Model of Plastic Ship RICHELIEU 1943

Built by the arsenal of Brest, the Richelieu was launched on January 17, 1939.

Its trials took place in the spring of 1940 during the war, and it immediately sailed to Dakar. After the Armistice and two years of waiting, it set sail for New York where it received a new close-range AA artillery and modern detection devices.

In August 1943, it left the Brooklyn arsenal for North Africa, then was incorporated into the Home Fleet and based in Scapa Flow, from where it participated in raids on the Norwegian coast. In March 1944, it was designated to reinforce the Eastern Fleet based in Ceylon. It played an active role in the war operations in the waters of Malaysia and notably distinguished itself in the bombing of Sabang (Sumatra).

In October, it sailed to Toulon and underwent modernization work in Casablanca and hull maintenance in Gibraltar, before returning to Ceylon. After a stay in Indochina, it returned to France on February 11, 1946, participating in various exercises. On April 15, 1947, it transported the President of the Republic to Dakar.