The Thoroughbred kit produces an attractive model of the American Civil War two masted, side-paddle-wheel, double ended gunboat of 220-240'. The only historical information I could find about the ship was in "The Photographic History of the Civil War, In Ten Volumes", published in 1911! As this book is now very hard to find, I will quote what it states about the Paul Jones under her photo. "This fast side-wheel steamer under Commander C. Steedman saw active service in the war in following up the advantages gained by the Federal navy at Port Royal. July 29, 1862 she led three other gunboats up the Ogeechee River to the first attack upon Fort McAllister. The following October she led the expedition to Florida which captured the Confederate batteries on St. John's bluff. The following year, under Commander A.C. Rhind, she was with the fleet of Rear Admiral Dahlgren, which captured Fort Wagner on Morris Island in Charleston Harbor, July 18th. Of her seven guns, two were 50-pounder rifles and one a 100-pounder, which made her a very efficient blockader." 

the 26 piece kit provides a model of 12.25mm (4 3/4") in length. The hull and deck is in one piece, with the side paddle wheel housing, and paddles separate. The six cannon are exquisite despite their small size in this scale. It went together easily, with the only real care being necessary in affixing the paddle wheel housings to the hull. In the kit I built, attention was needed in removing casting seam line on top of the paddle wheel housings least their perfect semi-circle shape be damaged. Other than this minor detail, the kit was very nice; up to the usual very high standards of Thoroughbred. In finishing the model, I added standing and running rigging for the two masts. Due to the fact that it may be one of only two side paddle-wheel models available in 1/600, it makes an interesting addition to any collection.