Swedish Galleon Wasa Ship Model Kit 1:75

Swedish galleon Wasa ship model kit from manufacturer Corel

History of the original:

The Wasa (often also spelled Vasa) was a Swedish galleon and royal warship, built between 1626 and 1628 at the royal shipyard in Stockholm. It was commissioned by King Gustav II Adolf and was intended to demonstrate the military power of the Swedish Empire as a flagship. The Wasa was a prestigious project of the early modern period, designed for representative strength, heavy armament and massive impact in naval warfare in the Baltic Sea.

The design followed the galleon type of ship, characterised by a long forecastle, elongated waterline, pronounced stern with high superstructure and richly carved stern and side decorations. The builders were the Dutchman Henrik Hybertsson and later Hein Jakobsson, both experienced shipbuilders of the Dutch ship-of-the-line style. The Wasa was given a high-sided, robust oak hull with a deep keel, strong bottom frames and multiple shear strakes to absorb the force of the heavy battery decks.

The ship measured approximately 69 metres in length, around 11.7 metres in width and displaced about 1,200 tonnes. Two continuous gun decks and additional upper decks made it one of the most heavily armed ships of its time. The planned and actually installed armament consisted of 64 guns, including numerous 24-pounders in the lower battery. The gun carriages were closely spaced, and the gun ports were high and narrow to achieve maximum firepower. This aggressive artillery configuration was ambitious in relation to the width of the hull and required a high degree of stability.

The rigging corresponded to the standard for large galleons at the time: three masts, fully rigged on the foremast and mainmast, with additional mars and bram sails, as well as mizzen sails on the crossmast. The Wasa carried extensive staysails and a complex rigging system consisting of strong hemp ropes, shrouds, parrets and tackles. The sail area was large in order to move the heavy ship in the Baltic Sea with its changeable winds.

The furnishings and ornamentation represented an extraordinary programme of monarchical self-expression. More than 500 carved figures adorned the stern, figurehead and upper works, with mythological motifs, lions, coats of arms, depictions of Mars and allegories of power, intended to underpin Sweden's position as an emerging great power. Gilding, colourful frames and detailed carvings gave the Wasa a representative effect that was rare in Northern Europe at the time.

On 10 August 1628, the Wasa set sail on its maiden voyage. After only a few hundred metres, it capsized in Stockholm harbour after being pushed onto its side by a gust of wind, water entering through the open lower gun ports and the roll-stabilising mass proving insufficient. The cause was a design flaw: too high a centre of gravity due to heavy superstructures and heavy armament, combined with insufficient hull width and ballast. The ship sank to the bottom of the harbour before it even reached the open sea.

The Vasa remained virtually untouched on the seabed for over 300 years, protected by the cold, brackish waters of the Baltic Sea, which largely kept the ship's organism and wood pests at bay. It was salvaged in 1961 and has since become one of the most important maritime archaeological finds in the world. Today, it has been completely restored and preserved in the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, where the largely original hull with its rich ornamentation can be viewed. The Vasa is considered a unique source of information on shipbuilding, craftsmanship, military technology and maritime culture in the early modern period, and a symbol of both technological ambition and the risks of politically motivated large-scale projects.

Description of the kit:

The kit contains all the materials and parts required for construction. The hull is constructed using a frame-and-rib method. The plywood parts are prefabricated and require only minor adjustments. The planking is made of walnut strips. All woods are of selected high quality. The fittings set is very comprehensive and of high quality. The stern decorations are made of cast brass, cannons and carronades of burnished cast metal. Rigging material is included in the kit. The rigging cord is very carefully twisted and easy to work with. Sails are not included, but flags are supplied.

Who is the kit suitable for?

The kit is only suitable for very experienced model builders.

What else is needed?

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

Alternatively, a set of ready-sewn sails is available.

What do the building instructions look like?

The kit contains 8 very large, detailed construction plans that reproduce the model to scale. The manual also contains various sketches and instructions for documenting the model and describing the construction process in detail.

Languages: German, English, Italian

The building instructions are not available for download.

Technical data:

Scale 1:75
Overall length 890 mm
Overall width 324 mm
Hull length 620 mm
Hull width 150 mm
Height 700 mm
Double planking