Scale Model of the U.S.S Cairo

While in Mississippi we went up to Vicksburg. On the way out of the museum I purchased a wooden model kit of the U.S.S. Cairo. I have built plastic models off and on for years. I thought (oops silly me) that since it was made of wood parts it would be easier to hold on to the pieces. the assembled one looked like it would be easy to glue together. Well . ..

How was I suppose to know that you had to make the pieces first?

The instructions are not as one distributer’s  website states:

The USS Cairo is approximately 12” long. It is a copy of the Civil War Union Ironclad sunk at Vicksburg, Mississippi and now on display at Vicksburg Military Park.

Authentically styled wooden museum model kits. These are complete with detailed instructions and wooden parts pre-cut for model building. Some of the parts must be sanded and painted. Glue is not furnished. Kits are extremely high quality.

Correction! All the parts that are not made out of metal ( not very many ) have to be shaped, sanded, and painted. I can do this I say each day as I slowly plug away at creating a pilot house with eight sides out of a general shaped piece of wood. Ladders, yes, I have made ladders three different ways before one sort of worked. It does look like a ladder anyway.

  • The detailed instructions are sand gun cabin, hull, then glue together.
  • sand belt rails sponsons ladder and decking before installing
  • install sponsons and rudders to hull section
  • Place armour belt on gun cabin and hull
  • drill hoes for guns mast davit and ventilators now
  • attach decking to hull and gun cabin

Anyway, the point is that each part needs to be built by looking at a drawing that gives the general location and size of things but not quite to scale….

I have pictures to prove that I am doing this woo hoo … if it comes out looking like the only picture of the Cairo in existence I will be happy. I have given up seeking anything close to perfection and am striving for “finished”.

Maybe I will upload a picture or two of my progress.

Other posts:

Cairo Model Update Progress

Cairo Model Pictures – Almost done

21 Comments

  1. Ed Nystrom

    I purchaed the Cario model and called the company and asked for photos of the completed model and they will be sent to me. Do you have any more photos beside the rudders?

  3. Yes thank you Ed,
    I did find this picture also. The scale looks much larger so it would be easier to work with in some respects I assume.

    I found some other pictures also if you have not already seen them:
    http://www.arbeitskreis-historischer-schiffbau.de/modell/2003/cairo1.htm
    http://www.shipmodelco-op.com/cairo.htm

    How is your model coming along? I have been working on my Britannia model quite a bit. Right now I am in summer mode. It iis too hot upstairs where I have my hobby room to really get much done. My Cairo nees the rudders connected and more touch up along the gun ports. I probably should redo the railings as I ussed to big of stock so they are out of scale big time! I purchased some more pre scored wood so I can add the extra plating from rail ties that was added later on.

    I think it would be fun to make a replica of the mine also but I am not sure of its original size to work out the scale.

    I have enough wood ship kits to keep me through the next winter. I might purchase the Hunley kit with the resin hull.

    Keep in touch. I really wish to see your model.

  4. Ed Nystrom

    $8500 bucks!!!!! Great pictures. I e-mailed the NPS in Vicksburg and they are sending me digital pictures of the 12″ model at the Cairo Museuem so the project is on the back burner. I enlarged the plans by 14 percent but it is still off. Take care, keep your powder dry, and steer clear of mines. When I visited the Old Court House Museum in Vicksburg, there was a display of the wires that were connected to detonate the mine. Humn!!!!! Not sure if they were the real deal but maybe someone saved them. The curator there is Gordon Cotton, Shelby Foote’s Cousin.
    Pvt. Ed- dedicated to finding the obscure

  5. Yeah, makes building your own a worth while endeavor! I took my plans scanned them and then adjusted the size to match my sanded hull dimensions. It took a few tries but I came very close.

    I have found some diagrams of the mine on the net but I really do not know how accurate they are. If you do find something please send the link.

    My powder is dry – in this heat all is dry LOL.

    Well back to the real world for awhile.

    Keep in touch.

