HMS Indefatigable

Kaycee

Kaycee

Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
89
Points
78

For years now I've been seriously interested in building an accurate correct, to scale wooden ship model of the original 1784 HMS Indefatigable, in its Razee configuration as a 44 gun fifth rate Frigate.

I'm fortunate to have a family link to the later HMS Indefatigable, as my uncle served on her during WW2 in the Pacific as a Fleet Air Arm Flight Engineer.
My personal fascination with model Ships from the Napoleonic era began as a small boy in South Australia when I visited the original Seamans Mission Museum near Port Adelaide where there was a magnificent model of a French Frigate made out of Whale Bone and wood, fully rigged and Sail equipped.

Although I've searched for an existing true to scale wooden model of the original HMS Indefatigable without success, I'm committed to building a creditable and accurate model of the original one way or the other.

As this is the initial beginning of my research I request any advice or opinions on whether any creditable existing model (in a reasonable scale) is available on the market. Naturally I'm prepared to do a significant of after market purchases and modifications to any worthwhile Kit that may be available.

Gentlemen your advice is welcome.
 
Hallo@Kaycee ,

this sounds like a really very interesting project you try to make.

Due to the fact, that you are (as I understood) in the beginning of your research, I am maybe able to help with the hint to some existing contemporary drawings of this ship

Original configuration as 64 gunner:

j3954.jpg
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plans, stern board outline with some decoration detail, sheer lines with inboard detail, and longitudinal half-breadth for Indefatigable (1784), a 64-gun Third Rate, two-decker, as built and launched at Bucklers Hard by Henry Adams. The ship was fitted at Portsmouth Dockyard between July and November 1784.

Indefatigable (1784) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

j3364.jpg
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan, sheer lines (with modified main mast position), and longitudinal half-breadth for 'Ardent' (1764), 'Raisonable' (1768), 'Belliqueux' (1780), 'Agamemnon' (1782), 'Indefatigable' (1784), 'Stately' (1784), and 'Nassau' (1785), all 64-gun Third Rate, two-deckers.

'Ardent' (1764); 'Raisonable' (1768); 'Belliqueux' (1780); 'Agamemnon' (1782); 'Indefatigable' (1784); 'Stately' (1784); 'Nassau' (1785) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

j3363.jpg
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the imboard profile for 'Ardent' (1764), 'Raisonable' (1768) 'Belliqueux' (1780, 'Agamemnon' (1781), 'Indefatigable' (1784), 'Stately' (1784), and 'Nassau' (1785), all 64-gun Third Rate, two-deckers. The plan includes later (undated) alterations for converting a ship of this class to a troopship. The only ship to be converted was 'Nassau' (1785) in 1799.

'Ardent' (1764); 'Raisonable' (1768); 'Belliqueux' (1780); 'Agamemnon' (1782); 'Indefatigable' (1784); 'Stately' (1784); 'Nassau' (1785) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

f8869_001.jpg
Scale: 1:48. A contemporary block design model of the 64-gun, two-decker ship of the line ‘Indefatigable’ (1784). The number ‘2’ is painted on the base. The hull is painted white below the waterline and the locations of the gun ports and chain plates are painted on the side. The figurehead is in the form of a solid block. The ‘Indefatigable’ was built at Buckler’s Hard by Adams and designed by Sir T. Slade. It measured 160 feet along the gun deck by 44 feet in the beam, displacing 1384 tons. In 1794 it was reduced to a fifth rate and subsequently commissioned to patrol the Channel, capturing a number of French privateers in 1795–1800. In 1805 it took part in the blockade of Brest and in 1812–15 it was stationed in South America. It was broken up in 1816 at Sheerness.

