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 (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.