Starting in August 2023, all new purchases or commissions of ship models that are to be used for public viewing, teaching, tradeshow, or company's display are subject to 50% increase in price. This increase is relative to the list price of a similar model. For example, a model priced $5,000 on our web site would be $7,500. We are sorry the accumulated inflation in the past few years has forced us to take this action.

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There are many great benefits of being the first, including financial rewards when it's time for you to auction off your 'first ever produced' artwork. If you tend to be the first on the coolest and greatest things, ModelShipMaster can help a bit. We are the only scale model company in the world that pioneers models of newest ships that have cutting edge designs. Your model will have a metal plaque indicating it is the world's first, the date of completion, ect.

Nov. 2024: Striking image shows well-preserved wreck of Shackleton’s ship. An accurate model of the Endurance can be viewed here.

Nov. 2024: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy crew and embarked science teams discover volcano-like underwater feature while conducting Arctic research.

Nov. 2024: the $450 America’s largest superyacht is ready

Nov, 2024: Well-preserved bones recovered from an English shipwreck are shedding light on what life was like for the crew of the Mary Rose.

Nov, 2024: The USS Washington, a Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for "outstanding performance in action while conducting operations within U.S. Sixth Fleet" during its recent six-month deployment.

Oct, 2024: We successfully delivered a large United States model to a director of the SS United States Conservancy.

Oct, 2024: Hotel chain Grupo Vidanta is launching an 500-foot-long ultra-luxury cruise ship called VidantaWorld's Elegant. It will have amenities like three pools, 13 restaurants and bars, and an almost one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio. The ship will begin sailing around the Caribbean and Europe in late February 2025. A seven-night voyage starts at $12,500 per person. The ship will have 149 cabins to accommodate up to 298 guests. Companies like Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and Aman have steadily sailed into the high-end cruise industry. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection launched its first vessel, Evrima, in 2022. It now operates two ships, with another scheduled to debut in 2025.

Sept 2024: The most complex warfare submarine, the USS New Jersey, was commissioned on Sept, 14. Dubbed as the fastest submarine in the U.S. fleet and the first to be designed with gender inclusion in mind, this submarine counts with enhanced stealth, special warfare enhancements, and sophisticated surveillance capabilities that can even detect sound waves from sea animals far away. Its bathrooms come with longer stalls, more privacy in shower rooms, and secluded berths for sleeping. Among 131 crew members are 29 women. The submarine is very Jersey. Its interior spaces were decorated with all things Jersey. The walls feature posters from Rutgers University, New Jersey Devils memorabilia, a guitar gifted by Jon Bon Jovi...

Sept 2024: Three weeks after U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy returned back to homeport in Seattle following an onboard fire, she will be redeployed to the U.S. Arctic region on October 1.

Sept 2024: Section of Titanic Made Famous in Movie Collapses Onto Ocean Floor
https://www.newsweek.com/titanic-bow-collapses-ocean-floor-1947632

Sept 2024: 27,500 teu record-breaking boxship. CSSC-SDARI unveiled the design for a goliath container vessel called Green Sealion on 3 September at the SMM maritime trade show in Hamburg, Germany. The 27,500-TEU container ship will set a new world record for the largest box ship on the water, at more than 3,000 TEU larger than the current largest box ships.

August 2024: USS Idaho (SSN-799) -- the eighth of the U.S. Navy’s new Virginia-class Block IV nuclear attack submarines was launched. According to the U.S. Naval Institute, the current production rate stands at 1.4 submarines per year, with efforts shared between Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat. Newport News Shipbuilding is responsible for manufacturing the bow and stern sections of each submarine, while General Dynamics Electric Boat builds the midsection housing the nuclear reactor.

August 2024: World’s largest wind-powered cargo ship begins Transatlantic trip
The world’s largest sailing cargo ship, Anemos, has set sail on its maiden voyage, marking a significant milestone in the decarbonization of maritime transport. On her first journey, Anemos carries 1,000 tons of high-value cargo, including products from coffee importers and French cognac producers. The vessel, ordered by the French sailing freight company TransOceanic Wind Transport, departed earlier this month from Concarneau, Southern Brittany, France, en route to New York. This 81-meter-long ship is the first of its kind in modern history, combining advanced sailing technology with the mission to significantly reduce carbon emissions in global shipping. With its innovative design, Anemos is leading the charge in the decarbonization of the shipping industry.

August 2024: Fundraiser launched to help relocate historic SS United States ocean liner. Currently at a port in Philadelphia, the SS United States needs a new home after a federal judge ruled that it must leave by September 12. According to the Board of Directors for the SS United States Conservancy Warren Jones, the ruling comes after the landlord significantly increased the rent. The conservancy has launched a fundraising campaign to raise money to move the ship to a new port city. The group hopes to move the ship to a port on the East Coast, including Newport News.

August 2024: 50-foot Bavaria 50 Cruiser Andromeda Sailing Yacht Linked To Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage. German investigators searched the boat and suspect a six-person crew used it to sail to the Baltic Sea and plant explosives that detonated on the Nord Stream pipeline in September of 2022, causing extensive damage.

August 2024: The WWII tank landing ship USS LST-325 will dock at North Shore Riverfront Park in Pittsburgh from Aug. 28 to Sept. 3. Officials say they encourage community members to visit and explore this piece of history. ModelShipMaster.com builds excellent models of this ship class here.

August 2024: Presidential Yacht Honey Fitz Now Brings Luxury to Normies

August 2024: The US Coast Guard commissioned ModelShipMaster.com to build a Healy model.

July 2024: Icebreaker Healy suffered an engineering compartment fire during its annual summer Arctic patrol. It is now returning from its aborted patrol on a single engine. This incident hinders the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic Presence as the other icebreaker, the 50-year old Polar Star, is not available during summer as it is undergoing a service life extension program.

July 2024: Megayacht Collision: Lady Moura and Venus

July, 2024: The USS Delaware submarine (SSN-791) is set to be a drone carrier. It will deploy a torpedo-tube launch-and-recovery uncrewed underwater vehicle capability later this year. The U.S. Navy previously conducted tests of the Huntington Ingalls Industry's REMUS 600 UUV – which can exit and then re-enter a submerged submarine through its torpedo tube – on USS Delaware last year. "While the submarine is moving, the UUV has to find that torpedo tube and drive in," according to the U.S. Navy's top submarine warfare officer Rear Admiral Doug Perry. The REMUS 600, shaped like a standard torpedo, is 10.6 feet long, 12.75 inches in diameter, and weighs 530 pounds. The battery-powered UUV can operate down to depths of 600 feet and is capable of semi-autonomous operation. It has a stated endurance of 70 hours. We delivered a large model of the Delaware to Sun Ma Healthcare on 7/11 (two months after the delivery of a large USS Gerald Ford.)

