Sovereign of the Seas
by Don

1/96 Sovereign of the Seas

This ship is has an interesting story behind it. The ship hull and railings were built about 75 years ago by my Wives Uncle Earl. He started this ship when he was young, I ended up with it one night. He ask me if I was interested in having a ship hull. I didn't know what I was about to walk into either. When I saw it It did not have any of the detail. Only the rails, cannon gun ports and some of the die cast details were there.

The Ship is called SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS The real ship was length 215 ft long Bean 46 feet wide, height was 75 high from keel to top of main mast, as well as a draft of 23 feet.

My Ship is about 40 inches long, with a beam of about 6 inches a height of about 30 inches and a draft of 3 inches. This was built from a sold piece of spruce wood. Then it was carved out using the bread and butter method. It has no ribs and was not plank on plank. I built it from the hull up, scratch built the rest of the ship but the sails were from another kit. All detail on the deck and the rest was also scratch built. This was the first time I even took on a ship like this. It was a good learning tool and I enjoyed doing the work for him. The ship is now back with the family and our 90 year old uncle and wife was surprised to see it completed and very happy. Even the family was surprised to see it as well done. For a few days I was not sure I had even built it considering the way it came out. The Real ship was built in 1634 It was known as an English Man of War and was also used as a ship of the line as well was a flag ship For England. Charles the first of England gave the order to build it. She had a crew of 800 and was 104 gun ship, with 2 tons of metal.

On the night of January 27 1696 while anchored in the port of Chatham, She was sunk from a candle that was not blown out in the cooking area. The fire raged for hours down to the hull to the water line and finally sunk in the harbor The nick name of the ship was known as Golden Devil by the Dutch because of fighting power and remarkable beauty.