Thomas

If you have ever stood next to the USS Wisconsin in Norfolk, Virginia, you know the feeling. That massive hull, the nine 16-inch guns, the sheer weight of naval history pressed into steel. I have spent over a decade building model kit buying guides and reviewing scale warships, and the Wisconsin remains one of my … Read more

Building a model of the German light cruiser Nurnberg is a project that connects you directly to one of the most interesting warships of the Kriegsmarine. The Nurnberg, launched in 1934 and commissioned in 1935, was the final evolution of the Leipzig-class light cruisers and one of only a few German surface vessels to survive … Read more

If you have ever stared at a grainy black-and-white photo of the IJN Hiei slicing through the Pacific and thought, “I need that on my shelf,” you are in the right place. The Hiei was a Kongou-class battlecruiser that served the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1914 until she was sunk at the Naval Battle of … Read more

HMS Repulse is one of those warships that sticks with you once you learn her story. A Renown-class battlecruiser launched in 1916, she served the Royal Navy through both World Wars before her tragic end alongside HMS Prince of Wales in December 1941, when Japanese aircraft sank both ships off the coast of Malaya. For … Read more

Building a model of HMS Renown is a project that connects you directly to one of the most storied warships in Royal Navy history. This battlecruiser served in both World Wars, survived multiple refits, and outlasted every other battlecruiser in the British fleet. For scale model enthusiasts, she presents a rewarding build subject with her … Read more

If you have ever stood in front of a museum ship and felt the weight of naval history pressing down on you, then you understand the pull of building a model of HMS Prince of Wales. This King George V-class battleship lived a short but dramatic life, from trading shells with Bismarck in the Denmark … Read more

Building a model of HMS Nelson is one of the most rewarding projects a ship modeler can take on. Launched in 1925, this British battleship carried a design unlike any other warship of her era, with all three of her 16-inch gun turrets mounted forward of the superstructure. That silhouette makes her instantly recognizable on … Read more

HMS Belfast is one of the most recognizable warships in British naval history. This Town-class light cruiser served in some of the most critical operations of World War II, from hunting the Scharnhorst in the Arctic to bombarding the Normandy beaches on D-Day. Today, she sits permanently moored on the River Thames in London as … Read more

The USS California (BB-44) was a Tennessee-class battleship that sat anchored on Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor when Japanese forces attacked on December 7, 1941. She took two torpedo hits and a bomb, sinking into the mud of the harbor floor over three days. After being raised, rebuilt, and modernized, she returned to service and … Read more

If you have ever stood in front of a battleship model display and felt the pull of naval history, the USS West Virginia (BB-48) probably caught your eye. This Colorado-class battleship has one of the most dramatic stories of any ship in the US Navy, surviving Pearl Harbor and returning to fight across the Pacific. … Read more