A superb model kit of the widely used pre-fabricated WWII Liberty ship, modelled on the preserved SS Jeremiah O'Brien, based in San Francisco, but also attending major WWII rememberance events. The model has three pre-coloured hull sections, with alternative full hull or waterline baseplate enabling either type of model to be constructed with ease. There are 268 parts in total, which can be used to build the ship in its wartime configuration, or in peace time service as a general cargo ship. Glue and paint required to complete.

Length 384mm 15in, Width 50mm 2in. Paint and marking instructions for D-day invasion, 1944.

WWII Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O'Brien

Liberty ships were American built cargo ships that were designed to make only one solitary ocean voyage. Jeremiah O'Brien was built in Portland, Maine, in just 56 days and launced on June 19 1943. The Jeremiah O'Brien is 441 feet long, 57 feet wide, displaces 14,245 tons and carried a wartime crew of 58 sailors. To protect itself against enemy aircraft and ships the O'Brien carried two 5-inch guns and eight 20mm anti-aircraft guns. The SS Jeremiah O'Brien is one of the few remaining ships that took part in the D-day landings in 1944. The O'Brien in fact made four convoy trips across the treacherous North Atlantic and 11 voyages across the English Channel in support of the D-day landings. From the invasion beaches of Normandy the O'Brien also sailed as far as Calcutta, the Philippines and Australia before returning to Sab Francisco in 1946. Placed in mothballs by the US Navy, the O'Brien was saved from scrapping in 1966 to be restored to it's original wartime fighting condition. Years of restoration work resulted in the O'Brien being opened to the public in 1980. Today the Jeremiah O'Brien is maintained in excellent order and operates cruises from San Francisco harbour. In 1994 the O'Brien was the only ship that had taken part in D-day that made the trip to Normandy for the 50th anniversary of the invasion.