June, 2024: The public is invited to a Memorial Day ceremony aboard the oldest steel American warship still afloat- the USS Olympia. The Independence Seaport Museum at Penn's Landing is hosting a Memorial Day ceremony aboard the Olympia, the oldest steel American warship still afloat. The hour-long ceremony starts at 10 a.m. on Monday, and the public is invited to attend. "Olympia is a very special ship. She served from the 1890s all the way up to 1921," says Mike Flynn, the museum’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. "She is most famous for two acts. One is firing the first shot in the Battle of Manila Bay, for the Spanish American War, May 1, 1898 — and even more significantly, she was chosen to carry the remains of the Unknown Soldier from La Havre, France, all the way to Arlington National Cemetery after World War I."

June, 2024: The final resting place for a U.S. Navy submarine that sank the most Japanese warships in World War II has been found. The USS Harder was found in the South China Sea, more than 3,000 feet below the surface off the coast of the Philippines’ northern island of Luzon. The sub, with its 79-man crew, was sunk during a 1944 battle. The Harder made six patrols before it was sunk, with its fifth being the most successful, sinking three Japanese destroyers and heavily damaging or destroying two more in four days. USS Harder received the Presidential Unit Citation for her first five patrols, six battle stars for World War II service.

May, 2024: US Navy Removes First 155mm Advanced Gun System From USS Zumwalt
The removal of the first AGS from the USS Zumwalt represents a step forward in the evolution of the Zumwalt-class destroyer program which was once built around the AGS concept that provided ship-to-shore precision firepower with the Long Range Land Attack Projectile. Huntington Ingalls Industries was awarded a $154.8M contract for the modernization of USS Zumwalt in August 2023. When complete, USS Zumwalt will have four Multiple All-Up Round Canisters carrying three CPS missiles each, adding to a total of twelve hypersonic boost-glide missiles. The aft AGS will be removed at a later date but it is not known at this time what will be put in its place.

April, 2024: Four Seasons Will Launch an Ultra-Luxe Yacht in 2025
679-foot-long, 14-deck. Ninety-five cabins. 11 restaurants and bars, an industry-first transverse marina that will create a beach club. One-to-one staff-to-guest ratio. Each cabin will cost $4.2 million to create. Seven nights in the Caribbean will cost no less than $20,000 per suite. The showpiece Funnel Suite is a four-level cabin measuring 9,600 square feet.

U.S. Navy Submarine Fitted With Silent Caterpillar Drive
In the first of a kind, the U.S. Navy has fitted a new form of propulsion, magnetohydrodynamic drive, to a Virginia class submarine. This promises to make the submarine virtually undetectable. Water passing through it is accelerated by means of a magnetic field using superconducting magnets. This is often likened to the way a caterpillar crawls leading to the colloquial term ‘caterpillar drive’. Instead of a traditional propeller at the stern, the new propulsion will be entirely within the submarine’s hull. The only external clues are likely to be the water intake doors in the bow. These will resemble torpedo tube shutters but larger, approximately the diameter of a submarine launched ballistic missile. But mounted horizontally, which is unusual for those missiles. The first boat to be fitted with the new propulsion will be the USS Montana (SSN 794). This Virginia Class attack submarine was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in June 2022. Although still a new boat, she has been brought in to Groton, Connecticut, for the modifications. Sonar operators searching for the USS Montana will likely hear noises which are indistinguishable from natural phenomenon, such as seismic activity.

March, 2024: For the first time ever, the US Navy has a carrier-based aircraft that does not require a pilot--the MQ-25 Stingray autonomous refueller.

Jan. 2024: Methanol Overtakes LNG as Top Alternative Fuel Choice for Newbuilds in 2023.

Jan. 2024: The U.S. Navy’s newest Overlord Unmanned Surface Vessel Vanguard was recently launched from Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. Vanguard is the first USV for the Navy purpose-built for autonomous operations from the keel-up.

Dec. 2023: Visit Coast Guard Museum NorthWest in Seattle WA to view our work on display. "I just got back from viewing it at the museum in Seattle. Captain Davis is more than pleased. I have to say I was more than a little impressed, myself... Anyway, the Captain was so pleased, he has authorized the next commission... It is a 36" Hamilton class cutter, USCGC Munro WHEC-724. Like the Active, The Museum is looking for an enclosure, as well as a stand. Much Appreciation, Charles B."

Dec. 2023: "Good morning, My name is H.S. and am currently coordinating a project between NAVCENT [U.S. Naval Forces Central Command] and CENTCOM [United States Central Command]. We just have a quick question about your product listing for the USS Arleigh Burke. Do you have versions of these photos that are not watermarked that we could use in a public affairs article or announcement? Pictures of the actual ship do not work for what we have in mind and the model on your site is a very high fidelity reproduction. Thank you in advance for your time. V/r, H S, Effects Coordinator. CENTCOM CCJ39"

Maersk to Deploy First Large Methanol-Fueled Containership
The vessel is currently under construction at Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. She has a capacity of 16,000 containers and is equipped with a dual-fuel engine capable of running on methanol, biodiesel, and conventional bunker fuel. Since 2021, Maersk has exclusively ordered new vessels capable of operating green fuels. Upon deployment, the vessel will be only the second containership globally capable of sailing on green methanol, following the feeder vessel Laura Maersk, which entered service in September 2023. Maersk’s orderbook comprises a total of 24 vessels, including 12 with a capacity of 16,000 TEU, 6 with a capacity of 17,000 TEU, and 6 with a capacity of 9,000 TEU. All of the vessels will be equipped with dual-fuel engines and will be able to operate on green methanol. Scheduled for launch on February 9, 2024

Nov. 2023: A new Virginia-class submarine is named Arizona. The state's namesake is the first USS Arizona since the day before the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. No ship in the U.S. Navy has carried the name "Arizona" since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Navy continued to carry the ship on its rolls, not naming any other ship after it as a tribute to the 1,777 sailors who were killed when the battleship during the attack.

Oct. 2023: Panama Canal reduced the number of ships that can transit through the strategic waterway, which has been hit by an intense drought. Only 31 ships will be allowed through the canal per day from November 1, down from circa 36 to 38 daily ship crossings during normal operations. The announcement was a further cut from the earlier figure of 32, imposed in August. That restriction caused a backlog of hundreds of vessels waiting to cross the canal. Ships that usually crossed the canal in two-and-a-half days had to wait more than nine to make the journey. The situation has become so dire that some shipping firms have paid millions of dollars to buy an earlier place in line. Unlike the Suez Canal, which relies on seawater, the Panama Canal uses freshwater from an artificial lake to supply its waterway. But after an unusually dry year, the watershed of rivers and brooks that usually feed into the lake has been particularly meager, leaving Lake Gatun with about 80 feet of water. It would usually have about 87.

