MASTER model maker Gerry Westenberg’s replica of Henry VIII’s famous 16th century flagship Mary Rose has caught the eye of an international YouTuber, and he flew to the UK last week to hand it over personally.
The model is a 1/96 scale replica of the Mary Rose, which sank in mysterious circumstances during the Battle of the Solent.
A becalmed British navy were facing a French fleet a third bigger than the Spanish Armada when the Mary Rose suddenly keeled over and almost all her 400 crew were lost.
Mr Westenberg, who has one of Australia’s largest collection of hand-crafted naval ships, regularly exhibits his work at the Fremantle Shipwrecks Museum, and it was during a chance visit that a YouTuber who goes by the handle Drachinifel spotted the Mary Rose replica.
Drachinifel is actually Alex Pocklington, an engineer-turned-historian who’s channel has a following of half a million people and has landed him speaking gigs at naval conferences around the world.
Drachinifel was so impressed with the detail and quality of Gerry’s work, he decided to buy the model of the Mary Rose for his collection.
Mr Westenberg says the model was completed in six weeks, working 12 hours a day.
Model ships of balsa and bits of plastic aren’t something to entrust to the average courier, meaning Mr Westenberg will accompany the ship on the flight back to the UK, but says he’ll be taking some extra balsa, glue and paint just in case.
by DAVID NICHOLSON
Perth Voice Interactive 
Leave a comment