HMS Diana, the second ship built in the Artois class was designed by Sir John Henslow. The ship was built by Randall & Brent of Rotherhithe, one of the largest merchant builders in the country. After eleven months building the hull, Diana was launched on the 3rd of March 1794. She was then towed to the Royal Dockyard at Deptford where she was fitted out.
The Cruiser ship kit has been designed with the novice / intermediate builder in mind and has an estimated building time of around three months of evening work. The Cruiser class were brig rigged sloops and were the most numerous class of warships built in the age of sail. One hundred and three built in all from the Cruiser in 1797, to the Zebra in 1815.
The Snake ship kit has been designed with the novice / intermediate builder in mind and is ideal as a first or second model for the introduction to plank on frame building. The Snake class were ship rigged sloops. This class was very business like with a flush deck and nine cannons or carronades each side, they were very fast and seaworthy.
HMS Agamemnon, a 64 gun ship of the line, was designed by the famous Naval Architect Sir Thomas Slade. Sir Thomas also drafted the plans for H.M.S. Victory. Built by Henry Adams at Bucklers Hard she was launched in 1781 after four years of building. Agamemnon became one of the most famous vessels of the Royal Navy.
HM Brig Supply was launched in 1759 as a Deptford yard transport. In 1786 she was converted to an armed tender. It is in her modified form that she wrote herself into history by arriving ahead of the first convict fleet in Australian waters. The ship was also the first to sail into Port Jackson. H.M. Brig Supply is now known as the ship from which Australia was founded.
The French brig sloop La Jalouse was launched in Dunkirk in 1794. She is a typical large French brig used for convoy, raiding and escort duty. The ship was taken by the British vessel Vestal on 13th May 1797 and re-named Jalouse. She was then fitted out for duties in the Royal Navy. The only features that distinguished her as being of French origin were the 90° angle to the keel of the rudder post and the tops and crosstrees and trestletrees.
HMS Mars was built in Holland in the late 1770's and commissioned as a Dutch Privateer. She was built with unusually sleek lines and as such she was one of the fastest vessels afloat at the time. The ship was, however, taken by the 38 gun heavy frigate Artois on 3rd December 1781. Her captor reported that the Mars 'to be quite new and the completest Privateer he ever saw.' Mars was heavily armed for her size.
HM Cutters evolved during the second quarter of the Eighteenth Century in Southeast England as swift channel vessels. They soon gained a deserved reputation for their speed, which was not unnoticed by smugglers who soon adopted the Cutter as their preferred smuggling craft.
HM Chatham Yacht was launched in Chatham dockyard in 1741, for use as a pleasure craft for the more affluent members of Georgian society. Yachts were of Dutch origin and came to Denmark and Sweden as pleasure craft. They were introduced in Britain in 1660 when Charles II, on his return to England was presented the Yacht Mary.
HM Mortar Vessel Convulsion is a ketch rigged mortar boat. She was built in 1804 at Rotherhithe and commissioned for shore bombardment duties. She was over 60ft long and had a displacement of 76 tonnes. She was armed with one 10 inch mortar and four 18 pounder carronades.
HM Schooner Ballahoo was the named schooner of its class of 'Fish' Class Schooners built in Bermuda, of which 17 were built to the same design. Ballahoo was ordered in 1803 and launched in 1804. She was commissioned as an armed dispatch schooner. She was 55.4 feet long and displaced 71 tonnes. With a compliment of 20 men Ballahoo was armed with four 12 pounder carronades.
After more than two years of extensive research and development, using information and sources previously unavailable, this is the most historically accurate, highly detailed kit of HMS Victory in her Trafalgar condition available.
Twelve bomb vessels, including Granado (the sixth), were built at the outbreak of the War of Jenkins's Ear in 1739. HM Bomb Vessel Granado was ordered on September 14th 1741 and the keel was laid on November 18th 1741. Although it is uncertain who designed the Granado, it is commonly attributed to Thomas Slade, the naval Surveyor who oversaw the construction of the ship at Ipswich.
Purchased by the Royal Navy in 1795, William, under the direction of Sir Sidney Smith, was fitted as a hoy rigged gunboat at Plymouth Yard. As fitted, HM Gunboat William was armed with 1x24pdr cannon, 2x12pdr carronades and a compliment of 25 men.
HM Brig Badger (Ex-Pitt) is believed to have been a prize captured during the War of American Independence (1775 - 1783). She is shown on Navy Lists from 1776 and remained in service until sold in 1783. Brigs were generally used for convoy duties, carrying dispatches, inshore reconnaissance and upholding trade agreements and Badger was no exception.