HMS Formidable

Four ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Formidable with a fifth, the French Formidable, renamed HMS Ham after being captured and recommissioned; a sixth has been announced: HMS Ham (1759) was the 80-gun second rate Formidable captured from the French at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759. Broken up in 1768. HMS Formidable (1777) was a second rate; initially of 90 guns, later increased to 98; launched in 1777. She fought at the Battle of Ushant and the Battle of the Saintes, was converted to a 74-gun third rate in 1813, and broken up later that year. HMS Formidable (1825) was an 84-gun second rate launched in 1825. She was lent as a training ship in 1869 and was sold in 1906. HMS Formidable (1898) was a Formidable-class predreadnought battleship launched in 1898 and torpedoed and sunk in 1915. HMS Formidable (67) was an Illustrious-class aircraft carrier launched in 1939 and sold for scrap in 1953. HMS Formidable will be a Type 31 frigate.