Sept. 2023: The Navy's first Flight III DDG 51 Destroyer, the USS Jack Lucas, has hit the ocean on its way from Mississippi to Tampa, Florida for Commissioning. Long in development, the new ship is the first in a class of cutting edge new destroyers armed with laser weapons, paradigm-changing, long-range high-fidelity sensors and radar, over-the-horizon ship-fired weapons and new-generations of on-board electricity, cooling and power storage.

Sept. 2023: Taiwan launched first submarine:
Seven countries provided technology to help Taiwan build its submarine fleet. The first sub is equipped with a Lockheed Martin Corp combat system and US-made MK-48 heavyweight torpedoes. It might add US anti-ship missiles Harpoon. Taiwan already fields the Harpoon, and the US Navy awarded a $1.17 billion contract for Harpoon Block 2 missiles in April. The Block 2 can be deployed from air, sea and land platforms. The first submarine came with a hefty price tag of $1.54bn. The 6 new submarines could keep China’s navy from encircling Taiwan and cutting the island off from outside resources. The submarines could keep China from bypassing the First Island Chain, an imaginary line of defense connecting Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia.

August 2023: The cruiser USS Mobile Bay, which launched 22 Tomahawk cruise missiles during Operation Desert Storm and helped carry people to safety when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines, will be decommissioned in San Diego on Aug. 10. The cruisers were designed for a 35-year service life. Mobile Bay was commissioned 36 years ago.

July 2023: Porsche is introducing a $655,000 limited-edition electric speedboat. Called the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air, the zero-emission watercraft will share powertrain technology with the upcoming Macan EV. The 8.7-meter day cruiser’s prolusion unit will utilize technologies developed for Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform, which will underpin Porsche and Audi EVs like the Macan EV and the Audi A6 e-tron.

July 2023: Live onboard for 3 years for $38,000 per year. Life at Sea cruises, which announced plans for a three-year world cruise that will cover over 130,000 miles and hit all seven continents and 135 countries has acquired a newer, larger vessel to accommodate up to 1,250 passengers. MV Lara will depart from Istanbul on Nov. 1. An outside cabin is $65,052. And a balcony cabin will run $98,226 per year.

June 2023: The House Appropriations Committee approved an increase to the Coast Guard's fiscal 2024 budget, forwarding a bill to the full chamber that funds a 5.2% pay raise for members, a commercial icebreaker, four additional fast response cutters which are meant to boost the Coast Guard's operations in the Indo-Pacific region, and an extra HC-130J Super Hercules aircraft.

Have a beautiful room and need something spectacular to enhance it? May we suggest the model below?

May 2023: Coast Guard Museum of CG Base Seattle WA commissioned ModelShipMaster to build an encased model of the Active WMEC 618.

May 2023: The first full-size 3D scan of the Titanic shows the shipwreck in new light. Two remote controlled submersibles have completed the first full-size digital scan of the Titanic, showing the entire wreck in unprecedented detail and clarity. They mapped the whole shipwreck and the surrounding 3-mile debris field, where personal belongings of the ocean liner’s passengers such as shoes and watches were scattered. The resulting data — including 715,000 images — is 10 times larger than any underwater 3D model ever attempted before. Previous images of the Titanic were often limited by low light levels, and only allowed viewers to see one area of the wreck at a time. The new 3D model captures both the bow and stern section, which had separated upon sinking, in clear detail — including the serial number on the propeller. Anthony Geffen, head of documentary maker Atlantic Productions says: “All our assumptions about how it sank, and a lot of the details of the Titanic comes from speculation, because there is no model that you can reconstruct, or work exact distances, I’m excited because this quality of the scan will allow people in the future to walk through the Titanic themselves ...”

May 2023: Cunard’s New Queen Anne Floats Out https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/05/cunard-new-queen-anne-floats-out/

April 2023: The largest sailing yacht in the world has been completed. At 417 feet long, the megayacht called Koru costs $500 million. Built by the Dutch shipmaker Oceanco, she made her maiden voyage on April 6.

USS Nimitz CVN-68 decommissioned in 2006 and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in 2007. Commissioned in 1975, Nimitz was built for a 50-year service.

Feb 2023: CMA CGM installs ‘Windshield’ on one of its ship. The windshield is to improve aerodynamics and reduce fuel consumption. Use of “windshields” was pioneered by Japanese shipping line Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in 2015. The company later confirmed a 2% average CO2 emissions reduction. Delivered in 2012, CMA CGM Marco Polo earned the title of world’s largest containership, taking the titled from Emma Maersk, and kicking off the “megaship arms race” that continues to this day.

- The First California River Cruise in Decades Are Ready to Sets Sail. American Cruise Lines's American Jazz which was inaugurated in 2021 can accommodate 99 passengers in all-balcony accommodations. The first California sailing will depart on Feb. 24. After a brief summer break, the sailings will resume in the fall. Rates for an eight-day San Francisco Bay and California river cruise start at $5,990 per person.

- The historic Queen Mary reopens on Thursday, December 15th (after nearly 3 long years.) Visit her to see that we are the only one on earth who can build authentic Queen Mary model.

- Travel to Antarctica is booming, with 100,000 people expected to travel to the continent this season. The 200-person Ocean Endeavor expedition ship, where rooms cost a passenger only $10,000 or so, is incredible. MSM team is building a similar ship for an office in Beverly Hills here: Le Commandant Charcot.

-The three-masted tall ship Earl of Pembroke, which starred in Treasure Island, Alice in Wonderland, Cloud Atlas, Longitude, Count of Monte Cristo, and Brotherhood of the Wolf has been towed off for demolition. The vessel was built in Sweden in 1945 as the Orion. Her new name, the Earl of Pembroke, was the original name of Captain James Cook's famous barque Endeavor. We have very good info about this ship and would love to build a model for you.

November: USS Constellation moves to drydock for the rest of 2022.

- Paul Allen’s famous superyacht Tatoosh finally sold. We now accept commissions to build models of the Tatoosh. Click here fore more info.

- After 144 days in construction dock, MSC Irina and MSC Loreto are now floated. They are the largest deadweight and largest container capacity vessels in the world. The deadweight tonnage is over 240,000 dwt, rated capacity 24,346 TEU. The highest container stack on the new ships is 25 layers. Overall length is 1,312 feet. The ships have a new type of “invisible” bulbous bow, large-diameter propellers, and wind resistance exterior design. In addition, they have air lubrication along the hull. Since surpassing Maersk at the beginning of 2022, MSC has added nearly 10 percent in capacity, surpassing 4.5 million TEU with 708 vessels.

