Warship Le François. This model of „Le François“ is a monumental masterpiece by the Ukrainian model maker Yuriy Vladimirovich.
This model of „Le François“ is a monumental masterpiece by the Ukrainian model maker Yuriy Vladimirovich. When the model was added to the museum’s collection in 2017, we knew next to nothing about the artist. This is a common problem when models come from third parties. Interestingly, when we posted the model at the time, Yuriy contacted us via social media. He is a nice young man who was only in his mid-20s when he completed this work just over 5 years ago. He had used 17th century plans by François Coulomb to build this 2.5 m long model (scale 1:16) out of pear and black hornbeam wood. We still hope that he will visit us in Hamburg to see his work on display on deck 8 of the museum.
The French ship of the line „Le François“ was designed and built by Étienne Salicon in Le Havre between 1687 and 1688. She was originally designed as a 4th rate with 40 guns, but was expanded to 50 guns in 1691, making her a 3rd rate. In 1713 however she was restored to her original form. “Le François“ was part of the Royal French Navy under Louis XIV and Louis XV. She took part in the naval battles of Bantry Bay (11 May 1689) and Beachy Head (10 July 1690). In the period between 1694 and 1696, she took part in the „armament mixte arrangements“. This meant that Louis XIV „lent“ ships of his navy to privateers so that they could capture ships of the British Royal Navy. Thus she was first under the command of René Duguay-Tourin, who participated in the captures of HMS „Nonsuch“ and HMS „Boston“, and then under that of the Marquis de Nesmond, who captured HMS „Hope“, among others. After her time as a privateer, „Le François“ served again in the regular French navy until 1735 and was finally broken up a year later at Rochefort.