HMS Falcon

Twenty-two ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS "Falcon". They are named after an exceptionally fast bird of prey.

*HMS "Falcon" was a "ballinger" (a moderate-size oared vessel) dating from 1334. She was sold in 1352.
*HMS "Falcon" was a ship in service from 1461 to 1485.
*HMS "Falcon" was a pinnace in service from 1544 to 1578.
*HMS "Falcon" was a ship of 180 bm (the number of casks of wine that the ship could carry) in service in 1603.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 24-gun ship purchased in 1646. She was gone by 1659.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 6-gun vessel captured from the Royalists in 1646. She was last listed in 1653.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 10-gun ship captured from the Dutch in 1652. She was used as a fireship in 1653 and sold in 1658. She was also known as the "Golden Falcon".
*HMS "Falcon" was a 36-gun fifth-rate launched in 1666. Upgraded to a 42-gun fourth-rate in 1668, but reverted to 36-gun Fifth Rate in 1691. In 1694 she was captured by the French in the Mediterranean.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 24-gun sixth-rate launched in 1694. In 1695 she was captured by three French ships off Dodman. She was recaptured in 1703 and broken up.
*HMS "Falcon" was converted from a merchant ship in 1694 to a 38-gun fifth-rate. She was captured by the French in 1695.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 32-gun fourth-rate launched in 1704. In 1709 she was captured by the French "Le Serieux" in the Mediterranean.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 14-gun sloop launched in 1744. In 1745 she was captured by the French off Saint Malo. She was recaptured in 1746 and renamed "Fortune". Sold in 1770.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 14-gun sloop launched in 1745. She was converted to an 8-gun bombardment ship in 1758. She was wrecked in the West Indies in 1759.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 14-gun sloop launched in 1771. Sunk in 1778 as a blockship in Narragansett Bay. Salvaged and then floundered 1779.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 14-gun brig-sloop launched in 1782. She was used as a fireship and expended in 1800 at Dunkirk Roads.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 14-gun sloop. She was launched as HMS "Diadem" in 1801 and renamed "Falcon" in 1802. She was sold in 1816.
*HMS "Falcon" was a Danish 16-gun sloop which was found abandoned in 1807 near Danzig. She was in service 1808.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 10-gun "Cherokee" class brig-sloop launched in 1820. An engine was fitted in 1833 and then removed the following year. She was sold in 1838.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 17-gun wood screw sloop launched in 1854. She was sold in 1869.
*HMS "Falcon" was a 14-gun composite screw gunvessel launched in 1877. She was put into harbour service in 1890 and sold in 1920.
*HMS "Falcon" was a small C class destroyer launched in 1899. In 1918 she was sunk in a collision with the trawler "John Fitzgerald" in the North Sea.
*HMS "Falcon" was a river gunboat launched in 1931. She was handed over to the Chinese Navy in 1942, and renamed "Lung Huang".
*HMS "Falcon was a Royal Navy Air Station at Hal Far, Malta.

References

*Colledge