October: Happy birthday, Old Ironsides: USS Constitution turned 225 on 10/21.

Ritz-Carlton's highly-anticipated superyacht cruise finally made its debut in October 2022. Evrima began a seven-night cruise from Barcelona, Spain to Nice, France on October 15.

September: Our Titanic model has brought joy to members of the prestigious Union Club of New York. "I wanted to thank Frank for the greatest, extraordinary model. It came today beautifully packed. Everything was in flawless condition. I will send you a photograph of it for you I'm sure you seen a thousand photographs of these models but we're really excited it was a wonderful day for us. It's on one of the big tables in the main room in the library right now and I don't quite know how to express my admiration and thanks for that model It's quite remarkable. It has a great deal to do with our club because five of our members perished on the Titanic and we're going to have a special dinner on April 13 where the model will be brought into the big room in the main room for dinner black tie..."

August: If you are in the vicinity of Great Lakes, IL, visit the National Museum of the American Sailor to view a sample of our models' accuracy. The museum is located near Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, Illinois. It honors the American Sailor’s unwavering and patriotic allegiance to the three bedrock principles which have guided United States’s sailors since the earliest days of the naval service: Honor, Courage, Commitment.

July: U.S. Navy Declares Initial Operating Capability (IOC) For Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS). UISS provides acoustic and magnetic minesweeping coupled with the semi-autonomous, diesel-powered, aluminum-hulled Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV). Notably, this is also the first IOC of an unmanned surface platform by the U.S. Navy, marking an important milestone in the evolution toward a hybrid fleet of manned and unmanned systems.

June: The deepest shipwreck ever identified. The USS Samuel B Roberts went down during the Battle Off Samar in the Philippine Sea in October 1944. It lies in 22,621ft (6,895m) of water. Texan financier and adventurer Victor Vescovo, who owns a deep-diving submersible, discovered the "Sammy B" battered but largely intact. The vessel is famed for a heroic final stand against the Japanese. Outnumbered and outgunned, it managed to contain and frustrate several enemy ships before eventually going down. Of the Samuel B Roberts' 224-man crew, 89 were killed. The 120 survivors clung to life rafts for 50 hours awaiting rescue. More about the ship can be learned from this spectacular model here: USS Samuel B Roberts model.

Hong Kong's iconic Jumbo Restaurant sunk. A pioneer of nautical models, we will start the construction of this boat model soon. Click here for further info: Jumbo restaurant model.

Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine District of Columbia
Construction of the first in a new class of ballistic missile submarine that’s expected to commission in 2027 has been started. At a length of 560 feet and displacing 20,810 tons, the District of Columbia will be the largest submarine ever built by the U.S. Its reactor will not require refueling during the lifetime of planned service. In addition to its complement of 16 missiles, the submarine will be armed with Mk 48 torpedoes and will feature superior acoustic performance and state-of-the-art sensors to make it the most capable and quiet submarine ever built. The class will replace the 14 Ohio-class submarines due to begin to retire from service in 2027. The Columba-class will carry “70 percent of America’s deployed nuclear arsenal,” Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said at the ceremony at Electric Boat’s Quonset Point facility in Rhode Island. Submarines are the stealthiest and most survivable of the nation’s nuclear triad of land, air and sea-based nuclear weapons.

April: Coast Guard breaks ground on Boston base upgrade. The project is slated to be completed this summer. The project includes the demolition and construction of a new central pier, new floating docks and an expansion of the engineering services available to support the fleet of six new cutters coming to Boston. Each ship is 154 feet long and can host a crew of 24 Coast Guard members. The entire fleet of cutters costs $380 million.

Feb: Northrup Grumman is pushing ahead with plans to develop a more 'lightweight' version of the AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block III, or SEWIP Block III, that it is developing for the U.S. Navy. This shrunken-down version of the system could give smaller vessels a cutting-edge suite of electronic warfare (EW) capabilities — one that not only can provide advanced passive detection of radiofrequency threats but also make precise and potent electronic attacks on multiple targets simultaneously.

Jan: After being docked in Lake Charles for more than a decade, the USS Orleck Naval Museum is set to be moved this morning, making its way to Florida’s Jacksonville Naval Museum. The ship was called the “Top Gun” of Vietnam, fired 11,000+ rounds earning the nickname “Grey Ghost of the Vietnam Coast” and netting an astonishing 14 battle stars throughout the war. It received dozens of awards for military service. We have very good information about the Orleck and would love to build a model for you. Any sizes.

Dec: EU willing to co-fund lifting of sunken nuclear subs from Arctic seabed. The sunken Russian submarines K-27 and K-159 will leak in 20-30 years. The November-class K-159 submarine sank in late August 2003 while being towed in bad weather. The K-27 was dumped in the Kara Sea in 1982, at a depth of 33 meters.

Yara debuts world's first autonomous electric container ship. The Yara Birkeland, an 80-metre-long (87 yards) so-called feeder will load and offload its cargo, recharge its batteries and also navigate without human involvement. Sensors will be able to quickly detect and understand objects in the water. The ship, which will do two journeys per week to start with, has capacity to ship 120 20-foot containers of fertiliser at a time. It will cut 1,000 tones of carbon emissions per year, equivalent to 40,000 diesel-powered journeys by road.

Sept:
The world's largest container ship Ever Ace that is 1,312 ft (400 meters) in length, and with a capacity of 23,992 TEU made waves and turned heads when it transited the Suez Canal on August 28. Because of its large size, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) followed its protocols and offered navigation support during the transit, ensuring a safe passage of the ship.

August:
The iconic superyacht Octopus has been sold. The superyacht Octopus features exterior design by Espen Øino and made waves in the industry when she was launched, often pinned as the first superyacht of her canon, a true ocean explorer with a 12,500 nautical miles range. She is, to this day, considered the world’s largest explorer superyacht. Octopus carries second-to-none equipment onboard, including two helicopters, stored in their own dedicated hangar on deck, as well as a gigantic float-in tender bag at her stern, which accommodates an ROV with a 1.9 mile range and a 13-metre Hinckley tender called Man of War II. She also carries a Pagoo submarine for as many as eight guests and two crew, able to drive for up to eight hours. Octopus also features a dive centre with a hyperbaric chamber for scuba diving enthusiasts. There are thirteen guest staterooms in total, alongside 30 crew cabins to accommodate her 63 crew members. Visit this page to view our beautiful model: Octopus.

