Alexander Martin Model Ship Gallery

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U.S.S. Preston

These destroyers are remarkably good looking. They have a sleek ferocity that is fascinating. Their job is not to stand up and be hammered, but to hit and run, to use cunning to get in their deadly blow and vanish. In their uniform grey color there is nothing to distract from the lean silhouette. To see them at full speed with a bow wave as high as the bridge, or sliding along the side of a sea looking as if they never would come upright again is enthralling. But, don't go aboard unless you want an attack of sea-sickness.

The construction department of the U.S. Navy was kind enough to furnish the building plans of the U.S.S. Preston (D.D. 327). The Preston was named for Lieutenant Samuel W. Preston who was born in Canada and died in battle while leading his men in the attack of Fort Fisher in 1865. She originally cost $1,000,000. Although the lines are of this particular ship, the differences between her and others of her class are so light that on a model they would be negligible. They were four stackers but the later ones today are two stackers. The overall length of the Preston is 314 ft., 4.5". Breadth is 31 ft. Depth amidships 20 ft. 8 ins. Displacement at water line 1,204 tons. The scale used to build this model is 1/10 inch equals 1 ft. This gives us a model 31.5 in. long, a convenient length for an exhibition model. The destroyer is equipped with 4 torpedo tubes and at the stern are two tracks projecting over the stern for the dropping of depth charges. Also, 4 four-inch rapid-fire guns and on the after deck one 3 inch anti-aircraft gun.

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