Gleaner-class gunboat

The Gleaner (or Pelter)-class gunboat was a class of six gunboats built for the Royal Navy in 1854 for use in the Crimean War.[1]

Class overview
Name: Gleaner class
Operators:  Royal Navy
Succeeded by: Dapper class
Built: 1854
In commission: 1854 – 1864
Completed: 6
General characteristics [1]
Type: 'Crimean' gunboat
Tons burthen: 215 5394 tons bm
Length:
  • 100 ft (30 m) (gundeck)
  • 86 ft 4 in (26.31 m) (keel)
Beam: 22 ft 0 in (6.71 m)
Draught: 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
  • 2-cylinder horizontal single expansion steam engine
  • Single screw
Speed: 7.5 kn (13.9 km/h)
Crew: 36
Armament:

Design

The Gleaner class was designed by W.H. Walker (who also designed the subsequent Dapper and Albacore classes). The ships were wooden-hulled, with steam power as well as sails, but of shallow draught for coastal bombardment in the shallow waters of the Baltic and Black Sea during the Crimean War.[1]

Propulsion

Two-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engines built by John Penn and Sons, with two boilers, provided 60 nominal horsepower through a single screw, sufficient for 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph).[1]

Armament

Ships of the class were armed with one 68-pounder smooth bore muzzle loading cannon (SBML), one 32-pounder SBML (originally two 68-pounder SBMLs were planned but the forward gun was substituted by a 32-pounder) and two 24-pounder howitzers.[1]

Ships

NameShip builder[1]Launched[1]Fate[1]
PelterW & H Pitcher, Northfleet28 August 1854Sold for breaking January 1864, breaking up completed by Tolpult on 1 February 1864
PincherW & H Pitcher, Northfleet5 September 1854Breaking completed on 17 February 1864
BadgerW & H Pitcher, Northfleet23 September 1854Broken up at Portsmouth in June 1864
SnapperW & H Pitcher, Northfleet4 October 1854Became a coal hulk in 1865, sold in 1906
GleanerDeptford Dockyard7 October 1854Sold at Montevideo in April 1868
RubyDeptford Dockyard7 October 1854Broken up October 1868

References

  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-032-6.
  1. Winfield, p.223
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