British bomb vessel 'Thunder' (1779)

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Britannia (100) 1762-1825
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Thunder
Nominal Guns	8	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	13.11.1778	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	12.1778	BWAS-1714
Launched	18.5.1779	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Rotherhithe - London - Surrey	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Etna Class (1776)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	John RandallBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1780-1802	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Bomb Vessel	BWAS-1714
Foundered	2.1.1781	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck92' 0"Imperial Feet28.0416
Length of Keel74' 4 ¼"Imperial Feet22.5616
Breadth27' 9"Imperial Feet8.2623
Depth in Hold12' 1 ½"Imperial Feet3.6703
Burthen304 ⁵²⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

18.5.1779Broadside Weight = 27.5 Imperial Pound ( 12.4716 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck8 British 6-Pounder
Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Gun Deck1 British 10" Mortar
Gun Deck1 British 13" Mortar

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
2.177660Design Complement

1 Ship Commander

DatesRankNameSource
18.5.1779 - 2.1.1781Commander† ADM 6/21/557BWAS-1714

Service History

DateEventSource
5.1779Commissioned for the ChannelBWAS-1714
2.6.1779Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
6.8.1779Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £2645.11.9dBWAS-1714
6.1780Began coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1780Completed coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £1412.1.6dBWAS-1714
2.1.1781Lost with all hands in the Channel sonn after sailing from SpitheadBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Monday 8th of June 2026 17:20	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Britannia' (1762) (100) 1762-1825 British 100 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line 1812 Renamed "Princess Royal" 1812 Renamed "Saint George" 1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
Thursday 4th of June 2026 20:01	James Daschuk	British steam sloop 'Devastation' (1841) (6) 1841-1866 British 6 Gun Unrated Steam Sloop
Thursday 4th of June 2026 14:56	AvM	British Merchant east indiaman 'Zephyr' (1790) (8) 1790-1798 British 8 Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:37	Jon Miller	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Pembroke' (1733) (60) 1733-1749 British 60 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:33	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate ship 'Mercury' (1745) (20) 1745-1753 British 20 Gun 6th Rate Ship

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