HNLMS Schorpioen
Encyclopedia
HNLMS Schorpioen is a sister ship of HNLMS Buffel
. Built in the same year, 1868 in France, they were the core of the then renewed Royal Netherlands Navy
, replacing the outdated wooden ships that combined sailing and steam propulsion and carried so called smooth-bore guns. These new ships were equipped with heavy rifled 23 cm guns, and a heavy armor. The hull had an armor plated belt of 15 cm (6 inches) and the gun turret
, housing the two guns, had almost 30 cm (12 inches)of armor.
She came from the building yard with two tripod masts and able to employ about 600 m2 of sails, but she proved to be a difficult sailing ship and some years later the yards, masts and the sails were removed. As with the Buffel her huge steam engines gave her a max. speed of 13 knots (25.5 km/h). Her striking weapon was the pointed ram bow, slightly different than the Buffels, but she never ever used this overestimated weapon.
and sank in two hours. Fortunately, she could be raised and repaired. In 1906 she completed her role as an operational warship and was transformed into a lodging or accommodation ship.
At the beginning of World War II
, she fell into German hands, was towed to Germany, and served there as a lodging - and storage ship. After the war, in 1947 she was found in Hamburg
(Germany) and towed back to Den Helder; again to become a lodging ship, first in Amsterdam
and later in Den Helder where she became the barracks for the Dutch WRNS. In 1982, after decommissioning, she was bought by a private foundation that was established to transform her into a floating museum in Middelburg
, in the southern part of the country. Seven years later, after a complete renovation, she opened her doors to visitors, as a museum.
In 1995, the Royal Netherlands Navy
purchased her back and put her under the supervision of the Dutch Navy Museum
in Den Helder where she is now the third, and largest, vessel on display. In May 2000, after a renovation period of eighteen months to restore her to her former glory, the ship was opened to visitors.
HNLMS Buffel
HNLMS Buffel is a 19th century iron-clad ram ship, now one of the main attractions of the Maritime Museum Rotterdam, also known as the Prince Hendrik Museum, named after its founder, Prince Henry "the Navigator", who had a naval career and established the basis of the museum back in 1874.- Build...
. Built in the same year, 1868 in France, they were the core of the then renewed Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, replacing the outdated wooden ships that combined sailing and steam propulsion and carried so called smooth-bore guns. These new ships were equipped with heavy rifled 23 cm guns, and a heavy armor. The hull had an armor plated belt of 15 cm (6 inches) and the gun turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
, housing the two guns, had almost 30 cm (12 inches)of armor.
She came from the building yard with two tripod masts and able to employ about 600 m2 of sails, but she proved to be a difficult sailing ship and some years later the yards, masts and the sails were removed. As with the Buffel her huge steam engines gave her a max. speed of 13 knots (25.5 km/h). Her striking weapon was the pointed ram bow, slightly different than the Buffels, but she never ever used this overestimated weapon.
Service record
As with the Buffel, her record is not very impressive. In 1886 the Schorpioen was hit in the stern quarter by a paddle steam tugboat in the harbor of Den HelderDen Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
and sank in two hours. Fortunately, she could be raised and repaired. In 1906 she completed her role as an operational warship and was transformed into a lodging or accommodation ship.
At the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she fell into German hands, was towed to Germany, and served there as a lodging - and storage ship. After the war, in 1947 she was found in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
(Germany) and towed back to Den Helder; again to become a lodging ship, first in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and later in Den Helder where she became the barracks for the Dutch WRNS. In 1982, after decommissioning, she was bought by a private foundation that was established to transform her into a floating museum in Middelburg
Middelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
, in the southern part of the country. Seven years later, after a complete renovation, she opened her doors to visitors, as a museum.
In 1995, the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
purchased her back and put her under the supervision of the Dutch Navy Museum
Dutch Navy Museum
The Dutch Navy Museum is a naval museum in Den Helder, Netherlands.The museum is dedicated to the history of the Koninklijke Marine ....
in Den Helder where she is now the third, and largest, vessel on display. In May 2000, after a renovation period of eighteen months to restore her to her former glory, the ship was opened to visitors.
See also
- HMLMS Schorpioen at Dutch Naval Museum
- HNSA Ship Page: HMLMS Schorpioen
- HNLMS BonaireHNLMS BonaireHNLMS Bonaire was a 4th class screw steamship of the Royal Netherlands Navy, now under restoration as a museum ship.Bonaire was built for the Royal Netherlands Navy as a steam frigate with barquentine rig and a retractable screw, and was launched at Rotterdam on 12 May 1877.From 1924 she served at...
- HNLMS BuffelHNLMS BuffelHNLMS Buffel is a 19th century iron-clad ram ship, now one of the main attractions of the Maritime Museum Rotterdam, also known as the Prince Hendrik Museum, named after its founder, Prince Henry "the Navigator", who had a naval career and established the basis of the museum back in 1874.- Build...
- List of museum ships