View source for Colbert-class ironclad

{{Short description|French Navy's Colbert-class ironclad}}
{{good article}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Colbert-Bougault.jpg
|Ship caption=[[French ironclad Colbert|''Colbert'']] at anchor
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Colbert''
|Builders=
|Operators={{navy|FRA}}
|Class before={{ship|French ironclad|Richelieu||2}}
|Class after={{ship|French ironclad|Redoutable||2}}
|Cost=
|Built range=1870–78
|In service range=1877–1900
|In commission range=1877–95
|Total ships completed=2
|Total ships scrapped=2
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Central battery ship|Central-battery ironclad]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|8614|-|8814|t|LT|sp=us}}
|Ship length={{convert|101.1|-|102.1|m|ftin|abbr=on}} ([[Length overall|o/a]])
|Ship beam={{convert|17.57|-|17.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|8.11|-|8.58|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*{{convert|4600|ihp|PS kW|lk=in|order=flip|abbr=on}}
*8 oval [[boiler (steam generator)|boiler]]s
|Ship propulsion=1 shaft, 1 [[Marine steam engine#Back acting|Horizontal return connecting-rod steam engine]]
|Ship speed={{convert|14|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|3300|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}
|Ship sail plan=[[Ship rig]]ged
|Ship complement=750
|Ship armament=*8 × single {{convert|274|mm|in|abbr=on|1}} guns
*1 × single {{convert|240|mm|in|abbr=on|1}} guns
*6 × single {{convert|138|mm|in|abbr=on}} guns
*4 × {{convert|356|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armor=*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|180|-|220|mm|in|abbr=on|1}}
*[[Artillery battery#Naval usage|Battery]]: {{convert|160|mm|in|abbr=on|1}}
*[[Bulkhead (partition)|Bulkhead]]s: {{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on|1}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|15|mm|in|abbr=on|1}}
}}
|}
The '''''Colbert'' class''' were a pair of [[armored frigate]]s built for the [[French Navy]] during the 1870s. The ships served as the [[flagship]]s of the commander and deputy commander of the [[Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean (France)|Mediterranean Squadron]] for most of their careers. The [[sister ship]]s took part in the [[French conquest of Tunisia]], notably shelling and landing troops in [[Sfax]] in 1881. They were relegated to second-line roles in 1894–95 before being condemned in 1900. The ships were finally sold for [[ship breaking|scrap]] in 1909.

==Design and description==
The ''Colbert''-class ships were designed by Constructor Sabattier as improved versions of the ironclad {{ship|French ironclad|Richelieu||2}} and were the last ships authorized by the 1857 Naval Program.<ref name=g5/> They reverted to a single [[propeller shaft]] to improve their sailing qualities<ref name=g1/> and to lessen the chance of the propellers being fouled by fallen rigging.<ref name=g5>Gille, p. 35</ref> As [[Central battery ship|central battery ironclads]], they had their armament concentrated amidships.<ref name=s2>Silverstone, p. 65</ref> Like most ironclads of their era, they were equipped with a plough-shaped [[Naval ram|ram]]. The ships' crew numbered 774 officers and men. Their [[metacentric height]] was low, a little above {{convert|2|ft|m|1|order=flip|sp=us}}.<ref name=g1>Chesneau & Kolesnik, p. 289</ref>

The ships measured {{convert|101.1|-|102.1|m|ftin|sp=us}} [[Length overall|overall]], with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|17.57|-|17.7|m|ftin|sp=us}}. They had maximum [[draft (ship)|drafts]] of {{convert|8.11|-|8.58|m|ftin|sp=us}} and displaced {{convert|8617|-|8814|t|LT|sp=us}}.<ref name=g7>Gille, p. 37</ref>

While the exact reason for such prolonged construction time is not known, it is believed that reduction of the French Navy's budget after the [[Franco-Prussian War]] of 1870–71 and out-of-date work practices in French dockyards were likely causes.<ref>Ropp, pp. 31, 55–58</ref>

