PS02 HMVS Cerberus
State of Victoria (Australia), coastal defense monitor, 1871
The Cerberus was ordered in 1868 by the State of Victoria in pre-Federation Australia to provide protection for Port Phillip Bay. Cerberus was the first major warship to rely on steam propulsion alone. She was a breastwork monitor, her turrets being raised on an armoured breastwork to improve her sea-keeping.

Cerberus arrived in Port Phillip Bay in 1871 and never left. Sold for scrap in 1925, she was sunk as a breakwater in the bay in 1926. Various efforts have been made to raise and preserve her, but time is now running out fast. More information on the current state of the ship can be found at :

http://www.cerberus.com.au

Note 2 different models are avilable - a free download showing her as launched - and a more complex model that can be purchased that also allows her later appearance to be shown.

Technical Details
Length Beam Displacement Armament Crew
 67.5m  13.5m  3340 tons  4 x 25cm BLR  88

Model Details
Scale Length/Width Pieces Sheets Difficulty (1-5)
1:250 27cm/7cm 340/700 5 x A4 3/4 [?Help]

Photographs


Model Preview


Free Model Download

The free download model has 5 parts sheets containing over 300 pieces - these must be printed onto light card for cutting out and assembly. Historical notes, instructions and 5 pages of assembly diagrams are provided. The model is about 28cm long (11") when complete and shows the Cerberus when launched in 1872.

Note it does NOT include the parts to show the Cerberus as she appeared late in her life.

The model is supplied in two versions - a fully coloured 1:250 version and a white (uncoloured) 1:250 scale version. The latter is provided to allow it to be enlarged on a standard photocopier for easier assembly. For example, enlarging the model to fit on A3 card will change the scale to approximately 1:177 (enlarging by 141%) and the ship will be approximately 38cm long.

If you download the model and enjoy building it or would just like to support the efforts to salvage and preserve the Cerberus, please visit www.cerberus.co.au. There you will find details of how you can help both (financially aand practically) as well as updates on the current preservation efforts.

Download files
Instructions and historical notes
A4 parts sheets (colour)
A4 parts sheets (black & white)
US Letter parts sheets (colour)

The card model is a waterline model - it only shows those parts of the ship above the waterline. For modellers who wish to create a full-hull model, for example to build a working/sailing model, here is a file containing the hull lines from which the underwater shape can be derived.

I am grateful to Oliver Weiss for creating a set of hull sections that match my hull lines. He has allowed me to make the file available here for downloading. Oliver has also created a file containing parts and drawings for the propellors and a stand for a full hull model.

Download files
Hull lines
Hull sections
Propellers and stand

Note that while I have released the model into the public domain and it can be freely copied and printed, I retain the copyright on it. Any copies distributed must include the copyright notice. Please inform me of any infringements of my copyright that you may encounter.

The download files are in Adobe Acrobat(TM) PDF format - click on the icon below to download the free file reader software.