HMS Thunderer (1872)
HMS Thunderer was the second of two Devastation-class ironclad turret ships built for the Royal Navy along with her sister HMS Devastation (1871). Launched on 25 March 1872, she was completed on 26 May 1877.
While under going trials on 14 July 1876, Thunderer suffered a disastrous boiler explosion which killed 45 people. After repairs and commissioning, she was assigned to the Channel Squadron and then the Mediterranean.
On 2 January 1879, the left 12-inch 38 ton gun in the forward turret exploded during gunnery practice in the Sea of Marmora, killing 11 and injuring a further 35. This was probably caused when the muzzle-loading gun had been double-loaded following a misfire.
In January 1888, she was assigned to the Portsmouth Reserve, where she underwent a modernsation the following year. Her muzzle-loading 12-inch guns were replaced by 10-inch breech-loading guns. To improve her defence against torpedo boats, her Nordenfelt guns were replaced by six quick-firing (QF) 6-pounder 2.2 in (57 mm) and eight QF 3-pounder 1.9 in (47 mm) Hotchkiss guns. Thunderer’s machinery was replaced by inverted triple-expansion steam engines and cylindrical boilers.
Rejoining the Mediterranean Fleet in March 1891, she was forced to return home in September 1892 with persistent boiler problems and she was reduced to the Chatham reserve. Thunderer became the guard ship at Pembroke Dock in May 1895 and remained there until she returned to the Chatham reserve in December 1900.
Although she was refitted as an emergency ship in 1902, she was taken out of service in 1905. Thunderer was sold for scrap on 13 September 1909.
General characteristics (as built)
| Displacement | 9,330 long tons (9,480 t) |
| Length | 285 ft (86.9 m) (p/p) 307 ft (93.6 m) (o/a) |
| Beam | 62 ft 3 in (19.0 m) |
| Draught | 27 ft 6 in (8.4 m) |
| Installed power | 5,600 ihp (4,200 kW) 8 rectangular boilers |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 Direct-acting steam engines |
| Speed | 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) |
| Range | 4,700 nmi (8,700 km; 5,400 mi) @ 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement | 358 |
| Armament | 4 × 12-inch (305 mm) rifled muzzle-loading guns |
| Armour | Waterline belt: 12–8.5 in (305–216 mm) Deck: 3–2 in (76–51 mm) Gun turrets: 14–10 mm (1–0 in) Conning tower: 9–6 in (229–152 mm) Bulkheads: 6–5 in (152–127 mm) |