Indefatigable (1784); Warship; Third rate; 64-guns | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk


Razeed as a 44 gun frigate

j5567.jpg
Sheer draught of HMS 'Indefatigable' dated to 1794 to show the proposal for cutting the the 64-gun Third Rate down to a frigate. In this process, the ship was 'razeed', and her upper deck was removed and she was reduced to an armament of 44 guns. On this plan, the ticked line represents the upper deck which was to be removed, and the solid lines represent her new design, internal fittings, are shown in red.

sheer & profile | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk


Also several paintings are existing

 
and here maybe also helpful some drawings of other razeed vessels


For everybody not knowing, what the word "razeed" stand for:

A razee or razée /rəˈziː/ is a sailing ship that has been cut down (razeed) to reduce the number of decks. The word is derived from the French vaisseau rasé, meaning a razed (in the sense of shaved down) ship.

Royal Navy​

See also: Rating system of the Royal Navy

Razee HMS Indefatigable (right) fights Virginie, 1796, by John Fairburn

In the Royal Navy, the razee operation was typically performed on a smaller two-deck ship of the line, resulting in a large frigate. The rationale for this apparent reduction in strength was that the smaller ships-of-the-line could no longer be used safely in fleet actions as the overall size and armament of opposing ships increased. The resulting razeed ship was classed as a frigate; it was stronger than the usual run of purpose-built frigates.

In similar fashion, three-decked ships of the line were sometimes razeed, either to become flush-decked (with the quarterdeck and forecastle removed) or cut down to become two-deckers.

HMS Namur (1756) was a 90-gun second rate launched in 1756. She was razeed as a 74-gun third rate in 1805.

Three 64-gun ships were cut down (razeed) in 1794 into 44-gun frigates. The most successful was HMS Indefatigable which was commanded by Sir Edward Pellew.
Towards the close of the Napoleonic Wars, three elderly 74-gun ships were razeed into 58-gun fourth rates (not losing a complete deck, so remaining a two-decker, but having the quarterdeck removed). Two more followed immediately post-war, although the second never completed conversion.
Another eleven more-recent 74s were razeed in 1826-1845, in this case being fully reduced to 50-gun heavy frigates; three others were scheduled for similar conversion, but this was never completed.

French razée warships (Revolutionary War conversions)​

In the French navy, a number of 74-gun two-deckers were similarly razeed into 54-gun ships:
  • Diadème (renamed Brutus in September 1792 and razeed between December 1793 and May 1794)
  • Hercule of 1778 (razeed between February and June 1794, then renamed Hydre in May 1795)
  • Argonaute of 1781 (razeed between December 1793 and March 1794, then renamed Flibustier in June 1794)
  • Illustre of 1781 (razeed between August 1793 and February 1794, renamed Mucius Scevola in January 1794, name shortened to Scevola in February 1794)
  • Brave of 1781 (razeed between April 1793 and January 1794, without change of name)
  • Borée of 1785 (renamed Ça Ira in April 1794, then again Agricola in June 1794 and razeed between April and July 1794)
  • Agamemnon of 1812

United States razee warship​


en.wikipedia.org

Razee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
Uwek said:
Hallo@Kaycee ,

this sounds like a really very interesting project you try to make.

Due to the fact, that you are (as I understood) in the beginning of your research, I am maybe able to help with the hint to some existing contemporary drawings of this ship

Original configuration as 64 gunner:

View attachment 209167
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plans, stern board outline with some decoration detail, sheer lines with inboard detail, and longitudinal half-breadth for Indefatigable (1784), a 64-gun Third Rate, two-decker, as built and launched at Bucklers Hard by Henry Adams. The ship was fitted at Portsmouth Dockyard between July and November 1784.

Indefatigable (1784) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209169
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan, sheer lines (with modified main mast position), and longitudinal half-breadth for 'Ardent' (1764), 'Raisonable' (1768), 'Belliqueux' (1780), 'Agamemnon' (1782), 'Indefatigable' (1784), 'Stately' (1784), and 'Nassau' (1785), all 64-gun Third Rate, two-deckers.

'Ardent' (1764); 'Raisonable' (1768); 'Belliqueux' (1780); 'Agamemnon' (1782); 'Indefatigable' (1784); 'Stately' (1784); 'Nassau' (1785) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209170
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the imboard profile for 'Ardent' (1764), 'Raisonable' (1768) 'Belliqueux' (1780, 'Agamemnon' (1781), 'Indefatigable' (1784), 'Stately' (1784), and 'Nassau' (1785), all 64-gun Third Rate, two-deckers. The plan includes later (undated) alterations for converting a ship of this class to a troopship. The only ship to be converted was 'Nassau' (1785) in 1799.

