France 1858-1880, Broadside Ironclad Origin of the ironclad concept The naval staff under the 2nd French Empire (Napoleon III) was concerned after the declining state of the French Imperial Navy after the Napoleonic era crippling losses of Trafalgar, Aboukir and many other battles, plus captured ships, leaving quite a modest force to Louis XVIII. Some … Read more
Dutch Netherlands Navy: 74 guns 2nd rate, 54 guns Razee, 51 guns steam Frigate, Casemate Ironclad, 1831-1874 HNLMS De Ruyter was a unique case in the Royal Netherlands Navy, once its largest sailing frigate laid down in 1831, before being rebuilt as a steam frigate for a second career and from 1861 rebuilt as a … Read more
Austrian Navy, 1862-1883: SMS Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, Habsburg The Erzherzog Ferdinand Max and Habsburg were built for the Austrian Navy in the 1860s as its last broadside armored frigates for the Austrian Empire, last completed to see action at the Battle of Lissa in 1866. Their intended breech-loading Krupp guns were not delivered in time … Read more
Confederate Navy (1863) Single prototype, following Pioneer and American Diver 1861-63 So many books and documentaries, even featured films were made about this particular Confederate vessel. HL Hunley was indeed an early precursor, and although human-propelled, born from desperation, she was the first to sink a warship in operation. “the Hunley” was also a vicious … Read more
The first Austro-Hungarian Broadside ironclad Austro-Hungarian Navy, 1862-1883: SMS Drache, Salamander Austrian Fleet | pre-WW1 fleet | WW1 fleet The Drache class ironclads (1860) were converted from Trieste-built Frigates, as a first generation of Austro-Hungarian broadside ironclads. They took part in the 1863 Battle of Lissa, modernized and maintained in service as training, then harbour … Read more
Austrian Navy 1854-88: SMS Radetzky, Adria, Donau Design In 1852, the Austro-Hungarian Navy’s high command proposed the construction of a modern steam frigate, to be declined into a class of three vessels, the first built in Britain and the two others in Austria, bringing with it valuable technological and engineering lessons. SMS Radetzky and her … Read more
Novara class Steam Frigates (1857) Austro-Hungarian Navy 1843-1900, SMS Novara, Schwarzenberg The Novara class was one of two largely similar, but not sister-ships, two frigates with various interesting backstories and fates, with long and illustrious career for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. At thei design core, two typical sailing frigates whch later received steam engine. Powerfully armed, … Read more
Kōtetsu (1864) Japanese Ironclad 1862-1888. The twisted origins of the first Japanese Ironclad The “ship with five lives” Kotetsu was quite unique as being an ironclad changing at least five or six times names and flags during her 20-years long career. She was planned for the Confederate navy under cover, first laid down as the … Read more
USS Spuyten Duyvil (1864) Union Navy The first USN Torpedo Boat After suffering against Confederate use of the torpedo, the Union decided to create a ship using the same weapon. This resulted in the creation of a very original vessel, at first called the USS Stromboli, and soon renamed Spuyten Duyvil. It became in essence … Read more
USS Monitor (1862) Union Navy First of the name & defining a type: The Monitor The USS Monitor is not only an icon of the American civil war, a symbol of the industrial north, but it also defined a genre, a type that found use until recent times. The USN still deployed monitors to combat … Read more
