Hms Warrior 1860

“A well-illustrated tour of the ship as she is today, deck by deck . . . includes a historical introduction looking at the ship and her significance.”—Ships Monthly HMS Warrior, launched in 1860, was the first iron-hulled, sea-going armored ship, and for many years was the most powerful warship in the world. Rescued a century later from her role as a refueling hulk, she became the object of the most ambitious ship restoration project ever mounted and is now afloat and open to visitors at Portsmouth. As is the case for many historic ships, however, there is a surprising shortage of informative and well-illustrated guides, for reference during a visit or for research by enthusiasts, ship modelers, naval buffs, technical historians or students. This book—second in the Seaforth Historic Ship Series—redresses the gap. Written by experts and containing more than 200 specially commissioned photographs, each title in the series takes the reader on a superbly illustrated tour of the ship, deck by deck. Significant parts of the vessel for example, the steering gear, armament and armor, engine-room and gundeck are given detailed coverage so that the reader has at hand the most complete visual record and explanation of the ship that is at present available. In addition, the importance of the ship, both in her own time and now as a museum vessel, is explained, while her design and build, her service career and her life prior to restoration and exhibition are all described. The Seaforth Historic Ship Series is a truly groundbreaking concept, bringing the ships of our past vividly to life. “A beautiful publication.”—Ships in Scale

This beautifully illustrated reference guide presents a working model of Warrior, built on the traditional shipbuilder's scale of 1:48.

Built to underline Victorian Britain's supremacy at sea, HMS Warrior was the world's first iron-hulled, armoured warship. In 1979 she was rescued from ignominy as an oil jetty in Milford Haven to become the subject of an ambitious restoration programme, and for the last twenty years has been open to the public at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The story of her revolutionary design, career history and the strange twists of fate that enabled her to survive into an age when her significance in naval architecture would be fully recognised, is described in detail together with the meticulous research that went into faithfully restoring every aspect of the ship. Complete with archival illustrations and photographs, specially commissioned photography, lines plans and diagrams, this is a comprehensive and elegantly produced commemorative volume of a remarkable ship.

Revision of: Warrior: restoring the world's first ironclad. London: Conway Maritime Press, c1987.

Originally published: London: Chatham Pub., 1997.

H.M.S. Warrior, 'the black snake among rabbits' was Britain's first iron-clad warship. The author describes this most revolutionary warship of her time, perhaps of all time, explains why she fell into disuse and, in doing so, covers some of the wider issues relating to naval warfare during this important period of British history. The book has special appeal now as the restoration of the ship nears completion and plans are developed to move her to the maritime museum in Portsmouth.

In the massive revolution that affected warship design between Waterloo and the Warrior, the Royal Navy was traditionally depicted as fiercely resisting every change until it was almost too late, but these old assumptions were first challenged in this authoritative history of the transition from sail to steam. Originally published in 1990, it began a process of revaluation which has produced a more positive assessment of the British contribution to the naval developments of the period. This classic work is here reprinted in an entirely new edition, with more extensive illustration.Beginning with the structural innovations of Robert Seppings, the book traces the gradual introduction of more scientific methods and the advent of steam and the paddle fighting ship, iron hulls and screw propulsion. It analyses the performance of the fleet in the war with Russia (18531856), and concludes with the design of the Warrior, the first iron-hulled, seagoing capital ship in the world. The author presents a picture of an organisation that was well aware of new technology, carefully evaluating its practical advantage, and occasionally (as with its enthusiastic espousal of iron hulls) moving too quickly for the good of the service. Written by an eminent naval architect, Before the Ironclad is both a balanced account of general developments, and an in-depth study of the ships themselves.

In November 1859, the French warship La Gloire was launched. She was the world's first seagoing ironclad - a warship built from wood, but whose hull was clad in a protective layer of iron plate. Britain, not to be outdone, launched her own ironclad the following year - HMS Warrior - which, when she entered service, became the most powerful warship in the world. Just like the Dreadnought half a century later, this ship changed the nature of naval warfare forever, and sparked a frantic arms race. The elegant but powerful Warrior embodied the technological advances of the early Victorian era, and the spirit of this new age of steam, iron and firepower. Fully illustrated with detailed cutaway artwork, this book covers the British ironclad from its inception and emergence in 1860, to 1875, a watershed year, which saw the building of a new generation of recognisably modern turreted battleships.