RMS Lusitania Wartime Model 1 Foot in Length, Highly Detailed Replica

*See below for frequently asked questions* - On the afternoon of 7 May, a German U-boat torpedoed Lusitania 11 miles (18 km) off the southern coast of Ireland inside the declared war zone. A second internal explosion caused her to sink in 18 minutes, killing 1,198 passengers and crew. The German government justified treating Lusitania as a naval vessel because she was carrying 173 tons of war munitions and ammunition, making her a legitimate military target, and they argued that British merchant ships had violated the cruiser rules from the very beginning of the war. The internationally recognized cruiser rules were obsolete by 1915; it had become more dangerous for submarines to surface and give warning with the introduction of Q-ships in 1915 by the Royal Navy, which were armed with concealed deck guns. The Germans argued that Lusitania was regularly transporting "war munitions"; she operated under the control of the Admiralty; she could be converted into an armed auxiliary cruiser to join the war; her identity had been disguised; and she flew no flags. They claimed that she was a non-neutral vessel in a declared war zone, with orders to evade capture and ram challenging submarines. However, the ship was not armed for battle and was carrying hundreds of civilian passengers, and the British government accused the Germans of breaching the cruiser rules. The sinking caused a storm of protest in the United States because 128 American citizens were among the dead. The sinking shifted public opinion in the United States against Germany and was one of the factors in the declaration of war nearly two years later. After the First World War, successive British governments maintained that there were no munitions on board Lusitania, and the Germans were not justified in treating the ship as a naval vessel. In 1982, the head of the Foreign Office's American department finally admitted that there is a large amount of ammunition in the wreck, some of which is highly dangerous and poses a safety risk to salvage teams. [From Wikipedia] At THEROLLER3D, we see the value in our shared history and will always strive to find new and creative ways to bring that history back to life in our products. Thanks! -Andy FAQ: Q: Will it float in water? A: Yes but it wasn't designed for it. Mine kinda tipped on it's side, you may want to weight the bottom by taping a quarter to it so it will float straight and true. That is what worked for me and it was easy. Q: Is this a toy? A: No. It wasn't originally designed as one, but so many customers buy this for their kids and love it. I have went back a few times and redesigned it to try to make it as strong as possible. As long as they aren't too rough with it, it should be okay for play just know they can break. Q: Will the paint come off in water? A: This is not a painted model. This version is printed in multicolor plastic so there is not a drop of paint on this one :) Q: Is this the coolest thing of all time? A: Yes. Without a doubt, this is the coolest thing of all time.