USS Essex Model Ship

USS Essex was an American Frigate launched in 1799.

About the USS Essex wooden scale Model Ship

This model ship of the USS Essex was custom built from the following information:

• The original construction drawings.
• The Anatomy of the Ship book ‘The 32-Gun Frigate USS Essex’, by Portia Takakjian.
• The book ‘Seamanship in the Age of Sail’ by John Harland.

 About the construction of the USS Essex Wooden Scale Model Ship

• The hull is built using the Double Plank-on-Bulkhead construction method
• The bulkheads and keel are cut from marine grade pine plywood
• The first layer of planking is done plank by plank using Mahogany planks
• The second layer of planking is done using Mahogany Veneer strips
• The deck is made of Anagre, a light brown timber from the Amazon
• The hull is sheathed with real copper plates below the waterline
• The gunwale and stringers are made of American Walnut
• The fife rails and pin racks are made of American Walnut
• The deck houses and gangways are made of Teak
• The masts and yards are made of Mahogany dowels
• The sails and ropes are made of linen
• The model is painted with acrylic paint
• The ornaments are cold cast in bronze and painted         

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Learn more about the USS Essex

History of the USS Essex

The USS Essex was an American Frigate with an armament of 46 and designed by William Hackett. She was built by Enos Briggs in Salem, Massachusetts and launched in 1799 with a complement of 319.

The USS Essex’s first journey was under command of Captain Edward Preble during the Quasi-War with France in 1800. During this voyage, she helped convoy a fleet of Dutch East Indiamen through the Indian Ocean. In 1801 the Essex was sent to the Mediterranean to contain Barbary corsairs harassing American Ship. She was laid up from 1806 to 1809.

At the beginning of the 1812 War, under the command of Captain David Porter, the USS Essex captured ten prizes including HMS Alert. In 1812, Essex left the Delaware River to rendezvous with USS Constitution and Hornet, but after waiting in vain, Porter continued on his own. He encouraged his crew by telling them that an abundant supply of wealth and girls were waiting for them on the coast of Chili, Peru, and Mexico.

During this passage, the Essex virtually destroyed Britain’s south pacific whale fishery and took fifteen prizes including the whaleship Atlantic.   The Atlantic was renamed Essex Junior, and both sailed to the Marquesas Islands. When they returned to Valparaiso, Captain Hillyard’s HMS Phoebe and Cherub blockaded them. Essex lost her main topmast in a gale and Hillyard took advantage of his superior gun range and reduced Essex. Essex lost 58 killed, 31 drowned and 70 wounded.

Essex was taken into Royal Navy as a 42-gun frigate and made a convict ship in 1823.

She was sold in 1837.

Essex Junior sailed to New York as a cartel ship where she was sold.

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