SHIP'S MODEL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1937, Page 5

SHIP'S MODEL.

VS. DESTROYER.

PRESTON'S COMING VISIT.

AVCKLAHDER'S REPLICA. The newp that two United States destroyers, the Preston and the Smith, were expected to arrive at Auckland on Friday next was of more than passing interest to Mr. Keith Wilton, of St. Helier's Bay. His thoughts turned to a model ship on his mantelpiece—a replica of the U.S.S. Preston. [ Naturally Mr. Wilton was both surprised, and delighted, and yesterday he brought the model to the '"Star" office. He had happened upon the plan and elevation of the ehip eonie yeare ago, and now by an odd chance the original vessel 'was to make a call at his own city. His scale model gives an interesting indication of the clean and economical lines of the destroyer. Mr. Wilton said he had built his Preston, which is about 23in in length, mostly out of "junk." He had embodied bite of old radios, bicycle parte, watch chains, beot eyes and scrap* of metal. The block of wood from which the hull ie made cost 1/ —and that was the most expensive thing. The total cost was 3/5. But once adapted to the needs of the model those things became no longer junk. The boot eyes were fitted with celluloid dfeke and became portholes; watch chain lengths were converted with a coat of white' enamel into lifebelts; old radio terminals were turned into gun standards; discarded copper piping became torpedo tubes and ventiator«. There was one part in which Mr. Wilton found difficulty in reproducing — the anchor chain. A very fine chain was needed, but apparently could not he obtained anywhere. A jeweller offered to make one —at about twice the cost of the whole ship. Finally, Mr. Wilton found what he wanted in a sixPenny necklace!

Other ship models have 'been made by Mr. Wilton, who its a poetman by occupation. They include a "ehip in a bottle" and a galleon made out of the skull of a 71b snapper. In his spare time he also does a good deal of art metal work.