HMS Princess Royal (1773)

Type

Ship of the Line

Period

18th Century

Nation

Great Britain

Overview: HMS Princess Royal was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, one of four Barfleur-class ships designed by Sir Thomas Slade. She was launched at Portsmouth Dockyard on 18 October 1773 after being ordered and laid down in 1767, and is a good subject for modelers wanting a large three-decked second rate of the American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary War era. Specifications: As built she carried 90 guns across three decks: 28 x 32-pounders on the gundeck, 30 x 18-pounders on the middle gundeck, 30 x 12-pounders on the upper gundeck, and 2 x 9-pounders on the forecastle. She measured 177 ft 6 in on the gundeck, with a 50 ft 3 in beam, 21 ft depth of hold, and 1,973 tons burthen, with a complement of 750 officers and men. Later in her career eight more 12-pounders were added to her quarterdeck, upgrading her to a 98-gun ship. Service History: Princess Royal served through the latter decades of the 18th century, including duty in 1778 under Captain William Blair. She is best known for taking part in the Naval Battle of Genoa and the Naval Battle of Hyères Islands in 1795 under Captain John Child Purvis. She was broken up in 1807. Notable Facts: Her sister ships in the Barfleur class were Barfleur (1768), Prince George (1772), and Formidable, all sharing the same hull dimensions and armament layout, which is useful reference for modelers cross-checking draughts. The Royal Museums Greenwich collection holds a contemporary 1:60 scale block design model of the ship (object rmgc-object-66493) as well as an inboard profile plan originally drawn for Barfleur and later applied to Princess Royal, both useful primary references for scratch-builders.