Review 1/96 - USCG Harriet Lane Paddlewheel Gunboat by Model Shipways

[Joseph F.]

 

This is the latest kit from Model Shipways, and the fourth in their Model Shipwrights series, designed by David Antscherl. They have previously released kits of Harriet Lane in 1/128 and 1/144 scale, but this new kit is in 1/96 and promises to be 28 inches long. I purchased this kit from Model Expo on Sunday during their Halloween sale, enticed by its ease of construction, and personally interested in ships of the Civil War Era.

 

 

Kit comes with a 66 page, full color instruction manual, which also explains some of the ship’s history. Launched in 1859 as a Coast Guard Cutter, and named for President Buchanan’s niece, she served in the Civil War, first delivering supplies to a beleaguered Fort Sumter in 1861, then in the Gulf Squadron. She passed into Confederate hands during the Battle of Galveston in 1863, and served as a blockade runner thereafter. Interred in Cuba at the end of the war, she spent the rest of her career in civilian service. 
 

 

Kit comes with five full size plans, the three shown here and two more showing all the lasercut pieces.

 

 

The rigging plan, as well as the sail plan above it.

 

 

The deck plan, showing exact size.

 

 

Rigging, chain, blocks, deadeyes, eyebolts, and tiny, tiny brass belaying pins.

 

 

Very cleanly cast Britannia fittings, including cannon, stairs, anchors, windlass, and davits.

 

 

The first set of laser-cut sheets, including keel and bulkheads. Almost every piece in this kit is precut.

 

 

The second set of laser-cut, much thinner, including material for decking, deck furniture, and precut planks.

 

 

A sheet of brass photo-etch, three sheets of fine detailed deck furniture parts cut from heavy paper, a tiny American flag of the Civil War Era, and a small bag of lumber, the only lumber supplied in the kit.

 

 

I am personally very pleased with this kit, and excited to start it. Should be an excellent kit for the intermediate ship builder, and easy enough for beginners. Glad to see this in a larger scale, though 1/96 is still very small.

 

I hope this review will inform your purchase, and please let me know if you want any closer pictures.

[BobG]

Thanks for your review, Joseph. Be sure to make a build log when you begin to build this model so we can follow along.

[highlanderburial]

This is without a doubt one of my favorite historical cutters. I recently saw the new kit marketed and have far too many kits ahead if her. I am jealous but will live vicariously through your logs!

[Roger Pellett]

I was given this kit as a Christmas present in 1964.  It is the 1 :144 version.  It is the only kit that I ever built.  Although fine details do not stand up to close scrutiny, it looks great in its case sitting on top of my bookcase.

 

William H. Webb’s folio of plains, published in their entirety in a 1990

issue of the Nautical Research Journal includes a detailed drawing of a nearly identical vessel named America, sold to the Russians.  It could be used to add detail to this nice kit.

 

Roger

[John Gummersall]

Too Bad this log seems to die....  I was looking foreword to following along.

[mtaylor]

2 minutes ago, John Gummersall said:

Too Bad this log seems to die....  I was looking foreword to following along.

This is just a review in the review area.  I would assume/hope  that when he starts building he'll open a log.