HMS Hyperion

HMS Hyperion is one of thirteen Arrogant-class ships of the line laid down to a design by Sir Thomas Slade and launched at Sheerness Dockyard in April 1788, and is the first ship to bear the name.

She is currently the flagship of Vice Admiral Richard Bolitho and is based in Gibraltar and the Mediterranean.

Sister Ships
Builder: John Barnard, Harwich Ordered: 13 December 1758 Laid down: March 1759 Launched: 22 January 1761 Completed: 28 April 1761 Fate: Sold at Bombay to be broken up, 1810
 * HMS Arrogant

Builder: William Wells, Deptford Ordered: 13 December 1758 Laid down: 19 February 1759 Launched: 19 May 1761 Completed: 16 September 1761 Fate: Burnt or scuttled as unserviceable at St Lucia, 30 June 1780
 * HMS Cornwall

Builder: Woolwich Ordered: 25 August 1774 Launched: 30 June 1779 Fate: Broken up, 1835
 * HMS Edgar

Builder: Deptford Dockyard Ordered: 21 February 1778 Launched: 19 October 1781 Fate: Broken up, 1815
 * HMS Goliath

Builder: Barnard, Deptford Ordered: 19 June 1782 Launched: 25 June 1785 Fate: Broken up, 1816
 * HMS Zealous

Builder: John Randall, Rotherhithe Ordered: Launched: 23 July 1785 Fate: Broken up, 1815
 * HMS Audacious

Builder: Parsons, Bursledon Ordered: 27 December 1781 Launched: 24 August 1786 Fate: Broken up, 1830
 * HMS Elephant

Builder: Graves, Frindsbury Ordered: 11 January 1782 Launched: 6 October 1786 Fate: Sold out of the service, 1836
 * HMS Bellerophon

Builder: Raymond, Northam, Hampshire Ordered: 22 December 1781 Launched: 22 November 1786 Fate: Broken up, 1868
 * HMS Saturn

Builder: Deptford Dockyard Ordered: 9 December 1779 Launched: 6 March 1787 Fate: Broken up, 1821
 * HMS Vanguard

Builder: Graham, Harwich Ordered: 9 August 1781 Launched: 27 November 1787 Fate: Broken up, 1835
 * HMS Excellent

Builder: Henry Adams, Bucklers Hard Ordered: 31 December 1781 Launched: 7 July 1789 Fate: Grounded in gale near Livorno (Leghorn) and burnt, 28 March 1795.
 * HMS Illustrious

Note
Please note that Show the Colours is not following the precise timeline of the Bolitho books in having him aboard Hyperion in the Mediterranean in 1809.

While the Arrogant class of ship did exist historically, it only consisted of 12 ships IRL; our Hyperion is fictional, being adopted from the Bolitho series by Alexander Kent.