USS MONITOR – COMPLETE 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 armor 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.  At some 30” long, this super-detailed, highly accurate scale model is the largest scale kit of the Monitor ever produced. It makes a wonderful addition to any Civil War model collection.

The kit can be built in any of the known versions of the Monitor, as she was during the Battle of Hampton Roads, in her river cruising trim and how she was on the day of her sinking.

The battle version

This is the very essence of what the Monitor was all about really, simplicity and functionality.  This is her ‘Cheesebox on a raft’ rig and is how she appeared during the battle of Hampton Roads where she famously fought the CSS Virginia.  Battle stations meant all unnecessary items were removed so she had just a turret (with ladder), but no canopy or canopy supports. Her decks were completely clean of anything that might be injurious to her self or her crew. Certainly no lifeboats! She had no hand railings but she did fly a flag from each

end of the ship.

The cruising version.

For river cruising duties she had a canopy fitted over the turret and hand railings around the edge of the deck. In addition she was fitted with air inlet and exhaust outlet extensions, primarily to keep the water out rather than to direct the exhaust away. The exhaust extensions helped with the draft for the boilers too. These were removed for the battle. As a coal burner she must have been very dirty on deck and the nice white canopy would be anything but that.  During this period, photographs show her with stoves

on the deck and the crew having something to eat.  Occasional canopies were rigged to provide shade, boxes and chairs and tables were on deck too. Around the turret at about 7 feet above the deck, a steel rope was jury rigged and though the reason for this rope is not certain, it was probably used to support a canvas sun canopy fixed to a pole mounted on top of the wheelhouse.

Life below decks was far too uncomfortable to be

tolerated when not necessary. Some monitors

actually had temporary buildings erected on the deck but, as far as we know, this was not done on the Monitor. You could let your imagination loose here, there are many photos from which inspiration can be drawn. 

Ocean going version.

The monitor was virtually a submarine in anything

but clam water. The crew could regularly see a

greenish light below decks from sunlight passing

through the water washing over the deadlights.

Keeping water out of the fire side of the boilers was of paramount importance of course. Following her refit, she was fitted with a tall funnel standing on top of a large exhaust collection box. Holding everything

in place were a series supporting wires. The actual

shape and layout of this structure cannot be know

with certainty since no engineering references are

know and the contemporary photos and engravings are wildly inaccurate. The funnel supplied in the kit is as close as we can get but to a large degree it is conjectural.  The position of the lifeboats is a debating point too but to mount them across the hull as can be seen on some interpretations seems strange (it could be correct though). I suggest they were alongside in a conventional attitude. An engraving by Jo Davidson shows this to be the case and I think it is one of the most accurate drawings of the Monitor we have available to us.

SPDLM-MON

1/72 SCALE

PRICE: 

TURRET KIT

SPDLM-MON-T

PRICE:  $ TBA

SCROLL DOWN FOR PICTURES

KIT

TURRET