Colonial Wargames - Flatiron Gunboats

Flatiron Gunboats of the Royal and British Colonial Navies

For images of the ships listed here, click on the appropriate link.

Royal Navy

STAUNCH

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Staunch	180 tons	80’ x 25’ x 6’ 5"	7 knots	1 x 9" RML	25	The prototype flatiron gunboat 1904: Sold for use as a Fuel Barge

PLUCKY

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Plucky	212 tons	80’ x 25’ 1" x 6’ 1"	7.5 knots	1 x 9" RML	31	1914: Disarmed; Miscellaneous harbour service (Portsmouth) 1915: Renamed Banterer 1928: Sold for commercial use 1969: Scrapped

ANT Class

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Ant	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML 1914: 2 x 4.7"	30	1906: Subsidiary duties 1914: Rearmed 1914 - 1916: Used to bombard the Belgian coast 1916: Disarmed; Converted into a Boom Defence Vessel 1921: Target Vessel 1926: Sold and scrapped
Arrow	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1914: Disarmed; Miscellaneous harbour service (Portsmouth) 1922: Sold
Badger	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1908: Sold
Blazer	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML 1914: 2 x 12 pdr. QF 2 x 6 pdr. QF	30	1906: Subsidiary duties 1914: Rearmed 1914 - 1916: Used to bombard the Belgian coast 1916: Disarmed 1919: Sold
Bloodhound	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML 1914: 2 x 6 pdr. QF	30	1914: Rearmed 1914 - 1915: Used to bombard the Belgian coast 1915: Disarmed 1921: Sold
Bonetta	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	Converted into a Salvage Vessel Renamed Dispenser 1909: Sold for commercial use 1940: Lost
Bulldog	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1906: Sold
Bustard	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML 1914: 1 x 6" 1 x 4.7"	30	1914: Rearmed 1914 - 1916: Used to bombard the Belgian coast 1916: Disarmed 1923: Sold
Comet	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1908: Sold and scrapped
Cuckoo	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1912: Hulked; Renamed Vivid; Used as a Tender 1920: Renamed Vivid II 1923: Renamed YC37 1959: Sold
Fidget	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1905: Sold
Hyaena	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1906: Sold
Kite	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML 1914: 1 x 6" 1 x 4.7"	30	1914: Rearmed 1914 - 1915: Used to bombard the Belgian coast 1915: Disarmed 1920: Sold for conversion into a Dredger
Mastiff	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML 1914: 2 x 4.7" 1 x 12 pdr. QF	30	1914: Rearmed; Renamed Snapper 1914 - 1916: Used to bombard the Belgian coast 1916: Disarmed 1931: Sold and scrapped
Pickle	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1906: Sold
Pike	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1908: Converted into a Boom Defence Vessel 1920: Sold
Scourge	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1903: Converted into a Tank Vessel; Renamed C79
Snake	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1907: Converted into a Cable Lighter; Renamed YC15
Snap	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1909: Sold
Weasel	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1904: Converted into a Oil Lighter; Renamed C118

GADFLY Class

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Gadfly	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1900: Converted into a Coal Lighter; Renamed YC230 1918: Sold
Griper	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1905: Converted into a Steam Lighter; Renamed YC373 1923: Renamed Flora 1933: Renamed Afrikander 1951: Broken Up
Pincher	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1905: Sold
Tickler	254 tons	85’ x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1902: Converted into a Steam Lighter 1919: Renamed Afrikander 1933: Renamed Afrikander II 1937: Broken up

BOUNCER Class

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Bouncer	265 tons	87’ 4" x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	Sold 1905.
Insolent	265 tons	87’ 4" x 26’ 1" x 6’ 6"	8.5 knots	1 x 10" RML	30	1906: Disarmed; Miscellaneous harbour service (Portsmouth) 1915: Converted into a Boom Defence Vessel 1922: Wrecked 1925: Wreck sold for breaking up

HANDY

Name

Displacement

Dimensions

Speed

Armament

Crew

Notes

Handy 508 tons 115" x 37’ x 9' - 1 x 7.5"
1 x 4" - Used for trials. Experimentally fitted with a 13.5" BL of the type used on the Royal Sovereign class Ironclads
1891: Gunnery TS; Renamed Excellent
1916: Renamed Calcutta
1917: Renamed Snapper
1924: Sold

South Australia

PROTECTOR

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Protector	920 tons	188’ x 30’ x 12' 6’	14 knots	1 x 8" BL 5 x 6" BL 4 x 3 pdr. QF 5 x MG 1914: 3 x 4" 2 x 12 pdr. QF 4 x 3 pdr. QF	90	1900 - 1901: Boxer Rising 1914: Rearmed; Gunnery TS (Williamstown) 1914 - 1918. Used as a Submarine Depot Ship and Port Guard Ship 1921: Renamed Cerberus 1924: Sold; Converted into a Lighter 1931: Renamed Sidney 1943: Requisitioned by US Army; Damaged beyond repair in a collision with a tug; Hulk sunk as a breakwater (Heron Island, Queensland) 1983: Hulk still extant

Queensland

GAYUNDAH Class

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Gayundah	385 tons	115’ x 26’ x 9’ 6"	10.5 knots	1 x 8" BL 1 x 6" BL 2 x 1.5" QF 2 x MG 1905: 1 x 8" BL 1 x 4.7" BL 2 x 12 pdr. QF 2 x MG 1917: 1 x 4.7" 2 x 12 pdr. QF	55	1905: Rearmed 1914 - 1918: TS 1917: Rearmed 1921: Sold
Paluma	385 tons	115’ x 26’ x 9’ 6"	10.5 knots	1 x 8" BL 1 x 6" BL 2 x 1.5" QF 2 x MG 1899: 2 x 5" BL 2 x 1.5" QF 2 x MG	55	1885 - 1895: Disarmed; Survey Ship 1899: Rearmed 1916: Sold 1951: Scrapped

Victoria

ALBERT

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Albert	361 tons	115’ x 25’ x 9’ 6"	10.5 knots	1 x 8" BL 1 x 6" BL 2 x 9 pdr. BL 2 x MG	55	Originally named Melbourne 1897: Sold to War Department; Converted into a Buoy Lighter 1917: Sold

VICTORIA

Name	Displacement	Dimensions	Speed	Armament	Crew	Notes
Victoria	544 tons	140’ x 27’ x 11’	12.5 knots	1 x 10" BL 2 x 12½ pdr. BL 2 x MG 1888: 1 x 8" BL 1 x 6" BL 2 x 12½ pdr. BL 2 x MG	53	1888: Rearmed 1896: Sold for commercial use; Used as a Survey Ship 1920: Converted into a Tug 1935: Broken up

Key

-	=	Unknown
BL	=	Breech Loading Gun
cwt.	=	112 lbs.
ihp	=	indicated horse power
MG	=	Machine Guns
pdr.	=	pounder
QF	=	Quick Firing Gun
RML	=	Rifled Muzzle Loading Gun
SBML	=	Smooth Bore Muzzle Loading Gun
tons	=	20 cwt. or 2240 lbs.
TS	=	Training Ship
TT	=	Torpedo Tubes

For images of the ships listed here, click on the appropriate link.