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HMS Surprise 1796 Model Ship Kit

£510.00  £484.50

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 HMS Surprise 1796 Model Ship Kit 

Description ::
HMS Surprise Model Boat Kit 
 
Details of kit
 
This one is the biggest kit series ever made by a Spanish maker.

KIT FEATURES :
  • Traditional double planking on frame wooden hull .
  • Factory precut keel and all main frame parts.
  • Highest quality planking mahogany, walnut and fine lime woods.
  • All fittings are presented in useful clear hard plastic boxes with separate departments with a detachable self-gripping top .
  •  High quality fittings in white metal burnished or in real die cast brass. Sails set full sewn.
  • You just have to rig them at the masts. De luxe 100 pages full colour booklet with dozens and dozens of images step by step of the assembly stages.
  •  Plans set with special edition in full colour print with the top and side views  of the model .
History of ship
 
The Surprise, was made famous by the writings of Patrick O’Brian, in his books on the adventures of Captain Aubrey and the surgeon Maturin, described by the world famous writer as his favourite ship. A short history of the original Surprise is listed below.

The fabulous frigate was constructed in Le Havre as L’Unite in 1794. It was a 24-gun corvette, armed with 8lb long guns. The British captured her in April 1796 in the Mediterranean, and her name changed to the HMS Surprise. She was re-armed and classed as a 28-gun ship. She actually carried 24 32 lb carronades on her main deck, 8 32 lb carronades on her quarter deck, and 4 6 lb long guns on her foredeck.

French frigates were much sought after by the British, because of their manoeuvrability and speed. The streamlined design of the hull below the waterline meant that these frigates could out run most other ships.

Her big moment came in October 1799 under the command of Captain Edward Hamilton for the daring rescue of the frigate Hermoine. The latter’s crew had mutinied, killing their commander and officers. The ship was surrendered to the Spanish, and was taken to the harbour at Puerto Cabello in modern day Venezuela.

In trying to rescue the ship, the boats of the HMS Surprise was spotted and fired on by patrolling gunboats. They soldiered on, boarded the Hermoine, cleared the deck and sailed her out. Their losses were 12 wounded, whilst the Spanish suffered a loss of 216 wounded (including many dead). Captain Hamilton who led the rescue was knighted for his conduct, and the Hermoine restored to the British Navy.
 
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A 22910
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