1/384 USS Maine 1898 (Scratchbuilt)
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by Franklyn Day |
1/384 USS Maine 1898 (Scratchbuilt)
Here is a model of my Second class Battleship USS MAINE 1898 the model is built entirely from paper card stock materials the ships boats is carved from soft pinewood. The diorama display is nothing more then Kitchen foil using blue, green and white color to represent the mighty ocean. I used other methods for seascape plaster of paris rippled glass and resins. But foils is simple and effective. The model is built to the scale of 1/384 10" long the plans are Edward Wiswesser they can be obtained through Abe Taubman plans service if available.
In January of 1898 the Battleship Maine was sent to Cuba to maintain
tensions between cuba and spain, With the arrival of the Main would make
certain trouble between Cuba and spain would break up. although the United
States and Spain were at each others throats as tensions rose between America
and Spain. On February 15th at 9:45 PM The Main was sent to the bottom
after a explosion that blew off the entire bow of the ship and sending
her to the bottom of the Harbor. Killing over 200 men, Captain Charles
Sigsbee assumed at the time it was mine. Later in the 20th century she
was found that it was a design flaw on the vessel by having a powder magazine
next to a coal bunker. The heated coal bunker ignited the forward powered
magazine. In 1912 The Main was raised from the muddy harbor bottom an 60ft
plug was fitted to the blown off portion of the hull forward of the main
superstructure. she was towed out to sea 4 miles in to international water
with full military honors she was sent to her final resting place she
rest in 666 fathoms of water 3 miles deep.
