Le Coureur, 8 Gun Lugger - Langton 1:1200

Here is a fun example of a type of rig seen often in the waters around France - the lugger. Langton's 8 gun lugger model is based on the historical ship Le Coureur, which was first laid down in 1776. This was a very sleek vessel, built for speed rather than slugging it out.

In 1778, before official declarations of hostility between France and Britain, le Coureur sailed with 3 other vessels that encountered a far larger British force. After refusing to surrender and trying to make a run for it, she was chased and brought to a fight by the cutter HMS Alert. After an hour and a half of battle 5 men were killed and 7 wounded (out of a crew of 50) aboard le Coureur, and she struck her colors. She remained in British service (as HMS Coureur) until 1780, at which time she was captured by Americans.

I have replaced the masts with brass rods for greater strength and better scale, and used nylon brush bristles for rigging. Base is a metal piece by Langton, mounted on plastic and then on magnetic sheet.