  6. Ed Nystrom

    The musum photos of the Cairo model arrived today. Not the best if you follow these plans. No rudders are visible so it looks like I will be doing a combination of all data. Happy 4th of July and Happy 143rd Anniversary of the fall of Vicksburg. In the memory of General Grant, light up a big cigar and play a rousing chorus of Yankee Doodle !!!!
    Pvt. Ed the org

  7. I am staying in my home barracks to ward off stray bottle rockets.
    I will sing yankee doodle tonight accompanied by my dogs. They love to howl – they sing much better than I.

    Enjoy the day. Any reenactments in your part of the woods?

  8. Ed Nystrom

    Finally got started on the Cairo. Spent 2 days on rudders trying to make them like the $8500 model. ( no such luck but they are 2 pieces held together with pins. ) After 2 failed attempts with the pilot house, I made a tag board mock up, glued it to a balsa base and glued the individual sides to the tag board. At this rate I should be done some time next year. The next civil war event is in Huntington Beach, Sept. 2nd and 3rd. Hope the brig is ready for launch. Remember, if you cant make good knots, make lots of knots.
    Ed the org

  9. Glad to hear that you have made progress. My work area is upstairs and with the heat I have kind of put models on the back burner until winter. Sounds like your model will be awesome!

    I missed the local civil war events around here this year. I hope to visit somemore sites next summer if possible.

  11. Ed,
    That looks fun!
    I have a couple of Dulcimers (mountain) that I have not been playing due to my left hand numbness :(.

    I will work on my models again when winter arrives. Right now I am out in the big world LOL.

    If you sign up for flickr or some other free picture host you can post a link to your pictures. I would love to see your model!

  14. Doug

    I’m working on the same boat (my 4th such effort) and have lost the “detailed” instructions. Photos of other models of the cairo and the not-quite-to-scale plan should be enough to finish, but is there any way you can get me a photo copy?

    Saw your images at flickr. Nice job.

  15. Doug,
    I have the instruction sheets from my Cairo Model. They are not detailed LOL. Ed’s model came out great! Mine is still not done LOL I can scan a copy and email them to you if you would like. I am sure Ed would help you also – he has put a lot of time in research.

    Let me know if you would like the scans.

    Kmilyun

  16. Doug

    Thanks, You’re dead on about the detail, but at least it has an order of assembly. I tried to second guess Amati while working on the Robert E. Lee and had to disassemble three weeks’ work. Order of assembly is lesson #254. (Lesson #1 was don’t leave instruction manuals under your magnifying glass in the mid-day sun – torched three pages of Bluenose II instructions.)

    In any event, I’d love the scans. But how do we do this? I’m not real comfortable leaving my e-mail on a public board – assume you feel the same?

    Doug

  17. Doug I will try and scan the instructions for the cairo model as soon as I hook up my scanner – had to replace the computer the other day 🙁

    I think your email shows up here when you post put not shown public. I will look in my mail notices and get it I can then send the scans there if this is ok.
    Will try and get this done tonight.

  19. ED,
    Nice looking but yours is much better 🙂
    It is all the matter of pride – workmanship – the fun of it all LOL!
    I started back on my little deck houses on my yacht model. But I seem to be out fishing a lot. As long as the weather is good I will fish. I might even catch a few 🙂
    My Cairo is still sitting here – just not in the mood I guess. It is the 12 inch model so the painting is going slow … around the gun hatches where the doors (wrong term I know) attach – well they are suppose to stay attached right ha ha.

    Thanks for the link!
    Any new projects?

  20. Frank Stile

    If the kit is by Arcadia–craft out of Arcadia, LA, I agree it is a sad kit requiring lots of work and construction. The wheel house is way oversize compared to the plans, you would think that least the scale would match the wooden parts. What the toothpicks are for, who knows.

    Anyway, I have the hull and cabins painted and trying to figure out the construction of the rudders. What is done so far looks good , but any comparison to the real thing must be left to the imagination.

    This is a kit that you should be proud of after slogging through it.

  21. Ed Nystrom

    Here is a link to my latest project. This should take 2 years off of my life. The kit will arrive in a week which will give me time to finish Moby Dick. This is the only book I didn’t read in an American Lit class I took in college. Cliff’s Notes saved the day. Did you finish the Cairo (Kay-ro)? Send pictures.
    Ed the org (Old Retired Guy- whose 50th high school reunion is in Aug.)

    http://seagifts.com/kinofmisrivw.html

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