Hunley
by Shane Trosclair
This model of the Confederate submarine Hunley is 21 inches long (32″ when you add in the torpedo boom. It’s a multimedia kit, using resin, white metal, wood and brass. This is a cut-away version that lets you see what the inside of the sub looks like. I painted it with Testors Model Masters: the hull is black, the crank is gunship gray, and the interior is white.
The boom in the front held a torpedo that was rammed into the opposing ship.
Until recently it was thought that this boom was located on the top, but after finding the yoke that attached it, it was discovered that the boom was actually on the bottom.
The tubes extending upwards are the snorkel intakes which were used when the Hunley was near the surface.
The shroud around the propeller prevented it from getting fouled. The crew of eight sat on the port side to operate the crank for propulsion. This kit took a lot of time to build and involved a lot of drilling, sanding , and cutting. I did 1 or 2 steps a night; the instructions were 30 pages long.
Photos by Shane Trosclair