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Model Shipways Inc. dba Model Expo
have been serving scale modelers with quality wood /metal kits since 1976.
In the beginning they offered only European historic ship model kits. Their growth was based on competitive pricing and after-sale service to the customers by providing them with replacement parts to support their building efforts.
In 1987 they acquired Model Shipways (founded in 1948) and improved the kit selection by being the first to introduce laser cutting to the industry, introduced many new models and converted solid hull kits to plank-on-bulkhead and plank-on-frame. Subsequently, they designed new wood and metal models introducing Model Airways historic aircraft, Guns of History artillery and Model Trailways western vehicles.
Today, they manufacture all of their kits in their factory in Miami, Florida. There they mold detailed metal parts; cut wood with high-powered lasers and assemble each kit with careful American hands. Visit the factory... watch molten metal poured and cast; hardwoods cut by lasers and see your next kit carefully assembled.
Call first. 800-222-3876.
Model Shipways USF Confederacy 1778 1:64 Scale
by Model Expo
HISTORY
USS Confederacy, a 36-gun frigate of the Continental Navy was launched at Norwich, Connecticut on November 8, 1778. A beautiful ship with profusely carved ornamentation, she was plagued with bad luck throughout her career.
In October of 1779, under the command of Captain Seth Harding, she was on a diplomatic mission to carry the French Minister back to France. John Jay (the first American Minister to Spain) and his family were also aboard.
During the passage Confederacy ran into a hurricane near Newfoundland and was completely dismasted. Captain Harding managed to work the ship southward. She reached Martinique in mid-December with 6 feet of water in the hold. She remained there for several months for repairs. She returned to Philadelphia on April 20, 1780 only to find the need for more extensive repairs. In October, she was damaged once again in a collision with another ship in Philadelphia harbor.
The year 1781 did not bring better luck. While homeward bound from the West Indies with military stores and other supplies, Confederacy was forced to strike her flag to two British ships- the 44-gun HMS Roebuck and the 32-gun Orpheus. She was subsequently taken into the British service as HMS Confederate.
ADMIRALTY MODELS, A BRITISH TRADITION
During 17th and 18th centuries, the Admiralty Board of the Royal Navy required builders to submit a model of a ship proposed for construction. Only then, upon consideration, would the Board approve funding for it. Called admiralty models, these were some of the finest ever made. They were unrigged with exposed hull and deck framing to allow inspection of the vessel's architecture, deck furnishings and decorative work in a three-dimensional format.
THE MODEL SHIPWAYS KIT
We've designed our kit as an admiralty model as well to show off the incredibly rich detail of its decks, furnishings and fittings. Additionally, the quarterdeck is left un-planked on the port side, leaving the great cabin and gun deck visible.
Plank-on-bulkhead construction features laser cut basswood and walnut components, including port sills, lintels and uprights. We supply nearly 400 basswood and walnut strips, over 250 boxwood blocks (for cannon), deadeyes, and 300 eyebolts. Other fittings include brass strips, tubes, nails and split rings; cast metal ship's wheel and anchors; blackened wire and four diameters of rigging line.
Twenty-eight cast Britannia 12-pounder cannon and 4 six-pounders on wooden carriages replicate Confederacy's armament. Figurehead, stern decorations and other ornamental pieces are also cast metal. Two realistically detailed ship's boats are plank-on-bulkhead mini-kits with the center bulkheads removed, leaving fully framed shells lashed to skid beams. Kit includes laser cut display cradle.
Designed by master modeler Chuck Passaro, Model Shipways' Confederacy is a monumental achievement. Five sheets of plans leave no detail unrecorded, and the 150-page illustrated step-by-step instruction manual is the most complete ever done.
Model Expo Kit No. MS2262
Hull Length 35" /Height 8-1/2" /Scale 3/16" = 1 ft.
Previous modeling experience helpful.
Kit design, plans and prototype model by Chuck Passaro
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Model Shipways USS Essex 1799 FRIGATE 1:76 Scale Admiralty model
The USS Essex was a thirty-two-gun frigate built in Salem, Massachusetts in 1799. She was known around the world for her speed and graceful lines, achieving many dramatic firsts for the young American Navy.
Essex was the first US warship to round the Cape of Good Hope into the Indian Ocean. Thirteen years later, she became the first American man-of-war to round the Horn into the Pacific.
Sailing the Pacific during the War of 1812, she captured 18 British whaling and merchant ships, causing the British to lose almost a million dollars of lost revenue and devastating their whaling industry.
