HMS Warrior

HMS Warrior was the Royal Navy’s revolutionary iron-hulled warship launched in 1860, created in response to rapid advances in naval technology and the construction of France’s armored ship La Gloire.

Source: Naval Nostalgia | Facebook

“HMS Warrior was the Royal Navy’s revolutionary iron-hulled warship launched in 1860, created in response to rapid advances in naval technology and the construction of France’s armored ship La Gloire. Designed by naval architect Isaac Watts and built at Thames Ironworks, she displaced more than 8,000 tons and combined sail power with a powerful steam engine capable of speeds exceeding 17 knots during trials. Warrior carried heavy rifled guns and was protected by thick iron armor plating, making her the most powerful warship of her time and widely regarded as the first true modern battleship. Commissioned in August 1861 under Captain A. A. Cochrane, she served with the Channel Squadron, took part in fleet reviews, and demonstrated the effectiveness of ironclad naval design even though she never fired a shot in combat.

“As naval technology advanced quickly, newer warships soon surpassed Warrior, and by 1871 she was withdrawn from frontline service and later used in coastguard and training roles. In 1904 she became part of the torpedo training establishment at Portsmouth, renamed Vernon III, and eventually was reduced to a floating jetty at an oil depot in Wales, where she remained for decades. Recognition of her historic importance led to a major preservation effort beginning in the late twentieth century. After extensive restoration at Hartlepool, the ship was towed back to Portsmouth in 1987 and placed at the Historic Dockyard, where she remains preserved today as a fully restored museum ship and the last surviving example of the ironclad warships that transformed naval warfare.”