William Tompkins built 307 different model ships at a scale of 1/600. Mr. Tompkins started building his massive collection when he was in his early teens, and he continued to make highly detailed models throughout his lifetime. The fleet of model ships includes a wide array of models that span several decades, if not more, so the collection offers an insightful view of naval evolution over time. A portion of William Tompkins’ fleet of 1/600 scale model ships is on display in the Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum in Carlsbad, CA.
USS Thresher (SS-200, 1940) received 15 battle stars and a Navy Unit Commendation for World War II service in the Pacific. This placed the submarine among the most highly decorated US ships of the WWII. The Thresher was decommissioned in 1946.