List of ironclads

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The list of ironclads includes all steam-propelled warship (supplemented with sails in various cases) and protected by iron or steel armor plates that were built in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, between 1859 and the early 1890s. The list is arranged alphabetically by country. The initial dates of the boats correspond to the launch time, followed by a separation that indicates their retirement or final date.

Contents

The list includes ironclads of two different categories or roles, oceanic and coastal (the latter may be floating batteries, monitors and coastal defence ships). The various ironclads design such as the ram, broadside, central battery (or casemate), turret and barbette will be mentioned. [A] Some of these ocean ironclads can be classified as armored frigates, armored corvettes, or others based on their displacement. Wooden hull ships that have been subsequently armored will also be considered in this list.

Although the introduction of the ironclad is clear-cut, the boundary between 'ironclad' and the later 'pre-dreadnought battleship' is less obvious, as the characteristics of the pre-dreadnought evolved from 1875 to 1895. For the sake of this article, a line is drawn around 1890, differing from country to country.

Americas

Argentina

The Argentine Almirante Brown (1880) was the first ironclad built entirely of steel (until then it was made of iron). AlmBrownAcorazado.jpg
The Argentine Almirante Brown (1880) was the first ironclad built entirely of steel (until then it was made of iron).
Monitors
Central battery ironclad
Coastal defence ships

Brazil

Central battery ironclads (or casemate)
The Brazilian Riachuelo (1883). Encouracado de Esquadra Riachuelo.jpg
The Brazilian Riachuelo (1883).
Monitors
Ironclads turret ship

Chile

The Chilean Blanco Encalada (1875) was the first ironclad warship sunk by a self-propelled torpedo in 1891. BlancoEncalada 02.jpg
The Chilean Blanco Encalada (1875) was the first ironclad warship sunk by a self-propelled torpedo in 1891.
Central battery armored frigates
Ironclad turret ship

Haiti

Casemate ironclad

Peru

Monitors
Broadside armored frigate
Ironclad turret ship
Casemate ironclad

United States

Asia

China

Coastal defence ships
Ironclads turret ship

Japan

The Japanese Kotetsu (1869) was an ironclad that played a decisive role in the Battle of Hakodate, during Boshin War. Stonewall-Kotetsu.jpg
The Japanese Kōtetsu (1869) was an ironclad that played a decisive role in the Battle of Hakodate, during Boshin War.
Ironclad ram
Armoured corvettes
Central battery ironclad
Ironclad turret ship
Coastal defence ship

Ottoman Empire

Siam

Floating battery

Europe

Austria-Hungary

Denmark

The Danish Helgoland (1878). Danish Ironclad Helgoland (1878).jpg
The Danish Helgoland (1878).
Broadside armored frigates
Ironclad turret ship
Ironclad ram
Monitors
Casemate ironclad
Barbette ironclads

France

Germany

Greece

The Greek Hydra (1889). Idra2b.jpg
The Greek Hydra (1889).
Central battery armored corvette
Broadside armored corvette
Barbette ironclads

Italy

Netherlands

The Dutch Koning der Nederlanden (1874) was the largest ship that served in the Dutch Navy during the 19th century. ZM ramtorenschip Koning der Nederlanden.jpg
The Dutch Koning der Nederlanden (1874) was the largest ship that served in the Dutch Navy during the 19th century.
Casemate ironclad
Ironclads turret ship
Monitors

Norway

Monitors

Portugal

Central battery ironclad

Russia

Spain

The Spanish Numancia (1863) was the first ironclad to circumnavigate the world, between 1865 and 1867. Fragata Numancia en 1865.png
The Spanish Numancia (1863) was the first ironclad to circumnavigate the world, between 1865 and 1867.
Broadside armored frigates
Central battery armored frigates
Floating battery
Monitor
Barbette ironclad

Sweden

The Swedish John Ericsson (1865), part of a class of five monitors, was designed under the supervision of the Swedish-born inventor, John Ericsson, and built in Sweden. JohnEricsson1867.jpg
The Swedish John Ericsson (1865), part of a class of five monitors, was designed under the supervision of the Swedish-born inventor, John Ericsson, and built in Sweden.
Monitors
Coastal defence ships

United Kingdom

See also

Notes

  1. These designs are for oceanic ironclads, although there were also coastal ironclads that used ram, casemate, turret and barbette.
  2. Built in 1854 as a wooden steamship and converted to a casemate ironclad in 1865. [3]
  3. Originally it was a 70-gun ship that became an armored frigate between 1862 and 1864. [4]
  4. It was converted into a casemate ironclad between 1961 and 1863.
  5. It was a steam frigate called Resolución that in 1870 ended up being converted into an armored frigate of the central battery, adopting the new name of Méndez Núñez.

References

  1. Rodríguez, Horacio (1995). Las fuerzas navales argentinas: historia de la flota de mar (in Spanish). Instituto Browniano. p. 140.
  2. Scheina, Robert L. (1987). Latin America: A Naval History, 1810–1987. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 64. ISBN   0-87021-295-8.
  3. López Martínez, Héctor (1972). Historia maritima del Peru: La república, 1876-1879 (in Spanish). Comisión para Escribir la Historia Marítima del Perú, Editorial Ausonis. p. 262.
  4. Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). Directory of the World's Capital Ships. New York: Hippocrene Books. p. 55. ISBN   0-88254-979-0.
  5. Sondhaus, Lawrence (1958). Navies in Modern World History. London: Reaktions book ltd. p. 142.

Bibliography