads. Between the belt and battery a strake of 152mm armour, 29m long, was placed, which was also closed by 114mm bulkheads.

Modernizations

1887: - 3 x 1 - 126/21; + 4 x 1 - 120/40 QF, 2 x 1 light guns, 11 x 1 MGs

Naval service

No significant events.