A year ago I bought a Revell’s Kearsarge and Alabama kit on ebay*,* both in 1:96. I soon discovered that they’re the very same kit but few details are different; Heller did the same trick as they made a first accurate model of a specific ship based on plans (example Le phenix, Royal Louis) and later they use the kit for some phantasy models (La Sirene, l’Indomptable). The big question is: which of the two was the first, most accurate model: the Kearsarge or Alabama??? I intend to sell the second model but need to be sure! The same applies to Revell’s Thermopylae that’s based on their Cutty Sark.
We’ve taken this up in several other threads recently; if you do a search on the name of either ship you’ll find some interesting material, including a link to an excellent comparative review of the kits on the Steel Navy website.
The bottom line is that the Kearsarge kit did indeed appear first - though the Alabama hit the shelves within a few months, both of them appearing near the start of the American Civil War Centennial in 1961. Was that really 45 years ago? Oh, my achin’, post-middle-aged back. My parents gave me the Alabama for my eleventh birthday that year, and the Kearsarge for Christmas.
I’m about 3/4 done with the Alabama right now. It is the same hull, in fact when I looked at Mr. Eppinger’s nice Kearsarge model (posted on here) closely I saw the slots for the Alabama’s lanyards. I am told that the hull length actually represents the Alabama more closely, or at least I thought I heard that. My kit is an atrocious molding from Revell AG. Its coming along quite satifactorily to me however, and I hope to post photos at some time. It was less than half the cost of the Kearsarge, and It is my first sailing ship, and am learning a great deal on this forum.