Seagoing Torpedo Boats, 1882-1897: Photo Gallery
In fleet lists as Torpilleurs de haute mer 1885, all but Balny class to Éclaireurs-torpilleurs 1888, Torpilleurs de haute mer 1890, Torpilleurs d'escadre 1899, and Torpilleurs de haute mer 1901.
Balny class from Torpilleurs de haute mer to Torpilleurs de 1re classe 1890.
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Balny class (1885)
Balny
Balny (French seagoing torpedo boat). Designed and built by Normand along with two others of a class of nine. Completed at Le Havre in 1886. (Source: p.cartorum.fr/recto/maxi/000/518/480-torpilleur-balny-ships.jpg)
Dehorter
Dehorter (French seagoing torpedo boat) as yacht Nina d'Asty III. Dehorter was one of three boats built to Normand's design by Claparède at St-Denis (Paris), all three had difficult trials. (Source: forum.pages14-18.com)
Ouragan and Later Ouragan classes (1887, 1889)
Ouragan
Ouragan (French seagoing torpedo boat). A single boat designed and built by the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire at Nantes. An order for four more soon followed. (Source: Postcard, A. Bougault)
Défi
Défi (French seagoing torpedo boat, later Ouragan class). One of four additional boats of the Ouragan class designed and built by the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire at Nantes. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Défi
Défi (French seagoing torpedo boat) in the Défense Mobile at Boulogne-sur-Mer. (Source: Postcard, B.L. 53)
Alarme
Alarme (French seagoing torpedo boat, later Ouragan class) at Tréport. (Source: Postcard, LL.)
Coureur and Aigle classes (1888, 1889)
Coureur
Coureur (French seagoing torpedo boat). Designed and built by Thornycroft at Chiswick in the U.K. as a replica of Ariete and El Rayo which they had just built for Spain. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Coureur
Coureur (French seagoing torpedo boat). The forward funnel is offset to port from the centerline. There are two torpedo tubes in the bow. (Source: Postcard, ND. Phot.)
Audacieux
Audacieux (French seagoing torpedo boat, Aigle class) at Toulon soon after completion, in a photographed received by the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence on 7 December 1892. She and Agile were designed and built by the Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne. (Source: NHHC Photo Archive NH-88783)
Dragon, Turco, Éclair, Sarrazin, and Véloce classes (1891)
Dragon
Dragon (French seagoing torpedo boat) at Villefranche with Kabyle in the left distance. Photo by G.J. Phot. See the torpedo aviso Leger for a similar photo at the same location. (Source: NHHC Photo Archive NH-88791)
Lancier
Lancier (French seagoing torpedo boat, Dragon class). She and sisters Dragon and Grenadier were modifications of the Avant-Garde type designed and built by Normand at Le Havre. (Source: Postcard, J. Puel, phot.)
Turco
Turco (French seagoing torpedo boat), profile and layout of armament. She and Zouave were built by the Chantiers de la Loire at Nantes to plans by Normand. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Kabyle
Kabyle (French seagoing torpedo boat, Éclair class) in the Vieux-Port at Marseilles. She and sisters Éclair and Orage were replicas of the Agile type designed and built by the Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée at La Seyne. Two men are sitting on the after torpedo tube. (Source: Contemporary colorized postcard, Aqua-Photo, L.V. & Cie.)
Tourbillon
Tourbillon (French seagoing torpedo boat, Sarrazin class). She and Sarrazin were built by the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Gironde at Bordeaux to plans adapted by them from Normand's plans for the Agile type. Like Agile they had a single funnel. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Véloce
Véloce (French seagoing torpedo boat). She and Grondeur were replicas of Thornycroft's Coureur and were built by the Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée at Graville near Le Havre. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Grondeur
Grondeur (French seagoing torpedo boat, Véloce class) on the Charente in 1892. (Source: Private digital collection and Wikimedia from SHD Rochefort MR-5-G-483)
Grondeur
Grondeur (French seagoing torpedo boat). She appears to have been reboilered with new funnels. (Source: Postcard, L.C.)
Corsaire, Mousquetaire, and Chevalier classes (1892)
Corsaire
Corsaire (French seagoing torpedo boat). One of three "très rapides," she was designed for 25.5 knots by the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire and was built by them at the former Claparède yard at St-Denis (Paris). She reached 24.2 knots on her best measured mile. (Source: NHHC Photo Archive NH-88800)
Mousquetaire
Mousquetaire (French seagoing torpedo boat). A "très rapide" designed for 24.5 knots which she reached on trials and built by the Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée at Graville. (Source: NHHC Photo Archive NH-88801)
Chevalier
Chevalier (French seagoing torpedo boat). A "très rapide" designed for 24.5 knots and built by Normand at Le Havre. She reached 27.22 knots on trials. (Source: NHHC Photo Archive NH-88799)
Chevalier
Chevalier (French seagoing torpedo boat). Normand's "très rapide" at Toulon. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Lansquenet, Ariel, Tourmente, and Averne classes (1893)
Lansquenet
Lansquenet (French seagoing torpedo boat) alongside Tempête at Brest. Designed and built by Oriolle at Nantes, she was accepted in 1898 for 22 knots in place of the guaranteed 26 knots. She was disposed of in 1900 after striking the jetty at Dunkirk. (Source: NHHC Photo Archive NH-88818)
Flibustier
Flibustier (French seagoing torpedo boat, Ariel class). Another modified Avant-Garde type (see Dragon), she and Ariel were designed and built by Normand. Designed for 23.5 knots, Ariel made 25.87 knots on trials. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Argonaute
Argonaute (French seagoing torpedo boat, Tourmente class). She and Tourmente were designed and built by the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire at Nantes to plans derived from those of Avant-Garde. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Dauphin
Dauphin (French seagoing torpedo boat, Averne class). She and Averne were built by the Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée at Graville to a design strongly influenced by Normand's Dragon. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Aquilon and Forban classes (1894)
Aquilon
Aquilon (French seagoing torpedo boat). Identical to the Ariel type except for different boilers, she was designed and built by Normand, Le Havre. (Source: NHHC Photo Archive NH-64372)
Forban
Forban (French seagoing torpedo boat). A high speed modification of the Ariel type designed for 29 knots and built by Normand at Le Havre. (Source: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Forban
Forban (French seagoing torpedo boat) alongside at Rochefort in 1896. She made just over 31 knots on trials. (Source: Private digital collection and Wikimedia from SHD Rochefort MR-5-G-399)
Mangini and Cyclone classes (1896, 1897)
Mangini
Mangini (French seagoing torpedo boat). An improved Tourmente type designed for 24 knots and built by the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire at Nantes, she made 26.62 knots on trials. (Source: Postcard)
Cyclone
Cyclone (French seagoing torpedo boat). An improved Forban type designed for 29 knots and built by Normand at Le Havre, she made 30.38 knots on trials. (Source: NHHC Photo Archive NH-55639)
Cyclone
Cyclone (French seagoing torpedo boat) with Forban and Flibustier med-moored at Golfe Juan near Cannes. (Source: Postcard, P.L.M., edit., Cannes)