Speaking of giant models, Maine-resident William Terra has spent 6 years completing this gigantic 1:20-scale model of a World War II German Panzerschiff, the Deutschland-class battleship Admiral Graf Spee. The 30-feet long, 700-pound model is built like a canoe and is capable of carrying two people on board.

According to Mr. Terra the model cost him $10,000 to build over six years, completely from scratch, "like a canoe using one- to four-inch bass wood strips and then covered with fiberglass."

As you can see from the pictures it also can move: the mini-Spee can travel at 15mph thanks to its 15hp outboard engine, which is located under the rear gun turret. It even has a built-in music system, in which he says he likes to listen to Wagner.

Mr. Terra also says that he would like other people to build models on the same scale, probably hoping that someone makes the HMS Exeter —the British cruiser that made the Graf Spee run for cover during the Battle of the River Plate— to fire paintballs at each other in the Bay of Fundy. [Ship Models via Spluch, Wikipedia]

8:10 AM on Wed Sep 26 2007
By Jesus Diaz
14,820 views
29 comments

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digidandy at 06:16 AM on 09/26/07
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Considering that most American troops are now in either Iraq og Afghanistan, his invasion just might succeed!
prodigal_son at 06:20 AM on 09/26/07
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[insensitive comment]I want people to make scale models of commercial planes and fly them into buildings instead, much more fun, and the younger generation will be able to appreciate it more. [/insensitive comment]

That is one kickass boat
OMG! Ponies! at 06:54 AM on 09/26/07
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Not to be nitpicky, but I always thought that the blitz kreig was primarily a panzer/Luftwaffe operation.
Jesus Diaz at 07:01 AM on 09/26/07
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@omg-ponies: Blitzkrieg means lighting war, could be applied to many things. I don't get your point, thought. The article doesn't mention blitzkrieg.
yacoub at 07:12 AM on 09/26/07
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In the post headline and in the article: "foot" not "feet". "30-foot".
T-man at 07:38 AM on 09/26/07
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I think the point is that it's a little difficult to invade a country with a battleship.

Well, the thing is on a trailer so... maybe.
DocGratis at 07:53 AM on 09/26/07
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Technically the Deutschland-class, Admiral Graf Spee was a heavy crusier (the treaty of Versailles said the German's couldn't build battleships).

But this class of ships was so heavy and had such big guns, that the British called them "Pocket Battleships."

So I guess this makes this a pocket pocket battleship?

(yes it would have been slightly funnier had I not had to set it up, but who would get it, 3 WWII history buffs?)
Phlegmbert at 07:56 AM on 09/26/07
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@jesusdiaz: Germany's invasion of Poland is the archetypal blitzkrieg. Before then you'd have struggled to find the term even in a German military publication.

However, contrary to popular recollection, the German navy was involved in the invasion and had something of a key role: they launched the first offensive action, known as the Battle of Westerplatte. The Graf Spee wasn't involved though, as it had already set off a couple of weeks early for the South Atlantic, ready to blow the crap out of anything they didn't like the look of.
Hvedhrungr at 08:16 AM on 09/26/07
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The invasion of Poland rooted the term Blitzkrieg in military and everyday language. The point having been made that with sufficient numbers of mechanized armor and careful planning, a medium sized country could be invaded without encountering a serious counteroffensive or risking prolonged trench battles.

I believe the German naval forces were involved heavily in the bombardment and early troop deployment.
Maksimir at 08:17 AM on 09/26/07
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I have to admit.. that's pretty awesome..
masser at 08:29 AM on 09/26/07
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It figures he lives in Maine. A few years back, there were two seperate people building arks in Addison.
Must be the long winters...
Spaceboy at 08:36 AM on 09/26/07
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he should cross the atlantic and parade it across the baltic seas, fly the Swastika and give them Ruskies some bad memories. Or, with Putin at the helm, some inspiration...
strider_mt2k at 09:06 AM on 09/26/07
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There were a few tense moments however when someone in the crowd called out, "B3!" which is an area very close where he had stationed his battleship.
zenpoet at 09:10 AM on 09/26/07
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Those bastards over in Lilliput better watch their backs!
Jesus Diaz at 09:22 AM on 09/26/07
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@strider_mt2k: heheh. That could be a Far Side cartoon.
HoseHead at 10:48 AM on 09/26/07
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this inspires me to build a scale model of an american submarine with fully functional torpedoes.
combat chuck at 10:49 AM on 09/26/07
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Excellent! A perfect adversary for my squadron of 1:20 scale P-51 Mustang fighter planes. (in my dreams)
Fierock at 10:52 AM on 09/26/07
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Who would want a 700lb, 30 foot canoe that only seets two?
cerebrus at 11:05 AM on 09/26/07
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@ DOCGRATIS!

Gasp! Someone other then me knows what a pocket battleship is!! =)

Paint ball battles with this sounds quite cool.
swartz at 11:59 AM on 09/26/07
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try playing navyfield (free) and you can shoot shit with ww2 battle ships :),

also: this ship was named Deutsland (germany), but they renamed it becouse it would be bad propaganda materail is "germany" happend to sinck
SeattleTed at 12:04 PM on 09/26/07
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I think France just surrendered.
silverhulk at 12:15 PM on 09/26/07
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So that's what retirement looks like. Wow!
ww2db.com at 12:42 PM on 09/26/07
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Ok, it's a little freaky that he spent so much time building this, but I have to say it looks really good...

[ww2db.com]

Looking at the 44 pics of Graf Spee at the above link, I'm seeing that most of his model's details are pretty accurate!

I wonder what kind of crazy thing I'll build when I retire =P
wolfticket at 01:26 PM on 09/26/07
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Is he now going to sail (?) it into the middle of the lake, deliberately sink it and then shoot himself?
lumpydog at 02:54 PM on 09/26/07
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@strider_mt2k: Sir, that was hi-larious!
phelander at 03:10 PM on 09/26/07
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Tell this Nazi loving git to fuck off.
wolfticket at 07:46 PM on 09/26/07
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@phelander: I built a model messerschmitt kit when I was 10. Does that make me a nazi lover?
atomicscissors at 03:16 PM on 09/27/07
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Yeah, I'm not sure how building this would make someone a "Nazi lover". I despise Nazis, but I too built scale models of WWII German armor and ships. I mean, the Tiger is one of the coolest looking tanks ever.
badgertale at 04:05 PM on 09/28/07
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I just love big kids!