I just had a customer call me and ask if I could make a 3D cake of the USS Constitution. Hmmm. Has anyone done a ship like this before? Help?

Thanks,
Sharon

No, BUT I would look online at some of the ships and pirate ships cake tutorials. Start with a sculpted cake, then do fondant for the outside and fondant detailing. I'm thinking it won't be as hard as you might think. It's also a good idea to have LOTS of pix of this ship in front of you for reference.

I agree with bobwonderbuns-it's not a difficult as it looks if you break it all down. Just stack and carve the bottom and cover in fondant and do some detailing. For the top sails you could use gumpaste because it can be rolled so thin and lollipop sticks and dental floss to attach it all together. Paint the lollipop sticks if you want a different color. That's what I did for the flags on my cruise ship:
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1795955
Or simplify and just use sticks and stick the sails through them, though I think the dental floss or string will make it look so much more realistic.

You could search the galleries and PM some CC'ers for advice on their cakes.

Here's a link to a discussion and tutorial:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-705452-ship.html+tutorial

Good luck!

I just made the General Belgrano, hard as it has sunk so a lot of old photos and reconstructions were all I had! I made the base with cake but used RKT for the front end, cocktail sticks painted with food coloring and gray cotton for the railings, details made with RKT. Pictures in my gallery. Not perfect but it moved the old guy I made it for to tears, he served on it years ago!!