NOAA Tank Test
Submarine Support Ship
Half Hull Model

divisor line


MODEL DIMENSIONS:61 3/4″ LOA, 59″ LWL, Beam 12″, Draft 4″
AS MOUNTED ON BACKBOARD: 67 3/4″ L x 8 1/4″ W x 15″ H
WEIGHT MOUNTED: 17 Lbs
Presented is a modified version of the original builder’s
Tank Test model of a research vessel designed and built for Perry Oceanographics in 1975 which was the first of the UNDERSEA
HUNTER CLASS. The real vessel was part of a small fleet of ships which carried supplies and submarines for the Navy
and NOAA’s undersea experiments in the Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the 1970’s called Hydrolab. Models such as this are very rare in the market place, and are very expensive to build.
In order to allow for a more interesting display, the original model was cut in half and mounted on a backboard.
PROVENANCE: We were able to trace back the model’s
history to the Stevens Institute of Technology’s Davidson Laboratory where it was tested in 1974, and find that this hull
is a larger version of the 90 foot “UNDERSEA HUNTER” which was built in 1968. Both this 140 foot ship, and the smaller
were designed, and the construction supervised, by Daniel J.W. McCarthy for John H. Perry, Jr. Perry was a newspaper publisher
and the founder of Perry Oceanographics, and did much early research in alternative energy sources. Both Mr. McCarthy and
Mr. Perry are deceased, and the company is now part of Lockheed Martin. McCarthy had a long career as a draftsman, naval architect
and designer of all types of vessels, including those for the U.S. Navy and the famous Garlington sports fisherman’s. His
career started in 1954 and ended with his death in 2003.

This ship was designed as a larger version of Undersea Hunter which carried the submersibles
when Perry was doing the testing for the Navy and NOAA in the Bahamas and St. Croix, USVI. Undersea Hunter and her larger
sister were used by them as submarine support and research vessels.

Unnamed Model Hull Number 4143 was tested in 1974. It is a 1/24 scale model of the
140 foot Length Overall, 116 foot, Length Water line, 256.2 Long Ton bulbous bow diesel vessel. Three different bulb locations
were tested in calm water up to 16 knots. Additional examinations of dynamic course stability while alongside another vessel
were performed.<

Perry owned vessels supported
the NOAA sponsored underwater astronaut/scientist training facility off the Bahamas, known as “Hydro-Lab” which operated there
and in the Virgin Islands for 15 years ending around 1985. The Hydro-Lab was recognized for many underwater “firsts”, including
the dry transfer of men from a Perry built submarine.

Looking forward from stern
Stern section close-up
Bow section close-up Perry vessels were also were in support of the Deep Rover Project with Dr. Sylvia Earle.
John Perry was on President Johnson’s U.S. Commission on Marine Sciences, Engineering and Resources.

divisor line
Shipping & Packaging

The cost of shipping, packing, handling, and insurance to your destination, will be calculated point to point and is an additional charge. You may email us to get these costs. We price our shipping honestly, but we expect to be reimbursed for the nominal cost of packaging materials and handling.

Our Unconditional 'No Nonsense' Guarantee

If not completely satisfied with your purchase it may be returned, if without damage, within three days of receipt in its original packaging. Return items must be insured for their full value. Only a prior email authorization by us for the return is required. Shipping charges are refundable if due to our error within the continental United States.

International buyers welcome, but inquire first. We have satisfied customers worldwide.

Standard Forms of Payment

Bank wire transfer, cashier’s check, money order, or personal check in which case the item will be held until cleared. Our prices are quoted net to us so that the use of credit cards or PayPal incur extra charges. Terms on overseas sales are different.

Established in 2003

Celebrating 18 Years of Exellence in Nautical Antiques

Join Our Mailing List


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Land and Sea Collection. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact