Implacable (Duguay Trouin) - moved by moderator

[Matrim]

In case anyone would like to see the British Navy failing to sink a wooden Napoleonic  74

 

Combination of most of the shots

 

 

Silent shots 1932

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-132-year-old-implacable

 

With 'Queens English' commentary

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/implacable-to-the-end

 

 

Joss

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Man, that was a sad day!!

 

John

[Barnacle Bill]

Leaves her dock in Portsmouth for the last time.

[realworkingsailor]

It's alway sad to see such things... But looking at her condition before she was sunk....it may be a hard thing to say... But sinking was probably a mercy. The obvious neglect she suffered was more of an indignity.

 

Andy

[Shazmira]

Wow, such a shame really to see history lost like that!

[normanh]

The sinking was most likely due to the shortage of funds for restoration in post war England , money was tight and she was right at the bottom of the list of needs, we had lost a vast majority of our capital ships by this date.

[BANYAN]

It's always sad to see an old lady of the sea meet such an end; it is even harder to accept when you have served in them.  The Australian Navy has a habit of using former ships for all sorts of purposes.  Two of the ships in which I have served are now recreational diving wrecks, one was blown up in all sorts of ways as an experimenta vessel, another two sold as scrap.  One is now a fine museum ship in Darling harbour.   Sigh!!!!

 

cheers

 

pat

[realworkingsailor]

I think people don't realise the true cost of keeping a museum ship, let alone restoring one. It's easily in the millions of $$ per year, and unless there's some kind of public support, most good natured intentions are doomed to fail.

 

Andy

[Dusty]

I was still in England at the time and if I recall correctly the government offered to return her  to France if they wished to restore her . but they turned down the offer. Sad, the last of the 74's.

[TomShipModel]

Thank you for the links.  I first saw photographs of "Implacable" in "the Anatomy of Nelson's Ships" and, at the time, had thought that it was restored somewhere.  Very sad to see it go.  I've seen the stern and the figurehead in NMM.  Is there a publication available that documents or photographs the ship?  It is so hard to maintain a museum ship in drydock and even harder if it is afloat.  Now I've read some advocating cycling through museum ships (replacing old with recent decommisioned ships).   

[shipman]

Some years ago, on my first visit to the NMM, I remember how astonished I was to see 'Implacables' stern. Boy, did it seem big. I also realised it is mounted about the proper height above the water line (where you stand bellow it). Looking at how the same structure was so dilapidated in photographs taken before it was removed, makes one realise what a fine job was done, restoring it. It may have served some perpose to naval architects, if the hulk had just been allowed to rot alone up some quiet creek. Modern health and safety would put a stop to that now, I suppose.

Since that visit and similar regular visits to the London Science Museum, things have changed drastically. Neither venue's display their once renowned model collections. A national scandal. At least, most of the exhibits have been photographically recorded, but there's no substitute to seeing them in the round. Their removal means I won't be going out of my way to pay anymore visits.

How would our American friends feel if the Annapolis model collections were packed up and put into permanent storage?

[normanh]

I totally agree with you shipman on the collections being removed from public view a sad moment for all, so much so I dont think I have visited these two establishments since. NMM biggest crowd puller is now the map on the floor for kids to run around on, its very popular brings in the families but does it meet the brief of the museum? I am not convinced but in a way it does demonstrate navigation. I honestly thnk its so shortsighted by these so called museum professionals but at the end of the day it does bring in the punters.

 

Norman

[shipman]

Norman, glad to hear another voice blowing in the wind. I checked out the NMM website a few days ago. They invite visitors comments. I was astonished to find there's now a £13 entrance fee.......I'm sure it was free when I was last there. There were several punters saying how they thought it was a waste of time and money and full of screaming kids, running about the place. At least it's somewhere dry to take them on the 364 days of cold and rain we get here. They can have it! I wonder what the original people who donated objects would think now?Makes you wonder what the Romans were doing here LOL.

[normanh]

I think the museum is still free until you add in the observatory and Cutty Sark then you pay. There is no way I would pay in its current fashion - Wooden Walls display removed from view, one of the greatest model period model displays I have seen. Not been there for a couple of years but I wouldnt be supprised if the George V model has been moved out.

 

https://www.rmg.co.uk/plan-your-visit/tickets-prices

 

Norman

[shipman]

I understand the George V is in the entrance area. Strangely, when I was there I never saw it. They do have a lovely Queen Mary(?) battlecruiser builders model, but I've only ever found a few photo's of it. Don't think it's been displayed. The main collection of their wooden models have been re-located to Chatham, most of which are in storage and can be viewed by appointment...free!

The Science Museum collection is mostly in storage, but the big Vanguard model is at the Riverside Museum, Scotland, along with the big Liners.

Incidentally, I'm reading the Norman Ough book, and he points out lots of Vanguard detail discrepancies. But generally he says the shipyard builders models, are laced with errors, even with the original plans. Some of those models must have taken longer to build than the real ship! There's a character who sacrificed his life for his models. 

Wouldn't it be grand if a few heads were knocked together and a new dedicated museum created to house the lot. Pretty sure a case could be made for some lottery funding.