Airfix 1/180 HMS Victory A09252

The Airfix 1/180 HMS Victory this plastic model kit accurately recreates the real life Royal Navy vessel. This plastic ship kit requires paint and glue to complete.

HMS Victory is the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to bear this name, the first launched in 1559 was the flagship of Sir John Hawkins at the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

The new ship to be named the Victory, was designed by Thomas Slade and was launched on May 7, 1765. Her tonnage was 2,162 tons and she carried 104 guns, including 30 thirty-two pounders on the lower deck, 28 twenty-four pounders on the middle gun deck, 30 twelve pounders on the upper gun deck and 2 sixty-four pound carronades on the forecastle.

Her full complement was 850 officers and men. In 1793, she took part in the capture of Toulon and the folowing year in operations against Corsica. At the siege of Calvi, men and guns from HMS Victory were landed under the command of Captain Horatio Nelson, who lost the sight of his eye from a wound during the siege. In 1797, commanded by Admiral Sir John Jervis, the Victory took part in the battle of Cape St.

Vincent, where much of the success was due to the action of Commodore Nelson commanding HMS Captain. On October 21st 1805, HMS Victory earned undying fame at the Battle of Trafalgar when the combined fleet of France and Spain was defeated. Nelson's tactics confused the enemy, and of their 33 ships, 18 were taken, 4 escaped to be rounded up two weeks later, and the remainder struggled back to Cadiz badly damaged. This battle ended Napoleon's bid for mastery of the sea but Nelson himself was wounded by musket fire early in the engagement and died in the Victory's cockpit as the battle ended. Following an extensive refit, the Victory went back into service and was employed until November 1812.

In 1824, she became flagship of the Portsmouth Command, which duty she retains to the present day. Until 1922, the Victory was berthed in Portsmouth harbour, but she was then removed to No. 2 Dock and completely restored to the condition and appearance she was in at Trafalgar. Thousands of visitors now go aboard this famous vessel each year.

Manufacturer: Airfix
Model: 09252 HMS Victory
Scale: 1/180