The British sent two ships, the Phoebe and Cherub to hunt down the Essex. They cornered her off Valparaiso and engaged her in battle. Her 32 carronades were no match for the enemy's long guns. She was captured and taken into the Royal Navy.
ADMIRALTY MODELS, A BRITISH TRADITION
During 17th and 18th centuries, the Admiralty Board of the Royal Navy required builders to submit a model of a ship proposed for construction. Only then, upon consideration, would the Board approve funding for it. Called admiralty models, these were some of the finest ever made. They were unrigged with exposed hull and deck framing to allow inspection of the vessel's architecture, deck furnishings and decorative work in a three-dimensional format.
THE MODEL SHIPWAYS KIT
We've designed our kit as an admiralty model to show off the incredibly rich detail of its decks, furnishings, and fittings.
The Model Shipways kit is relatively easy to build with plank-on-bulkhead construction, thanks to its 20 sheets of CAD-assisted laser-cut basswood parts, which come in a variety of thicknesses from 1/32” to 3/16”. Fine basswood is also used for hull and deck planking. An unusual feature of this model is that the fully detailed gun deck is left visible for dramatic exhibition through the partially planked main deck.
A host of fittings ensures that the model you'll build is authentic to the last detail, and a separate mini-kit ship’s boat embellishes the appearance. Masterfully cast Britannia metal guns are miniature versions of the original armament. Brass nails, eyebolts, Belaying Pins, and split rings are correctly scaled, and a photo-etched sheet of detailed parts adds the finishing touches.
Although this Admiralty model does not have full-size spars or sails, some rigging elements are included. Five diameters of rigging line are used, and deadeyes, blocks, and bullseyes are ready-to-use hardwood.
Six sheets of plans with parts identifier, a clearly written instruction manual of over 100 pages guarantee a great modeling experience.
Model Expo No. MS2041
Length 27”
Hull Width: 5.25” (on beam)
Height 8”
Scale 5/32” = 1’ (1:76.8)
Previous modeling experience helpful.
Kit design, plans, instructions & prototype model by Bob Crane
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USS Constitution 1797 - 48'' Long 1:76 Scale
by Model Shipways Plank-on-Bulkhead Kit
Model Shipways is proud to produce the best and most accurate USS Constitution available. Our kit is based on the 1927 Navy drawings, photographs and documentation used during the 1993-97 restoration. It is so complete and highly detailed that shipping weight is an incredible 12 pounds!
Plank-on-bulkhead construction features laser cut wooden parts. High quality basswood planking strips cover the hull and we include self-adhesive copper tape for hull plating. True-to-scale Britannia metal, brass and hardwood fittings and 16 photo-etched brass sheets provide life-like detail. Over 50 cannon, carronade and gun Model Shipways Barrels duplicate original armament. Extra touches include laser cut gratings and engraved scrollwork. Four-hundred yards of rigging line in six diameters is also supplied.
Model Shipways kit includes eight sheets of detailed plans and 48 page step-by-step instruction manual by Ben Lankford uncover the secrets of building a museum quality replica. (Display base and pedestals not included.)
Launched on October 21, 1797, the USS Constitution has won every battle she's ever fought - over 40 of them! She earned her nickname Old Ironsides after a sailor saw a cannonball bounce off her hull. Resting in Boston Harbor, she's the oldest commissioned US warship. USS Constitution went through several restorations during her career. A major restoration between 1993 and 1997 prepared the frigate for her 200th anniversary. Workers restored the thick deck strakes and diagonal riders to strengthen the hull and make her seaworthy. They fitted fore, main and mizzen topsails, jib, flying jib, and spanker sails for the day when "Old Ironsides" would move under her own power once more. That historic moment arrived on July 21, 1997, when Constitution set sail from Marblehead Harbor to a point just one mile short of Halfway Rock. The five-mile cruise took one hour.
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Model Shipways USS Constitution Cross-Section 1797 Wood Model
Welcome to what is arguably the most detailed model kit of the USS Constitution ever produced. This version of the kit represents the latest restoration of Old Ironsides now berthed in Boston Harbor. Our kit is entirely built with 5mm bulkhead and false keel plywood framework, then planked in basswood; the modeler's choice of fine-grained hardwood. Fittings are made of cast Britannia metal (lead-free), photo-etched parts, brass strips, brass belaying pins, and walnut blocks, and dead eyes. Rigging is jewelry quality, non-stretch nylon made in Germany and is provided in both light brown and black in 6 sizes to represent scale running and standing rigging. Plans and 96 pages of detailed step by step instructions take you from what appears to be a challenging build to a legacy-satisfying monument to your passion for building beautiful, historically accurate models. A perfect, same scale complement to our MS2040 USS Constitution kit in the scale of 1:76.
