USCG 36500 36´ Lifeboat

US Coast Guard 36500

The CG36500 was built in 1946 in Curtis Bay at the Maryland Coast Guard shipyard. One was stationed at Chatham, Massachusetts Coast Guard Lifeguard Station. Like most of the other 36 units built, this boat was often in service and had many rescue missions. On the night of 18 February 1952, two tankers were tossed back and forth by 18 metre high waves and got into distress. A complete rescue fleet was sent out for the ship Fort Mercer. The tanker Pendleton broke in two before the crew could send out a distress call. 33 of the crew clung to the bow of the sinking ship and waited hopelessly for help, with only a working radio receiver left to follow the rescue of the other ship. However, the Pendleton had been spotted on radar in Chatham and the disaster had been recognised. With a crew of four, the small, nameless CG35600 set off into the stormy night on a seemingly hopeless rescue operation, losing most of its equipment in the gusts of wind and waves as high as a house and rendering the compass useless. The Pendleton was nevertheless found, 32 men were rescued via the Jacob's ladder, 1 man slipped off and drowned. 4 men of the rescue team, 32 men of the tanker were on the 11m long boat and no compass to find the safe way to the harbour. Unbelievable but they made it.

The wooden kit contains all the necessary components precisely manufactured using the laser cut method. The hull is built using chipboard construction and planked with 3mm balsa mouldings. The fitting parts in cast metal quality and decor are included. Included are 1:1 overview plans and very detailed illustrated assembly instructions (59 illustrations), which make the description (371 construction steps) in English easy to read even with little knowledge of the English language. 

A shaft system of at least 150mm and a 3BL 30-35mm propeller are required for propulsion; the rudder system is included in the kit.

The kit is particularly attractive to build and the incredible story of the successful rescue operation that you can then tell your modelling friends!

Technical data:
Scale: M 1:16
Length: 686mm
Width: 203mm

Text Copyright JOJO Modellbau