by Don RC
1/96 USS Kearsarge (Revell)
Here is a rebuild I did of the USS Kearsarge 1862. Kearsarge was a Civil war sloop of war, built along the same lines of USS Alabama. Both ships were almost the same in build, with just a few differences. As I did the research I learned the deck and sails rig were almost identica. These two ships had a major battle off the French coast and Kearsarge come out on top.
The biggest problem I had on this rebuild was trying to figure out what ship it was! In the beginning, I was thinking it was the Cutty Sark but found out later it was the Kerasarge. My Pastor built this ship many years ago and it got damaged over time. He was going to throw it out but I could not let that happen after I found out about it. I asked him to let me try and see what I could and use some my ideas on it. He told me to go for it. For the first day or so I was not sure on how to go at it but finally decided to go all of the way and start over.
After some research and help with of another ship builder I was able to figure what I was working with; then it became fun to work on. I had to rebuild most of it; at one point, I had it down to 3 parts: the hull in two pieces and the deck. I was then able to wash it, and I got off all of dust that had accumulated on it. She had sat damaged for about 20 years in a box up in an attic. I had to rebuild all of the masts, add new sails and re-rig. I added extra crew and repainted the ship.
The model was built about 30 years ago. I was told it fell off his daughter's mantel and was not able to get back together. I was talking to her one night about it and a few months later her dad brought it to me. Now it has made the family happy to have the ship back up on the mantel.
