Dan Deatrich launched his model shipbuilding hobby over a half-century ago. When he began that journey, he never envisioned creating a fleet of history’s most famous ships. Nor did he imagine one day tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians would admire his handiwork. But after years of persistence, passion, and applying his talent, that is exactly what Deatrich has achieved.
As a Waynesboro middle school student, Dan enjoyed his grandfather’s workshop. Through his elder’s example, Dan explored woodworking. “I was always tinkering,” he said. Dan’s interest in ships developed naturally, sparked by his imagination. “I liked the variety of ship designs and how they evolved over time.”
Dan began with simple plastic models, but eventually pursued more complicated wooden kits. Back then, the delicate pieces were cut by a jigsaw and were easily damaged. Dan learned one important lesson early: “Building ships takes patience.”
In the late 1970’s, Dan began an ambitious project. The HMS Victory was a storied ship, achieving its fame in the Royal Navy. The 104-gun British vessel was launched in 1765. The boat was known as the flagship of Lord Nelson, regarded as one of history’s greatest naval commanders. At the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Nelson was killed onboard the Victory. His last words: “For God and my country.” Unlike Nelson, the Victory survived the battle. It served active duty until 1824. Today, HMS Victory is the world’s oldest naval vessel still in commission.
Dan’s timeless version shows the design of a first-rate warship, a designation reserved for the largest British ships, capable of carrying at least 400 men. An estimated 6000 trees were utilized to construct the Victory. In Dan’s scale model, the walnut finish and intricate rigging bring the ship to life. Every fine detail of the original ship is recreated, from tiny windows at the stern, to lifeboats dangling off the side. After his success with the Victory, Dan next turned his talents to America’s most celebrated ship.
The USS Constitution was nicknamed “Old Ironsides” due to the wooden hull’s ability to withstand enemy cannon balls. She was built in Boston and launched in 1797. One of six original frigates authorized by the new United States government, the Constitution earned its glory during the War of 1812 where she defeated five British warships.
The Constitution retired from active service in 1881 and was designated a museum ship in 1907. But the vessel stayed in the water. The Constitution completed a three-year, 90-port tour in 1934 and also sailed in 1997 for its 200th birthday. Today, the iconic ship is back home in Boston. A crew of 75 naval caretakers keeps her shipshape and they lead year-round tours. The USS Constitution is the world’s oldest commissioned ship still afloat.
“A trip to see her is on my bucket list,” Dan said with a smile. His regal Constitution model is a work of art, the copper-tinted hull contrasts beautifully with the trio of tall white masts.
For Dan’s next endeavor, he went back across the Atlantic to acknowledge a legendary voyage. The RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner, the largest ship afloat in its time, and touted as unsinkable. It departed Southampton, England in April 1912, with over 2200 passengers and crew. Destination: New York City- but it never arrived. One night in the North Atlantic, Titanic struck an iceberg and sunk. More than 1500 people died, still the largest peacetime maritime disaster in history. For many years afterward, the location of Titanic’s watery grave was a mystery.
Explorers searched in vain to find the wreckage, and finally in 1985, an expedition led by Robert Ballard succeeded. A new wave of Titanic interest was sparked by this discovery. Dan Deatrich was determined to create his own model. By then, Dan’s skill and creativity had risen to new heights. The only model available was plastic, but Dan found inspiration. “I drilled holes in the ship and installed lights inside.” His Titanic model glows in the dark, recreating the doomed ship’s appearance before it slipped forever beneath the waves.
After those past successes, Dan was ready to tackle the biggest project of his shipbuilding career. Early on, he created only static models, ships that showcased his craftsmanship while simply displayed on a mantel or pedestal. It was time to put his models into the water. Radio-controlled kits became more feasible and allowed the builder to also become the vessel’s captain. A new historical ship caught Dan’s eye. This massive 33,000-ton warship had ties to his native state and was active during his lifetime- the USS Pennsylvania.
The USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) was a battleship built for the U.S. Navy. Christened in 1915 and commissioned a year later, it was equipped with an oil-burning propulsion system and carried twelve 14-inch guns. Named for the commonwealth, the ship did not take an active role in World War I but did escort President Wilson to France during peace negotiations. During the 1920’s it was the Atlantic Fleet’s flagship, and later became part of the Battle Fleet.
The Pennsylvania was present at Pearl Harbor on the fateful day of December 7, 1941. She suffered only minor damage, most likely saved by being in dry dock for repairs. The Japanese attack decimated the American fleet that day.
Later, during World War II, the Pennsylvania was torpedoed at the Battle of Okinawa and badly damaged. She was withdrawn from service. The ship was repaired only enough to allow a trip to the Bikini Atoll where American nuclear tests were being conducted. The Pennsylvania survived two intentional bomb blasts, but the second explosion contaminated the vessel with radioactive fallout. After that heartbreaking duty, Dan recalls the ship’s demise. “With her poisonous nuclear cargo, she was scuttled to the ocean bottom in 1948.”
To begin his version of the USS Pennsylvania, Dan couldn’t rely on a prefabricated kit. He would build the ship from scratch. He went to the National Archives in Washington, DC, to study the ship’s original drawings. “I thoroughly enjoyed that research,” Dan recalled. He began building the Pennsylvania when the calendar year turned over to 2000.
As he was still working full-time, progress was slow and steady. Over several years Dan added extra detail to his model, including planes and a performing musical band on deck. As the current Director of the Wayne Band, that last touch was fitting.
When finally completed, Dan’s USS Pennsylvania was over six feet long, weighed fifty pounds, and was a truly unique monument to the Keystone state’s naval namesake.
Then, Dan Deatrich received a surprise call from the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
In 2016, the museum planned a 75th anniversary commemoration of Pearl Harbor Day. Would Deatrich lend his USS Pennsylvania model for that major exhibition? Dan was thrilled and initially loaned the ship for a four-year period. The reaction to his exceptional creation was extremely positive. Over 40,000 people gazed at his 1/8th scale model. When he attended the opening ceremony, Dan was touched. “It was quite an honor to be a part of that evening,” he said with his typical modesty.
Later, the museum asked Dan to donate the Pennsylvania for their permanent collection. After retrieving the boat for a few last sails at Red Run Lake, Dan redelivered the ship to Harrisburg in November 2022. He keeps a project photo album, since his masterpiece now belongs to Pennsylvania’s citizens. “I got a big kick out of people’s reaction to the Pennsylvania, especially the kids. Maybe one of them will take up the hobby and build the next generation of ships.”
Which next historic ship is destined for Dan Deatrich’s talents? “I may build a radio-controlled paddle-wheeler,” he said. “I imagine the intricacies of that would be quite challenging.”