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BRIEF HISTORY
Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry took command of the American naval forces at Lake Erie in the spring of 1813. The famous battle with the British fleet began on September 10, when Perry raised a flag bearing the words Don t Give Up The Ship and sailed into action.
After three hours of murderous gunfire, Perry was forced to abandon his flagship, the Lawrence. In a daring move, he was rowed a half mile to the Niagara, from which he continued the attack. After the battle, Perry returned to the shattered Lawrence and penned a quick message to General Harrison, We have met the enemy and they are ours. This decisive victory at the Battle of Lake Erie ensured American control of the Great Lakes during the War of 1812.
Reconstruction of the brig Niagara was completed in 1990. Operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, she is the centerpiece of a new maritime museum in Erie, PA and serves as the Commonwealth s goodwill ambassador.
Model Shipways' Niagara kit is a faithful representation of the reconstructed Niagara at the maritime museum in Erie, PA. Model design is based on research and plans for the 1990 reconstruction, provided by Melbourne Smith of the International Historical Watercraft Society in Annapolis MD. Laser cut basswood parts facilitate plank-on-bulkhead construction.
Individual basswood strips cover the hull, and we provide six filler blocks in our Model Expo Niagara to make the job easier. True-to-scale Britannia metal, brass and hardwood fittings assure scale accuracy. Eighteen cast metal carronades and two long guns duplicate the armament of the original vessel. Rigging material include over 600 blocks and deadeyes and four diameters of rigging line. Six sheets of detailed plans and 40 page illustrated instruction manual by Ben Lankford clarify every phase of construction. (Display base and brass pedestals not included.)
KIT FEATURES
Authentic plank-on-bulkhead construction
Laser cut basswood structural parts
True-to-scale Britannia metal, brass and hardwood fittings
Eighteen carronades and two long guns
Four diameters of rigging line
Six sheets of detailed plans and 40 page step-by-step instruction manual
Previous modeling experience helpful.
MODEL SPECIFICATIONS
Model Expo Kit No. MS2240
Length: 43"
Hull Width: 11"
Height: 27"
Scale: 3/16" = 1 ft.
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BRIEF HISTORY
USS Syren, a 240-ton brig, was built by Nathaniel Hutton at Philadelphia in 1803. On September 27th, she set sail for Gibraltar under the command of Lt. Charles Stewart. Syren cruised the Mediterranean during the spring and summer of 1804 and participated in the attacks on Tripoli. She remained there for almost a year after the peace treaty with Tripoli was signed on June 10, 1805. Departing Gibraltar on May 28 of 1806, she reached the Washington Navy Yard in early August, where she was laid up until her reactivation in 1807. During her service in the War of 1812, she was captured by the 74-gun HMS Medway after an 11-hour chase.
Designed by master modeler Chuck Passaro, Model Shipways' kit is authentic to the last detail. Basswood keel and bulkheads are laser cut foreasy assembly, and framing templates help you build a perfect hull.
We supply several sizes of basswood strips for deck and hull planking, plus self-adhesive copper tape for plating the hull below the waterline. An abundant fittings package includes photo-etched brass detailing, brass eyebolts, Belaying Pins, nails, gudgeons and pintles, over 200 wooden blocks and deadeyes, gratings, plus dowels for masts and spars. Several sizes of tan and black rigging line, netting, printed flags and grating are supplied as well. Armament consists of 16 precision-cast Britannia metal carronades and two long guns on wooden trucks. The model carries a ship's longboat that's a mini-kit in itself. Actual sized plans are on 8 sheets, and 140-page spiral bound instruction manual shows all stages of construction.
KIT FEATURES
Historically accurate and perfectly scaled
Plank-on-bulkhead construction
True-to-scale wood, brass and Britannia metal fittings
Ship's longboat that's a mini-kit in itself
8 full size plan sheets
130-page illustrated assembly manual
Previous modeling experience helpful.
MODEL SPECIFICATIONS
Model Expo Model Kit No. MS2260
Length: 33"
Height: 27"
Scale: 3/16" = 1 ft.
