Lee Martin
I grew up in Boston where I had many trips to museums that displayed models of square riggers. I made my share of these models using the kits that were available at the time, primarily solid balsa hulls. My favorite was an Ideal kit of Drake’s “Golden Hind”, which I made in several versions.
Once adulthood took over, I put modeling aside for the next 50 years in favor of raising a family and handling my career as a computer programmer. That career eventually brought me to Hampton Roads.
With retirement, I was able to resume this time-consuming hobby. I bought my first kit from Model Expo, the American Revolutionary privateer “Rattlesnake” (Mamoli), followed by the 17th century Swedish ship “Vasa” (Corel). With so much effort invested in each model, I decided to use better materials than the kits supplied, purchasing mahogany for the second planking. After almost losing a finger mishandling a Dremel, I decided I was better suited to manual tools rather than power tools, a policy I still continue.
The purchase at a local hobby shop of “Ships in Scale” magazine introduced me to the Nautical Research Guild, and their web site brought me to the HRSMS. I am grateful to the members for pointing me to additional suppliers of high quality materials, as well as better construction techniques than I had been using.
A notice in the club newsletter indicated that the Hampton Roads Naval museum (inside Nauticus) was interested in a model maker. I have been involved with them now for about 10 years, and several years ago was joined by Pat Roll, whom I met at the club. We are currently building a model of the USS Constitution. One of the museum docents had some wood that was removed from the actual USS Constitution during restoration for the bicentennial. We are using some of this for the deck furniture. The accompanying picture is from an article that “At Ease” magazine published about the museum this past May. Our model of the USS Constitution is in the foreground.
At home, I work on ships built between 1600 and 1800, using kits from the Italian companies. I have completed George III’s yacht Royal Caroline (Panart), the 74-gun British ship Bellona (Corel), the Dutch ship Prince William (Corel), and the French ships La Couronne (Corel) and Royal Louis (Mamoli). I am currently rigging the British escort ship Pegasus (Victory/Amati).