USS Carl Vinson strike group is the first to deploy with F-35C stealth fighters. The carrier completed a 17-month upgrade late last summer so it could support F-35s, the newest generation of fighter jet, as well as Ospreys, the tiltrotor aircraft that can land vertically like a helicopter and fly like a fixed-wing plane. The fifth-generation F-35C is the carrier version of the stealth fighter that costs $94.4 million each, according to the Navy. Air superiority is its role. The CMV-22B Osprey is the replacement for the fixed wing C-2A Greyhound, a logistics workhouse that delivers people, mail and cargo from shore to ship.

July: Norwegian Yacht Company Launches First Residential Super Yacht. The 728-foot vessel (world's largest) will offer 39 luxury residences and “seven-star” service. The yacht's name is Somnio, meaning ‘to dream’ in Latin.

May 2021: The Queen Mary is in dire need for repair. Very few repairs have been made to the historical vessel over the past five years, leaving her vulnerable to flooding or capsizing. In addition, Long Beach would need $20 million for urgent safety repairs to keep the ship viable. The $20 million is on top of another $20 million Long Beach has already spent on her. ModelShipMaster wants to help. For every purchase of the QM model, we'll donate $200 to the Queen Mary.

March 2021: the container ship queue to get into Long Beach port gets longer and passed the Huntington Beach pier. We never seen this incredible sight since the start of our business over 20 years ago. Maybe it's never been like for the entire history of port of Long Beach. The current wait time is a full week which is not good at all for ship crews' well-being.

Feb. 2021: a San Diego-based Marine F/A-18C squadron flew off the aircraft carrier Nimitz and back to family at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, after a 9-month deployment. The homecoming marks the end of an era for Marine aviation as the F/A-18C Hornets are the last of their type to deploy on an aircraft carrier. Navy pilots flying a newer jet, the so-called Super Hornet, still make up the carriers’ primary air wings. The squadron will continue flying the Hornets out of Miramar station for the immediate future. By 2028, the squadron will be updated to F-35B.

January 2021: If you plan to have a custom model for a Farther's Day, please contact us by the end of February. Due to a recent surge of orders and also the pandemic, we probably can't accept a rush job anymore until further notice.

December: Bipartisan legislation authorizing six polar icebreakers passed both houses of Congress. Authorization of the new Polar Class icebreakers this year will put America in a much better position to operate in the region and protect our national security and economic interests. The U.S. has two polar icebreakers. Russia has 53 icebreakers Canada has seven, Finland has 10, Sweden has seven and Denmark has four. ModelShipMaster.com builds the most accurate icebreaker models in the world. Our models do not have gross errors like the others'. Click here for more info: Coast Guard models.

November: The Coast Guard icebreaker Healy caught fire in August 2020 and one of her motors was damaged. Fortunately, a spare motor had been created 23 years ago when the ship was built. After 23 years in storage, it is now on the ship. The motor was so large that the only way to remove the damaged motor was to cut the hull of the ship. The ship was actually built around the motor. Click here for more about the Healy: Icebreaker Healy.

October: Russian 100-year-old tall ship Sedov completes historic Northern Sea Route passage

July, 2020: One more important project delivered successfully. When it comes to high end and accurate tall ship models, we are the natural choice, yet our price rarely exceeds $5,000! Click here to learn more.

June, 2020: picture of the month: SSBN USS Maryland Conducts Full At-Sea Crew Exchange

May 12: Norwegian archaeologists are set to carry out a full excavation of a buried Viking ship for the first time in more than 100 years. According to Forbes, the Gjellestad ship spent more than 1,000 years hidden underground. The ship burial does not exist in isolation, but forms part of a cemetery which is clearly designed to display power and influence.Three well-preserved Viking ships previously discovered in Norway were excavated in 1868, 1880, and 1904, respectively. Unlike those times, today's modern excavation technology will give a tremendous opportunity to understand why these ship burials took place.

May 1 (in case you missed it): A new star has been born. The 99.95 meter Feadship's Moonrise has begun sea trials after hitting the water for the first time in March. Unveiled at the Makkum yard on February 7, Moonrise sports exterior design penned by Studio De Voogt. Moonrise is the largest superyacht by waterline length built in the Netherlands to date. She successfully marries sleek sensual lines with a modern masculine profile. A wide range of elegant details, long hull windows, a and striking vertical bow add to the elegance of the design by Studio De Voogt.

April 27: The largest container vessel on earth with a TEU capacity of 24,000 started its maiden voyage on Sunday. The HMM Algeciras measures 1,310' long and 200' wide Her deck area is about the size of three and a half soccer fields. The HMM Algeciras can carry 24,000 containers--some 200 more containers than the previous largest container ship--the MSC Gülsün. The containers, if connected end to end, will reach a total length of 100 miles. The ship was officially named during a private ceremony at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Engineering shipyard in South Korea.

April 2020: For all valued customers who have done business with us in 2019 and 2020, please contact us for a pair of N95/N100 respirator if you haven't had them. We use NIOSH-approved, USA-made N95 and N100 for our work and we want to share them with you to weather this crisis.

April 2020: The current crisis is not affecting our business much. In early April, the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum signed a contract with us for three famous civil war ships. March set a record for our modern warships, with four models sold and two on back order. Our customer base tends to be more strategic and confident. Thank you! It's been a great pleasure to serve you all.

March 2020: Due to the lockdown in California in March, ModelShipMaster will operate at 3/4 capacity. Only several craftsmen who work at our shops will be affected, as they have to work in their garages now. We continue hiring globally so if you think you belong to the top 3% or can produce the same models featured on our Web site, please do not hesitate to contact us.

February 2020: Four hundred years after the Mayflower crossed the Atlantic from Britain to the United States, a group of engineers plan to have a crewless-ship also named the Mayflower, navigate itself along the same route. The voyage is due to begin in September and the new Mayflower could become the first full-sized, fully autonomous vessel to cross the Atlantic. The original Mayflower ship transported 102 British settlers from England to America. They would become the first pilgrims to land there. “One common thing on both projects was really a sense of adventure. The original Mayflower had people believing in a special future and putting their lives at risk,” said Goetz Linzenmeier, chairman and founder of Aluship, which built the hull.

Jan, 2020: The Japanese military is considering developing a hypersonic anti-ship missile with a special warhead for penetrating the decks of Chinese aircraft carriers. The 2026 model is for “targeting a potential enemy invading Japan's remote islands,” The Mainichi newspaper reported. “In the second stage, an upgraded type will be developed for possible installation in fiscal 2028 or later, featuring claw-shaped payloads, enhanced speeds and firing ranges and more complex trajectories.”

