.jpg) | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tempête |
| Operators |  French Navy |
| Preceded by | Cerbère class |
| Succeeded by | Tonnerre class |
| Cost | FF14,986,587 |
| Built | 1872–1882 |
| In service | 1881–1906 |
| In commission | 1883– |
| Completed | 2 |
| Scrapped | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Coastal-defense ship |
| Displacement | 4,908 t (4,830long tons) (deep load) |
| Length | 73.6 m (241 ft 6 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 17.6 m (57 ft 9 in) |
| Draft | 5.42 m (17.8 ft) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 1 shaft, 1compound-expansion steam engine |
| Speed | 10knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Range | 1,103nautical miles (2,043 km; 1,269 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) |
| Complement | 7 officers, 165 enlisted men |
| Armament |
|
| Armor |
|
TheTempête class consisted of a pair ofironcladcoastal-defense ships built for theFrench Navy (Marine Navale) in the 1870s,Tempête andVengeur.
The design of theTempête-class coast-defense ships was based on that of the Britishbreastwork monitorsGlatton andRupert. To maximize thetraverse of the singlegun turret, thesuperstructure was as narrow as possible, only 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) wide. The ships had anoverall length of 73.6 m (241 ft 6 in), abeam of 17.8 m (58 ft 5 in) and adraft of 5.33 m (17 ft 6 in) forward and 5.42 m (17 ft 9 in) aft atdeep load. Theydisplaced 4,908metric tons (4,830long tons) at deep load. The crew of theTempête class numbered 7 officers and 165 enlisted men.[1]
TheTempête class was powered by a single six-cylinder, horizontalcompound-expansion steam engine that drove onepropeller shaft using steam provided by four Indret[2]cylindrical boilers. The engine was rated at 2,000indicated horsepower (1,500 kW)[3] and was intended to give the ships a top speed of 10knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). During hersea trialsTempête reached a speed of 11.68 knots (21.6 km/h; 13.4 mph) from 2,164 ihp (1,614 kW). The ships carried enough coal to give them a range of 1,103nautical miles (2,043 km; 1,269 mi) at a speed of 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).[2]
TheTempêtes carried theirmain battery of twoCanon de 274 mm (10.8 in) Modèle 1875 guns in a single twin-gun turret, forward of the superstructure. Defense from torpedo boats was provided by fourCanon de 47 mm (1.9 in) Modèle 1885 Hotchkiss guns and four 37-millimetre (1.5 in)Hotchkiss revolving cannon.[3] The 47 mm guns were positioned on the corners of thehurricane deck on top of the superstructure and the revolver guns were placed between them, two on eachbroadside.[2]
The ships had a full-lengthwrought-ironwaterlinearmor belt that tapered from the maximum thickness of 330 mm (13 in)amidships to 250 mm (9.8 in) at the ships' ends. The armoredbreastwork supporting the superstructure and the turret was 40 meters (131 ft 3 in) long and was also 330 mm thick. The maindeck was protected by 50-millimeter (2 in) iron plates, as was the deck below it. The turret armor was 300 mm (11.8 in) thick and was backed by 550 mm (1 ft 10 in) ofteak. The plates protecting theconning tower measured 250 mm in thickness.[1]
| Name | Builder[4] | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tempête (Tempest) | Arsenal de Brest | 26 December 1872[5] | 18 August 1876[5] | 4 July 1883[6] | Sunk as a target, 20 March 1909[7] |
| Vengeur (Avenger) | 1 December 1874[8] | 16 May 1878[8] | 18 June 1882[4] | Scrapped, 1906[9] |
