The Swedish VASA of 1628

Scale 1 : 75, length 94 cm, width 33 cm, height 72 cm,
More photos: several views of the ship model. Click on the photos for high resolution pictures!
Price 3900 Euro, plus transport cost

The VASA warship in 1628

The VASA was one of the large warships built by Swedish King Gustavus II Adolphus. "Second to God, the welfare of the kingdom depends on its navy", he said, and used the ships to protect his interests in Europe. However, in the years 1625 to 1627 Sweden lost twelve major warships due to storms and a battle with the Polish fleet, and replacements had to be built.
By 10 August 1628 everything was ready for the VASA's maiden voyage. The weather was fine and the wind light. On board were around a hundred crew members, but also women and children. This was to be a great ceremonial occasion, with pomp and circumstance. When the ship left the shelter of the inner harbour of Stockholm, she approached the island of Beckholmen where she was struck by a powerful gust of wind, capsized and sank after a voyage of only 1300 meters.

Why VASA Capsized

In the treatise by Curt Borgenstam, Anders Sandstroem "Why VASA Capsized" (AB Grafisk Press, Stockholm 1995, ISBN 91-85268-60-7) the reasons are outlined, after a careful investigation of the wreckage and the historic archives. They concluded:
1. Too many design changes during building were made. The VASA was probably laid down as a "small" ship and completed as a "large" ship, with two gun decks instead of only one as originally planned.
2. The shipbuilding master Henrik Hybertsson became serously ill and died a year before the ship was completed. During his illness he had to delegate the supervision of the project to his assistant Hein Jacobsson. As a result the leadership on the shipbuilding side was very weak. Jacobsson had not even been informed that a stability test carried out in Admiral Fleming’s presence hat indicated that the VASA was unstable.
3. By far too little ballast (only about half of the weight needed, as turned out when investigating the wreckage) had been put into the ship. That was ordered by Admiral Klas Fleming, who resented more ballast, as this would have brought the lower line of gun ports too close to the water, and the military usability of the ship would have been hampered.

The VASA ship model

Here are several views of the ship model. If you click on a photo you will get that photo in high resolution. (If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer or Firefox, press F11 to minimize navigation bars and have a larger screen with the photos.)

This excellent model of the VASA is a beautiful piece of work. The ship's power, the elegant lines of the hull and the impressive rigging are exquisitely shown in the model.
The model of the VASA is 1 : 75 scale. Length is 94 cm, width 33 cm, height 72 cm. 

Price of the ship model and transport

The price of the model is 3900 Euro, plus transport cost.
Transport: The ship model can be secured in a transport box. This way, delivery by truck or air cargo over long distances can be safely done.
If you live close by, picking up the model with your car may be a good way, too.

The ship model is available at my showroom in Recklinghausen. Please contact me, if you are interested in the ship model. Here you find how to order a ship model and how the transport can be arranged.

Dr. Michael Czytko, Kuehlstr. 31, D-45659 Recklinghausen, Germany,
Tel.  +49 2361 59757, Fax  +49 2361 29729, email: michael.czytko@t-online.de .
If you come by car, it is easy to find my home.