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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}{{Infobox ship image| Ship image=HMS Icarus (1858).jpg | Ship image size = 300px | Ship caption=HMS Icarus
}}{{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Racer class | Builders = | Operators = | Swallow|sloop|4}} | Greyhound|sloop|4}} | Subclasses = | Built range = 1855 - 1860 | In commission range = 1856 - 1877 | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = | Total ships completed = 5 | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships scrapped = 5 | Total ships preserved =
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header= | Header caption= | Ship type=Sloop | Ship displacement= 861 tons | Ship tons burthen= 577 30/94 bm | 151|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} (gundeck)- {{convert|131|ft|3.75|in|m|1|abbr=on}} (keel)
| 29|ft|1|in|m|1|abbr=on}} | Ship height= | Ship draught= | 15|ft|10|in|m|1|abbr=on}} | Ship power=*150 nhp- {{convert|461|-|617|ihp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion=*2-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine | Ship sail plan=Barque rig | 10|kn|km/h|lk=in}} | Ship range= | Ship endurance= | Ship complement=120 | Ship armament=*1 × 32-pdr gun (58cwt) on pivot- 10 × 32-pdr (25cwt) carronades
| Ship armour= | Ship notes=
}} | The Racer-class sloop was an 11-gun wooden screw sloop class of five ships built for the Royal Navy between 1855 and 1860. DesignBuilt of a traditional wooden construction, the Racer class were a lengthened version of the {{sclass-|Swallow|sloop|1}}, which in turn had been intended as "type of screw vessel below the Cruizer". The extra length gave greater speed, and combined with a considerable increase in power, this gave a speed of about {{convert|10|kn|km/h|lk=in}}, rather more than the {{convert|7|kn|km/h}} of the previous class.[1] The class were armed with a single 32-pounder gun (58 cwt) gun on a pivot mount and ten 32-pounder (25 cwt) carronades on the broadside. These guns were all smoothbore muzzle-loading, and were little changed from the standard guns of Nelson's era.[2] Propulsion was provided by a two-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine developing {{convert|461|ihp|kW|lk=in}} and driving a single screw. At maximum power under steam, top speed was about {{convert|10|kn|km/h}}. A barque rig of sails was carried, which meant the ships of the class had three masts with a square rig on the fore and main masts.[1] ShipsThe first three ships were ordered on 3 April 1854, although both Cordelia and Gannet were ordered as Swallow-class sloops, with the design being changed before construction. Icarus was ordered on 3 February 1855 and Pantaloon was ordered on 1 April 1857.[1] | Name | Ship Builder[1] | Laid down[1] | Launched[1] | Fate[1] |
|---|
| Cordelia|1856|2}} | Pembroke Dockyard | October 1855 | 3 July 1856 | Sold for breaking on 12 May 1870 | | Racer|1857|2}} | Deptford Dockyard | 1 October 1856 | 4 November 1857 | Broken up in 1876 | | Gannet|1857|2}} | Pembroke Dockyard | December 1856 | 29 December 1857 | Broken up in February 1877 | | Icarus|1858|2}} | Deptford Dockyard | 7 April 1857 | 22 October 1858 | Sold for breaking on 23 January 1875 | | Pantaloon|1860|2}} | Devonport Dockyard | 2 November 1857 | 26 September 1860 | Sold for breaking on 18 September 1867 |
Citations1. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 Winfield (2004) p.216
2. ^Bastock, p.29.
References- Bastock, John (1988), Ships on the Australia Station, Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd; Frenchs Forest, Australia. {{ISBN|0-86777-348-0}}
- {{winfield}}
{{Racer class sloop}} 3 : Sloops of the Royal Navy|Victorian-era sloops of the United Kingdom|Sloop classes |