4
Instruction Manual
ARMED VIRGINIA SLOOP
✦
1768
✦
Plans and Instructions by
Ben Lankford, Vienna, VA
Models by Bob Werner
Model Shipways developed its
Virginia Sloop
kit in 1998-2000. The design is based on a reconstruction devel-
oped by Clayton A. Feldman, M.D., Publisher of
Seaways’ Ships-in-Scale
magazine. The original plan of the
sloop, a Dutch copy of a French drawing, was found by noted nautical historian Howard I. Chapelle in Euro-
pean archives. The ship had apparently been sold to the French shortly after completion. Fragmentary notes
and the plan passed from Chapelle to Joseph A. Goldenberg, author of
Shipbuilding in Colonial America
, and
to John F. Millar, author of
Early American Ships
. Mr. Millar redrew the plan for his book. This plan is the
basis for a reconstruction of the ship.
Dr. Feldman’s original plans are accompanied by a book,
Modeling an Armed Virginia Sloop of 1768
(see
bibliography). His book describes the development of the reconstruction and details for building a 3/8" =
1'0" scale model from scratch. Model Shipways has transformed Dr. Feldman’s design into a 1/4" = 1'0" scale
kit design. Some modifications have been made in keeping with Model Shipways design procedures, and
some minor changes in the rig have been made based on further research. Model Shipways would like to
thank Dr. Feldman for making this design available and for his assistance during the kit’s development.
Thanks also to Jack Silvia, Little Compton, RI, for his assistance in assembling prototype hulls and checking
the accuracy of the laser-cut parts, and reviewing plans and instructions, and to Bob Werner, Hollywood, FL,
for assembling the prototype model, photos of which are included herein.
Copyright 2001
Model Shipways, Inc., a division of Model Expo, Inc.
Hollywood, Florida
