Master modeler Philip Warren has spent 70 years and used over a MILLION matchsticks to create all 484 warships to ever sail in the Royal Navy since 1945 including HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier
Philip, 87, has dedicated his entire adult life to crafting the armada and has built every class of ship in the Royal Navy since 1945, using more than a million matchsticks.
This impressive collection of matchstick vessels has found a home at the Nothe Fort Museum. Phillip Warren loves sharing his passion for WWII history with the masses and has no plans to stop recreating these ships. He took the time to sit down with Forces TV for an interview which you can see in this clip.
Philip Warren grew up in Great Britain during World War II and developed a fascination for warships he saw daily. In 1948 he was inspired to recreate a naval vessel using only matchsticks as building materials. Warren thought that one ship would satisfy his urge, but he was mistaken and has now spent the past 70 years building Royal Navy ships from matchsticks
At age 87 Phillip Warren has built all 484 naval vessels that served in the Royal Navy since 1945 and shows no signs of slowing down. He has recreated every class of warship used by the Royal Navy and recently completed their new supercarrier the RMS Queen Elizabeth which took him eight months.
“I taught myself all the way, I did get hints and tips from other model makers but the whole technique I developed on my own.
Each ship in his huge collection is incredibly detailed and he has even built miniature model aircraft to go with his carrier ships.
The vessels are all painstakingly handmade using just a ruler, razor blade, and glue.
Philip, from Blandford, Dorset began his hobby when he was aged 17 in 1948 after looking at pictures of naval boats.
He began gathering matchsticks as they were easy to get hold of and taught himself his technique to assemble them into intricate sculptures on a scale model of 1:300.
Image Credits: Force TV
