MAINE BOATBUILDERS SHOW Page 25.
BlueJackets Releases Model of AEGIS Destroyer
SEARSPORT – One of my favourite places windshield.”
to stop on the coast of Maine is at There was another major change made,
Bluejackets, opposite Hamilton Marine in from Flight I to Flight II and then Flight IIA,
Searsport. This is a ship model company, which the sterns are very different on. The
which over the years has turned out a num- Flight II and Flight IIA have helo hangers,
ber of great ship model kits. This past sum- where as Flight I had just the landing area.
mer they released their newest model, DDG- Ross added, “You’ve got to add about five
51 ARLEIGH BURKE, which is an AEGIS scale feet to the hull length and actually ev-
destroyer built at Bath Iron Works. erything above the main deck is different. It
The model came about when one of the is similar, but it is different. Even the bridge
owners saw one of these destroyers and structure is different.”
wanted to make it a kit. Al Ross developed This is a challenging model to build,
the kit and said that getting all the informa- especially because of the angular structures.
tion to build the first model was not very Ross said, “Everything is either 10 or 12 de-
difficult. He said, “We lucked out. I got the grees off vertical. The after superstructure is
lines from Boat & Drydock. Then one day simply laser cut that you tab and slot to- sible for the builders of today. Over the last ing on.”
we had a fellow come in, a model builder, and gether. Stacks are made the same way. That several kits there is a real indepth instruc- To date this model has sold well, espe-
he was buying some kits and saw I was work- is all easy. The forward superstructure, which tion book with exploded parts diagrams. cially since it is not even in the catalog yet.
ing on the BURKE. He started asking a few is where all the angle changes occur, is lami- They also include a separate CD showing Almost everyone found out about it on the
questions and it turns out he was the project nated from different pieces of bass wood at how the original was constructed from start Internet. Ross actually set up a pre-products
manager on the original program. So he said varying thicknesses. In order to get that to finish. Ross added, “We have gotten good website dedicated just to its construction.
“hey, how would you like a set of NAVSEA properly angled, I gave them two gauges, comments on the previous models, like the Now that site is open for people once they
drawings for 1991, when she entered the one 10 and one 12 degrees. Essentially what MAINE and the OLYMPIA, where they start building this kit to start talking with each
fleet?” So he sent me those and from there you do is laminate different portions of the could see three dimensionally what was go- other.
on in it was just using those and photo- forward superstructure together, flip them
graphs to create the right configuration.” upside down, and run them on a sander with
Ross built the model of the ARLEIGH a table and that automatically puts in all the
Winslow Marine
BURKE just as she was when commissioned proper angles.”
in 1991. He explained, “The primary reason Ross added, “Like most of the kits that I well.”
for that is if you build her to a certain date have developed over the last few years, there
Continued from Page 23.
Their season is really between the
and you build a specific vessel, and then are over 600 pieces of photo-etched brass. I The commercial side of this business Fourth of July and Labor Day. With only the
somebody wants to build something else, also used a bit more resin on this one than I purchases and sells the catch for a number commercial section heated the restaurant and
they have at least the basis for a different have in the past. This is just easier to use of local fishermen. They also have a pound Tugs Pub is closed during the winter and
boat. Even now the BURKE doesn’t quite than metal or wood. In some cases, like the down the road, which can hold 70,000 the fish market is only open on Thursday,
look like what she was when she was built. sonar bulb on the bow, that is cast resin. I pounds. Winslow added, “We haven’t used Friday and Saturday.
In fact on top of the bridge there is a hous- could have just given them a block of wood it in the last two years. Dad used to say that So if you are looking to move a really
ing attached to the mast and on the original and say carve it, but most customers today it is like taking a $20 bill and sticking it in a big object call Winslow Marine. And if not
one it was about half way back from the wind- do not want to do that. The RIB, the rigid snow bank and hoping in the spring in turns you must get hungry once in awhile and if
shield. At one point they moved that to in- inflatables, are resin, the gun house is resin, into a $100. If you can get just 50 cents a that hunger hits when you are in the
crease the length of the housing to come all and a few other things.” pound by just bringing them in here and sell- Boothbay area, slide over to Southport Is-
the way forward to the visor on the bridge It is all about making it as easy as pos- ing them out the other door you might as land and eat at Robinson’s Wharf.
Help Save this 102 Year old former Reading Railroad Tug
Join the "Friends of Saturn" for just $25 or more if you can!
We have moved to Brewer where she has spent the winter. Now spring is coming at work will begin in ernst, some by volunteers and some
by Kustom Steel. Plans are to paint her from keel to top of pilothouse, get heating system ready for next winter and begin engine work!
SATURN is a 117-foot railroad tug built as the BERN for the Reading Railroad in 1907. She is one of the last railroad tugs in existence and
should be saved for future generations to enjoy. For further information : (207) 223-8846 or make out check to: Friends of SATURN, P.O. Box
710, Winterport, ME 04496.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28