The Hecla class was a class of bomb vessels of the Royal Navy of the early 19th century. They were designed for use as bomb or mortar ships and were very heavily built. Eight ships were launched; all were converted for use as exploration or survey ships. Four ships of the class are known for the role they played in Arctic and Antarctic exploration.
HMS FuryBuilder: Mrs Mary Ross, RochesterOrdered: 5 June 1813Laid down: September 1813Launched: 4 April 1814Completed:Notes: Converted to Arctic discovery vessel in 1821Fate: Bilged in
Prince Regent Inlet, and abandoned in the Arctic on 25 August 1825
HMS HeclaBuilder: Barkworth & Hawkes, North Barton (Hull)Ordered: 5 June 1813Laid down: July 1813Launched: 22 July 1815Completed:Notes: Arctic discovery vessel from 1819 to 1827. Converted to survey ship in December 1827Fate: Sold on 13 April 1831
HMS InfernalBuilder: Barkworth & Hawkes, North Barton (Hull)Ordered: 5 June 1813Laid down: July 1813Launched: 26 July 1815Completed:Notes:Fate: Sold on 13 April 1831
HMS MeteorBuilder: Pembroke DockyardOrdered: 18 May 1819Laid down: May 1820Launched: 25 June 1823Completed: 26 July 1823Notes: Survey ship, renamed HMS
Beacon in June 1832Fate: Sold on 17 August 1846
HMS AetnaBuilder: Chatham DockyardOrdered: 18 May 1819Laid down: September 1821Launched: 14 May 1824Completed: June 1824Notes: Converted to survey ship in 1826. Receiving ship at Portsmouth in 1839.Fate: Sold on 20 February 1846
HMS SulphurBuilder: Chatham DockyardOrdered: 18 May 1819Laid down: May 1824Launched: 26 January 1826Completed: 21 February 1826Notes: The last bomb-ship in Royal Navy service. Converted to survey ship in December 1835. Receiving ship at
Woolwich from May 1843Fate: Broken up by 20 November 1857
HMS ThunderBuilder: Deptford DockyardOrdered: 18 May 1819Laid down: November 1826Launched: 4 August 1829Completed: 26 October 1829Notes: Converted to survey ship in January 1833Fate: Broken up in March 1851
HMS VesuviusBuilder: Deptford DockyardOrdered: 18 May 1819 (Order transferred to
Chatham Dockyard, reordered on 30 August 1828)Laid down: August 1830Launched:Completed:Notes:Fate: Cancelled on 10 January 1831
HMS DevastationBuilder: Plymouth DockyardOrdered: 18 May 1819Laid down: 1820Launched:Completed:Notes: Suspended on 10 January 1831Fate: Cancelled on 11 July 1833
HMS VolcanoBuilder: Plymouth DockyardOrdered: 18 May 1819Laid down: 1821Launched:Completed:Notes: Suspended on 10 January 1831Fate: Cancelled on 11 July 1833
HMS BelzebubBuilder: Plymouth DockyardOrdered: 18 May 1819Laid down:Launched:Completed:Notes: Suspended on 10 January 1831Fate: Cancelled on 11 July 1833
HMS ErebusBuilder: Pembroke DockyardOrdered: 9 January 1823Laid down: October 1824Launched: 7 June 1826Completed: February 1828Notes: Arctic discovery vessel in 1839, fitted with screw in 1845Fate: Abandoned in Arctic on 22 April 1848
Fury and Hecla sailed with William Edward Parry on his explorations in search of the Northwest Passage, with Fury being lost to ice on the second. Meteor was renamed Beacon and used as a survey ship, while Aetna and Thunder were both used as survey ships. Sulphur was also used as a survey ship, at one time being commanded by Edward Belcher who later commanded an expedition in search of John Franklin (though not in Sulphur). Erebus was one of two ships commanded by James Clark Ross during his exploration of Antarctica and by Franklin on his ill-fated search for the Northwest Passage. The other was the Vesuvius-class bomb vessel Terror. Both ships were lost during this last voyage.