'Ardent' (1764); 'Raisonable' (1768); 'Belliqueux' (1780); 'Agamemnon' (1782); 'Indefatigable' (1784); 'Stately' (1784); 'Nassau' (1785) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209171
Scale: 1:48. A contemporary block design model of the 64-gun, two-decker ship of the line ‘Indefatigable’ (1784). The number ‘2’ is painted on the base. The hull is painted white below the waterline and the locations of the gun ports and chain plates are painted on the side. The figurehead is in the form of a solid block. The ‘Indefatigable’ was built at Buckler’s Hard by Adams and designed by Sir T. Slade. It measured 160 feet along the gun deck by 44 feet in the beam, displacing 1384 tons. In 1794 it was reduced to a fifth rate and subsequently commissioned to patrol the Channel, capturing a number of French privateers in 1795–1800. In 1805 it took part in the blockade of Brest and in 1812–15 it was stationed in South America. It was broken up in 1816 at Sheerness.

Indefatigable (1784); Warship; Third rate; 64-guns | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk


Razeed as a 44 gun frigate

View attachment 209168
Sheer draught of HMS 'Indefatigable' dated to 1794 to show the proposal for cutting the the 64-gun Third Rate down to a frigate. In this process, the ship was 'razeed', and her upper deck was removed and she was reduced to an armament of 44 guns. On this plan, the ticked line represents the upper deck which was to be removed, and the solid lines represent her new design, internal fittings, are shown in red.

sheer & profile | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk


Also several paintings are existing

Click to expand...

Thank you sir, I appreciate your reply.
 
Uwek said:
and here maybe also helpful some drawings of other razeed vessels


For everybody not knowing, what the word "razeed" stand for:

A razee or razée /rəˈziː/ is a sailing ship that has been cut down (razeed) to reduce the number of decks. The word is derived from the French vaisseau rasé, meaning a razed (in the sense of shaved down) ship.

Royal Navy​

See also: Rating system of the Royal Navy

Razee HMS Indefatigable (right) fights Virginie, 1796, by John Fairburn

In the Royal Navy, the razee operation was typically performed on a smaller two-deck ship of the line, resulting in a large frigate. The rationale for this apparent reduction in strength was that the smaller ships-of-the-line could no longer be used safely in fleet actions as the overall size and armament of opposing ships increased. The resulting razeed ship was classed as a frigate; it was stronger than the usual run of purpose-built frigates.

In similar fashion, three-decked ships of the line were sometimes razeed, either to become flush-decked (with the quarterdeck and forecastle removed) or cut down to become two-deckers.

HMS Namur (1756) was a 90-gun second rate launched in 1756. She was razeed as a 74-gun third rate in 1805.

Three 64-gun ships were cut down (razeed) in 1794 into 44-gun frigates. The most successful was HMS Indefatigable which was commanded by Sir Edward Pellew.
Towards the close of the Napoleonic Wars, three elderly 74-gun ships were razeed into 58-gun fourth rates (not losing a complete deck, so remaining a two-decker, but having the quarterdeck removed). Two more followed immediately post-war, although the second never completed conversion.
Another eleven more-recent 74s were razeed in 1826-1845, in this case being fully reduced to 50-gun heavy frigates; three others were scheduled for similar conversion, but this was never completed.

French razée warships (Revolutionary War conversions)​

In the French navy, a number of 74-gun two-deckers were similarly razeed into 54-gun ships:
  • Diadème (renamed Brutus in September 1792 and razeed between December 1793 and May 1794)
  • Hercule of 1778 (razeed between February and June 1794, then renamed Hydre in May 1795)
  • Argonaute of 1781 (razeed between December 1793 and March 1794, then renamed Flibustier in June 1794)
  • Illustre of 1781 (razeed between August 1793 and February 1794, renamed Mucius Scevola in January 1794, name shortened to Scevola in February 1794)
  • Brave of 1781 (razeed between April 1793 and January 1794, without change of name)
  • Borée of 1785 (renamed Ça Ira in April 1794, then again Agricola in June 1794 and razeed between April and July 1794)
  • Agamemnon of 1812

United States razee warship​


en.wikipedia.org

Razee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Click to expand...

