Scale: 1:48. Even after the First World War, Britain continued to build ships for the world’s navies and for South American navies in particular. ‘Mendoza’ is one of a number of models of Argentinean warships in the NMM collection, and was made by John Samuel White & Company, designers and builders of the actual ship. It is a very accomplished piece of modelmaking. The intricately made fittings have been gold-plated and look very effective against the uniform grey hull and upperworks.

ARA ‘Mendoza’ (1929) was a destroyer flotilla leader, one of three in her class. At 335 feet in length, 1520 tons displacement, and a designed speed of 36 knots, she was armed with five 4.7-inch guns, a single 3-inch anti-aircraft gun, two pom-poms and six 21-inch torpedo tubes in triple-deck mountings. The Argentine navy did not discard the ship until 1962.