Ship Modelling

USS Constitution (1797)

"Old Ironsides"


The USS Constitution as of 1997 [source: Wiki Commons]
The oldest ship afloat in the world!

Data

Type/Class: Dimensions: Decks: Armament: Rigging: Crew:
American Super Frigate
  • Total Length: 62m
  • Beam Width: 13m
  • Mast Height: ~50m
    		• Flushdeck
    2 decks with guns:
    • Upper Deck with 18 guns
    • Gun Deck with 26 guns
    		44 guns;
    ports for 52 guns     		3 masted full rigger
  • each mast has 4 yards
  • staysails
  • studding sails on Fore and Main
    		• 460 men
    The American super frigates were much bigger than the European, and they could win a battle even against a European two- or threedecker Ship of the Line.

    History

    1797 built in Boston, USA, after the plans by Joshua Humphreys, ordered by the U.S. Congress. The main task of this and 5 other frigates was to defend American trading ships and their routes.

    1798 "Undeclared War" or "Quasi War" against French privateers that captured American merchant ships. The frigate patrolled at Cape Henry and Florida.

    1803 Flaggship of the Mediterranian Squadron to defend merchant shipping, hunts for pirates and patrols until 1807. Great Repair in Boston.

    1809 Flaggship of the North Atlantic Squadron.

    1812 Legendary sea battles in the war against Great Britain: successfully escaping a British squadron despite a calm, using her entire canvas and the boats towing her away. Battle against the 38-gun-frigate HMS Guerriere, which was dismasted and heavily damaged. Her nickname "Old Ironsides" comes from the fact that the enemy´s cannon balls could not penetrate the strong hull of the Constitution. A similar victory against HMS Java in the same year. Until 1815 more battles, once even against two ships, where she was sailed eventually backwards to get a good positions...

    1815-1821 Repairs, reserve ship

    1821-1828 Once again flaggship of the Mediterranian Squadron.

    1830 Disrated as "unseaworthy" and supposed for scrapping. A patriotic movement in the U.S. saved her, repairs until 1835.

    1835-1844 Once again flaggship of the Mediterranian Squadron. Patrols in the Pacific.

    1844-1846 Voyage around the world. Then again flaggship of the Mediterranian Squadron. Patrols around Africa against the slave trade.

    1855 End of naval service, repairs until 1858.

    1861-1865 American Civil War. Until 1878 training ship for officers and cadetts.

    1877 Voyage to Le Havre, carrying american cargo for the World Exhibition of Paris.

    1879-1882 Training ship. Towed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Total Disrigging and reconstruction as a reception ship for cadetts. Decay.

    1905 A new patriotic movement once again served here from scrapping. Until 1925 she was completely reconstructed and rebuilt to the 1812 conditions. This implied also a functioning running rigging.

    1931-1934 "Recomissioning". World tour to 90 ports in the Atlantic and Pacific - under the towage of a modern mine sweeper of the U.S. Navy... But there are photos of the time showing here trining with the entire canvas (except studding sails). Back to Boston as the "World´s oldest Navy ship in service". Museum ship and national treasury since then.

    1997 200 years anniversary. The first short sailing trip in the port of Boston since a very long time, only by her own sails. Continuing as museum ship and national treasury since then, having a crew of 55 men.

    Sources for Research

    1. The USS Constitution herself, Boston, USA

      2. The Old Ironsides is one of the very rare old sailing warships which still exists, even if she had been rebuilt many many times. Less than 10% of her parts are original.

    2. Paintings

      3. Many depictions had been made of the USS Constitution, because she was one of the most famous ships of her time. Some of the pictures show her rigging quite accurately, and even show changes. Sometimes You see 5 yards - skysails...

    Books

    TITLEAUTHORPUBLISHERYEARPAGES
    Eagle of the Sea - The Story of Old Ironsides
    (English)    		 Grant, Bruce Rand McNally 1951 176
    Old Ironsides - An Illustrated History of USS Constitution
    (English)    		 Horgan, Thomas P. Yankee Inc. 1972 128
    Ship Modellerīs Shop Notes
    (English)    		 Edson, Merritt Nautical Research Guild 1979 216
    Ship Model Making - Vol III - USS Constitution
    (English)    		 McCann, E. Armitage The Norman W Henley Publishing Co 1926 206
    The 44-gun Frigate USS Constitution
    Anatomy of the Ship (English)    		 Marquardt, Karl-Heinz Conway 2005 128
    The Frigate Constitution and other Historic Ships
    (English)    		 Magoun, F.Alexander Bonanza Books 1928/(1980) 154

    In the past 200 years, the Old Ironsides was altered many times. Masts and sails were rerigged every five years. A good documentation about it is written by Karl-Heinz Marquardt in the Conway series "Anatomy of the Ship":

    Reconstructions

    Reconstruction of the Rigging

    When You take this task seriously, You have to make a decision for a special period of the ship, where some documents are available. The "Old Ironsides" was in service for so long that her rigging was renewed or changed completely about 30 times! The material becomes weak and rotten very soon, and even as a museum ship the timber decays inevitably...

