THE PROTOTYPES

SS UNITED STATES Ship Model

SS UNITED STATES

The SS United States is a retired luxury passenger liner built in 1950–51 for United States Lines at a cost of $79.4 million ($749 million in 2017). The ship is the largest ocean liner constructed entirely in the United States and the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic in either direction, retaining the Blue Riband for the highest average speed since her maiden voyage in 1952. She was designed by American naval architect William Francis Gibbs and could be turned into a troopship if required by the Navy in times of war. The United States operated an uninterrupted schedule of transatlantic passenger service until 1969 and was never used as a troopship.

USS Kendall C Campbell Ship Model

1/8″ Scale model

1/4″ Scale model

USS Kendall C Campbell

The John C Butler class destroyer escort was acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket. Post-war she proudly returned home with four battle stars to her credit.

Kendall C. Campbell was named in honor of Kendall Carl Campbell who was twice awarded the Navy Cross, once during the New Guinea campaign and again during the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Kendall C. Campbell was launched 19 March 1944 by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Newark, New Jersey; sponsored by Mrs. Carl B. Campbell; and commissioned 31 July 1944, Lt. Comdr. R. W. Johnson in command.

SC-1075 Sub-Chaser Model

 NAVY SUB-CHASERS (SC)

Navy submarine chasers (SC) were designed to destroy Japanese and German submarines. The US Coast Guard used them to destroy the German U-boats that were stationed off the East Coast coast as they tried to sink merchant convoys departing American ports. By the end of World War II, submarine chasers had sunk around 67 German U-boats. In the Pacific, submarine chasers were used for amphibious landings, courier and escort duty.

USS BALAO FLEET SUBMARINE MODEL

USS BALAO SS-285

USS BALAO (SS/AGSS-285) was the lead ship of the United States Navy’s Balao-class submarines during World War II and named for the balao.

Balao’s keel was laid down on 26 June 1942 at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 27 October 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Jane Aylward, wife of Lieutenant Commander Theodore C. Aylward, commissioned on 4 February 1943, Lieutenant Commander Richard H. Crane (USNA Class of 1931) in command; and reported to the United States Pacific Fleet.

After a six-week training period in New London, Conn., the submarine sailed for the Pacific Theater of Operations and joined the 7th Fleet at Brisbane, Australia, on 10 July 1943.

Type A Kō-hyōteki SUBMARINE MODEL

Type A Kō-hyōteki

The Type A Ko-hyoteki class was a class of Japanese midget submarines (Ko-hyoteki) used during World War II. They had hull numbers but no names. For simplicity, they are most often referred to by the hull number of the mother submarine. Thus, the midget carried by I-16-class submarine was known as I-16’s boat, or “I-16tou.”

This class was followed by: Type B Kō-hyōteki otsu-gata), Type C Kō-hyōteki hei-gata), and Type D Kō-hyōteki tei-gata), the last one better known as Kōryū.

PT-117 Motor Torpedo Boat

80′ ELCO PT Boat in 1/16 scale

“Munda Morn”

Laid down 10 April 1942 by the Electric Boat Co., Elco Works, Bayonne, NJ Launched 15 July 1942 and completed 4 August 1942, placed in service and assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron SIX (MTB Ron 6) under the command of Lt. Comdr. Clifton B. Maddox, USNMTB Ron 6. Arrived in the South Pacific in time for its boats to participate in some of the last actions with the Tokyo Express at Guadalcanal. Later it had action at Rendova, Vella Lavella, Treasury, Bougainville, Green, and Emirau.

The Munda Morn” was destroyed by Japanese aircraft 1 August 1943 at Rendova Harbor, Solomon Islands.