15 Most Impressive 3D Printed Ships: Each Model to Adore

Navy, pirate, military, battleship vessels have always fascinated the minds of sailors with their size and ability to plough the high seas. If you are much in love with the romance of sailing you might wish to collect your favourite vessels as 3D printed ships. Such projects are incredible to craft. There are so many details in every model powered by oar or sail that your pastime will never get boring.

It is easy to open the oceans to yourself by adding one of the detailed 3D printed ship models to your collection. Even when you do not sail, you can look at the vessel figurine and imagine how waves direct your boat to the fantastic adventures.

3D Printed Ships

Humans have built so many boats that it is a real challenge to choose your favourite 3D printed ship model. A lot depends on your taste. Some of us are in love with antique ships. Some of us enjoy medieval boats built in Europe that had conservative designs or were influenced by ancient Viking or Roman vessels. Some people are in love with boats invented during the Age of Sail.

3D printed ships

Others have a passion for the military vessels used during the Second World War. Adding such a WWII ship 3D model to their collection could be the most cherished dream.

Modern navy and old pirate ships also carry the spirit of romance and adventure. Thus, it is better to look at the creations of different eras to figure out your preferences.

Read also: Amazing 3D Printed Boat Models and Parts

Ship 3D Model Print: Top 15

These are 15 most impressive 3D printed ships found on the web. This way you can choose something for your likes.

1. Patrol Boat River MK2

Every country wishes to keep its water borders under full control, especially when the war is going on between its parts.

During the Vietnam War that lasted from 1955 to 1975, everyone wished to control local canals and rivers. Water provided access to most of the region’s resources, and different countries that supported the South or North Vietnam in that war wished of more capabilities.

The River Patrol Force was initiated for this goal. Patrol Boat River shortly called PBRs were employed by U.S. Navy to search river traffic and intercept unwanted vessels and ships.

Patrol Boat 31 MK 2 is a famous PBR that could operate in shallow waters. It was a well-armed, pretty fast and manoeuvrable boat that could be led by a small crew of four people. Such a craft can be used in modern wargames, and, luckily, Gambody – Premium 3D Printing Marketplace has this 3D printing model available.

She is a fantastic model designed at 1/30 scale and cut into 31 printable pieces. You can build a stunning detailed replica of this historical craft at the size of 12 cm x 33 cm x 16 cm (4.5 inches x 13 inches x 6 inches) for your collection.

Patrol Boat River MK2 ship 3D print file

Download STL files for patrol boat 31 MK 2 3D printing model.

2. Roman Bireme 3D Model

Many medieval crafts made in Europe were influenced by old Roman vessels. Thus, it could be interesting to start your collection with the original prototype that existed many centuries ago. For example, you can choose a bireme galley.

This was a famous warship built by the Phoenicians and Greeks and used by Romans. A bireme was invented for transportation and naval war purposes. It had two sets of oars on its sides, was 4-6 metres long and boasted a beautiful design.

The 6-piece 22-centimetre long Roman bireme 3D model should be simple to 3D print and assemble. It has some impressive décor details, including naval ram, lion sculpture symbolizing Hercules, Mars-Ares sculpt, removable sail and oars.

Roman Bireme 3D printed ship
Image source: MyMiniFactory

If you enjoy the looks of this 3D printed bireme, you can download its STL files and build this ancient beauty for yourself.

3. Spanish Galleon Ship 3D Model

Galleons were huge sailing ships invented in the Age of Sail in the sixteenth-eighteenth centuries. Spanish sailors loved to use those multi-decked vessels as armed freight transporters. They served as warships and for maritime commerce.

Galleon ship 3D print can be proudly added to your display shelf. She is a vast craft with four masts boasting more than twenty cannon ports and several interior decks. She reaches 64 cm (25 inches) in length and 61 cm (24 inches) in height.

Spanish Galleon ship 3D model
Image source: Printable Scenery

With additional accessories (food, barrels, bags, anchor, cannons, rope, etc.), it is a complex project to craft on your 3D printer. While it will definitely take much of your time, the result will be outstanding, once you choose to download Spanish Galleon STLs to work on this venture.

4. Frigate 3D Printed Ship

This warship type was invented in the seventeenth century. It was a fast and manoeuvrable full-rigged vessel with three masts. Its single deck was used for carrying weapons and guns. Frigates were top-rated in France and Britain, and they are still used in the twenty-first century (although they are modernized) as a protector of other warships in the sea.

Modern frigates sometimes resemble battleships, and they are fun to display on your shelf or use in wargames in your swimming pool.

Frigate 3D printed ships
Image source: ARTEIS

This frigate 3D printing model is a complex project that requires skills and some experience with 3D printers. Still, if you choose to build this battleship, you will fall in love with the final result.

5. Sloop Ship 3D Print File

All sloops typically have only one mast and one headsail with additional foresails if needed. These sailing boats got their name from the Dutch word “sloep.”

They are relatively small. But you can make a ballista version of a one-mast sloop that could remind of a pirate ship 3D print when finalized. Such a project is less complicated if compared to crafting the Galleon or Frigate.

Sloop ship 3D printed model
Image source: ARTEIS

Still, the Sloop looks fantastic in the wargaming pool field or on a display shelf.

