Challenger 1904
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Challenger | D33, P07, P81 | Chatham DYd | 1.12.1900 | 27.5.1902 | 3.5.1904 | sold for BU 5.1920 | |
| Encounter (7/1912- RAN) | Devonport DYd | 28.1.1901 | 18.6.1902 | 21.11.1905 | submarine depot ship Penguin 5.1923 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
5880 |
|
Displacement full, t |
|
|
Length, m |
106.7 pp 113.4 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
16.5 |
|
Draught, m |
6.25 |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
Challenger: 2 4-cyl. VTE, 18 Babcock boilers Encounter: 2 4-cyl. VTE, 18 Durr boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
12500 |
|
Max speed, kts |
21 |
|
Fuel, t |
coal 1100 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 9000(10) |
| Armour, mm |
Harvey steel; deck: 76 - 38, gun shields: 76, CT: 152, engine hatches: 127 |
|
Armament |
11 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk VII, 9 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I, 6 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 - 450 TT (sub, beam) |
|
Complement |
450 |
Project history: Repeats of Eclipse class except for the provision of uniform 152mm gun armament and installation of watertube boilers. This pair was built under the 1900/01 Programme. Challenger and Encounter differed from the earlier group in adopting more powerful machinery and wind sails in place of cowls. On trials Challenger made 21.09kts with 12,806ihp and Encounter 21.3kts with 13,000ihp.
Ship protection: 38mm deck with 76mm slopes protected machinery spaces.
Modernizations: None.
Naval service: Challenger was paid off in April 1919. Encounter served as receiving ship at Sydney from December 1919.
© Ivan Gogin, 2014