The Union ironclad steamer U.S.S. Monitor kit.

This ship has fascinated me all my life and so it was inevitable that we would produce a kit eventually, and here it is, a 1/72nd scale model of 750mm long.

The model is as accurate as we know how and many sources of information we used to establish the level of detail it has. The photo above shows how she looked when early river cruising but the kit contains the tall funnel, the lifeboats and davits used in later versions.  The sloping armour around the wheelhouse is an included option too.

Fine, resin castings provide the turret main components and cast Pewter is used for such things as the rudder, propeller support and propeller, guns and railings.  An etched nickel silver etched sheet provides all the details for the vents, turret roof, ladder and nameplate.

Laser-cut Perspex is used for the deck and hull sides and the cross supports below deck.  

All the plating and rivet detail on the deck and hull sides is engraved by the laser to give superb detail.

The hull is a GRP moulding produced using a silicone rubber mould so that every detail is cast in.  The underside of the hull has full panel line and rivet detail.

The canvas canopy is a vac formed form item.  

The model is fun and simple to build using plastic weld or similar to glue the Perspex together.

Dave Abbot, writing for Model Boats magazine, did a review of the model which he chose to radio control.  The model looks really well on the water too and Dave has used it many times during his lectures on modelling and weathering techniques.

The kit is designed so that the top of the turret can be removed to show the  detail inside the turret.

£185 (Plus £8.00 p&p in UK.  
£45 USA and ROW).

The photograph below shows the contents of the kit.  

The deck is cut to shape perfectly, all holes and cut-outs already done. Full panel line detail is all there.  The hull side armour plating is produced in a similar manner.  The lower hull is cast GRP and has full panel line and rivet detail.  It is often mistaken for a fine resin casting because of the cast-in detail. It also has a brass prop shaft tube cast into it so there is never a need to fit one should you want to RC the model.  

Contents of the kit