T.B. 1 Class Torpedo Boat (1876)

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The Royal Navy's first first-class torpedo boat, H.M.S. Lightning (later re-designated T.B. 1, not to be confused with either the second-class torpedo boats of 1883 or the numeric designation of the Cricket class coastal destroyers of 1906) was constructed by John I. Thornycroft & Company. It was armed with 14-in Whitehead torpedoes, displaced 32.5 tons and was 87 feet in overall length and could make 19 knots.

The success of this prototype prompted orders for 18 more boats to a similar specification from Thornycroft and other builders. None of the boats carried guns, only torpedoes being fired from a variety of means: fixed bow tubes, drop collars, and deck mounted tubes. There was some variety to their particulars, but we treat them as a common class with sub-types.

Service

It was soon recognized that their small size limited their seaworthiness severely.[1] When the Admiralty decided to deploy two boats to the Mediterranean bases in 1880, they were ferried out as deck cargo aboard the troopship Tamar.[2]

T.B. 1

Originally named H.M.S. Lightning, and often referred to as such in contemporary accounts.

T.B. 2 Type

Eleven additional boats, T.B. 2 through T.B. 12, were built by Thornycroft. They were almost identical to Lightning, but lacked her coach roof (a legacy of being based off a civilian steam launch design).

As Lightning had been altered to land her drop collars for a bow-mounted tube, these ships had just a single bow-mounted tube for their 14-in Whitehead torpedoes.

However, oddly, two drop collars for 14-in Whitehead torpedoes were later added, though it is not clear whether this meant the torpedo tubes were removed.[3]

T.B. 13

T.B. 13 was Maudslay, Sons and Field's try to surpass the successful example of Thornycroft's torpedo boat H.M.S. Lightning. It had a brass hull, which was unusual. She was a poor sea boat and slow, despite an engine that seemed strong.

T.B. 14

T.B. 14 was Yarrow & Company's try. It was regarded as the best effort at creating an effective vessel on the Lightning archetype.[4]

T.B. 15

Hanna, Donald & Wilson's boat.

It was sent to the Cape of Africa soon after completion, and eventually wound up with her hull being made into a retaining wall.[5]

T.B. 16

Built by Lewin at Poole, T.B. 16 was never accepted into service owing to the slow pace of construction.[6] The cause of these delays was the decision to employ a hydraulic jet propulsion system instead of a conventional power plant.[7]

T.B. 17 Type

T.B. 17 and T.B. 18 were Yarrow & Company-built boats intended for Russia that were purchased by the Royal Navy during the war scare.

A single bow-mounted tube for 14-in Whitehead torpedoes. Later, their tube and spare torpedo were replaced with dropping gear for two torpedoes.[8]

T.B. 19

J. Samuel White-built version of Thornycroft's torpedo boat H.M.S. Lightning.

Though the aspiring competitors were apparently provided some level of detail of Lightning's design, the amount of copying and the terms of its provision are unknown.

The ship did not prove very long in service and was considered unfit in 1886.[9]

A single bow-mounted tube for 14-in Whitehead torpedoes. Later, their tube and spare torpedo were replaced with dropping gear for two torpedoes.[10]

T.B. 20

T.B. 20 was the second attempt by J. & G. Rennie to fulfill their contract for a torpedo boat, the first having been rejected by the Admiralty and sold aboard. T.B. 20 turned poorly and was so slow that she only could sprint 11 knots in 1894. She spent most of her service in Hong Kong.[11][12]

A single bow-mounted tube for a 14-in Whitehead torpedo with a spare. Later, the tube and spare torpedo were replaced with dropping gear for two torpedoes.[13]

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence". The Times. Monday, 2 February, 1880. Issue 29793, col B, p. 10.
  2. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence". The Times. Friday, 20 August, 1880. Issue 29965, col A, p. 8.
  3. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 101.
  4. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 102.
  5. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 102.
  6. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 102.
  7. ↑ Lyon; Winfield. The Steam & Sail List. p. 309.
  8. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 102.
  9. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 102.
  10. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 102.
  11. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 102.
  12. ↑ Lyon; Winfield. The Steam & Sail List. p. 309.
  13. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 102.

Bibliography


T.B. 1 Class First-class Torpedo Boat
Lightning
  T.B. 1  
Thornycroft Repeat Lightnings
T.B. 2 T.B. 3 T.B. 4 T.B. 5 T.B. 6
  T.B. 7 T.B. 8 T.B. 9  
  T.B. 10 T.B. 11 T.B. 12  
Other Builders
T.B. 13 T.B. 14 T.B. 15 T.B. 17 T.B. 18
  T.B. 19 T.B. 20  
  Torpedo Boats (UK) H.M. T.B. 63 –>
  First-class Torpedo Boats (UK) T.B. 39 Class –>



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