HMS Infernal was an 8-gun bomb vessel of the Royal Navy, constructed in 1757 under the design of Surveyor Thomas Slade. She was the prototype for six subsequent ships in the Infernal class, built to enhance shore bombardment capabilities during the Seven Years' War. Her dimensions included an overall length of approximately 91 feet 9 inches (28.0 meters), a beam of 27 feet 9 inches (8.5 meters), and a tonnage of around 30 7/9 tons burthen. The vessel was built at Northam, Southampton, by master shipwright Henry Bird, with construction costs totaling £3,355, and an additional £2,082 spent on fitting out. Design-wise, Infernal featured a narrow stern, bluff bow, and broad beam, making her a short, heavy vessel optimized for supporting mortars rather than sailing agility. Her rigging was initially a two-masted ketch, a configuration chosen for testing purposes to compare with ship-rigged vessels. She was armed with eight six-pounder cannons and twelve half-pounder swivel guns for defense. Her initial armament also included two mortars—one 10-inch and one 13-inch—capable of firing large projectiles against fortifications, with the capacity to load around one hundred one-pound shells. Shortly after her launch, Infernal was refitted as a sloop, removing her mortars and adding six more six-pounder cannons, increasing her crew to 110 men. She saw active service in the English Channel and Caribbean, participating in notable operations such as the capture of Île-d'Aix, raids on Rochefort, St. Malo, Cherbourg, and engagements in the Caribbean including bombardments of Martinique and Guadeloupe. In 1760, she was converted back into a sloop to patrol the Caribbean for French merchant vessels, successfully recapturing the British ship Resolution from a French privateer. Throughout her service, Infernal participated in significant naval actions, including the Battle of Saint Cast and operations off Martinique and Belleisle. After the end of the Seven Years' War, she was paid off in 1763, with minimal maintenance over the subsequent years. Ultimately, she was sold into private hands in 1774 for £350; her subsequent fate remains unknown. HMS Infernal exemplifies the innovative but challenging design of mid-18th-century bomb vessels, serving crucial roles in both shore bombardments and fleet actions during her active years.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.