The French ironclad Revanche was a notable example of the Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Laid down in March 1861 at the Arsenal de Toulon and launched on 28 December 1865, she was commissioned for trials in April 1867 and fully commissioned in May of that year. Revanche measured approximately 82.9 meters (272 feet) in length, with a beam of 17.06 meters (56 feet) and a draft of 8.4 meters (27 feet 7 inches) at deep load. Displacing around 5,810 metric tons, she carried a crew of roughly 579 to 594 officers and men. Constructed as an enlarged and improved version of earlier ironclads, Revanche featured thick armor with 150 mm of wrought iron on her sides, reinforced by 750 mm of wood backing, and 110 mm armor on her battery with an additional 610 mm of wood. Her conning tower was protected by 100 mm armor. Her propulsion system consisted of a three-cylinder horizontal-return connecting-rod steam engine rated at approximately 3,200 horsepower, driving a single screw propeller. She was powered by eight boilers and could steam for about 2,410 nautical miles at 10 knots. Revanche was also rigged with a three-masted barque sail plan, covering 1,960 square meters. Revanche's armament initially included a mixed battery of four 240 mm RMLs and six 194 mm guns, later possibly upgraded to eight 240 mm RMLs on the gundeck. Her main offensive capability was complemented by additional guns on the forecastle and quarterdeck, serving as chase guns. Her service was relatively brief and marked by participation in the Franco-Prussian War, where she was deployed to blockade German ports and intercept Prussian ironclads. During the war, she operated in the North Sea and off Heligoland, but difficulties in coaling at sea, combined with storms, limited her effectiveness. After the war, she was placed in reserve but was reactivated in 1875, serving as a flagship in the Mediterranean Squadron. In 1877, she suffered a significant boiler explosion that resulted in 26 deaths and 60 injuries, prompting extensive repairs. She returned to service until decommissioning in 1883, later serving as a station and guard ship before being struck from the naval register and scrapped in 1893. Revanche's career exemplifies the transitional period of naval technology and the strategic shifts of the French Navy in the late 19th century.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.