Thank you for this, the obvious path for me is to identify the closest model possible of a RN 74 or 64 Gun ship and Razee her down to the HMS Indefatigable profile. Any suggestions would be welcome.
 
Uwek said:
and here maybe also helpful some drawings of other razeed vessels


For everybody not knowing, what the word "razeed" stand for:

A razee or razée /rəˈziː/ is a sailing ship that has been cut down (razeed) to reduce the number of decks. The word is derived from the French vaisseau rasé, meaning a razed (in the sense of shaved down) ship.

Royal Navy​

See also: Rating system of the Royal Navy

Razee HMS Indefatigable (right) fights Virginie, 1796, by John Fairburn

In the Royal Navy, the razee operation was typically performed on a smaller two-deck ship of the line, resulting in a large frigate. The rationale for this apparent reduction in strength was that the smaller ships-of-the-line could no longer be used safely in fleet actions as the overall size and armament of opposing ships increased. The resulting razeed ship was classed as a frigate; it was stronger than the usual run of purpose-built frigates.

In similar fashion, three-decked ships of the line were sometimes razeed, either to become flush-decked (with the quarterdeck and forecastle removed) or cut down to become two-deckers.

HMS Namur (1756) was a 90-gun second rate launched in 1756. She was razeed as a 74-gun third rate in 1805.

Three 64-gun ships were cut down (razeed) in 1794 into 44-gun frigates. The most successful was HMS Indefatigable which was commanded by Sir Edward Pellew.
Towards the close of the Napoleonic Wars, three elderly 74-gun ships were razeed into 58-gun fourth rates (not losing a complete deck, so remaining a two-decker, but having the quarterdeck removed). Two more followed immediately post-war, although the second never completed conversion.
Another eleven more-recent 74s were razeed in 1826-1845, in this case being fully reduced to 50-gun heavy frigates; three others were scheduled for similar conversion, but this was never completed.

French razée warships (Revolutionary War conversions)​

In the French navy, a number of 74-gun two-deckers were similarly razeed into 54-gun ships:
  • Diadème (renamed Brutus in September 1792 and razeed between December 1793 and May 1794)
  • Hercule of 1778 (razeed between February and June 1794, then renamed Hydre in May 1795)
  • Argonaute of 1781 (razeed between December 1793 and March 1794, then renamed Flibustier in June 1794)
  • Illustre of 1781 (razeed between August 1793 and February 1794, renamed Mucius Scevola in January 1794, name shortened to Scevola in February 1794)
  • Brave of 1781 (razeed between April 1793 and January 1794, without change of name)
  • Borée of 1785 (renamed Ça Ira in April 1794, then again Agricola in June 1794 and razeed between April and July 1794)
  • Agamemnon of 1812

United States razee warship​


en.wikipedia.org

Razee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Click to expand...

Thank you for this, the obvious path for me is to identify the closest model possible of a RN 74 or 64 Gun ship and Razee her down to the HMS Indefatigable profile. Any suggestions would be welcome.
zoly99sask said:
Take a look at this link

Click to expand...
zoly99sask said:
Take a look at this link

Click to expand...

Thank you, but they only offer pre-built models not kits.
 
Kaycee said:
Thank you for this, the obvious path for me is to identify the closest model possible of a RN 74 or 64 Gun ship and Razee her down to the HMS Indefatigable profile. Any suggestions would be welcome.



Thank you, but they only offer pre-built models not kits.
Click to expand...
You may want to try scratch build it??No kit is available for this particular ship.
 
zoly99sask said:
You may want to try scratch build it??No kit is available for this particular ship.
Click to expand...

