American Gunboat Arrow Ship Model Kit 1:55

Model ship kit of the American gunboat Arrow from manufacturer Amati

History of the original:

The Battle of Lake Champlain – also known as the Battle of Plattsburgh – took place on 11 September 1814 during the British-American War of 1812 and was a decisive victory for the young US Navy. On the American side, several gunboats and smaller ships were deployed, which together with larger units such as the frigate USS Saratoga and the brig Eagle formed an improvised fleet.

The American gunboats were relatively small, shallow-draft vessels, usually only 15 to 20 metres long, with a small crew and one or two heavy cannons mounted either as swivel guns or bow guns. These boats were built specifically for use on inland waters such as lakes and rivers, where large ships had limited manoeuvrability. They played an important role on Lake Champlain, as they were fast, manoeuvrable and able to harass or flank the larger British ships.

On 11 September 1814, the American fleet under Commodore Thomas Macdonough confronted the superior British forces. While the large ships fought the main battle, the gunboats supported the line by attacking the flanks and targeting British units with their individual heavy guns. Although several gunboats were damaged or sunk during the battle, their manoeuvrability and constant fire contributed decisively to the American victory.

The defeat on Lake Champlain forced the British to abandon their planned invasion of New York. Thus, the deployment of American gunboats – together with the larger ships – had a direct impact on the course of the War of 1812 and the subsequent peace treaty.

Description of the kit:

The kit contains keel and frames made of 4 mm plywood, perfectly laser-cut. Beech and walnut strips for planking the frame construction. The fittings are perfect. The cannons are turned from brass, the stock anchor is made of metal and wood, and the cleats are made of metal. Rope, printed sailcloth and pennants are included. The kit contains materials for a model stand.

Who is this kit suitable for?

The model is well suited for model builders with some experience in ship modelling.

What else is needed?

Paints, adhesives and tools are required and can be found in our range.

What do the building instructions look like?

The instruction booklet consists of well-illustrated step-by-step instructions. Large plans supplement the instructions. The German translation of the individual construction stages is provided on a separate sheet.

A large construction plan and parts lists are included.

Languages: German, English, Italian

The construction manual is not available for download.

Technical data:

Scale: 1:55
Length: 470 mm