Cape Hatteras ir Point Arena – the American maritimme Lighthouses

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is a lighthouse on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, located on Cape Hatteras near Buxton. The Atlantic Ocean opposite Cape Hatteras is very difficult to navigate due to shoals, choppy currents and stormy winds. Here, the cold Labrador and warm Gulf Stream collide. This area is called the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" because of the thousands of ships that have sunk in these places. The first lighthouse on the cape was built in 1797-1803. It was damaged during the civil war. In 1870, a new brick lighthouse was built nearby, which was the tallest in the world at that time. Today, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse remains the tallest lighthouse in the United States and the largest brick lighthouse in the world, the 19th tallest lighthouse in the world. Constant coastal erosion brought the lighthouse dangerously close to the ocean in the late 20th century. Until 1987 the structure was only 35 meters from the shore and it was believed that the lighthouse would stand for no more than 10 years. In 1999-2000, the entire structure was transported 870 m further to land. For this, the lighthouse was raised 6 feet above the ground and placed on a metal platform that was moved on special rails using hydraulic equipment in 5-foot increments.

Point Arena Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Mendocino County, California, United States, two miles (3 km) north of Point Arena, California. It is located approximately 130 miles (210 km) north of San Francisco in the Fort Point Lighthouse Group. The lighthouse has a small museum and a souvenir shop. Guided tours of the lighthouse, as well as self-guided tours of the grounds, are available daily. A brick lighthouse was built in this place in 1870. The tower is adorned with beautiful iron balcony supports and a large keeper's residence, with enough space to accommodate several families. in 1906 in April, a devastating earthquake shook the lighthouse. The keeper's house and lighthouse were so badly damaged that they had to be demolished. The U.S. Lighthouse Board contracted with San Francisco for a company to build a new lighthouse on the site, specifying that it must withstand any future earthquakes. The company opted for standard factory chimneys and this was the final design for the new Point Arena Lighthouse with steel rebars encased in concrete. It was the first lighthouse built in this way. The new lighthouse became operational in 1908, almost 18 months after the earthquake. It is 115 feet (35 m) tall and was awarded the 1st Order. A Fresnel lens is more than six feet in diameter and weighs more than six tons. The lens is made of 666 hand-cut glass. All prisms were focused on three sets of dual targets. It was these "eyes" that gave the Point Arena Lighthouse its unique "sign of light" - two flashes every six seconds. The optics, which cost more than $3.5 million, were mounted in a solid brass frame and made in France. in 1984 Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, a nonprofit organization, purchased the lighthouse under a 25-year land lease from the Coast Guard and Department of Transportation. in 2000 in November, the nonprofit group became the official owner of the property, diligently working to preserve the historic lighthouse and engaging in educational activities. Daily visits, gift shop sales, membership fees, and vacation rentals of the historic guardians' homes provide the group with income for ongoing lighthouse preservation, site renovations, and educational activities.

Simple, well designed, detailed enough models of beautiful lighthouses for modelers of all experience. Advanced beginners and modelers with little experience are advised to work under the supervision of a more experienced colleague. Everything can be overcome and done, if You take your time, work patiently, carefully and precisely.