Shipbucket

Hello again!

For variety's sake: A pre-pre-dreadnought, one of Britain's earlies turret ships: HMS Neptune

Ordered by Brazil as Independencia, she was purchased by the RN in 1878 when war with Russia seemed imminent. The war could be averted, and the RN was stuck with a less than satisfying vessel. She carried four 305mm (or 317mm, sources vary, the latter sounding more likely) rifled muzzle loaders in huge twin turrets with rather limited arcs, two 234mm bow chasers in casemates and three twenty-pounder broadside guns on each side; the smaller guns also were all muzzle loaders. Protection was extensive, the citadel having 254mm iron plating right to upper deck level. Unfortunately, armament, protection, superstructure and a heavy ship rig created extensive topweight, and she was a bad roller with poor maneuverability.


In the mid-1880s, the rig was cut down, and the light guns were replaced with 8 57mm and 6 47mm breach-loaders; these changes brought a slight improvement in seakeeping, but the ship remained unpopular.


She was placed in reserve in 1893 and scrapped in 1903.

Greetings
GD

Fantastic additions!

More lovely works.

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Brazil ordered her with 305mm guns, but after purchase by the British, she was rearmed with RN standard 12.5"(317mm) ones. At least that's what Wikipedia says(I think they're quoting Parkes on this one).

Good evening, gentleman: Neptune was the ironclad ordered with Withworth hexagonal guns in the main battery?

I'd say so, since Brazil was a user of Whitworth guns, but I'm not sure on this.

Hi all!

OK, I started this, so I looked it up. Conway mentions the original armament indeed was Whitworth made, and replaced with British standard ordnance when acquired by the RN. Conway does not mention a larger caliber (317mm instead of 305mm), they just don't mention at all what caliber the new guns had, so I imagined it stayed the same. Wrong, probably. If Parkes says 317mm, then that's likely what it was.

Beautiful work of art, Garlicdesign.
An excellent thread, which draws me again and again to see those old ships.

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Hgrmph. Posted in wrong topic.