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Model Shipways Charles Morgan Whale Bark 1:64 Scale
by Model Expo Plank-on-Bulkhead Kit
An official Mystic Seaport Series Model
During her 80 years and 37 voyages, the Charles W. Morgan caught and processed more whales than any other whaling ship in history. Built in 1841 at the Hillman Brothers Shipyard on the Accent River in New Bedford, MA, she was registered at 351 tons. The Morgan was originally built fully ship-rigged, but shortly after the Civil War she was modified to become a double topsail bark. Her whaling days came to end in 1921 with the decline of whale oil prices. Purchased for Mystic Seaport in 1941, she's now a beautifully restored monument to the men who built and sailed her.
Designed by naval architect Ben Lankford, our Model Shipways' kit replicates the Charles W. Morgan as a double topsail bark of 1892-1908. Lankford's precise drawings (a set of six) are based on plans for the 1983 restoration, provided by Mystic Seaport. A 40 page step-by-step instruction book includes many of the author's own photographs of the reconstructed vessel.
Plank-on-bulkhead construction of the Charles W. Morgan by Model Shipways uses laser cut basswood for the hull components. Wooden bow and stern filler blocks help you shape the real ship. We supply 75 feet of copper sheathing to cover the hull below the waterline. Wooden yards and mast, 140 deadeyes in three sizes, nearly 200 single and double blocks, four diameters of black standing rigging and two of tan running rigging duplicate the rig plan of the original whaler. An assortment of fine metal fitting includes brass ship's bell, Belaying Pins, eyebolts, spilt rings, strips, wire and chain, anchors, bilge pump, chocks, cleats, fire door, chimney, and galley stack. Seven whaleboats are to be assembled from laser cut wooden parts. (Display base and pedestals not included.)
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Model Shipways Flying Fish 1:96 Scale
by Model Expo Plank-on-Bulkhead Kit
Donald McKay, one of the greatest designers of his time, built the Flying Fishin 1851 at East Boston Massachusetts. Flying Fish was registered at the Boston Custom House as a ship of 1,505 tons, with a hull length of 207 feet, and a beam of 22 feet. She sailed from New York to San Francisco in 92 days - only three days short of the record set by her sister ship, the Flying Cloud.
Plank-on-bulkhead construction by Model Expo features laser cut basswood keel and 21-piece bulkhead set. Stem, sternest, rudder, stern pieces and planksheer are also laser cut. The hull is planked with individual basswood strips, and we supply self-adhesive copper coil to sheath it below the waterline. Masts, yards and spars are high quality beech. Rigging plan is faithful to the original, with three diameters each of black standing and white running rigging, plus 200 wooden deadeyes and 225 blocks in various sizes. Eyebolts, backing links and ship's bell are solid brass. We reproduce virtually every detail of the real clipper ship, and expertly cast Britannia metal fittings ensure scale accuracy. You'll find figurehead, anchors, five ship's boats, capstans, binnacle, mast caps, windows and ladders, chocks, davits and stanchions.
Six sheets of beautifully drawn plans and 56 page step-by-step instruction manual by noted naval architect, Ben Lankford, assure trouble-free completion of a magnificent replica. (Display base and brass pedestals shown in photo not included.)
Model Expo Kit No. MS2018
Length 36"/ Height 22-1/2"/ Scale 1/8" =1 ft. (1:96)
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The privateer Rattlesnake was built at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1780. Despite her moderate size of 89 feet on deck, she was fast and weatherly. She sailed with 85 men and carried twenty 6-pounders. She captured over a million dollars worth of British goods on her first cruise, establishing a reputation as a formidable vessel. The British ordered her captured at any cost. She was seized by the 44-gun H.M.S. Assurance in 1783, sent to England and taken into the Royal Navy. She was out of service in 1786.
One of the mainstays of the Model Shipways line, Rattlesnake features plank-on-bulkhead construction with laser-cut basswood components and lead-free Britannia metal castings. Brass fittings include eyebolts, and rings, wire, and strip material.
Your finished Model Expo kit will be an authentic replica, with four sizes each of gray running and black standing rigging, 110 wooden deadeyes, and over 200 blocks. Four sheets of plans (two by George F. Campbell outlining hull details and rig plan, plus two by Ben Lankford showing plank-on-bulkhead hull construction) and a comprehensive 48 page illustrated instruction book guide you to a memorable Rattlesnake model.
(Display base brass pedestals not included.)
