Post by IRONCLAD on Feb 24, 2004 20:58:12 GMT -5
CSS VIRGINIA
------------
From June 1861 to March 1862 the C.S. Navy employed up to 1,500 workers in the construction of the ironclad ram CSS Virginia. Built using the salvaged hull and machinery of the USS Merrimack, the Virginia was 263ft x 51ft, weighed 3,200 tons, and had a 19-to 22ft draft, depending on load. Mounted atop the gun deck was a 170-ft-long, 4-sided armored casemate, angled on the sides and ends at 35 to 38 degrees to deflect shot. The casemate was pierced with 14 gun openings: 3 at each end and 4 along each side. The casemate was covered by long iron plates, laid horizontally. the armor was backed by 4-in-thick oak planks, laid vertically, 8-in-thick pine, laid horizontally, and 12-in-thick pine, laid vertically.
The top of the casemate was covered with a grating of 2-in iron bars, and had 4 hatches. An iron pilothouse topped the forward end of the casemate. Each end of the deck for 50 feet was unarmored, but was underwater while the ship was in fighting trim. A false bow prevented water from running up on the casemate. A 1,500-lb, 4-ft ram projected from the bow underwater. Armament consisted of two 7-in rifled guns mounted on pivot, one at each end, and three 9-in smoothbores and a 6.4-in rifle on each broadside. 2 engines and 5 boilers provided 1,294 hp to the two-bladed 17-ft propeller- much too little for her massive tonnage, as she made only 4-5 knots while burning 3,400 pounds of coal per hour. Volunteers from the Army, a few trained seamen, and 45 marines made up the crew of some 300 men.
----------
Courtesy Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va.
----------
IRONCLAD
------------
From June 1861 to March 1862 the C.S. Navy employed up to 1,500 workers in the construction of the ironclad ram CSS Virginia. Built using the salvaged hull and machinery of the USS Merrimack, the Virginia was 263ft x 51ft, weighed 3,200 tons, and had a 19-to 22ft draft, depending on load. Mounted atop the gun deck was a 170-ft-long, 4-sided armored casemate, angled on the sides and ends at 35 to 38 degrees to deflect shot. The casemate was pierced with 14 gun openings: 3 at each end and 4 along each side. The casemate was covered by long iron plates, laid horizontally. the armor was backed by 4-in-thick oak planks, laid vertically, 8-in-thick pine, laid horizontally, and 12-in-thick pine, laid vertically.
The top of the casemate was covered with a grating of 2-in iron bars, and had 4 hatches. An iron pilothouse topped the forward end of the casemate. Each end of the deck for 50 feet was unarmored, but was underwater while the ship was in fighting trim. A false bow prevented water from running up on the casemate. A 1,500-lb, 4-ft ram projected from the bow underwater. Armament consisted of two 7-in rifled guns mounted on pivot, one at each end, and three 9-in smoothbores and a 6.4-in rifle on each broadside. 2 engines and 5 boilers provided 1,294 hp to the two-bladed 17-ft propeller- much too little for her massive tonnage, as she made only 4-5 knots while burning 3,400 pounds of coal per hour. Volunteers from the Army, a few trained seamen, and 45 marines made up the crew of some 300 men.
----------
Courtesy Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va.
----------
IRONCLAD