Scale: 1:48. HMS ‘Grasshopper’ (1909) was a ‘G’-class, or ‘Beagle’-class torpedo-boat destroyer, built by Fairfield, Govan. Her 12,000 horsepower coal-fired turbines geared to three triple-bladed propellers gave the vessel a service speed of 27 knots. She was sold for breaking up in 1921.

The shipyard had its own model-making workshop producing models of the highest quality and this one is a good example of their output. It was displayed at shipbuilding exhibitions in Turin, in 1911, and Glasgow, in 1931. It is still an immensely impressive exhibition piece with its honey-coloured wooden deck, black-painted hull and superstructure, and gold-plated fittings. The radio aerials have been made from copper wire. The highly detailed fittings include a chart table on which has been placed a map of the North Sea.