1/350 RMS Titanic

The sinking of the Titanic on April 12, 1912 is known to the world as the one of the greatest maritime tragedies of all time. The loss of over 1.500 people who perished in the icy waters of the North Atlantic was profound, resulting in regulations mandating sufficient lifeboats for everyone on board, establishment of the International Ice Patrol and manning a ship‘s wireless station around the clock. "Safety first” became a way of life.   Until the discovery of the wreck on September 1, 1985, The Titanic Historical Society was primarily responsible for the keeping the Titanic story alive along with a few books, an occasional magazine article, television and a few notable motion pictures. When Dr. Robert Ballard and his team of French and American scientists located the RMS Titanic gravesite, interest in the vessel and her history soared. For decades now after the discovery of the wreck of the Titanic, countless books, newspapers, video specials, and a major motion picture have chronicled the ill-fated liner in both fact and fiction to the point that the ship has become an icon in modern popular culture.     Many people, including members of The Titanic Historical Society, recognized the value of offering a quality large-scale model representing the Titanic. Work on the project began in the early 1970s using reference information provided by the Titanic Historical Society and blueprints supplied by Harland & Wolff, the builders of the Titanic and her sister ships Olympic and Britannic. The model kit that evolved into the current Minicraft 1/350 scale Titanic was first offered for sale in 1976 and remained virtually unchanged until 1997.   In 1997 the movie "TITANIC” by James Cameron was released. Interest in the ship reached new heights and fascination in the Titanic and events surrounding her loss continued. Further research gleaned from underwater photography of the wreck, engineering studies of the ship and the causes of the disaster created a new body of knowledge that had not been available prior to the discovery of the Titanic on the bottom of the North Atlantic. It was recognized that the kit designed in 1974 contained errors that could not have been anticipated until new information was brought to light.   With new information available and with the contribution of many, the Minicraft Models 1/350 scale replica of the Titanic was revised to reflect new information that corrected the original design. An expression of thanks is especially well deserved to the following individuals: Art Braunschweiger, Ken Marschall, Loren Perry, Sean Winterberg, Jacob B. Groby III Roy Mengot, Bruce Beveridge, Bob Read and Mike and Steve Pell for making their research available to update Minicraft Model Kits’ RMS Titanic. To date over 50 changes were made including a new Forecastle Deck, skylights, the center anchor, porthole corrections near the bow, modification of the well decks and corrected decals and flag sheet. Using the latest information contemporary research has made available, the Minicraft Model Kits’ 1/350 scale RMS Titanic is the only kit available that accurately represents the famous ocean liner as the ship appeared on the fateful night of April 12, 1912.