The Bomb Vessel Granado 1742

Book excerpt: The 'Granado' was one of twelve bomb vessels built to supplement the British fleet at the outbreak of the War Of Jenkins' Ear in 1739. Bomb vessels were a specialization of the warship into a ‘floating siege engine’, carrying huge shell-firing mortars for the purpose of bombarding stationary targets. This volume is of special use to both the scratch-build modeller and the reader of C.S.Forester who wants to know more about bomb vessels. It also provides insights about Jack Aubrey's first command, since the Sophie was also a 14 gun brig-sloop with a quarterdeck and stern windows. The aim of this book is to provide the finest documentation of this important and unusual vessel type ever produced, through a complete set of superbly executed line drawings offering enthusiasts a novel insight into ship design and construction. It includes a service and design history and a pictorial section emphasising close-up and on-board photographs.