    Only the following rough pattern was unchanged under service times: 3 masts fully rigged, each with 4 yards, even on the mizzen mast, too. Top- and topgallant sails were undevided. There were staysails, but they seem to have been used quite rarely. Studding sails at the Fore and Main mast are up to the topgallant yards, some pictures show them even at the royal yards. The Revell kit has studding sails even at the mizzen mast...possible, but quite unusuable compared to other sailing ships that never had studdings sails on the mizzen...those would have been useful in very light weather indeed ...

    The USS Constitution of today only has about 3% original parts, the rest is "new". The re-rigging in the 1920s was an entire reconstruction, as the ship was rebuilt from a badly shaped "swimming cadet´s hut" which had 3 masts only for "decoration"...
    The USS Constitution has a typical full rigging of a 18th century American super-frigate:
  • 4 yards at fore, main and mizzen mast
  • 1 spanker on the mizzen mast
  • 1 sail-less yard at the bowsprit.
  • staysails can be set, in practice mostly on the fore and main lower stays only.
  • a bunch of possible studdingsails

    • The Standing Rigging

    Bowsprit - Fore Mast

    Fore Mast - Main Mast

    Main Mast - Mizzen Mast

    Mizzen Mast

    Royal Mast
    • single stay
    • 2 shrouds
    • single stay
    • 2 shrouds
    • single stay
    • 2 shrouds

    Topgallant Mast
    • single stay
    • jib-o-jib stay
    • flying jib stay
    • 2 shrouds
    • single stay
    • staysail stay
    • 2 shrouds
    • single stay
    • staysail stay
    • 2 shrouds

    Topmast
    • single stay
    • f. tpm. staysail stay
    • jib stay
    • 5 shrouds
    • single stay
    • staysail stay
    • 5 shrouds
    • single stay
    • staysail stay
    • 4 shrouds

    Lower Mast
    • 3 guys (over spritsail yard)
    • martingale guys (dolphin striker)
    • 3 water stays
    • 2 bowsprit shrouds
    • double stay
    • 8 shrouds
    • 2 trusses (lower yard)
    • double stay
    • 9 shrouds
    • 2 trusses (lower yard)
    • single stay
    • staysail stay
    • 6 shrouds
    • 2 trusses (lower yard)

    The Running Rigging

    Bowsprit

    Fore Mast

    Main Mast

    Mizzen Mast

    Sky Sails

    above 4th yard

    Fore Skysail

    reported by Marquart
    triangular, between the royal yard arms and the flag top
    no lines to deck

    Main Skysail

    reported by Marquart
    triangular, between the royal yard arms and the flag top
    no lines to deck

    Mizzen Skysail

    reported by Marquart
    triangular, between the royal yard arms and the flag top
    no lines to deck

    Royal Sails

    4th yard

    Fore Royal

    • 1 Halyard
    • 2 Topping Lifts
    • 2 Sheets
    • 2 Clewlines
    • 2 Braces

    Fore Royal Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack
    * unlikely, only in the Revell kit

    Main Royal

    • 1 Halyard
    • 2 Topping Lifts
    • 2 Sheets
    • 2 Clewlines
    • 2 Braces

    Main Royal Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack
    * unlikely, only in the Revell kit

    Mizzen Royal

    • 1 Halyard
    • 2 Topping Lifts
    • 2 Sheets
    • 2 Clewlines
    • 2 Braces

    Mizzen Royal Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack
    * unlikely, only in the Revell kit

    Topgallant Sails

    3rd yard

    Fore Topgallant

    • 1 Halyard
    • 2 Topping Lifts
    • 2 Sheets
    • 2 Clewlines
    • 2 Braces

    Fore Topgallant Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack

    Main Topgallant

    • 1 Halyard
    • 2 Topping Lifts
    • 2 Sheets
    • 2 Clewlines
    • 2 Braces

    Main Topgallant Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack

    Mizzen Topgallant

    • 1 Halyard
    • 2 Topping Lifts
    • 2 Sheets
    • 2 Clewlines
    • 2 Braces

    Mizzen Topgallant Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack
    * unlikely, only in the Revell kit

    Top Sails

    2nd yard

    Spritsail

    no sail, yard only
    • 2 Lifts (not moved)
    • 2 Braces (not moved)

    Fore Topsail

    • 2 Halyards (p.+s.)
    • 2 Topping Lifts (p.+s.)
    • 2 Sheets (p.+s.)
    • 2 Clewlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Leechlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Buntlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Bowlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Braces (p.+s.)
    • 2 Reef Tackles (p.+s.)

