Several countries outside Europe also acquired flatiron gunboats. China acquired most of hers from the Mitchell yard (which was part of Armstrongs) ... and Japan acquired hers from China as spoils of war!
ARGENTINA
Pilcomayo-class
Their characteristics were:
- Displacement: 420 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 105ft
- Beam: 30ft
- Draught: 7ft 9in
- Propulsion: 2 horizontal compound steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 9.7 knots
- Complement: 60
- Armament: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 3.1-inch BL guns, 2 x 7-pounder QF guns
These vessels were built in two batches of two. The first pair were constructed by J & G Rennie and Company of Greenwich and the second pair by Laird Brothers of Birkenhead. As a result they are sometimes referred to as the separate Pilcomayo (first pair of vessels) and Constitución (second pair of vessels) classes. There is some confusion about their eventual fates.
- Pilcomayo: She was converted into a salvage vessel in 1896 and broken up in 1930. It is also recorded that she decommissioned in 1935.
- Burnejo: She was converted into a transport in 1896 and broken up in 1920. It is also recorded that she was decommissioned in 1932.
- Republica: She was converted into a transport vessel in 1911 and broken up in 1915. It is also recorded that she was decommissioned in 1955.
- Constitución: She was converted into a transport vessel in 1915 broken up later that year. It is also recorded that she was decommissioned in 1955.
CHINA
Chien Sheng-class
Fu Sheng with her awnings deployed.
Their characteristics were:
- Displacement: 256 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 87ft
- Beam: 26ft
- Draught: 6ft 5in
- Propulsion: 2 reciprocating steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 8 knots
- Complement: 30
- Armament: 1 x 10-inch RML gun
Built by Lairds for the Fukien fleet (Foochow region).
- Chien Sheng: She was sunk by the French Navy at the Battle of Foochow on 23rd August 1884.
- Fu Sheng: She was sunk by the French Navy at the Battle of Foochow on 23rd August 1884.
Alpha-class
Alpha (later Lung Hsiang) soon after she was completed.
Their characteristics were:
- Displacement: 320 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 118ft 6in
- Beam: 27ft
- Draught: 7ft 6in
- Propulsion: 2 horizontal compound steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 10 knots
- Complement: 30
- Armament: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 12-pounder BL guns; 1 x Gatling machine gun
Built by Mitchell for the Nanyang fleet (Shanghai and Lower Yangtse region).
- Alpha: She was renamed Lung Hsiang on entering Chinese service. She was discarded in 1895.
- Beta: She was renamed Hu Wei on entering Chinese service. She was discarded in 1895 but is recorded as having taken part in the civil war that followed the 1911 revolution.
Gamma-class
Delta (later Fei Ting) soon after she was completed.
Their characteristics were:
- Displacement: 420 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 120ft
- Beam: 30ft
- Draught: 8ft
- Propulsion: 2 horizontal compound steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 9.5 knots
- Complement: 30
- Armament: 1 x 12.5-inch RML gun; 2 x 9-pounder BL guns; 1 x Gatling machine gun
Built by Mitchell for the Nanyang fleet (Shanghai and Lower Yangtse region).
- Gamma: She was renamed Fei Ting on entering Chinese service. She was discarded in 1905.
- Delta: She was renamed Tse Tien on entering Chinese service. She was discarded in 1905 after catching fire.
Epsilon-class
Epsilon (later Chen Tung).
Their characteristics were:
- Displacement: 440 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 125ft
- Beam: 29ft
- Draught: 9ft 6in
- Propulsion: 2 horizontal compound steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 10 knots
- Complement: 28
- Armament: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 12-pounder BL guns; 2 x Gatling machine guns
Built by Mitchell for the Peiyang fleet (Shantung and Yellow Sea region).
- Epsilon: She was renamed Chen Tung on entering Chinese service. She was captured by the Japanese at Wei-Hai-Wei in 1895 and became the Chinto.
- Zeta: She was renamed Chen Hsi on entering Chinese service. She was captured by the Japanese at Wei-Hai-Wei in 1895 and became the Chin Sei.
- Eta: She was renamed Chen Nan on entering Chinese service. She was captured by the Japanese at Wei-Hai-Wei in 1895 and became the Chin Nan.
- Theta: She was renamed Chen Pei on entering Chinese service. She was captured by the Japanese at Wei-Hai-Wei in 1895 and became the Chin Hoku.
Iota-class
Lamda (later Chen Hai).
Their characteristics were:
- Displacement: 440 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 125ft
- Beam: 29ft
- Draught: 9ft 10in
- Propulsion: 2 horizontal compound steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 10 knots
- Complement: 28
- Armament: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 12-pounder BL guns; 1 x Gatling machine gun
Near repeats of the Epsilon-class. Built by Mitchell for the Peiyang fleet (Shantung and Yellow Sea region).
- Iota: She was renamed Chen Chung on entering Chinese service. She was captured by the Japanese in 1895 and became the Chin Chu.
- Kappa: She was renamed Chen Pien on entering Chinese service. She was captured by the Japanese in 1895 and became the Chim Pien.
