Edmund Fitzgerald
Ore Carrier Edmund Fitzgerald – 2nd Release
- Scale: 1:144
- Release: 2015
- Limited Edition: 4
- Model Size: 61”L x 6.5”W x 11”H
- Base Type: Black Walnut
- Base/Case Size: 65”L x 9”Wx 12”H
- Availability: Sold Out
Ore Carrier Edmund Fitzgerald – 1st Release
- Scale: 1:144
- Release: 1995
- Limited Edition: 9
- Model Size: 61”L x 6.5”W x 11”H
- Base Type: Black Walnut
- Base/Case Size: 65”L x 9”Wx 12”H
- Availability: Sold Out
The official number of the Edmund Fitzgerald was 277,437, and she was built in 1958 as hull No. 301 by the Great Lakes Engineering works at River Rouge, Michigan. On June 8, 1958, she was christened by, the wife of the president of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Mrs. Edmund Fitzgerald. With an overall length of 729 feet and gross tonnage of 13,632, she became the largest ore carrier on the Great Lakes and would remain so until 1971.
Although owned by the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee, the Fitzgerald was under charter to Columbia Transportation Division of the Oglebay Norton Company of Cleveland, Ohio. She set numerous shipping records, including hauling 1.2 million gross tons of ore through the Soo Locks. Her single trip record load was 27,402 gross tons.
November has traditionally been the worst time of year for storms on the Great Lakes. The notorious storm of November 1913 sank 12 vessels, blew 16 more aground, and resulted in the loss of 254 sailors. Again in November 1940, another storm sank five (5) vessels and claimed 67 men. November 10, 1975 was also cruel, and this time it claimed the Edmund Fitzgerald, her captain and crew of 28 men. The Fitzgerald disappeared from the radar screen of the trailing Arthur M. Anderson ore carrier without so much as a distress call.
The sinking of such an enormous ship caused considerable stir and controversy because 729 foot steamers don’t just disappear. And when it happened, it was national news. Gordon Lightfoot made it to No. 1 on the popular music charts with a ballad entitled “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
Fine Art Models
We worked for more than two (2) years researching every aspect of this great ship and amassed an impressive archive of material with which to build this model, from all her original plans to plans used in her update. We have actual paint samples for every color used on her from the original paint supplier. Perhaps most important of all, we obtained rare photographs of the Fitzgerald the day before that fateful 1975 storm.
The hull of our model is made of high-definition resin with every boiler plate line and rivet defined. From the deck up, the superstructure is made of fabricated and photo-etched brass. No detail has been overlooked. No compromise has been made.
Our model is our tribute, not only to the captain and crew of the Fitzgerald, but to every other ship and crew claimed by the Great Lakes.