    Fore Top Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack

    Main Topsail

    • 2 Halyards (p.+s.)
    • 2 Topping Lifts (p.+s.)
    • 2 Sheets (p.+s.)
    • 2 Clewlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Leechlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Buntlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Bowlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Braces (p.+s.)
    • 2 Reef Tackles (p.+s.)

    Main Top Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack

    Mizzen Topsail

    • 1 Halyard (p.+s.)
    • 2 Topping Lifts (p.+s.)
    • 2 Sheets (p.+s.)
    • 2 Clewlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Leechlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Buntlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Bowlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Braces (p.+s.)

    Mizzen Top Studdingsails

    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack
    * unlikely, only in the Revell kit

    Lower Sails / Courses

    lower yard

    Fore Course

    • 2 Jeers (Halyards)
    • 2 Topping Lifts (p.+s.)
    • 2 Sheets, 2 Tacks (p.+s.)
    • 2 Clewlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Leechlines (p.+s.)
    • 4 Buntlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Braces (p.+s.)

    Fore Studdingsails

    • 2*1 For Studding Boom Guys
    • 2*1 Aft Studding Boom Guys
    • 2*1 Studding Boom Martingale
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack

    Main Course

    • 2 Jeers (Halyards)
    • 2 Topping Lifts (p.+s.)
    • 2 Sheets, 2 Tacks (p.+s.)
    • 2 Clewlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Leechlines (p.+s.)
    • 4 Buntlines (p.+s.)
    • 2 Braces (p.+s.)

    Main Studdingsails

    • 2*1 For Studding Boom Guys
    • 2*1 Aft Studding Boom Guys
    • 2*1 Studding Boom Martingale
    • 2*1 Topping Lift (Boom)
    • 2*1 Halyard, 2*1 Downhaul
    • 2*1 Sheet, 2*1 Tack

    Crossjack

    yard only, no sail
    • no halyard -> sling
    • 2 Lifts
    • 2 Braces

    Stay Sails
    Fore and Aft Sails

    Fore Top Staysail

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets

    Jib

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets

    Outer Jib / Jib-o-Jib

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets

    Flying Jib

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets

    Main Staysail

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets, 2 Tacks
    * quadrangular!

    Main Top Staysail

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets, 2 Tacks
    * quadrangular!

    Main Topgallant Staysail

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets, 2 Tacks
    * quadrangular!

    Mizzen Staysail

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets, 2 Tacks
    * quadrangular!

    Mizzen Top Staysail

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets, 2 Tacks
    * quadrangular!

    Mizzen Topgallant Staysail

    • 1 Halyard, 1 Downhaul
    • 2 Sheets, 2 Tacks
    * quadrangular!

    Spanker

    • 1 Throat Halyard, 1 Peak Halyard
    • 2 Gaff Vangs
    • 1 Gaff Outhaul, 1 Gaff Inhaul
    • 1 Boom Outhaul, 1 Boom Inhaul
    • 2 Sheets
    • 4-6 Brails
    These are the lines to be belayed ... they are indeed many!

    Model Kits of the USS Constitution

    The USS Constitution is one of the most famous sailing ships in the world, and consequently, many modellers build their own. There are also wooden a variety of model kits available, but this chapter is about plastic kits

    The Revell model kits, Scale 1:96 + 1:196

    Revell sells two versions of the USS Constitution: One small in 1:196, and one giant in 1:96; the latter is the one I build.

    The 1:96 kit is very old (but still one of the best plastic kits ever); it was molded in the 1960s and is still sold and reissued by Revell. It has over 1000 parts. It is regarded the first museum quality plastic kit in the world - so it is not for kids, but when You put some effort on it, You can make Your own masterpiece :) The kit displays a reconstruction of around 1920, how she may have looked like in 1800.

    The Aoshima model kit, Scale 1:120

    The Japanese kit producer Aoshima - propably the most accurate plastic kit producer in the World - has a high standard of molding forms and building instructions. Unlike the Revell kit, the Aoshima kit is an exact copy of the "modern" Old Ironsides as of today, how she looks like in Boston. Those details differing from the Revell kit are foremost the bow and the stern ornaments.