The 74-gun vessel is generally considered the most successful military vessel of the sailing navy era, considering its maneuverability, firepower, and overall maritime and military performance.
History
During the first half of the 18th century, the French Navy gradually developed a new type of second-rate line ship, carrying seventy-four guns, the first representative of which was the Bourbon. A large number of specimens are built, varying for the dimensions and somewhat for the arrangement of the armament. The one initially made up of 26 pieces of 36 pounds, 28 of 18, 16 of 8 and 4 of 4, is fixed from the Terrible of 1739, at 28 pieces of 36, 30 of 18 and 16 of 8.
A certain number of specimens are captured, in particular by Royal Navy, which after having used them, undertakes to build similar models. Finally, this type of ship quickly became the backbone of all European combat fleets.
At the end of the Seven Years' War, its fleet decimated, the kingdom of France launched a new naval construction program. Under the leadership of the knight Jean-Charles de Borda, assisted by the naval engineer Jacques-Noël Sané, the types of buildings are standardized, thanks to the establishment of plans at 1/48 scale, and the parts, in especially the masts, are standardized. The plan for the 74-gun ships is drawn up for the construction of the ship Téméraire, which thus becomes the leader of a long series.