British Ironclads 1860–75
After the French warship La Gloire was launched in 1859, Britain, not to be outdone, launched her own ironclad the following year - HMS Warrior. When she entered service, she became the most powerful warship in the world.
Just like the Dreadnought half a century later, this ship changed the nature of naval warfare forever, and sparked a frantic arms race. The elegant but powerful Warrior embodied the technological advances of the early Victorian era, and the spirit of this new age of steam, iron and firepower.
Fully illustrated with detailed cutaway artwork, this book covers the British ironclad from its inception and emergence in 1860, to 1875, a watershed year, which saw the building of a new generation of recognisably modern turreted battleships.
Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and has written widely on naval history, with well over a hundred books in print. He is a former Royal Navy officer, maritime archaeologist and museum curator. Now a full-time author and historian, he lives in Orkney.
Paul Wright has painted ships of all kinds for most of his career, specializing in steel and steam warships from the late 19th century to the present day. He is a Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists and has illustrated the works of Patrick O’Brian, Dudley Pope and C.S. Forester amongst others.