USF Constitution: Isaac Hull and Smithsonian models

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:59 am

Here are photos of the famous "Hull Model" and photos of the Smithsonian Museum's 1/48 scale model of USF Constitution.

The three photos below are National Archives photos of the famous "Hull Model" named for the model's first owner and ship's captain at the time, Isaac Hull. The Hull Model of USF Constitution was made by the real ship's crew and presented to their captain, Isaac Hull, as a gift just after their War of 1812 victories. The model now rests in the Peabody Museum in Massachusetts. Since the model was made by actual crewmembers it is considered to definitively show Constitution's true War of 1812 appearance. Certainly the ship's own crew knew what their ship looked like and built an accurate representation for their captain.

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Of kits now commercially available the Revell 1/96 scale plastic kit most closely resembles the Hull Model (1812-1815 appearance). The Model Shipways 1/76 scale wooden kit most accurately portrays Constitution's present day appearance (post-1996 refit). Another fine model of her present day appearance is the Mamoli 1/96 scale wooden kit.

Note that Hull Model shows that Old Ironsides only carries gun port lids at the extreme bow. Period documents confirm that Old Ironsides carried no hinged gun port lids at this time. Those lids that were present were removable and stored below decks prior to going into action.

Also note the coloring of the masts and yards and that Constitution did not carry her name on the transom until after the War of 1812.

Compare the above photos to these of the the Smithsonian Museum/s 1/48 scale USF Constitution model which was built from early plans and using the Hull Model as a significant reference. Revell's 1/96 scale USF Constitution was designed largely from this model and the Smithsonian plans used to make her.

Warning to dial-up users: large files, LONG DOWNLOAD TIMES.

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Constitution acted as a raider during that war. Her log and other period documents state that her crew changed her coloring from time to time partly as a deceptive measure to confuse her pursuers as to her actual identity.

It is believed that when originally built her hull was unpainted and that she had no white gun deck stripe. She did have a red stripe and blue stripe painted on the strakes above the gun deck gun ports. Before 1809 her hull was painted black and she received a white or yellow ochre gun deck stripe painted on the four strakes between the gun deck gun ports resulting in her now familiar appearance. Her gun deck stripe was alternately white and yellow ochre throughout the War of 1812.

About 1809 her upper deck inner bulwarks may have been painted "red ochre", a common practice at the time. It is believed that between 1812-1815 her inner bulwarks were painted green as they are today on the actual ship preserved at Boston.

The coloring of her masts and yards also changed a bit during these early years.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 10:41 pm

Link here to the text of Ray Morton's excellent post on Seaways.com describing Constitution's colors (the message is about half-way down the page): http://www.seaways.com/subarc99/essex.htm

The original text is copyrighted and based upon 50 years of research by Ray Morton. I have received permission from Ray to quote the text here and am seeking permission from Seaways.com as well.

Ray writes that the frigate Constitution was properly called USF Constitution as only ships of the line carried the USS designation. Frigates were USF.

Devin · Post by **Devin** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 12:14 pm

Steve,

Thanks to the links to all of this. I've been aboard Old Ironsides several times and really enjoy that old ship. As a matter of fact, when I was up for re-enlistment from the Navy, I told them the ONLY way I would do so was if I would be sent to the Constutition for a tour. Evidently AEGIS types weren't eligible for that duty, so I got out. All for the better.

I've never been to the Peabody museum to get a look at that model, but I will the next time I'm in the area. I'm pleased to hear that the Revell 1/96th scale kit is close to her 1812 fit, as that will be a much easier modification to undertake (for me) than correcting the Model Shipways kit.

The missing gun port lids makes a lot of sense, come to think of it, from a ventilation standpoint; much like the US carriers in WWII always having their hangar doors open.

-Devin