Length 28" / Height 18" / Scale 3/16" =1 ft. (1:64) Difficulty Level: Entry - Intermediate Level Plank on Bulkhead
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MS2031 KATE CORY - WHALER
BRIEF HISTORY
The 132 ton whaling brig Kate Cory was built at Westport Point, MA in 1856. Seventy five and a half feet long with a 22-foot beam, she was the last large ship built within the difficult confines of that port. She was also one of the last whalers built specifically for the trade. Most of the later vessels used for whaling were converted freighters or fishermen.
Originally rigged as a schooner, Kate Cory was converted to a brig in 1858. This rig made for smoother motion in heavy seas, and steadied the ship while the crew was cutting in whales. In 1863, after only five voyages, she was captured by the CSS Alabama and burned off the coast of Brazil.
KIT FEATURES
Historically accurate and perfectly scaled
Machine carved basswood hull
Genuine copper sheathing covers the hull below the waterline
True-to-scale wood, brass and Britannia metal fittings
Detailed plans and clear assembly instructions
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Model Shipways Sultana, Colonial Schooner - Solid Hull 1:64 Scale
by Model Expo Solid Hull Kit
Built by Benjamin Hollowell in Boston in 1767, Sultana was seaworthy far beyond her size of 51 feet. The Royal Navy bought her in 1768, and she became one of Britain's most effective weapons in the fight against smugglers.
One of our most popular kits, the Model Expo Sultana features a machine carved basswood hull that requires only light shaping and sanding. Other wooden parts, including the 2-1/8" ship's boat, are laser cut for a perfect fit. Plank-scored decking, spars, wood materials and eight cast metal swivel guns are all included. For historical accuracy, original rigging is duplicated with scale rigging line and 67 wooden blocks. Detailed plans by Ben Lankford and a 24 page instruction manual help you build an authentic replica. (Display base and brass pedestals are not included.)
Model Expo Kit No. MS2016
Length 17"/Height 15"/Scale 3/16" = 1 ft. (1:64)
Difficulty Level: Entry Level
Note: Cannons shown below were not on Sultana and are NOT provided in the kit.
Swivel guns were on the Sultana and are provided in the kit.
Sultana practicum is available as a free download only, it is not provided with the kit.
History of the Sultana
Built in the yard of renowned Boston Shipwright Benjamin Hallowell in 1767, Sultana might have gone on to little historical note if it weren't for chance. Sir Thomas Asquith, the wealthy merchant she was built for, decided she was too expensive to upkeep. Instead, he arranged for Sultana to be bought into a new fleet the Admiralty was assembling, small, quick ships to patrol the North America coast as Revenue Cutters.
Sultana survived a wintertime crossing from Boston to London unscathed, the Admiralty was initially disappointed with her. Promised as a 65 ton Schooner, roughly the size they sought, in reality, she was 52 tons - not large enough to accommodate a full schooner's crew of 30, and not stout enough in her timber to mount a single carriage gun on her decks. Still, the Shipwrights said of her "Appears well wrot and put together," and in the summer of 1768 she was fitted with topmasts, more sail, 8-1/2 pound swivel guns and a crew of 25 with newly commissioned Lieutenant John Inglis, a Philadelphia native, loyal to the Crown, in command.
Lieutenant Inglis and David Bruce, Sultana's Master and second in command, both kept meticulous logs of the vessel's position and duties for every day of her four and a half years of Naval service. Their entries, conjoined with the draughts made in the Deptford Yard and muster books of all 101 men who sailed aboard Sultana, make her one of the most well documented vessels of the Colonial period. Additionally they shed light onto previously unknown historical incidents - such as Inglis and Bruce dining with then Colonel George Washington at his Mt. Vernon Estate in 1770 - and mark the steady rise of Colonial disdain for British Rule.
In October 1772, after four years of hard patrolling, searching hundreds of vessels yet only making one seizure, Sultana was ordered back to England. That May she had been challenged by the crew of the Brig Caroline, while the previous year angry Colonists nearly put her to flames while she lay at anchor off Newport. Once the British Naval ensign ceased intimidating Colonial Ships, Sultana lost much of her authority and without it any merchantman with a carriage gun was more than her match for her overworked and under-armed crew.
Daring yet another North Atlantic crossing - this time getting knocked down onto her beam ends and surviving only by cutting away a small boat and essential provisions - Sultana arrived in England in December 1772 and was sold out of service the following January. The detailed records of the Navy cease at that point, and nothing of her fate is known in certainty.
Want to learn more? Click here:
schoonersultana.org
