'Vandalia' American Sloop-of-War (With Plans)

[Ned Loe]

USS Vandalia (1828)

 

The first Vandalia was an 18-gun sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the Second Seminole War and the American Civil War. She was named for the city of Vandalia, Illinois.

 

Vandalia was laid down at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1825; launched in 1828; and commissioned on 6 November of that year, Commander John Gallagher in command.

 

Complement:

150 officers and enlisted

Armament:

4 × 8 in (200 mm) shell guns

16 × 32-pounder guns

 

 

 

 

 

[Haratik]

Interesting but not sure she'll be a viable option

[3rdguards]

Aye she's a bit late in the timeline and the shell guns are a bit to OP. Also 32s. The us loved mounting 32s on everything.

[maturin]

Named after a town in Illinois?

 

We must trawl the archives for information on the USS Fargo!

[Talos]

Correct, named after the then-capital of Illinois. There wasn't a USS Fargo until the light cruiser in the 1940s.

 

Vandalia was one of a mass of 2nd-class sloops built to three different designs, one by Humphreys, one by Doughty, and one by Barker. Vandalia was one of the former. They were not very well-liked. Well-built at least, but rather slow and overloaded. She was actually built with 24 x 24-pounders before the 32-pounders of 32cwt and 8" shell guns of 55cwt replaced them.

 

http://i.imgur.com/8DBsv37.jpg

 

[Haratik]

24's on a sloop, might as well call her a frigate for this timeline >.>

[Talos]

Vandalia and the others were originally fitted with a special, lightweight "medium" 24-pounder that was built to a conical design not unlike Congreve's guns. They were too light to double-shot and not very effective. Then-Captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones was director of ordnance and condemned them as worthless and unsafe. He preferred the full long gun that could be overloaded safely.

 

Uploading a few more cannon drawings. The unique 24-pounder they were equipped with was the one six guns from the bottom, the one with the low trunnions.