NC Cultural Resources Newsroom

Ever tempted to build a ship model? On Saturday, Feb. 2, members of the Carolina Maritime Model Society will provide the inside scoop on building model ships. They will host two one-hour sessions in the Battleship auditorium followed by demonstrations in the visitor center. The program runs from 1-4 p.m. and is free, but does not include touring the Battleship. For more information, contact Kim Sincox, Museum Services Director, museum@battleshipnc.com or 910-251-5797 extension 3006.

The first session, “So You Wanna Build a Ship Model - Words of Wisdom from the Pros,” begins at 1 p.m. in the Battleship auditorium. A panel of model builders will provide the inside scoop on selecting a first kit, types of kits and manufacturers, sources for kits and materials, pitfalls to avoid, alternatives to building from kits, and other information essential for beginners. A question and answer session will follow.

In the second session, which begins at 2 p.m. in the auditorium, the builders will host “Show and Tell - Works in Progress on Parade.” During this session, model builders from the Carolina Maritime Model Society will show models in progress, discussing their current projects. They will explain why they chose to build the models, the challenges they face, what they’ve learned, and other juicy tidbits.

At 3 p.m., the builders move into the exhibit hall for “The Fleet on Display – Meet the Men Behind the Models.” Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the men who built the ship models currently on display in “The Fleet is In: United States Navy Warship Models – Carolina Maritime Model Society.” The model builders will be in the exhibit hall standing near their models and other members will be giving demonstrations.

“The Fleet Is In: United States Navy Warship Models / Carolina Maritime Model Society” is the crowd-pleasing exhibit on view in the Battleship North Carolina’s Visitor Center Exhibit Hall. Spanning three centuries, 17 models on loan from 11 North Carolina builders provide visitors with the opportunity to see how ship design changed from wood to steel, from sail to steam, from cannonballs to missiles. The builders belong to the Carolina Maritime Model Society which meets at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort. The exhibit will be on display through 2008 and is included in the price of admission to the Battleship.

The Battleship North Carolina is one of 27 State Historic Sites, part of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.  The Battleship is located at the junction of Highways 17/74/76/421 on the Cape Fear River across from historic downtown Wilmington, North Carolina.  It is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Labor Day to Memorial Day Weekend) and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day). Ticket sales stop one hour before closing. For more information go to www.battleshipnc.com.