Yes, it may come down to that, but there are some interesting Spanish and French 74 gun Frigate kits that look "Razeeable" enough to replicate the Indefatigable, understandably there will be a series of after-market upgrades involved. The Scale limitations are the real difficulty.
 
I'll use this thread for each phase through to the build, obviously selection of the particular model kit for conversion and justification will be my first report.
 
Kaycee, Caldercraft has a kit of a 1/64 scale Ardent class frigate - the Agamemnon, which could be built
and razeed by you.... or is that not doable? It is a beautiful and well designed model. Here is a link to them.

JoTiKa Ltd. ~ Nelsons Navy Page 5, H.M.S. Agamemnon.

JoTiKa Ltd. manufacturer and distributor of classic scale model kits from Caldercraft, Mini Fleet, Nelsons Navy, Heritage series - including The Mary Rose - Krick, HFM Marine and many more.
www.jotika-ltd.com
It is usually also available at Ages of Sail in the USA and Cornwall Model Boats in the UK.
 
Last edited:
I think this idea mentioned by @Stargazer is the best one, because the HMS Indefatigable (1784) is of the same class like the Agamemnon
Only here you have the more or less correct form of the hull !!!
If you use a spanish or french 64 the hulls form would be different.
With this you would have a fantasy razeed frigate which never existed and partly looking like the Indefatigable .....
 
Maybe also these information on the Three decks web-page could be interesting for you:

British Third Rate ship of the line 'Indefatigable' (1784)

British Third Rate ship of the line 'Indefatigable' (1784). Dates of service, name changes, previous and next incarnations, dimensions, armament, commanders, officers and crewmen, actions, battles, sources
threedecks.org

She was a very active vessel and very successfull
 
Stargazer said:
Kaycee, Caldercraft has a kit of a 1/64 scale Ardent class frigate - the Agamemnon, which could be built
and razeed by you.... or is that not doable? It is a beautiful and well designed model. Here is a link to them.

JoTiKa Ltd. ~ Nelsons Navy Page 5, H.M.S. Agamemnon.

JoTiKa Ltd. manufacturer and distributor of classic scale model kits from Caldercraft, Mini Fleet, Nelsons Navy, Heritage series - including The Mary Rose - Krick, HFM Marine and many more.
www.jotika-ltd.com
It is usually also available at Ages of Sail in the USA and Cornwall Model Boats in the UK.
Click to expand...

I looked at that, but at 1.3 metres long and almost a metre high it puts the model out of practical storage reality for me.
 
Uwek said:
I think this idea mentioned by @Stargazer is the best one, because the HMS Indefatigable (1784) is of the same class like the Agamemnon
Only here you have the more or less correct form of the hull !!!
If you use a spanish or french 64 the hulls form would be different.
With this you would have a fantasy razeed frigate which never existed and partly looking like the Indefatigable .....
Click to expand...

Actually the Sir Thomas Slade designed Ardent class (that included the Indefatigable) were based on the French designed ship "Fougueux" captured by the Brit RN. That's why I'm hoping to identify a French design that lends itself to the project.
 
Thank you
Uwek said:
Hallo@Kaycee ,

this sounds like a really very interesting project you try to make.

Due to the fact, that you are (as I understood) in the beginning of your research, I am maybe able to help with the hint to some existing contemporary drawings of this ship

Original configuration as 64 gunner:

View attachment 209167
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plans, stern board outline with some decoration detail, sheer lines with inboard detail, and longitudinal half-breadth for Indefatigable (1784), a 64-gun Third Rate, two-decker, as built and launched at Bucklers Hard by Henry Adams. The ship was fitted at Portsmouth Dockyard between July and November 1784.

Indefatigable (1784) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209169
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan, sheer lines (with modified main mast position), and longitudinal half-breadth for 'Ardent' (1764), 'Raisonable' (1768), 'Belliqueux' (1780), 'Agamemnon' (1782), 'Indefatigable' (1784), 'Stately' (1784), and 'Nassau' (1785), all 64-gun Third Rate, two-deckers.

