Great Lakes Ship Model Kits

[bigcreekdad]

Not looking for freighters, but any other type of work vessel, fishing vessel, or fighting ship.

 

Aside from the Niagra, does anyone know of any others?

[kurtvd19]

AJ Fisher has several kits -  (Advertises in the NRG's Nautical Research Journal) has kits and plans for the following Great Lakes boats.

 

http://ajfisher.com/kits/challenge.htm   

 

CHALLENGE Great Lakes Schooner - 1852 - Built in Manitowoc, WI  1/8" = 1'

CHAMPION  Great Lakes Tug - 1868   1/8" = 1'

EDNA G.  Great Lakes Tug - 1896   1/8" = 1'

LUCIA A. SIMPSON - 3 MAST LAKE SCHOONER - 1875   3/4" = 1'

 

The remaining wreck of the Lucia A. Simpson is on exhibit on the shore of Lake Michigan in Deland Park in Sheboygan, WI (26 miles S of Manitowoc).  Shows the construction of the keel, center board and centerboard well and one side of the hull from the keel to about 4-6 ft high.  A must visit for anybody researching or building models of Great Lakes sailing boats of the later 1800's.

 

 

[thibaultron]

Sylvan Scale Models has several HO and N scale ship and boat kits.

 

https://sylvanscalemodels.com/HO ships new page.htm

 

Most of them are freighters, but some are smaller models. They have a steam tug, a couple unusual small freighters, a lumber freighter, and a very  small freighter, as well as a set of "Fish Tugs". The Fish Tugs were small semi-enclosed fishing boats, used on the Great Lakes. in the 1900s.

[bigcreekdad]

Kurt....are there any build logs or pictures of these kits?

Thanks/John

[kurtvd19]

Their catalog- pdf downloadable - has some photos of the models.  Do a search on MSW to see about build logs - I believe there will be some to be found.  I have personally seen many models of these kits built over the years and I did some restorations of the Lucia Simpson model by a couple of builders for clients and can say the kits can produce nice models.  I have seen several of their Challenge and Lucia A Simpson kits as well as a couple of the Edna G tug entered in competition at the WI Maritime Museum contest  over the years - one model of the Simpson from their plans just recently got a Gold Medal - It was not this year but recent.  Check this URL for some info on a very good model of the Simpson as well as historic photos  of the boat.  https://www.hrsms.org/Content/model/lucia-a-simpson/   BTW all Great Lakes Vessels are referred to as Boats,  even the 1,000 ft ore carriers.

 

BTW the model shown below from the 2024 contest is the Lottie Cooper and the wreck I mentioned in my first post is the Lottie Cooper not the Lucia A Simpson as I mistakenly ID the wreck. 

 

Photo of Lottie Cooper a three master lumber

schooner by Rocky Groh won a gold medal in class as

well as Best Great Lakes Vessel Award in the 2024

contest.

[bigcreekdad]

Great info! Thanks Kurt.