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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

TORPEDO SHIPS

TB39 2nd class torpedo boats (1889)

nearly sister-boat TB50 1888

Names

TB39 - 48

Builders

Yarrow, Poplar: TB39-48

Completed

1889: TB39 - 48

Losses

none

Transfers

none

Discarded

1907: TB39 - 44

1912: TB45 - 48

 

Displacement normal, t

16.5

Displacement full, t

 

Length, m

18.3 pp

Breadth, m

2.82

Draught, m

 

No of shafts

1

Machinery

1 VTE, 1 locomotive boiler

Power, h. p.

240

Max speed, kts

16.5

Fuel, t

coal

Endurance, nm(kts)

 

Armament

1 x 1 - 25/60 Nordenfelt Mk I, 2 - 356 TC

Complement

9

Project history: The concept of purpose-built small TBs capable of being lifted by the davits of large ships seems to have originated with the Royal Navy; certainly more were built for that service than for any other. One TB carrier, Vulcan, was specially built to carry them, and for some years numbers of this type of boat were built. However, in the long run experience showed it was better to use the slower but much sturdier and more seaworthy steam pinnaces for this purpose, rather than the frail specially built Second Class boats.

    Armament comprised 2 torpedoes in dropping gear, 1 MG. Two last classes (TB39 and TB49) were the swan-song of the purpose-built Second Class TB. The last class was built on the lines of the aluminium boat Yarrow had built for the French Navy. Larger than their predecessors, six were intended to be carried on the 'torpedo boat carrier' Vulcan.

Modernizations: None.

Naval service: No significant events.

 

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-13