Recently completed Academy Models' 1994 kit of the New Bedford whaling ship Charles W. Morgan. The Morgan and similar ships where used during the 1800s to hunt whales. After the whale was sighted, small boats would be lowered, chasing down the whale, upon which the whale would be harpooned. This was ludicrously dangerous and terrifying. After the whale was sufficiently injured and dying, it would be hauled up on board the whaler and dissected, sometimes while still in agony, its blood and entrails spilling allover everything. Inside of the head of the whale was an organ used in echolocation and judging depth. This organ contained a white, oily substance. Whale oil. The whale oil could be used to fuel lamps, lubricate machinery, and many other uses.

After the discovery of the California oil fields, whaling ships became obsolete, where used for odd jobs such as transporting immigrants or prospectors seeking their fortune in the gold rush. Soon the aging ships fell into disrepair and where scrapped or sunk.

The Morgan is the last surviving vessel of her type, now the star attraction of the Mystic Seaport maritime museum.

I would recommend this kit as the instructions were straightforward and the parts were easy to identify. Assembly was not to complicated, but as expected, the rigging was quite intense. The rigging diagrams are not very good, but for this kit rigging is optional. My only big complaint about the kit is that because of its small size it is not possible to modify her to sail.