Sammy

If you have ever stood on the deck of a museum ship or watched a Royal Navy documentary and thought about building your own scale model, you are in the right place. The Type 23 frigate, also known as the Duke class, has been the backbone of the Royal Navy surface fleet since 1989. These … Read more

Building model ships is one of those hobbies that pulls you in deeper the longer you stick with it, and few Cold War-era naval vessels are as rewarding to recreate as the Oliver Hazard Perry class guided-missile frigates. These ships served the US Navy and over a dozen allied navies from the 1970s through the … Read more

When I first started building IJN carrier model kits, I was captivated by the story of the Kido Butai — Japan’s feared carrier strike force that dominated the Pacific in the early days of WWII. The Soryu-class carriers, specifically IJN Soryu and her sister ship Hiryu, sat at the heart of this force alongside the … Read more

The IJN Hiryu sits at the center of some of the most dramatic moments in World War II naval history. As one of the six aircraft carriers that struck Pearl Harbor in December 1941, and later the last Japanese flattop sunk during the Battle of Midway in June 1942, Hiryu carries a story that model … Read more

When I first opened the box on a Fujimi 1/350 IJN Kaga kit, the sheer size of the flight deck sprue stopped me cold. At over 30 inches assembled, this carrier dominates any display shelf. The Imperial Japanese Navy’s Kaga carries that same commanding presence in modeling form that it had on the morning of … Read more

If you are fascinated by WWII naval history, the IJN Shinano is one of the most compelling subjects you can build. She was the largest aircraft carrier ever constructed by Japan, converted from the third Yamato-class battleship hull, and sunk just 10 days after commissioning in November 1944. That brief, dramatic service life makes her … Read more

If you are searching for the best Charles de Gaulle carrier model kits, you already know this French nuclear-powered flagship is one of the most iconic warships in modern naval history. The Charles de Gaulle is the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the United States, making it a prized subject for scale modelers who appreciate … Read more

Building a model of Russia’s only aircraft carrier is a project that sits high on many ship modelers’ wish lists. The Admiral Kuznetsov, officially classified as a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, has served as the flagship of the Russian Navy since its commissioning in 1990. Its distinctive ski-jump ramp flight deck, combined weapons loadout, and unique … Read more

If you have ever stood on the Bremerton, Washington waterfront and looked up at the gray hull of the USS Turner Joy (DD-951), you know the feeling. This Forrest Sherman-class destroyer carries real weight in naval history. She fired the first and last naval shots of the Vietnam War during the Gulf of Tonkin incident … Read more

USS The Sullivans (DD-537) is one of the most storied Fletcher-class destroyers to serve in World War II. Named after the five Sullivan brothers who tragically perished together aboard USS Juneau in 1942, this ship earned nine battle stars in the Pacific Theater and two more during the Korean War. Today it sits preserved as … Read more