===Propulsion===
The ''Colbert'' class had a single Wolf three-cylinder horizontal [[Marine steam engine#Back acting|return connecting-rod compound steam engine]] that drove one propeller. The engine was powered by eight oval [[boiler (steam generator)|boiler]]s and was designed for a capacity of {{convert|4600|ihp|PS kW|lk=in|order=flip}}.<ref name=g1/> On [[sea trial]]s the engines produced {{convert|4652|-|4882|PS}} and the ships reached speeds of {{convert|14.18|-|14.47|kn|lk=in}}.<ref name=g6>Gille, p. 36</ref> The ships carried a maximum of {{convert|620|MT|LT}}<ref name=g1/> of coal which allowed them to steam for approximately {{convert|3300|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|10|kn}}.<ref name=s2/> They were [[ship rig]]ged with three masts and had a sail area around {{convert|23000|sqft|sqm|sp=us|order=flip}}.<ref name=g1/>

===Armament===
[[File:Canon de 27 cm modèle 1870 IMG 7015.JPG|thumb|upright|Mounting of the Canon de 27 cm modèle 1870.]]
The ''Colbert''s had two {{convert|274|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us|1}} guns mounted in [[barbette]]s on the upper deck, one gun at the forward corners of the [[Artillery battery#Naval usage|battery]], with six additional guns on the battery deck below the barbettes. The side of the upper deck were cut away to improve the ability of the barbette guns to bear fore and aft. One {{convert|240|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} gun was mounted in the forecastle as a [[chase gun]]. The ship's secondary armament consisted of six {{convert|138|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} guns, four forward of the battery and two aft. These latter two guns were replaced in 1878 by another 240-millimeter gun as a stern chaser. The ship also mounted four above-water {{convert|356|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} [[torpedo tube]]s.<ref name=d289>de Balincourt and Vincent-Bréchignac, pp. 28–29</ref>

[[File:Canon de 27 cm modèle 1870 IMG 7012.JPG|thumb|left|Canon de 27 cm modèle 1870 in the armoured section of a ''Colbert'' class ironclad, by Gustave Bourgain, circa 1885.]]
All of the guns could fire both [[Round shot|solid shot]] and explosive shells. The 18-[[caliber (artillery)|caliber]] 274-millimeter Modèle 1870 gun fired an [[Armor-piercing shot and shell|armor-piercing]], {{convert|476.2|lb|kg|1|adj=on|order=flip|sp=us}} shell while the gun itself weighed {{convert|22.84|LT|t|order=flip|sp=us}}. The gun fired its shell at a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{convert|1424|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on|order=flip|sp=us}} and was credited with the ability to penetrate {{convert|14.3|in|order=flip|sp=us}} of [[wrought iron]] armor at the [[muzzle (firearms)|muzzle]]. The armor-piercing shell of the 19-caliber 240-millmeter Modèle 1870 gun weighed {{convert|317.5|lb|kg|1|order=flip|sp=us}} while the gun itself weighed {{convert|15.41|LT|t|order=flip|sp=us}}. It had a muzzle velocity of {{convert|1624|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on|order=flip}} and could penetrate {{convert|14.4|in|mm|0|order=flip|sp=us}} of wrought iron armor at the muzzle. The 138-millimeter gun was 21 calibers long and weighed {{convert|2.63|LT|t|order=flip|sp=us}}. It fired a {{convert|61.7|lb|kg|1|adj=on|sp=us|order=flip}} [[Shell (projectile)|explosive shell]] that had a muzzle velocity of {{convert|1529|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on|order=flip}}.<ref>Brassey, p. 477</ref>

At some point the ship received fourteen to eighteen {{convert|37|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} [[Hotchkiss gun|Hotchkiss 5-barrel revolving guns]].<ref name=g1/> They fired a shell weighing about {{convert|500|g|lb|abbr=on}} at a muzzle velocity of about {{convert|610|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}} to a range of about {{convert|3200|m|yd|sp=us}} and had a rate of fire of about 30 rounds per minute.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_1pounder_m1.htm|title=United States of America 1-pdr (0.45 kg) 1.46" (37 mm) Marks 1 through 15|date=15 August 2008|access-date=22 December 2013|publisher=Navweps.com}}</ref>

===Armor===
The ''Colbert''-class ships had a complete wrought iron [[waterline]] [[Belt armor|belt]] that was {{convert|220|mm|in|sp=us|1}} thick amidships and tapered to {{convert|180|mm|in|sp=us|1}} at the stern. It was backed by {{convert|89|mm|in|sp=us|1}} of wood. The sides of the battery itself were armored with {{convert|160|mm|in|sp=us|1}} of wrought iron, backed by {{convert|62|mm|in|sp=us|1}} of wood, and the ends of the battery were closed by transverse armored bulkheads {{convert|120|mm|in|sp=us|1}} thick, backed by {{convert|480|mm|in|sp=us|1}} of wood. The barbettes were unarmored, but the [[deck (ship)|deck]] was {{convert|15|mm|in|sp=us}} thick.<ref name=d29>de Balincourt and Vincent-Bréchignac, p. 29</ref>

