Mamoli MV38 Le Coureur, french lugger 1776, 1:54 kit

The lugger was a kind of ship widely used by the French pirates of the Revolution and of the Empire. She has undoubtedly a British origin. It is a type of ship equipped as a 'bragozzo' 'on a bigger scale', with 3 masts, a very long bowsprit, several jibs, topsails and some foretopsails. She was built by Denys de Dunkerque on a drawing approved at the end of 1775 and launched in 1776. The career of this ship was short because she was captured by the English on 1 7th June 1778 during a battle, remained famous, between the frigate La Belle Poule and the frigate Arethusa. On 17th June La Belle Poule cruises in the English Channel at the head of a division including the frigate La Licorne, the corvette I'Hirondelle and Le Coureur, After two hours' battle and a vain attempt of boarding, 6hot a dozen times at the water line, with 3 men dead and 7 mortally wounded, she surren ders. Prisoner in England, the Chevalier de Rosely, who had got the St. Lewis' cross, thanks to the valid defense of Le Coureur, went back to France in February 1780. As far as Le Coureur is concerned, the destiny of the ship after she was captured by the English is badly known. Was she taken back by the French In 1782 as stated by some authors? Most likely a mistaken identity suggested this supposition. Was she captured by the Amerjcans, off Terranova in 1780? This is what is stated by Laird Clowes in his book 'The Royal Navy' and what is confirmed by some American studies, speaking of a French lugger with 31 hands, moored at Santo Domingo in 1782. Length: 820 mm, Height:650mm