'Ardent' (1764); 'Raisonable' (1768); 'Belliqueux' (1780); 'Agamemnon' (1782); 'Indefatigable' (1784); 'Stately' (1784); 'Nassau' (1785) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209170
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the imboard profile for 'Ardent' (1764), 'Raisonable' (1768) 'Belliqueux' (1780, 'Agamemnon' (1781), 'Indefatigable' (1784), 'Stately' (1784), and 'Nassau' (1785), all 64-gun Third Rate, two-deckers. The plan includes later (undated) alterations for converting a ship of this class to a troopship. The only ship to be converted was 'Nassau' (1785) in 1799.

'Ardent' (1764); 'Raisonable' (1768); 'Belliqueux' (1780); 'Agamemnon' (1782); 'Indefatigable' (1784); 'Stately' (1784); 'Nassau' (1785) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209171
Scale: 1:48. A contemporary block design model of the 64-gun, two-decker ship of the line ‘Indefatigable’ (1784). The number ‘2’ is painted on the base. The hull is painted white below the waterline and the locations of the gun ports and chain plates are painted on the side. The figurehead is in the form of a solid block. The ‘Indefatigable’ was built at Buckler’s Hard by Adams and designed by Sir T. Slade. It measured 160 feet along the gun deck by 44 feet in the beam, displacing 1384 tons. In 1794 it was reduced to a fifth rate and subsequently commissioned to patrol the Channel, capturing a number of French privateers in 1795–1800. In 1805 it took part in the blockade of Brest and in 1812–15 it was stationed in South America. It was broken up in 1816 at Sheerness.

Indefatigable (1784); Warship; Third rate; 64-guns | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk


Razeed as a 44 gun frigate

View attachment 209168
Sheer draught of HMS 'Indefatigable' dated to 1794 to show the proposal for cutting the the 64-gun Third Rate down to a frigate. In this process, the ship was 'razeed', and her upper deck was removed and she was reduced to an armament of 44 guns. On this plan, the ticked line represents the upper deck which was to be removed, and the solid lines represent her new design, internal fittings, are shown in red.

sheer & profile | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk


Also several paintings are existing

[U
Uwek said:
Hallo@Kaycee ,

this sounds like a really very interesting project you try to make.

Due to the fact, that you are (as I understood) in the beginning of your research, I am maybe able to help with the hint to some existing contemporary drawings of this ship

Original configuration as 64 gunner:

View attachment 209167
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plans, stern board outline with some decoration detail, sheer lines with inboard detail, and longitudinal half-breadth for Indefatigable (1784), a 64-gun Third Rate, two-decker, as built and launched at Bucklers Hard by Henry Adams. The ship was fitted at Portsmouth Dockyard between July and November 1784.

Indefatigable (1784) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209169
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan, sheer lines (with modified main mast position), and longitudinal half-breadth for 'Ardent' (1764), 'Raisonable' (1768), 'Belliqueux' (1780), 'Agamemnon' (1782), 'Indefatigable' (1784), 'Stately' (1784), and 'Nassau' (1785), all 64-gun Third Rate, two-deckers.

'Ardent' (1764); 'Raisonable' (1768); 'Belliqueux' (1780); 'Agamemnon' (1782); 'Indefatigable' (1784); 'Stately' (1784); 'Nassau' (1785) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209170
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the imboard profile for 'Ardent' (1764), 'Raisonable' (1768) 'Belliqueux' (1780, 'Agamemnon' (1781), 'Indefatigable' (1784), 'Stately' (1784), and 'Nassau' (1785), all 64-gun Third Rate, two-deckers. The plan includes later (undated) alterations for converting a ship of this class to a troopship. The only ship to be converted was 'Nassau' (1785) in 1799.

