Some of my model ships

shipbuilder said:
Mandalay and Medium - A big one and a small one. I gave the big one away, and he sent a friend to collect - I never received a single word of thanks!



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No word of thanks? I'd kiss your feet if you gave me that merchantman at the top of your post. I used to sail such vessels, and a model of one is something I'd treasure.
 
Thanks - It has always surprised me that there is so little interest shown in merchant ships by ship model builders. So many different types, colours and sizes to choose from. Fortunately, this has always worked in my favour when dealing with collectors - more than 260 built and sold over the past 30 years since I left the sea. Here Margaret Wicks and Arabic.


1881 Arabic (Large).JPG


Margaret Wicks 2.jpg
 
Bob,
The problem is that these vessels are not glamorized by the entertainment business. There is no one promoting them; Master and Commander, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc.

Here in the American Midwest people are obsessed with the Great Lakes steamship Edmund Fitzgerald lost with all hands during a gale on Lake Superior in 1975. Why is she remembered? Popular Music writer wrote a hit song about her.

Your models are pure art and maritime history. No rows of cannons, pirates or other hype.

Roger
 
I am truly amazed at the quality and number of vessels you have built..The scale would too much of a challenge for me! I am 76 and enjoy scratchbuilding larger, relatively obscure ships,,presently OKESA, with a great, albeit brief history..your wife is amazing as well, lovely seas, Roger..I scratchbuilt the FITZ for my 77 yr old sister ! She's also a big Gordon Lightfoot fan. Thank you four journey.
 
Lightfoot’s song; both the music and words is gripping. Few people outside of the Great Lakes region understand the shipping that plies its waters and how dangerous these inland seas can be.

My current project is a 1:96 scale model of the canal sized Great Lakes freighter Benjamin Noble lost on Western Lake Superior with all hands during a 1914 northeastern gale.

Roger
 
I enjoyed going through every post and picture. Wonderful work! I had no idea there were so many different styles of merchant ships. I'm drawn to tug boats and some of your models remind me a bit of those such as one of these last ones, "Margaret Wicks". You have mastered a talent and I think it is wonderful your wife has been part of this hobby with you.
God Bless.
 
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Many sailors worked on those ships. They lived through experiences, laughed, suffered, cried, dreamed, bled...The bulkheads were imbued with all these feelings. Somehow, I think those ships had a soul. I'm sure many sailors remember them with fondness and nostalgia. I served on an old World War II aircraft carrier, the USS Cabot. In Spain it was renamed P/A Dédalo. There were plaques remembering the sailors who died in kamikaze attacks. It was sad to see photos of the scrapping of the old aircraft carrier.
 
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When I was at sea in a small passenger liner, running from the UK to Cape Town,via the Canary Islands, Ascension and St Helena with general cargo and 76 passengers, I gave two illustrated slide talks per voyage (Outward and homeward) to the passengers in the main lounge covering the transition from sail to steam in the merchant navy.
I never had any difficulty in holding the attention of my audience, often drawing gasps of astonishment at the exploits of such ships and seamen in those far-off times.
The adventures we survived were many and varied, where life in a naval ship was just a round of harsh discipline, never-ending exercises,and very little else. Sea battles are fortunately few and far between, but when war came, merchant vessels were always in the thick of it!
My wife was able to travel with me free of charge, and her grandfather spent 30 years at sea, mainly as an able seaman in square riggers and a few steamships.
 
Merchant Marine sailors, British and American, proportionally sustained very high losses during World War II. How many people realize that the famous Liberty Ships were crewed by the merchant marine?

Duluth, Minnesota where I live is the largest port on the Great Lakes. We are visited by both “lakers” and “salties.” The lakers come and go without interaction by us shore dwellers. This is because they rapidly load and discharge bulk cargos so the crews do not leave the ship.

Most salties arrive, via the St Lawrence Seaway, to load grain. We sometimes see their crews while shopping in our local stores, and we enjoy talking to them. Grain is loaded well into our cold weather season. They must leave by mid December to avoid closure of the seaway locks. This can be tough duty for crews, often from the Philippines or India, who don’t have cold weather gear. I believe that a local Seaman’s Mission has tried to help solve this problem.

Roger
 
Roger Pellett said:
Merchant Marine sailors, British and American, proportionally sustained very high losses during World War II. How many people realize that the famous Liberty Ships were crewed by the merchant marine?

Duluth, Minnesota where I live is the largest port on the Great Lakes. We are visited by both “lakers” and “salties.” The lakers come and go without interaction by us shore dwellers. This is because they rapidly load and discharge bulk cargos so the crews do not leave the ship.

Most salties arrive, via the St Lawrence Seaway, to load grain. We sometimes see their crews while shopping in our local stores, and we enjoy talking to them. Grain is loaded well into our cold weather season. They must leave by mid December to avoid closure of the seaway locks. This can be tough duty for crews, often from the Philippines or India, who don’t have cold weather gear. I believe that a local Seaman’s Mission has tried to help solve this problem.

Roger
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Being an former Merchant Marine Engineer myself, I had opportunity to sail with two Chief Engineers and a Captain who were WWII Merchant Marine veterans. The stories they told were awesome.
 
If I had to choose, (go ahead, twist my arm) " Victoria is my favorite, so far. And your "Flying Cloud" gives me inspiration, as she is my current project (about 3 years in, Flying Cloud by Mamoli kit bash).
What wonderful models. And such a treat to see! As always, thanks for sharing! Keep posting.

Pete
 
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