==Ships==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" | Ship
! scope="col" | Builder<ref name=g7/>
! scope="col" | Laid down<ref name=g7/>
! scope="col" | Launched<ref name=g7/>
! scope="col" | Completed<ref name=g7/>
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|French ironclad|Colbert||2}}
| [[Arsenal de Brest]], [[Brest, France|Brest]]
| align=center|4 July 1870
| align=center|16 September 1875
| align=center|30 June 1877
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|French ironclad|Trident||2}}
| [[Arsenal de Toulon]], [[Toulon]]
| align=center|April 1870
| align=center|9 November 1876
| align=center|18 November 1878
|}

==Service==
''Colbert'' served as the flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron from 1879 to 1890 when she was placed in [[Reserve fleet|reserve]]. ''Trident'' became the flagship of the second-in-command of the squadron in 1879.<ref name=g1/> The sisters bombarded the port of [[Sfax]] on 15–16 July 1881 as the French occupied Tunisia, under the command of [[Vice Admiral]] [[Henri Garnault]].<ref>Wilson, pp. 2–4</ref>

''Colbert'' was recommissioned in 1892 before she was disarmed and [[Ship decommissioning|paid off]] in 1895. ''Trident'' was disarmed and placed in reserve in 1886–89, but was recommissioned in 1889 and resumed her role as flagship until she was again placed in reserve in 1894. The ship served as a gunnery training ship until she was condemned in 1900.<ref name=g6/> She was renamed ''Var'' in 1904 and was sold for scrap five years later.<ref>Silverstone, p. 114</ref> ''Colbert'' was also condemned in 1900<ref name=g6/> and sold for scrap in 1909.<ref>Silverstone, p. 94</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite journal|last=de Balincourt|first=Captain|author2=Vincent-Bréchignac, Captain|year=1975|title=The French Navy of Yesterday: Ironclad Frigates|journal=F.P.D.S. Newsletter|publisher=F.P.D.S.|location=Akron, OH|volume=III|issue=4|pages=26–29|oclc=41554533}}
* {{cite book|last=Brassey|first=Thomas|authorlink=Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey|title=The Naval Annual 1887|url=https://archive.org/details/brasseysannual00brasgoog|year=1888|publisher=J. Griffin|location=Portsmouth, England|oclc=6000656}}
*{{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|editor2-last=Kolesnik|editor2-first=Eugene M.|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1979|isbn=0-8317-0302-4|name-list-style=amp|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2}}
*{{cite book|last=Gille|first=Eric|title=Cent ans de cuirassés français|publisher=Marines|location=Nantes|year=1999|isbn=2-909675-50-5}}
* {{cite book
  |last=Roberts
  |first=Stephen
  |title=French Warships in the Age of Steam 1859–1914
  |year=2021
  |location=Barnsley
  |publisher=Seaforth
  |isbn=978-1-5267-4533-0
  |ref={{sfnref|Roberts}}
  }}
*{{cite book|last=Ropp|first=Theodore|authorlink=Theodore Ropp|editor-first=Stephen S.|editor-last=Roberts|title=The Development of a Modern Navy: French Naval Policy 1871–1904|year=1987|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=0-87021-141-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Silverstone|first=Paul H.|title=Directory of the World's Capital Ships|year=1984|publisher=Hippocrene Books|location=New York|isbn=0-88254-979-0}}
* {{cite book|last=Wilson|first=H. W.|title=Ironclads in Action: A Sketch of Naval Warfare From 1855 to 1895|url=https://archive.org/details/ironcladsinacti00wilsgoog|volume=2|year=1896|publisher=Little, Brown|location=Boston, Massachusetts|oclc=4848022}}

==External links==
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20110720221326/http://dossiersmarine.free.fr/fs_f_F7.html classe Colbert]
{{Colbert class ironclads}}
{{French ironclads}}

[[Category:Ironclad classes]]
[[Category:Colbert-class ironclads| ]]
[[Category:Ship classes of the French Navy]]