Bottle Ship Schooner Hannah Model Ship Kit 1:300

Ship in a bottle model kit Schooner Hanna from manufacturer Amati

History of the original:

The Hannah was an American schooner that entered service with the rebellious colonies in Marblehead, Massachusetts, in 1775 and is considered the first ship of the US Navy. It was originally owned by merchant and shipowner John Glover, whose sailors and fishermen from Marblehead played a decisive role in the War of Independence.

With a tonnage of around 78 tonnes and an estimated length of 18 to 20 metres, the Hannah was a comparatively small but extremely manoeuvrable ship. As a typical schooner, it had two masts with gaff rigging, which enabled fast and flexible sailing in coastal waters. Its armament initially consisted of four small cannons and several swivel guns, which were primarily suitable for defence and privateering. The crew of about 50 men consisted mainly of experienced fishermen and sailors from the region.

In September 1775, a few months after the outbreak of the American War of Independence, General George Washington, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, ordered the equipping of several ships to disrupt British supply lines. The Hannah was the first of these ships. Under the command of Nicholson Broughton, she sailed from the port of Beverly, Massachusetts, on 5 September 1775. Shortly afterwards, she encountered British units and on 10 September engaged in a skirmish with the frigate HMS Lively, from which she emerged damaged but able to escape.

In the following weeks, the Hannah took part in further privateering voyages before being severely damaged in a heavy storm off the coast of Beverly in October 1775. To avoid capture by the British, it was finally abandoned.

Despite its short period of service, the Hannah holds a special place in history. It marked the beginning of organised American naval warfare and is considered the precursor to the Continental Navy, which was only later officially established by the Continental Congress. As the first ship to be deployed against the British Navy under Washington's direct command, the Hannah symbolises the beginning of American naval history.

Description of the kit:

The kit contains all the materials needed to build the ship in a bottle. The hull of the model is made of thin layers of plywood and then sanded smooth. The deck and keel are made of etched brass parts and are very finely detailed, as are the richly decorated bulwarks. The sails are printed and must be cut out. The set includes tiny, very beautiful metal cast fittings. A beautiful glass bottle with a stopper is also included. A rigging hook is included to get the model into the bottle and raise the masts.

Carefully constructed, the model is a very high-quality, beautiful piece.

Who is the kit suitable for?

The kit can also be easily assembled by hobbyists and model builders with little knowledge of ship modelling.

What else is needed?

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

What do the assembly instructions look like?

The instructions consist of text with pictures in booklet form. How to get the model into the bottle is well explained. A German translation is included on a separate sheet.

Languages: German, English, Italian

The assembly instructions are not available for download.

Technical data:

Scale: 1:300
Model length: 95 mm
Length: 246 mm
Width: 70 mm
Height: 92 mm

Type: Bottle ship