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_J8184.jpg) Plan of the Enterprise-class frigate Medea dated 1778
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Built | 1771–1791 |
| In commission | 1775–1828 |
| Completed | 27 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 593 89/94 |
| Length | 120 ft 6 in (36.73 m) |
| Beam | 33 ft 6 in (10.21 m) |
| Depth of hold | 11 ft (3.4 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 200 |
| Armament |
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The Enterprise-class frigates were the final class of 28-gun sailing frigates of the sixth-rate to be produced for the Royal Navy. These twenty-seven vessels were designed in 1770 by John Williams. A first batch of five ships were ordered as part of the programme sparked by the Falklands Islands emergency. Two ships were built by contract in private shipyards, while three others were constructed in the Royal Dockyards using foreign oak.
A second batch of fifteen ships were ordered in 1776 to 1778 to meet the exigencies of the North American situation, and a final group of seven ships followed in 1782 to 1783 with only some minor modifications to include side gangways running flush with the quarterdeck and forecastle, and with solid bulkheads along the quarterdeck.