The oldest naval ship still in commission, HMS Victory is a 104-gun ship of the line of the British Royal Navy built between 1759 and 1765. Best known for her role in the Battle of Trafalgar, she is currently the flagship of the Commander in Chief Naval Home Command and a living museum to the Georgian navy. Victory was one of the fastest first-rate ships of the line at her time and had excellent handling abilities. Launched in 1765 and commissioned in 1778, she was in active service for 34 years. In 1812, she was retired from frontline duty and anchored in Portsmouth Harbour, where she remained for the next 110 years, fulfilling a combination of practical and ceremonial roles.

In December 1758, the commissioner of Chatham Dockyard was instructed to prepare a dry dock for the construction of a new first-rate ship. The outline plans arrived in June 1759 and were based on HMS Royal George. Victory was designed by naval architect Sir Thomas Slade, Senior Surveyor of the Navy. The keel was laid on July 23, 1759 in the Old Single Dock, and the name was selected in October 1760. Victory was constructed from about 6,000 trees. She was floated out of the dock on May 7, 1765. Strangely, there were no newspaper reports of her launch.

Victory was well known for her excellent sailing qualities and served as the flagship to a series of distinguished Admirals, the most famous of which was Horatio Nelson. She fought at Ushant in 1781 and St. Vincent in 1797, the same year she was pronounced unfit for further service and orders were given for her conversion into a hospital ship. However, the loss of HMS Impregnable in 1799 reversed the decision, and Victory underwent reconstruction.

On October 21, 1805, Victory led the British fleet into battle off Cape Trafalgar against the Franco-Spanish force. After further service in the Baltic and off the coast of Spain, she was put into reserve in Portsmouth in 1812. On January 12, 1922, she was moved into Portsmouth Harbour. She attracts around 350,000 visitors every year in her role as a museum ship.

At Maritime Modelworks, we bring ordinary wood models to life. Each museum quality HMS Victory ship model is created step-by-step meticulously. No machines are involved in the process; everything is made by hand. Skilled craftsmen chip away at a piece of mahogany until a ship appears, which is then sanded and puttied. Hand-casted resin and handmade metal parts are also added. Gifted artists paint on the colors and all details, no matter how big or small. Afterwards, clear lacquer is applied for protection. Each model ship is complemented with a handsome display base with brass pedestals and a brass name plate. Products are always double-checked before being delivered to customers in sturdy wood crates via FedEx Next Day Air.