HMS Black Eagle

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Firebrand.

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Firebrand (1831-1843) HMS Black Eagle (1843-1876)
Owner:	Royal Navy
Ordered:	28 January 1831
Builder:	Merchant's yard, Limehouse
Cost:	£19,964
Laid down:	April 1831
Launched:	11 July 1831
Commissioned:	11 July 1831
Fate:	Broken up, March 1876
General characteristics
Class & type:	Firebrand-class steam vessel
Displacement:	As built: 510 tonnes
Tons burthen:	As built: 495 bm From 1843: 540 bm
Length:	As built: 155 ft 3 in (47.3 m) From 1843: 168 ft 3 in (51.3 m)
Beam:	26 ft 5 in (8.1 m)
Depth of hold:	14 ft 10 in (4.5 m)
Propulsion:	As built: Butterley & Co. 140 nhp 2-cylinder side lever steam engine Paddle wheel From 1833: Maudslay 120 nhp steam engine Morgan paddlewheels From 1843: 'Tubulous boilers' Penn 260 nhp steam engine Paddlewheels
Complement:	80
Armament:	As built: 6 × 9-pounder (13​1⁄2cwt) gun Later: 1 × 32-pounder (25cwt) pivot gun 2 × 32-pounder (17cwt) carronades

HMS Firebrand was a wooden paddle vessel launched in 1831. She was rebuilt in 1843, renamed HMS Black Eagle and employed as an Admiralty steam yacht. She was broken up in 1876.

Construction and rebuild

Built at Merchant's Yard, Limehouse as a wooden paddle vessel, Firebrand was launched on 11 July 1831. In 1832 her original Butterley side lever steam engine was removed and replaced in 1833 by a Maudsley, and Morgan's paddlewheels were fitted. She was rebuilt in 1843, gaining 13 feet (4.0 m) in length, and receiving a oscillating engine manufactured by John Penn and Sons. Notably, Penn doubled the power output without increasing either the weight or space occupied. Firebrand was renamed Black Eagle on 5 February 1842.

Royal Yacht

She was based at Woolwich in south-east London and was part of the Royal Squadron alongside the Royal Yacht. The Black Eagle was eventually broken up at Portsmouth in March 1876. A model of the vessel is in the collection of the National Maritime Museum.