Career
During his career, he designed 18 ships for the French Navy, and oversaw the construction of most of them. Born to a family of naval engineers of renown, son to François Coulomb the Elder, François Coulomb was appointed master-constructor in 1727. In 1728, he designed the frigate Zéphyr, a first-rank frigate.
The next year, he designed the light frigate Flore, as well as the 50-gun Diamant.
In 1733, he completed the design of the 62-gun Boréest In 1737, he built the 74-gun Terrible.
The year 1740 saw the construction of the frigate Diane, the 62-gun Éole and the 80-gun Tonnant. The next year, he designed the heavy frigate Diane.
In 1745, he designed the 62-gun Triton, and the 74-gun Conquérant, which was modernised in 1764 to the specifications of the Citoyen class.
In 1748, he built the Pomone, and the next year, the 50-gun Hyppopotame and the 74-guns Redoutable and Téméraire. The plans were completed just before he died, and the ship was launched in 1756.
