Flying Fish Clipper Ship 1851

Donald McKay, one of the greatest designers of his time, built the Flying Fishin 1851 at East Boston Massachusetts. Flying Fish was registered at the Boston Custom House as a ship of 1,505 tons, with a hull length of 207 feet, and a beam of 22 feet. She sailed from New York to San Francisco in 92 days - only three days short of the record set by her sister ship, the Flying Cloud.

Plank-on-bulkhead construction by Model Expo features laser cut basswood keel and 21-piece bulkhead set. Stem, sternest, rudder, stern pieces and planksheer are also laser cut. The hull is planked with individual basswood strips, and we supply self-adhesive copper coil to sheath it below the waterline. Masts, yards and spars are high quality beech. Rigging plan is faithful to the original, with three diameters each of black standing and white running rigging, plus 200 wooden deadeyes and 225 blocks in various sizes. Eyebolts, backing links and ship's bell are solid brass. We reproduce virtually every detail of the real clipper ship, and expertly cast Britannia metal fittings ensure scale accuracy. You'll find figurehead, anchors, five ship's boats, capstans, binnacle, mast caps, windows and ladders, chocks, davits and stanchions.

Six sheets of beautifully drawn plans and 56 page step-by-step instruction manual by noted naval architect, Ben Lankford, assure trouble-free completion of a magnificent replica. (Display base and brass pedestals shown in photo not included.)