Modeler’s Bio:
This is Martin Jelsema’s fourth build since “retiring” as a marketing consultant four years ago. As a teenager he built the wooden schooner model of the Bluenose. He collected tools for the next 50 years in anticipation of renewing the hobby while pursuing a career in advertising and market consulting.
Author Archives: Robert Cuscaden
Ranger
Description of Model
This model of an 1824 U.S. revenue cutter was built from a kit by Martin Jelsema. It is a plank-on-bulwark model consisting of several types of wood, cast fixtures, cord and wire.
History of the ship
The model represents a class of square-sail schooner used by the U.S. Revenue Service (later the U.S. Coast Guard) in the early 19th Century. They were fast, designed to confront smugglers and slave ships in our coastal waters.
Scale: 1-50
17” x 16”
Obelisk Barge of Queen Hatshepsuit
Description of model
This model was scratch–built by John McGann. He produced the drawings from Bjorn Liandstrom’s book, Ships of the Pharaohs. The obelisks are pink granite from the quarry in Aswan from which the original obelisks were fashioned. The model is constructed of sycamore just as the original barge was.
History of the ship
The barge was used to transport two 98-feet long granite obelisks from Aswan to Karnak. The ship is depicted on the wall of Hatshepsuit’s funerary temple, Deir El Bahri.
Scale: 1/8” 34” x 14” x 15
Royal Barge of Pharaoh Khufu
Description of the model
The model was scratch-built by John McGann using western red cedar. The case is a copy of a travelling case found by Howard Carter in the tomb of King Tut in 1922.
History of the ship
The Royal Barge was buried in a pit alongside the Great Pyramid in 1209BC. It was discovered in 1954 while clearing debris from the base of the Great Pyramid. The barge was disassembled into 1,200 pieces and reassembled. It took 17 years to do this. The boat is built of cedar and entirely sewn together. It’s 142 feet long and weighs 42 tons.
Scale: 1/8”=1” (1/96)
21” x 11” x 12”
Die Kogge von Bremen
Description of the model
John McGann built this model from scratch using drawings produced by the shipwright responsible for recovering and restoring the sunken ship. He used apple wood. John reproduced every piece that was recovered from the wreckage, but did not attempt to “add” pieces not found.
History of the ship
The Cog replaced Viking style vessels around 900 AD. They were used throughout Europe until the 1450’s. The Cog of Bremen was being built in Bremen Germany in 1380 when a flood swept it from the yard and into the River Wesser. She capsized and was lost until the dredging of the river in 1962. It is the only known Cog existing and is now preserved and displayed at the Maritime Museum at Bremerhaven, Germany.
Scale: 1-40
30” x 16” x 17”
Ed Quam
Modeler’s Bio:
Edward is a retired former Intelligence officer. Born and raised in Colorado educated at CU, DU and Harvard. While stationed in Washington D.C. he was and is a member of the Washington Ship Model Association and a Plank member of the Nautical Research Guild. He has built over 25 models over 60 years of modeling and has displayed them in various venues around the country.
USS Maine
Description of the model
Ed Quam built this limited edition kit( # 10) by Bluejacket. Highly modified. Bass wood solid hull. Resin castings, metal guns and masts, etched brass
History of the ship
Ship was sunk in Havana harbor as a result of “Spanish” sabotage, thus starting the Spanish American War.
38” x 13”
Kate Cory
Description of the model:
The model was scratch built from the plans noted below by Ed Quam. She is made of bass wood, fiber rigging and copper.
History of the ship:
Whaling ship out of New England owned by the Corey family. She was sunk by the Confederate Navy. The Corey family had all the documents related to her construction and disposition to file for reparations.
A trunk full of these documents were found in the Corey attic in the mid 1970’s Model shipways had the plans drawn up and a kit was produced.
Fair America
Brief history of the ship:
One of America’s first Naval ships in the Colonial Navy. She was captured by the British and so admired that they took her lines off to be copied.
30” x 15”
USS Olympia
Brief history of the ship:
The Olympia was the flag ship of Adm. George Dewey. She was the ship that ended the Spanish American war in Manila Bay. After WWI she was designated to bring home the body of the Unknown Soldier.
As with the Maine the Olympia is a limited edition kit by Bluejacket and again it is #10. The kit was highly modified and consists of a bass wood solid hull, etched brass fittings, cast metal and phenolic parts.