This fully rigged 1/96 scale model of the USS United States Man-o-War includes deck and rigging figures. It was made from plastic model kit parts, but expertly rigged and weathered.
A good way to get started in ship modeling is with plastic models. This detailed model by Revell still required a tremendous amount of upgrading, painting and rigging. Frank Tepedino comes from the East Coast, where he says, “Practically every house has a ship model on the mantel or in the window.” He likes to build models to sell, but to keep prices down he prefers to start with a plastic model kit and then do a super job of adding detail. This way he can do several a year instead of spending several years on one model that would be so expensive it would be difficult to find a buyer for.
The United States was one of the three great 44 gun frigates that were ordered by Congress towards the end of the eighteenth century. She was launched in May 1797 and was considerably heavier then her sister ship the Constitution. This imposing man-o’-war had excellent sailing characteristics and saw hard service with the US Navy. During the 1812 war she captured the British frigate Macedonian. Later in her naval career she was rebuilt and refitted many times. In the confusion of the American Civil War she was sunk as a blockade by Union seamen in Norfolk during the surrender of Norfolk harbour. She was finally broken up in 1866.