- Lamda: She was renamed Chen Hai on entering Chinese service.
Hoi Tung Hung
Her characteristics were:
- Displacement: 430 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 125ft
- Beam: 30ft
- Draught: 7ft 11in
- Propulsion: 2 reciprocating steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 7.5 knots
- Complement: -
- Armament: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 9-pounder BL guns
Built in China for the Kwangtung fleet (Canton region). Her hull was composite (i.e., a wooden hull with iron frame) and she was regarded as being too lightly built. She may also have been named Hai Chang Ching or Hai Ting Ching.
JAPAN
All her flatiron gunboats were captured Chinese vessels.
Chinto-class
Their characteristics were:
- Displacement: 440 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 125ft
- Beam: 29ft
- Draught: 9ft 6in
- Propulsion: 2 horizontal compound steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 10 knots
- Complement: 28
- Armament:
- At time of capture: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 12-pounder BL guns; 1 x machine gun
- 1898: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 12-pounder QF guns; 1 x machine gun
Captured from the Chinese at Wei-Hai-Wei in 1895.
- Chinto: Broken up in 1906.
- Chin Sei: Broken up in 1906.
- Chin Nan: Broken up in 1906.
- Chin Hoku: Broken up in 1906.
Chinchu-class
Their characteristics were:
- Displacement: 440 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 125ft
- Beam: 29ft
- Draught: 9ft 10in
- Propulsion: 2 horizontal compound steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft
- Speed: 10 knots
- Complement: 28
- Armament:
- At time of capture: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 12-pounder BL guns; 1 x machine gun
- 1898: 1 x 11-inch RML gun; 2 x 12-pounder QF guns; 1 x machine gun
Captured from the Chinese in 1895.
- Chin Chu: Broken up in 1906.
- Chim Pien: Broken up in 1906.
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Comprehensive list of ships.
ReplyDeleteI note that I am allowed to post comments now and I have changed nothing at my end.
Jim
Jim Duncan (Jim),
DeleteThere were also quite a few ‘near flatiron’ gunboats built by or for other navies, but I decided not to include them in my series of blog posts.
It sounds as if Blogger is up to its tricks again, making random and unexplained changes. At least you can now make comments!
All the best,
Bob
I’ve enjoyed this series of posts. Thanks for putting this together.
ReplyDeletePeter Douglas,
DeleteCheers! If I could get more illustrations, I might even consider publishing a short book about them at some point.
All the best,
Bob
When I get back around to colonials, I'm going to have to build one of these. As you've been making these posts, I've been having a number of scenarios come to mind for my old Victorian era piracy/adventure game.
ReplyDeleteIrishserb,
DeleteThey were certainly quite versatile vessels, and some of them saw action, albeit limited.
I do have a ‘what it … ?’ In the back of my mind. As several survived into the Second World War and were captured by the Germans, I wonder if - bearing in mind their size and manoeuvrability - they could have been rearmed and used as small flak ships.
The location of the original big gun would easily have been large enough to take a 105mm or 88mm flak gun, and the space behind the funnel would have been large enough for a quadruple 20mm mounting to be fitted.
All the best,
Bob
Bob -
ReplyDeleteI suppose it wouldn't 'do' to have a whole fleets of these things, though the temptation is strong.
Since the main feature of these vessels seems to be a single bally great big gun in some kind of barbette, one feels that maybe they ought to have their own stats. I think 'my' adaptation of your system can accommodate them - I'll have a look (I've sketched out one of the Royal Navy FI gunboats, so I think Ruberia will get maybe two). They look pretty adaptable to my usual RED vs BLUE campaigns, but might be equally handy for something like the 'In Darkest Aithiops'
campaign.
Cheers,
Ion
I can see as a winter project, Ruberia and Azuria acquiring considerable navies, though probably not too much larger than the Hellenic and Turcowaz...
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteEvery fleet should have one … or possibly two!
The flatiron gunboats were essentially intended to form part of the country’s coastal defences, but it’s interesting to note that during the Great War the Royal Navy used them offensively as part of the force bombarding the Belgian coast. In modern parlance, they were designed for littoral warfare,
I think that flatiron gunboats will fit in well with both your Blacklands Wars and Darkest Aithiops.
All the best,
Bob
The odd thing about these vessels, Bob, is that they seem to fulfil the sort of role one imagines for monitors, but they clearly aren't monitors!
DeleteIon
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteSome of the Russian monitors that had fixed turrets are listed as flatiron gunboats by some reference books. I don’t think that they are … but it does illustrate your point that there is a degree of crossover between the two types of vessel.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this information- I had no idea that there were so many Flatiron Gunboats. I had known about the Australian Gunboats though didn't know about those in the European countries or Asia. I'm glad you've inspired me to build one for my Imaginations Stanizburg Navy. All the very best. Regards. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteCheers! Besides the flatiron gunboats that I have listed, quite a few nations built vessels that performed similar tasks, although usually their main armament wasn’t as large in calibre.
I loved your recent addition to the Stanizburg Navy. It really captured the essence of the flatiron gunboat design.
All the best,
Bob