As we approach the end of July, now is a good time to remind our customers that our Independence Day Jubilee Sale is nearing an end. You’re last chance to order your American made BlueJacket Shipcrafters model kits with a 10% discount. Simply place your order with us using the coupon code USA10. Note that this only works AFTER you have placed the item in your shopping cart.
And today, we want to share with you some photos from local ship modeler Steve Cowdin, of Elk Grove, CA, whose models are featured at the Battleship Iowa museum in Los Angeles, CA, and elsewhere. Steve sent some photos of his BlueJacket builds to share with you.
Side paddlewheel steamship Portland
Steve comments that he really likes Bluejacket kits, because of their superb workmanship, detail, plans and instructions, and all their kits are made right here in the USA.
The famous American clipper ship Flying Cloud, currently out of production.
One of Steve’s most recent builds is this 1/96 scale model of the American 44-gun frigate U.S.S. Constitution “Old Ironsides” (see below). Steve completed this model in 2021, taking nearly 2 years to build. He had been building a Revell plastic model of the Constitution when he switched to building the BlueJacket kit. Because the two kits were of the same scale, he actually took some of the plastic kit’s pieces from the captain’s cabin and incorporated them into his wooden model.
Steve comments “I chose the Bluejacket vs other kits because I trusted them to accurately reproduce the ship as she appeared in war of 1812.” BlueJacket notes that as an attestation to their model’s authenticity, their kit has been named “The Official Kit of the U.S.S. Constitution Museum.”
It’s difficult to see in these photos, but Steve used BlueJacket’s optional copper sheathing plates to cover the hull bottom. There are about 2000 plates!
The U.S.S. Constitution where she is berthed today in Boston Harbor.
Our friend Steve in 2018, getting some inspiration and ideas for his build
Special thanks to Steve Cowdin for sharing photos of his incredible BlueJacket models with us! We hope to be able to share photos of more of his work in the future.
BlueJacket, founded in 1905, has been producing quality American kits and fittings ever since, and we’re proud to carry the full line of BlueJacket kits. If you’re interested in building your own, you can check them out here: BlueJacket Kits at Ages of Sail Ω
Ages of Sail 