HERO HMS 1888
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:42 pm
Built as turret ram battleship by the Chatham Dockyard for the Royal Navy.
11 April 1884 laid down.
27 October 1885 undocked and named HMS HERO, one sister the CONQUEROR.
Tonnage 6.200 tons, dim. 270 x 58 x 22ft.
Powered by two 3-cyl. inverted compound Rennie steam engines, twin screws, speed 14 knots.
Armament 2 – 12-inch BL, 4 – 6 inch BL, 7 – 6pdr QF.
Crew 330.
May 1888 completed and thereafter dispatched to Portsmouth for commissioning. She was the first vessel built at Chatham to abandon any form of rigs and sails.
The intention was that she would serve as a ram vessel, but the class was not very successful, to small for ocean voyages and to large for coast defence ships. Most of there careers, both vessels served as gunnery tender. During bad weather she were very wet, did have only a freeboard of 9.5ft., and were rolling very badly.
From 1888 until 1904 tender to the naval gunnery school EXCELLENT.
February 1905 declassed to dockyard reserve.
From November1907 used as a target ship.
18 February 1908 as a target sunk off Kentish Knock, later raised and scrapped.
Oman 1978 5b label
Source: Chatham built warships since 1860. http://www.warship.get.net.pl/Wbrytania ... class.html