La Foudreby PreDreadnoughtin Ship Class, Technologyon Posted on July 9, 2013July 9, 2013 Laid down by Chantiers de la Gironde in 1892 and commissioned in 1896, La Foudre was a French croiseur porte-torpilleurs (torpedo boat tender). La Foudre lowering torpedo boats into the water. Download the La Foudre plan set here.