Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:29:33-1:30:30

Did Bouvines use Krupp or Harvey armor?

The armor represented an enormous share of displacement, but its exact metallurgical system remains uncertain.

Bouvines Class Coastal Defence ShipsFrench NavyNaval ArmourNaval Historiography
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Question

Was the Bouvines class protected by Krupp armor or Harvey armor?

Short answer

The evidence appears mixed; some sources suggest Krupp armor, but the identification is not certain.

Notes

Bouvines carried roughly 2,270 tons of armor on a ship of about 6,800 tons. Available references indicate that the protection may have mixed armor types. Some describe it theoretically as Krupp armor, while other material points away from a uniform Krupp fit. The uncertainty matters because published specifications can flatten a complex or transitional armor scheme into one label.