Nov. 2019: The hybrid cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen, with 450 passengers aboard, is making her maiden voyage to Antarctica where she will be christened with a chunk of ice instead of the traditional bottle of champagne in the fall of 2019. She will be the first ever ship to be christened in the southern continent. Click to learn more about this amazing ship: MS Roald Amundsen

Sept 2019: One of the most moving moments we have experienced happened this month. We picked up (in a senior center in San Diego), repaired, and delivered a fine model build by a brother (now deceased) and passed it down to his sister who's now bed ridden. We have revived loving memories with numerous repairs and this was perhaps the first time we deeply felt the full meaning of our job. "Awesome!! Thank you! You can't know how much joy this will bring her." Texted her niece.

August 2019: Two of our models were placed on a newly-built superyacht by the prestigious design studio Reymond Langton Design. We were happy that our hard work and unmatched skills were paid off when more and more of our models became part of multimillion-dollar establishments on which hundreds of successful people would enjoy, love, and learn some more maritime history.

May 2019: On May 19, guided-missile destroyer USS Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of the disputed Scarborough Shoal which is a territory claimed by China, as an attempt to challenge Beijing’s excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea.

May 2019: All three high-tech Zumwalt destroyers are now in the water. The first-in-class USS Zumwalt is preparing weapons on its way to final delivery later this year. The Zumwalt is now test-firing its weapons systems, completing an operational scenario transit through Alaska and Hawaii and advancing tactical training for the crew, as it prepares for its maiden deployment. The activation, which involves refining weapons, sensors and networks, is a vital step towards launching the destroyer for war. The second, PCU Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001, has begun combat availability and number three -- PCU Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002) -- was christened in April of this year, on its way to a planned Hull, Mechanical and Electrical delivery next year. The Johnson is now 85 percent built and achieved “float-off” in December of last year.

Feb. 2019: Singapore's acquisition of four new Type 218SG submarines, which offer more firepower and combat options, is a timely move as maritime security challenges evolve and countries beef up their submarine fleets. In Asia, defense spending has increased significantly, reaching US$447 billion in 2017, an increase of about 61 per cent from 2008, with many countries modernizing their armed forces. The new Type 218SG submarine - custom-made to Singapore's needs - will have 50 per cent longer endurance, more firepower, more capable sensors and advanced automation than the current fleet of submarines in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The RSN, the Defence Science and Technology Agency, German defense contractor thyssenkrupp Marine Systems worked together on the design and building of the submarine.

Dec. 2018: Japan has unveiled plans to develop the country's first aircraft carrier in over seven decades. China's navy has formidable air defenses and could likely destroy Japanese helicopters and F-15s in battle. But the stealth F-35Bs give the carriers a fifth-generation fighter, the likes of which China has never before seen. The F-22, the US' first fifth-generation fighter, came across as an ideal solution for Japan's defense needs, but the US refused to sell, saying the cutting-edge technology was too critical to share. Japan has a total of four helicopter destroyers, among which are two Izumo-class destroyers that could be quickly converted to serve as aircraft carriers.

October, 2018: A super sport boat, Princess' R35. Hydrofoils have long been used on marine craft, such as ferries, to raise the bow so that the boat "flies" of the water. Those crafts' foils are fixed. But now PRINCESS, a yacht construction firm based in the UK, revolutionizes the concept. Their new boat--name R35-- has hydrofoils that are constantly adjusted. They remain retracted at slow speed. Out on the ocean, the foils deploy as speed increases. Sensors detect the position of the boat in the water, and a computer calculates the ideal angle at which the foils should be set to lift the bow and reduce drag. The foils also ensure that the stern remains in the optimum position in the water to improve thrust and handling. And, as both the port and the starboard foils can be adjusted independently of each other, the R35 can make very fast turns. All this makes the R35 a bit of a supercar among boats. The boat can reach 50 knots (92.6kph)! Kiran Haslam, Princess’s marketing director, says the active foils could be scaled up for use on larger marine craft.

Oct. 2017: "Sorry for the tardiness in letting you know she has arrived and is beyond gorgeous! My son’s face was priceless and he actually thought I had somehow found another ship as he remembered how tragically damaged she was! He’s happy that a case is being made since right away my granddaughter (9) wanted to touch it. He was telling his family stories of how he ran around on her as a kid and all the fantastic treats he used to get in the galley etc."

August, 2017: A Viking Wonder Woman. A new DNA test of a warrior buried in Sweden more than 1,000 years ago provide the first genetic evidence that some women held powerful positions in Viking culture. The 10th century grave site, which was uncovered in the 1880s, contained a sword, arrows, a battle knife, a spear, shields, and 2 horses. The 5'6'' Viking was also buried with a set of game pieces--an indication of the deceased's expertise in battle tactics. Previously archaeologists made the assumption that it was a male warrior. However, the new DNA test revealed that the Viking leader lacked a Y chromosome--confirming that "he" was actually a "she.

July, 2017: The first hydrogen ship around the world. A 100-foot-long catamaran that powers itself without any fuel has set off to begin a 6-year trip around the world. The vessel primarily utilizes sun or wind energy during the day. At night, it harnesses a reservoir of hydrogen that the boat itself produces through electrolysis of the salt water. The voyage will span 50 countries and 101 stopovers. Originally designed in 1983, the boat enjoyed a successful career in open-sea sailing races before skippers Frederic Dahirel and Victorien Erussard and a French research institute converted it into the Energy Observer project. We have good information about this catamaran to build a model for you. Please click on this link to commission it: Self-propelled catamaran model

May, 2017: According to Time magazine, pirate ship attacks in the waters off Somalia in April and May increased 60% over the period last year.

April 2017: Norway plans to beginning building the world's first ship tunnel in 2019 to help vessels avoid the stormy Stadhavet sea . The passage will be 1.65 mile long, 162' tall, and 118' wide.

Feb, 2017: No where else you can find dedicated American craftsmen like at Model Ship Master. If you are watching Elementary Season 5, pay attention to a beautiful unfinished model tall ship. In Feb. 2017, CBS contacted Model Ship Master for an unusual request: to supply CBS a tall ship that looked half completed, within 5 days. Acknowledging this prop was an important element in the movie set, our artisans worked hard and delivered the model in time, with the help of an overnight delivery service. You can count on Model Ship Master, any time, any where!

Feb, 2017: DEADLY TORPEDO DESIGN: When introduced 40 years ago, the Soviet Shkval torpedo was hailed as an aircraft-carrier killer because of its speed of more than 370kph was four times that of American. The principle that gave the speed is called Supercavitation. Bubbles of vapor form in water wherever there is low pressure, such as on the trailing edges of propeller blades. Shkval’s designers amplified the phenomenon to make use of it. They gave their weapon a blunt nose fitted with a flat disc that creates a circular trailing edge as the torpedo moves forward. They also gave it a rocket motor to accelerate it to a speed fast enough for that edge to create a cavity consisting of a single, giant bubble which envelopes the entire torpedo except for the steering fins. The result is that most of the torpedo experiences no hydrodynamic drag. To take advantage of this it is propelled by a hydrojet—a motor fuelled by a magnesium that will burn in water.

