This box set equips you with three third-rate ships of the line in the French Navy. Building on the excellent 3rd tier plastic sprues, the box contains additional metal components to craft the following famous vessels, all of which saw action at the Battle of Trafalgar!
Indomptable – An 80-gun Tonnant-class battleship, Indomptable was laid down in 1788 and in active service from 1791. On her first assignment on the Glorious First of June she lost her mast and had to be towed back to Brest.
Commanded by Admirable Villeneuve, she sailed to the West Indies as part of a large fleet, but returned to Europe after news that Nelson had arrived there. At the Battle of Cape Finisterre, a violent exchange of artillery was halted by thick fog, so an exhausted French fleet anchored at Ferrol before sailing on to Cadiz. Admiral Villeneuve, whose command was under threat, vowed to meet the British at Cape Trafalgar.
At Trafalgar, Indomptable was part of the Spanish line, attacking Vice-Admiral Collingwood's flagship HMS Royal Sovereign, as well as HMS Belleisle, HMS Revenge, HMS Dreadnought and HMS Thunderer. Drifting upwind and out of range, she turned back toward Cadiz, but became involved in a rescue operation for Bucentaure, who had hit a reef. The following night, Indomptable was caught in a storm and carried onto rocks off the coast of Cadiz. It is estimated that only 150 (out of between 100 and 1400 men) survived the wreck.
Formidable - an 80-gun Tonnant-class battleship of the French Navy, briefly named Figuieres but converted to Formidable prior to her launch at Toulon on 31 May 1795. She took part in the Battle of Algeciras, the Battle of Cape Finisterre and the Battle of Trafalgar - in which she served as the flagship of Rear Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley in the six-ship vanguard of the French fleet.
She was captured by the British on November 4, 1805 at the Battle of Cape Ortegal. While in service with the Royal Navy she was renamed HMS Brave and was eventually sold in 1816 to be broken up.
Argonaute - a 74-gun battleship of the French Navy. Under Vice-Amiral Villaret de Joyeuse, she took part in the 1802 expedition to Saint-Domingue. She took part in the Battle of Trafalgar but managed to return to Cadiz. Unable to leave port due to severe damage and the British blockade, she was eventually exchanged for the Spanish ship Vencedor in December 1806. At this point she was renamed Argonauta but never returned to service.
Box contains 3 plastic models with metal components
