| French frigate Hermione (2012) | |
|---|---|
 Bow of Hermione under construction in February 2012. | |
| Career (France) |  |
| Name: | Hermione |
| Ordered: | 1995 |
| Builder: | Rochefort |
| Laid down: | 1997 |
| Launched: | 6 July 2012 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Concorde class 12-pounder frigate |
| Displacement: | 1,166 tons |
| Length: | 44.2m |
| Beam: | 11.24m |
| Draught: | 5.78m |
| Complement: | 255 |
| Armament: | variously reported as 26, 32 or 36 cannon of 12lb |
The Hermione is a 12-pounder Concorde class frigate, presently being completed in Rochefort by the Asselin organisation. She is a reproduction of the 1779 Hermione which achieved fame by ferrying General Lafayette to the United States in 1780 to allow him to join the American side in the American Revolutionary War.
Construction[]
This project was conceived by members of the Centre International de la Mer in 1992, and construction began in 1997, envisaging a launch in the Spring of 2013 (as compared to the original, which took less than a year to build).
The shipyard is in one of the two dry docks beside the Corderie Royale at Rochefort.
As far as possible, traditional construction methods are used although modern power tools were substituted for the period tools on some jobs. The site is open to the public, and admission fees help fund the project.
The original plans have been modified in several ways for reasons of strength and safety: planks have been bolted rather than pegged to avoid movement during the long period of construction. Similarly, the mast sections are fastened with glue rather than metal hoops to avoid water penetration. The cannons are lightweight and non-functional to save weight, and for safety reasons. Hemp rigging will be used, but the sails will be synthetic for strength and to allow a smaller crew to handle them.
An engine will be used for safety, and electric generators for lighting and basic amenities.
Gallery[]
Photographs of the reconstruction from 2005
Photographs of the reconstruction from 2006
Photographs of the reconstruction from 2009
See also[]
Bibliography[]
- Emmanuel de Fontainieu, Yves Gaubert, L'Hermione, de Rochefort à la gloire américaine, Editions de Monza, 2002 ISBN 978-2-908071-95-5
- Robert Kalbach, Jean-Luc Gireaud, L'Hermione, Frégate des Lumières, Dervy, 2004 ISBN 978-2-84454-319-6
- Jean-Marie Ballu, L'Hermione, l'aventure de sa reconstruction, Editions du Gerfaut, 2007 ISBN 978-2-35191-018-4
- James M. Volo, Blue Water Patriots: The American Revolution Afloat, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 ISBN 978-0-275-98907-1
External links[]
- Website of the reconstruction project
- Naval History : l'Hermione (French)
- L'Hermione - the frigate of enlightenment
- New York Times report of reconstruction project
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hermione museum ship. |
The original article can be found at French frigate Hermione (2012) and the edit history here.