However, problems with its design meant Shkval turned out to be less threatening. Shkval’s problems are threefold. First, it has a short range—around 15km compared with around 50km for America’s. Second, the hydrojet is noisy, so opponents can hear the weapon coming. Third, it cannot track its target. Most torpedoes use sonar to home in on the ship they are intended to sink. Because Shkval travels inside a bubble, any sonar needs to be mounted on the cavitation disc, which is too small for the purpose. In addition, returning sonar pings would be drowned out by the hydrojet’s noise. As a consequence, Shkval’s only guidance is an autopilot which steers it towards the place where its target was located at the moment of launch, in the hope that the target has not moved.

These deficiencies have not stopped Western countries trying to build supercavitating torpedoes of their own. German's Diehl announced a program for such a weapon, Barracuda, in 2004. In 2006 General Dynamics started to look into the matter and eventually solved the sonar problem by mounting it on the torpedo’s steering fins. In the end, however, these efforts ceased without clear reasons.

From Russia, in October 2016, plans emerged for a new supercavitating torpedo, Khishchnik (“Predator”). Few details have been released. Combining a General Dynamics-style sonar with a better motor could, however, result in a formidable weapon. With the right fuel (perhaps lithium, which packs more energy per kilogram than magnesium) a new torpedo could have ten times the range of Shkval. It would still be noisy, but, added to its speed, such a combination of range and tracking ability would make it hard to evade.

Jan, 2017: Japan's new destroyer is named Izumo (December 10). The original Izumo was an armored cruiser that served the Japanese navy's flagship in China in the 1930s and 1940s. She saw battle in both the 1932 and 1937 Sino-Japanese wars, shelling Chinese positions from the middle of the Huangpu river in Shanghai. She also sank the last British gunboat and captured the last American gunboat in Shanghai in 1941. By giving the name, and naming the entire class of ships the Izumo class, Japan is sending a clear message to China.

December, 2016: The traditional way of hunting submarine is with sonar. However, modern submarines are very quiet. Thanks to the Debye effect, it might be possible to hunt modern submarines now. Here's how it works: seawater is full of ions of sodium and chlorine which have different masses. Any nudge—such as a passing submarine—moves some ions farther than others. And these movement produces a magnetic field. A good Debye detector might be able to pick up a trail from several nautical miles and follow it to find the submarine.

November, 2016: We are in the golden age for mega yacht
This month, Lurssen launched 3 mega yachts: the 123-meter Project Jupiter, the 111-meter Project TIS and an unknown 130m+ superyacht. Lurssen also has the 75-meter Thor, 85-meter Sasha, 112-meter Palo Alto and 139-meter Redwood under construction. Dutch-based Oceanco have recently launched a new 88.5-meter superyacht and have completed a 106-meter sailing yacht which are now moored together at their Alblasserdam facility. The shipyard is also working on the 110-meter Project Jubilee, which is scheduled to become the largest yacht built in the Netherlands. Turquoise Yachts is also working on a megayacht of its own with a 77-meter as well as a 66-meter already in construction. Bilgin has just announced it had sold a second 80-meter superyacht to a repeat client, having had already sold their first 80-meter hull to a repeat client back in 2015. Turkey-based, Dunya Yachts are also building 100m Project Blade for the owner of Axioma. Feadship, has recently delivered Steve Wynn's 92-meter Aquarius, a year after delivering 101-meter Symphony to LVMH CEO, Bernard Arnault. Italy-based Benetti is also working on a new flagship with a 107-meter mega yacht currently under construction and scheduled for delivery in 2019.

October, 2016: Stand 10' above the water, the Glider Yachts SS18, which stands for Super Sport 18, is the ultimate in high speed, futuristic design and pure luxury. A proprietary Stability Control System tunes the yacht to the sea conditions, allowing it to “glide” over the waves at speeds of up to 56 knots (65 mph). The $1.3 million SS18 is made from lightweight aluminum and can accommodate up to eight passengers. Eight years were spent on the design and development on this 26 foot long yacht which is built by Burgess Marine.

June, 2016: This summer, Boeing will sea test the ECHO VOYAGER submarine which is a monstrous 50-ton craft that can stay at sea for six months at at time without the need of refueling. The previous model--the ECHO RANGER--could do that for only three days. The ECHO VOYAGER can carry 20 tons of equipments and dive to 11,000 feet. While on the surface, it downloads route instruction from humans via satellite. It runs on batteries which are recharged by diesel engines every three days during a four to eight day resurfacing. The 1,000 gallon tank allows the robot to travel a total of 6,500 nautical miles, enough to circle Australia. A typical drone craft can only do 200 miles! The innovator is Lance Towers (age 52) who has 150 people working on the project since 2012.

May: A Polish grandfather left New York on May 29 th on his third solo trans-Atlantic crossing in a kayak, aiming to arrive in Portugal in time to celebrate his 70th birthday in Portugal's capital in September 9th. The 3,700-mile (6,000-kilometer) journey will cross through storm zones in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. He will be paddling the kayak "Olo" (designed partly by him and made by Arminski's shipyard) between eight and 12 hours each day!

May: The Energy Technologies Institute, British public-private partnership that promotes low-carbon uses is gathering operating data on whether rotor sails are a worthwhile investment. Rotor sail is the Flettner rotor which when placed on a ship the giant rotating cylinders extract energy from the wind by the Magnus effect--a force that deflects the wind to one side, using the resulting forces to propel the ship forward in a similar way to a sail. But unlike conventional sails, the rotors can be operated by one person on their own. This technology is most suitable for ships that sail on trade routes where wind blows sideways across the vessel. Fletter rotor was invented by a German mathematics teacher and self-taught engineer in 1924 but proved to be rather a novel. However, with the arrival of lightweight composite materials that enable the rotors to spin at high speeds, together with advanced computer control, promises of a great return to sail. An average of 10% fuel saving might be achieved.

March: U.S. river tour companies are expanding. American Cruise Lines reduced prices on some of its Pacific Northwest itineraries to $1,975 per person for an eight-day sailing trip. This is a great deal compared to the average of $3,400. River cruising in the U.S. is significantly pricier than the average weeklong ocean cruise on the Royal Caribbean or the Carnival and more expensive than river cruises in Europe because of the Jones Act of 1920 which requires travel between U.S. ports to be conducted on U.S.-built ships owned by Americans, with American crews.

