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HMS Viper (1865) facts for kids

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HMS Viper (1865) cut away.jpg
A contemporary cut away diagram of Viper
Quick facts for kids
History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
Name HMS Viper
Ordered 22 March 1864
Builder J & W Dudgeon, Cubitt Town, London
Cost £51,127
Laid down 1864
Launched 21 December 1865
Commissioned 1866
Fate
  • Harbour service 1890
  • Tank vessel 1901
  • Sold at Bermuda 1908
General characteristics
Displacement 1,228 tons
Tons burthen 737 bm
Length 160 ft (49 m) pp
Beam 32 ft (9.8 m)
Draught 11 ft (3.4 m)
Installed power 696 ihp (519 kW)
Propulsion
  • Two 2-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engines by Maudslay, Sons & Field
  • Twin screws
Sail plan Barquentine rig (removed 1873)
Speed 9.5 kn (17.6 km/h)
Complement 80
Armament
Armour 4.5 in (11 cm) iron belt and bulkheads with 10 in (25 cm) of teak backing

HMS Viper was a special kind of gunboat built from iron and covered in armor. She was the only ship of her type. She was also the fourteenth ship in the Royal Navy to be named Viper.

Ship Design and Features

The Admiralty designed Viper as an experimental ship. She was like a "half-sister" to two other ships, Vixen and Waterwitch. All three were built to test new ideas. While Viper and Vixen used two propellers, Waterwitch had a unique water-pump system. Vixen was very similar to Viper, but she was made from a mix of materials.

Hull Construction

Viper was an armored gunboat with a special "breastwork" design. Her body, or hull, was made of strong iron. This iron was backed by a thick layer of teak wood, about 10 inches (25 cm) thick. At the back of the ship, there were special openings. These allowed the propellers to be lifted out of the water. This helped the ship move better when it was only using its sails.

Engine and Speed

The ship had two steam engines, each with four cylinders. These engines powered her two propellers, which were 9 feet (2.7 meters) wide. Together, the engines produced 696 horsepower. This power allowed Viper to reach a top speed of 9.5 knots (about 17.6 km/h). Two large boilers provided the steam needed for the engines.

Sail Plan and Changes

Viper was originally built with a barquentine rig. This meant she had a specific setup of masts and sails. However, in 1873, all her masts, ropes, and other top-deck parts were removed. This happened because it was decided that Viper and Vixen would stay permanently in Bermuda.

Ship's Weapons

Viper carried two large 7-inch (17.8 cm) guns. These were muzzle-loading guns, meaning they were loaded from the front. She also had two smaller 20-pounder (9 kg) guns. These were breech-loading, which means they were loaded from the back. One of the 7-inch guns from either Viper or Vixen was displayed in St. George's, Bermuda, as recently as 1991.

Building the Ship

The order for Viper was placed with J & W Dudgeon in Cubitt Town, London, on March 22, 1864. Her construction began in the same year. She was officially launched into the water on December 21, 1865. Viper was then ready for testing in 1867. The total cost to build her was £51,127.

Ship's Service and Trials

HMS Vixen (1865)
Vixen (left), a ship very similar to Viper, at Bermuda Dockyard.

Viper, Vixen, and Waterwitch took part in special tests. These trials happened in Stokes Bay in the Solent during the late 1860s. The ships were good at turning, but none of them could go faster than 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h). This was slower than other ships of the time, like Warrior, which could reach 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h).

Also, Vixen almost sank in the Irish Channel during a big storm in 1876. This showed that these ships were not very good for sailing in rough open seas. Because of this, Vixen and Viper were towed to Bermuda in 1868. The waters around Bermuda were better suited for steam-powered ships like them.

In July 1869, both Viper and Vixen helped move a large floating dock called Bermuda. They moved it from The Narrows to the dockyard. In 1873, all their masts and rigging were removed. This change might have helped Viper survive a strong hurricane in 1878. The hurricane caused serious damage to the floating dock and other parts of the dockyard.

What Happened to Viper

Viper was used for harbor duties starting in 1890. In 1901, she was changed into a vessel for carrying liquids, like a tank ship. Finally, in 1908, Viper was sold in Bermuda.

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