Model of a 74-Gun Ship of the Line

Entry

Wooden construction model, bisected along its longitudinal axis, on trusses mounted on a base.

The model is a frame model without planking or boarding, exposing the construction with diagonal trussing designed by the British naval architect Robert Seppings (1767-1840) on the port half, and the design by Cornelis Soetermeer (1782-1842) to starboard, both on frames consisting of seventeen parts.

Soetermeer’s system differs from Seppings’s in that the pulling parts are removed from the interior and replaced by metal strips on the outside of the frames beneath the planking. The fore part of the ship to port only has vertical timbers, to starboard a construction with horizontal breasthooks is applied. The model has a round stern with a counter and taffrail. Ninety-six gun ports are indicated in three tiers. There are five levels in total: orlop, two gun decks, upper deck and poop. The gun decks have diagonal framing and the beams of all decks, except for the orlop, are supported by metal knees. The sheer rises slightly towards both ends, no wales or sheer rail are positioned. The hull is S-bottomed and the stern is very sharp.

In the inventory a model of De Ruyter is mentioned as number 1265,¹ the entry was crossed out and used again for another object. This model was identified as number 1248, which is a model of the construction of De Ruyter, based on accurate measurements.

The keel of the 74-gun ship De Ruyter was laid down in Flushing in 1831 by August Elize Tromp (1801-1871). While still on the stocks in 1843, it was converted to a 51-gun frigate and launched in 1853. It was converted to a screw steamer from 1859 to 1860, and again from 1862 to 1863, this time to a steam battery. The ship was broken up in 1874.²

Scale (derived) 1:50.