HMS Vengeance (1774)

Transcription

  October 13, 2012, marks the 237th birthday of the Navy.   And here at the Naval Academy, history plays a key role in   the education of every midshipman.   One of the important teaching tools in the academy is   the Rogers Ship Model Collection.   - The Rogers Collection is an armada of 108   ancient model ships on display at   the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis.   Altogether, it constitutes one of the most valuable   collections of its kind in the world.   - Roughly 50 of them are ancient dockyard models,   contemporary models that were built at the same time and place   as the ships they look like   in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries.   - The 50 dockyard models represent nearly every form of   warship produced by Britain from 1650 until around 1850.   Over time they've become historically invaluable relics   of a bygone era.   - These models have lasted hundreds of years, and they're   so accurate both on the inside as well as the outside that by   studying the models, we can learn about the ships.   The ships are long gone, but the models are still here.   - Master model-builder Don Preul is curator of the collection.   - This really is the ultimate position for any type   of model builder, is to be able to work in a museum like this   one and also to take care of such a prestigious collection   as we have here.   Our oldest model is 362 years old, and to see the quality and   the craftsmanship of how these models were constructed   back then without the modern technology that we have today   is just incredible because we can barely duplicate   what they did hundreds of years ago.   - The collection reflects the state-of-the-art in British   shipbuilding at a time when Britain ruled the seas.   That period is now remembered as the golden age of sail.   - We tried to stress in this gallery when we designed it,   among other things, just how amazingly dangerous   it was to go to sea on these ships.   And it's still dangerous to go to sea.   - Alongside the Rogers Collection, the museum also   hosts thousands of other ship models, many of recent vintage.   And they maintain a model shop to build and preserve them.   - One really great aspect that we have here at the museum   is that we have a terrific volunteer program   not only supporting the rest of the museum   but also the model shop aspect.   - Among the volunteers on one recent evening were   I.T. Specialist Steven Seligman,   NASA Engineer Daniel Carrigan,   and retired Navy Captain Denny McLain.   - We have so much knowledge here that it's just incredible.   And I think it's interesting, too,   as we build these models, even look at the models,   we do have people that kind of tell us what the life was   like on some of these.   Because we have veterans come in here, and some of them served in   some of the steel ships.   They've come in and they've talked about those,   and just talked about what life was like.   And it's always good to look back, especially at some   of the hard times that people have gone through.   - These models are part of the midshipmen's legacy.   Even though they're British when most of these models were   built, America hadn't been founded and we were part   of the British empire.   The ones that were built subsequent to 1776 were   fighting against us.   So there's a great deal to learn about the legacy of   the American Navy by studying   these ancient dockyard ship models.   - As a matter of fact, that's the primary reason   that they are here.   - This museum's main purpose and mission is to support   the brigade,   to help support the midshipmen here to learn   about past leaders-- who they can emulate--   strategies on how to solve conflicts.   I mean, that's what this is all about.   - It is part of every midshipman's preparation--   a lens on the past   that will help them draw focus on the future.   - To learn more about Navy history   and the Rogers Ship Model Collection,   visit the U.S. Naval Academy Museum's website   and search under "collections."