Feb, 2016: The Asia Vision tanker made history when it left Sabine Pass in Texas loaded with U.S.-produced LNG. The historic sailing represents the first cargo of liquefied U.S. shale gas, and the first U.S.-produced non-Alaskan LNG cargo to be sold for export since 1957. This vessel is beautiful and we've decided to add it to our construction record.

Feb, 2016: According to the Reuters, the Pentagon's next five-year budget proposal seeks over $13 billion for a new submarine class. The Navy's proposed fiscal 2017 budget will fund procurement of materials for the new submarines that take a long time to acquire, with funding for construction of the first full new submarine to follow in fiscal 2021. Over the next five years, the Navy would spend over $4 billion on research and development of the new submarines, plus over $9 billion in procurement funding.

Nov. 27: A very special galleon was found only 16 miles off Cartagena coast in Columbia. The three-decked ship's cargo is estimated at more than $10 billion--one of the largest amounts of valuables ever to have been lost at sea. The ship name was San José . She was 150 feet long and armed with 64 guns. In 1708, while transporting gold, silver, gems collected in the South American colonies (much of the bullion came from mines in what is now Peru), she and the other treasure ships fought with a British squadron. The British Expedition attacked the San José at around 7 p.m.. After an hour and a half of fierce fighting and with only 60 meters between the two ships, the San José suddenly blew up. There were only 11 survivors out of the 600 crew and passengers on board. The wreck under 1,000ft of water falls within the UN's definition of an underwater cultural heritage site.

Nov. 2015: We have just received a contract to supply several models for NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE and won't be able to start new cruise ships and ocean liners until April 2016. But don't wait until then to let us know of your interest, as new orders might keep coming. We only accept your commitment deposit when we are sure that your ship can be completed within 3 months or earlier. As usual, 99% of out-of-stock ship models are not built again until all commissioned model ships are completed. Since ordering an out-of-stock model will incur a 10% extra charge, get your ship now when it's still available.

We also have a heavy backlog in tall ship construction, with a dozen units for the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and Tall Ship Singapore. At this time we can't take any more tall ship commission orders until May, 2016.

This month we also inked a contract with the Italian yacht Benetti to build two models of their most prestigious yacht. Big thanks to our patrons for the recommendations.

Good news: One of our three shipping partners offers a pleasantly surprised discount from October until December 2nd, 2015 and we want to pass this saving to you. If you are in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, the shipping cost is 30% off. For simplification, just go ahead pay the full shipping cost when ordering and we'll refund you the 30% discount within 24 hrs.

October 2015: China issued in May a military white paper that formalized the addition of what it called "open-seas protection." A strategy that put local seas control first, ending the primacy China gave to its land forces. Here's an excerpt: "The traditional mentality that land outweighs the sea must be abandoned, and great importance has to be attached to managing the seas and oceans and protecting maritime rights and interests. It is necessary for China to develop a modern maritime force structure commensurate with its national security." In response, some American strategists have called for an increase of the US fleet from 273 to 350 ships. The next decade will see a naval showdown between the US and China in the Pacific. All three most advanced US destroyers (Zumwalt class) have already stationed there.

DID YOU KNOW? After the decommission of the USS Simpson, the USS Constitution remains the only commissioned US Navy ship that sunk an enemy vessel.

Sept. 27: USS Simpson ended her service after 30 years, well beyond its designed military use of 20 to 25 years. In 1988, after a missed missile shot from the Iranian gunboat Joshan, the Simpson destroyed the Joshan with 4 missiles. It was the only ship-versus-ship missile duel in U.S. Navy history. "If you don't stop, I'm going to sink you," and the Iranian ship fired a Harpoon-- a deadly U.S.-made Harpoon missile which could travel at 600-plus mph with a 500-pound warhead and sink the Simpson easily...

Sept, 14: The Navy agreed to limits its use of sonar and other training that inadvertently harms whales, dolphins, and other mammals off Hawaii and California. The agreement includes limits or bans on explosives and mid-frequency sonar (which can disrupt feeding and communication of mammals, and can cause deafness) in some areas. An estimate of over 150 whales, dolphins, and mammals in these restricted areas have been killed in the past five years, and 2,000 in total. The total casualty estimate for the East Coast is 11,000. According to Matt Knight, a US Pacific Fleet spokesman, the Navy now "face the real possibility that the court could stop critically important training and testing."

July: Divers discovered the wreck of a Russian submarine that sank during WWI off the coast of Sweden. The sub collided with a Swedish ship in 1916 and sank with all 18 crew members.

June, 2015: Uber has launched a permanent version of its UberBoat service in Istanbul that shuttles you between Asia and Europe in a speed boat. Each craft also carries up to 8 people. UberBOAT service has also been available in cities including, Boston, San Francisco and Sydney, Australia.

June, 2015: Did you know that the US Navy has developed a 5-foot, 100 lbs, robotic spy fish that looks and swims like a bluefin tuna? Researchers specifically chose the tuna fish for the project because the fish is one of the few aquatic animals that uses just half its body to propel itself forward. The drone could be fully operational as early as 2015.

Apr. 2015: A replica of the warship that carried Marquis de Lafayette to help American colonists in their war of independence set sail for the United States on Saturday April 18th. It headed for Yorktown, Virginia, where Lafayette and his forces played a critical part in a decisive battle against the British. The frigate is due to arrive in Yorktown on June 5 for a two-month tour of key locations in the American Revolution. The construction of the new Hermione was started in 1997 and incurred a cost of $27m.

Two weeks after the trucker's strike was over (April 27-March 12), ships still were in a long queue waiting to enter the Los Angels port. Photo taken from Huntington Beach by ModelShipMaster.

March 2015: The US Navy and Congress are poised to ramp up ship construction activity for at least several years. The defense budget for 2016 will include nearly $18 billion for a variety of new ships plus Marine helicopters. That is nearly $2 billion more of the current fiscal year.

November 2014: Due to a surge in custom orders in the past several months, we temporarily cease to receive custom ship model orders, both RC and static, starting Dec 1st, 2014. Once current projects are about to clear, perhaps in March, 2014, our operation will be open to take custom orders again. This does not apply to commercial ship builders, ship designers, and the navy who have trade shows or ceremonies coming up, as we can work overtime for those important time-sensitive projects. All in-stock models once sold out won't be built again until the majority of custom orders are cleared.

October 2014: Foundation Louis Vuitton opened on October 27, 2014. The building was one of the greatest technological challenges of the 21^st century. With twelve twisting glass sail-like panels stand up to high wind, the Foundation demonstrates esthetic audacity like that of a real sailing ship.