Hercules-class ship of the line

The Hercules class ships of the line were a class of two 74-gun third rates, designed for the Royal Navy by Sir Thomas Slade.

Model of a 74-gun ship, 3rd rate, circa 1760. Thought to be either HMS Hercules or HMS Thunderer from 1760.
Class overview
Name	Hercules
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Dublin class
Succeeded by	Valiant class
In service	15 March 1759 - 1784
Completed	2
Lost	1
General characteristics
Type	Ship of the line
Length	166 ft 6 in (50.75 m) (gundeck) 136 ft 0 in (41.45 m) (keel)
Beam	46 ft 6 in (14.17 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Armament	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounders Quarterdeck: 14 × 9-pounders Forecastle: 4 × 9-pounders
Notes	Ships in class include: Hercules, Thunderer

Design

The Hercules class ships were a development on Slade's previous two designs: the Dublin-class, and the subsequent one-off HMS Hero.

Ships

• HMS Hercules

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 15 July 1756

Launched: 15 March 1759

Fate: Sold out of the service, 1784

• HMS Thunderer

Builder: Woolwich Dockyard

Ordered: 15 July 1756

Launched: 19 March 1760

Fate: Wrecked, 1780

References

• Lavery, Brian (1983) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.