Belfast
Launched on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) 1938, Belfast captured the largest enemy merchant ship of WWII to date, liner Cap Norte , on October 9th. The largest and arguably the most powerful cruiser in the Royal Navy, Belfast also participated in the sinking of the notorious German battleship Scharnhorst . Now preserved for public view in London, it was opened to the public on October 21, 1971, Trafalgar Day. The diorama shows her cruising North Atlantic waters early in WWII. The waterline model is constructed of a solid laminated wood hull, wood decks, and superstructure of brass or tin over wood. It shows all appropriate deck gear, boats, masting and armament per 1941 configuration. Realistically painted and with slight weathering. Mounted in a custom-fitted mahogany framed & glazed display case, with brass engraved name plaques.
1/16" Scale, Class-A/Special, Case:  46 3/8" L x 11 3/4" H x 11 7/8" W       (STM 2312)

Carib
Typical of large numbers of "laker" cargo steamers, Carib was built by Michigan 's Wyandotte Shipbuilding Co. with registered dimensions of 264' in length, 44' in beam and 19' in draft. Passing through the locks into the St. Lawrence River , such vessels participated in the great economic shipping boom before and during WWI. Sunk in 1915 by German mines in the North Sea , her loss became a sign of war's escalation as both Germany and England sought to defend offensive actions against worldwide shipping which violated peacetime treaties. The model is constructed of solid wood with built-up superstructures made of soldered brass or tin assemblies. It is authentically painted per traditional merchant configuration, yet with artistically applied dramatic weathering. It is fitted-out with cargo cranes, booms, canvas covered hatches, wooden cargo crate, used boiler, and sundry supplies stowed about the aft deck. The sculpted hand-painted plasticine sea describes heavy weather, with the ship heading into the wind. Displayed in a custom fitted glazed case with brass trim and mahogany baseboard with brass name plaques.
1/16" = 1' Scale, Class: A/Special, Case:  27" L x 9" H x 12" W      (STM 2401)

HMS CURACOA
Built at Pembroke, Wales, 1918. Witness to the WWI German surrender at Scapa Flow, the 405’ C-Class light cruiser then became Flagship 1st LCS, Atlantic Fleet,
before convoy escort service in WWII. Sunk off Ireland in 1942 after tragic collision with Queen Mary. Waterline diorama shows her lying at anchor off Bermuda in 1939,
a reception for local residents in progress on her awninged quarterdeck. Model is constructed of a solid laminated wood hull, wood decks, superstructure of brass and wood. Realistically painted and with slight weathering, it includes many work-action figures.
1/16" Scale, Class-A, Case: 40 3/8" L x 10 3/8" H x 10 7/8" W

Dorsetshire
Heavy cruiser HMS DORSETSHIRE , built at Portsmouth and launched in 1929, joined the WWII hunt for German raider Admiral Graf Spee and helped sink Bismarck with her torpedoes before being ordered to the Far East, where she was sunk, with Cornwall , in a dramatic fight with Japanese carrier-borne aircraft off the Maldives on 5 April 1942. The waterline diorama depicts DORSETSHIRE ca 1938 on the "China Station," at her mooring buoy. A ship's boat is off her stern, a lateen-rigged boat off her port bow, and a trading junk sails by on her starboard stern quarter. Model is authentically painted per known South China Sea white-and-buff funnel colors and research. Hull is constructed of wooden waterline lifts with superstructure built-up of brass and wood. All deck gear, boats, aircraft and fittings are accurate to her period configuration and fabricated of brass, copper, Britannia, wire and wood. Model is custom fitted mahogany display with glazed cover trimmed in brass and two brass engraved name plaques.
1/16" Scale, Class-A/Special, Case:  50 1/8" L x 15 1/4" H x 12 1/2" W    (STM 2311)

NORTH ATLANTIC REFUELING
Dramatic waterline diorama depicts German WWII supply submarine U-504 about to commence refueling Type VIIC U-435 in fairly turbulent swells. Models are constructed of solid laminated wood hulls and metal plated-over, and are authentically painted and weathered. Includes several uniformed work-action figures.
1/16" Scale, Class-A/Special, Case: 36 1/4" L x 10 3/4" H x 12 3/8" W

Rodney
Royal Navy Nelson Class battleship RODNEY, launched in 1925, served with distinction and occasionally as Flagship - almost without respite - throughout WWII in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters. The diorama shows the 710' battleship anchored in an open roadstead and flying an Admiral's Flag. Both bower anchors are out and a swivel is being used to keep the lines apart. A torpedo boat of the kind produced at Vospers is passing by at 5 knots or less. Model is authentically painted and camouflaged per known research. Hull is constructed of wooden waterline lifts with superstructure built-up of brass with assemblies fabricated of brass, copper, Britannia, wire and wood. Hull has been hollowed out to accommodate two internal electric lights. Mounted in a custom fitted mahogany display with inner raised plinth, glazed cover trimmed in brass, and two brass engraved name plaques.
1/16" Scale, Class-A/Special, Case:  53" L x 15 1/4" H x 18" W     (STM 2309)

Swiftsure
Diorama shows the 74-Gun First-Rate Ship-of-the-Line HMS Swiftsure (built1804) being towed away in 1846 to be broken up. She took place in the famous Battle of Trafalgar, in which Admiral Nelson established British naval supremacy over France and Spain , before serving in the Mediterranean Fleet. Later, as a Receiving or Accommodation Ship, Swiftsure was dismasted since retaining the rigging in a vessel not intended for sea duty would have been an unnecessary hazard, and require on-going upkeep. The model's hull is carved from a solid wood core which has then been plank-over, with all appropriate sub-assemblies, furniture and railings applied. The decking is scribed and hatch gratings are painted brass. It shows a decorative stern gallery and quarter galleries, yet the entire model is depicted in a very weathered or distressed finish. The Thames River 80' barge and the 65' wooden side-wheel steam tug Monarch are also made of wood and authentically portrayed. Each model is set into a artistically painted waterline base which typifies the muddy and polluted Thames River. *Inspiration for this diorama came from the famous J.M.W. Turner painting of HMS Tem é raire being towed away in a similar scenario. Displayed in a custom fitted glazed case with brass trim, and mahogany baseboard with brass name plaques.
1/16" = 1' Scale, Class: A/Special, Case:  29 1/4" L x 10" H x 11 1/4" W    (STM 2407)

Virago