'Ardent' (1764); 'Raisonable' (1768); 'Belliqueux' (1780); 'Agamemnon' (1782); 'Indefatigable' (1784); 'Stately' (1784); 'Nassau' (1785) | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk

View attachment 209171
Scale: 1:48. A contemporary block design model of the 64-gun, two-decker ship of the line ‘Indefatigable’ (1784). The number ‘2’ is painted on the base. The hull is painted white below the waterline and the locations of the gun ports and chain plates are painted on the side. The figurehead is in the form of a solid block. The ‘Indefatigable’ was built at Buckler’s Hard by Adams and designed by Sir T. Slade. It measured 160 feet along the gun deck by 44 feet in the beam, displacing 1384 tons. In 1794 it was reduced to a fifth rate and subsequently commissioned to patrol the Channel, capturing a number of French privateers in 1795–1800. In 1805 it took part in the blockade of Brest and in 1812–15 it was stationed in South America. It was broken up in 1816 at Sheerness.

Indefatigable (1784); Warship; Third rate; 64-guns | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk


Razeed as a 44 gun frigate

View attachment 209168
Sheer draught of HMS 'Indefatigable' dated to 1794 to show the proposal for cutting the the 64-gun Third Rate down to a frigate. In this process, the ship was 'razeed', and her upper deck was removed and she was reduced to an armament of 44 guns. On this plan, the ticked line represents the upper deck which was to be removed, and the solid lines represent her new design, internal fittings, are shown in red.

sheer & profile | Royal Museums Greenwich

collections.rmg.co.uk collections.rmg.co.uk


Also several paintings are existing

Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Thank you sir sir, those are excellent references.
Uwek said:
RL unfurl="true"]https://collections.rmg.co.uk/colle...0;browseBy=vessel;vesselFacetLetter=I;start=0[/URL]
Click to expand...
 
Uwek said:
and here maybe also helpful some drawings of other razeed vessels


For everybody not knowing, what the word "razeed" stand for:

A razee or razée /rəˈziː/ is a sailing ship that has been cut down (razeed) to reduce the number of decks. The word is derived from the French vaisseau rasé, meaning a razed (in the sense of shaved down) ship.

Royal Navy​

See also: Rating system of the Royal Navy

Razee HMS Indefatigable (right) fights Virginie, 1796, by John Fairburn

In the Royal Navy, the razee operation was typically performed on a smaller two-deck ship of the line, resulting in a large frigate. The rationale for this apparent reduction in strength was that the smaller ships-of-the-line could no longer be used safely in fleet actions as the overall size and armament of opposing ships increased. The resulting razeed ship was classed as a frigate; it was stronger than the usual run of purpose-built frigates.

In similar fashion, three-decked ships of the line were sometimes razeed, either to become flush-decked (with the quarterdeck and forecastle removed) or cut down to become two-deckers.

HMS Namur (1756) was a 90-gun second rate launched in 1756. She was razeed as a 74-gun third rate in 1805.

Three 64-gun ships were cut down (razeed) in 1794 into 44-gun frigates. The most successful was HMS Indefatigable which was commanded by Sir Edward Pellew.
Towards the close of the Napoleonic Wars, three elderly 74-gun ships were razeed into 58-gun fourth rates (not losing a complete deck, so remaining a two-decker, but having the quarterdeck removed). Two more followed immediately post-war, although the second never completed conversion.
Another eleven more-recent 74s were razeed in 1826-1845, in this case being fully reduced to 50-gun heavy frigates; three others were scheduled for similar conversion, but this was never completed.

French razée warships (Revolutionary War conversions)​

In the French navy, a number of 74-gun two-deckers were similarly razeed into 54-gun ships:
  • Diadème (renamed Brutus in September 1792 and razeed between December 1793 and May 1794)
  • Hercule of 1778 (razeed between February and June 1794, then renamed Hydre in May 1795)
  • Argonaute of 1781 (razeed between December 1793 and March 1794, then renamed Flibustier in June 1794)
  • Illustre of 1781 (razeed between August 1793 and February 1794, renamed Mucius Scevola in January 1794, name shortened to Scevola in February 1794)
  • Brave of 1781 (razeed between April 1793 and January 1794, without change of name)
  • Borée of 1785 (renamed Ça Ira in April 1794, then again Agricola in June 1794 and razeed between April and July 1794)
  • Agamemnon of 1812

United States razee warship​


en.wikipedia.org

Razee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top