Secret Vessel "Morel" 1:36
MK0203Brief History
In 1719 a Russian inventor E. Nikonov petitioned the emperor Peter the Great in which he stated that he could build a vessel that could “secretly swim under the military ship and sink it by crushing its bottom”. After a private conversation with the inventor, Peter the Great ordered to build a working model of the vessel.
Efim Nikonov started building the first model in February 1720 on the Galley yard in Saint Petersburg. It was ready in 13 months in March 1721. It was tested in the summer on the left bank of the Neva river. Peter the Great was present at the test run. The vessel successfully submerged and surfaced several times, but eventually it could not surface because of a leak. Although the tests were not so successful, Peter the Great requested E. Nikonov to build a full-sized vessel.
There is no information left about the size, layout, devices or drawings of the vessel. However, the researchers assume that it had a barrel-shaped hull, was built from planks about 6.4 meters long and 2 inches thick. It was possibly fastened by iron bands. The vessel was propelled by oars. The submerging system consisted of a “water box” – the ancestor of the modern ballast tanks, a hand pump, tin pipes and 10 tin plates, each containing about 500 small holes. The outside water passed through these holes into a “water bag” while the vessel was submerging.
Features
- Scale 1:36.
- One of the easiest kits, no rigging. Suitable for beginners.
- Assembled dimensions are (LxWxH) 8.5" x 5.5" x 5" (220mm x 140mm x 130mm ).
- All wooden parts are laser cut to simplify assembly.
- Hull design compensates for material deformations.
- Single plank-on-frame hull. Hull planks are made of 1.5mm thick veneer.
- A special plank bending jig.
- Multitude of highly detailed brass parts.
- Assembly instructions in English.
- Made in Russia by Master Korabel
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