6. Titanic Ship 3D Model

Most of us remember the sad story of Titanic shipwreck. This famous ship sank near the coast of Newfoundland over a century ago. The voyage of this ship ended when she collided with an iceberg in 1912.

Thanks to James Cameron, the whole world could witness the love story between the imaginary passengers of Titanic in the incredible 1997 romance and disaster movie.

Those hobbyists who are fascinated with the story and film can 3D print a Titanic model. There are many STLs you can find on the web.

You can craft a low poly version of Titanic on FDM/FFF 3D printer. The most challenging part about this project is printing the props. Once you manage them, your figurine will be impressive:

Titanic ship 3D model to print
Image source: MyMiniFactory

You can also go with the 1/500th scale model of Titanic, which looks very accurate and fantastic. Still, users who chose to make this version report multiple problems when trying to use supports and suggest to avoid them for all the pieces except the stern:

Titanic ship 3D print
Image source: Thingiverse

Of course, being printed at nearly 4 meters length, Titanic looks impressive:

Titanic BernCo model
Maker: BernCo Models

Such projects require much patience, filament, money and time. But the result achieved by BernCo Models is outstanding!

Titanic 1/72 scale model
Maker: BernCo Models

7. Viking Longship Model to 3D Print

Quick Viking longships usually had one mast with a square sail and a row of oars on both sides. These simple yet impressive medieval vessels were used in battle. The front of the longship was often decorated with a dragon head.

You can choose to make a cute medieval Viking longship that can carry 2.8 cm (1 inch) sailor figurines. It looks fantastic with 27 oars, Viking shields, a dragon head and other details.

Viking longship 3D printed
Image source: Printable Scenery

The ancient 3D printed ship looks gorgeous. It is perfect as a display and a great element of the wargames if you are fond of them.

8. Brig Ship 3D Model

Brigs were initially created as sailing vessels during the Age of Sail. They had two masts, were manoeuvrable and used as merchant boats and naval warships with 10-18 guns. Their size was not huge, but they still had a challenge of sailing into the wind.

The happiest Brig’s years were in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. With the construction of steamships, the destiny of Brigs was defined, and they fell out of use.

Brig battleship 3D printer file
Image source: Printable Scenery

If you are in love with this vessel, you can craft a Brig for your collection. She is designed with two masts, a removable wake and impressive details. This gorgeous project can be the bright exhibit in your collection of 3D printed ships.

9. WWII Ship 3D Model

Most crafts used during the Second World War were military vessels. They participated in the combat operations, repatriation of prisoners, surrenders, etc. Some ships were relatively small, of less than 1000 tons, and others were huge. Many of those creations are of historical interest, and it can be a great idea to print the WWII ship 3D model you like the most.

For example, you can make a craft of King George V. She was a lead royal navy battleship of over 35,000 tons and reached 227 meters (745 feet) in length. She was built in 1937. The commission year was 1940.

For several years this WWII ship was operating in the Pacific, Atlantic and Mediterranean waters. She helped to sink a German ship Bismarck and the Royal Navy’s HMS Punjabi. She took part in port and island bombarding and lived a life full of adventures until she became a training battleship in 1947.

Here is a render of a low poly model vs the original King George V class battleship:

King George V class battleship 3D model
3D printing model vs real King George V class battleship. Image sources: Free3D; USN

10. Flower Class Corvette 3D Model

The list of royal navy boats is pretty long. Not only King George V class battleship can be turned into a 3D print, but also a flower class corvette. This British vessel is also known under the Gladiolus class, and it was used during the Second World War.

While the majority of flower class corvettes were not preserved as a museum vessel, you can 3D print one of these projects for your collection of navy craft.

Here is an example of 3D printed corvette of flower class. It is radio-controlled and resembles HMS Agassiz’s design. Reaching approximately 1.3 meters (over 4 feet) in length, it is an impressive collector’s figurine with many fantastic details:

Flower Class Corvette 3D printed
Image source: cgtrader

11. Armidale Class Patrol Boat Model

Some 3D printing hobbyists love modern vessels as much as ancient and medieval ships. One of such crafts, a patrol boat of Armidale class, was created for the Royal Australian Navy in the 1990s. The commission of the first boat took place in 2005, and the last one was commissioned in 2008.

The main task of these boats was to patrol the borders, including the offshore territories, and intercept the unauthorized arrivals by sea.

Armidale class patrol boat
Maker: BernCo Models

A 3D printed model of such a modern Armidale class ship looks impressive. The boat is made at 1/35 scale. She is about 1.7 meters (over 5 feet) long. While the project requires about 7 kg (15 lbs) of the spool, it is still an excellent 3D print of which you can be proud.

12. Liberty Ship WWII Model

Every country that participated in the Second World War had to build and use its own ships. The USA, for example, was symbolized by low-cost and mass-produced Liberty ships that belonged to the class of cargo vessels.

More than 2,700 Liberty ships were built in the USA throughout 1941-1945. Each one was designed to carry over 10,000 tons of cargo. However, their capacity was even higher because, during WWII, such vessels could carry loads far exceeding their initial volume.

Adding such a model to your collection of WW2 ships is a fantastic idea. And here is a beautiful Liberty ship 3D model for printing although it is not historically accurate:

Liberty Ship WWII
Image source: cgtrader

13. Pirate Ship 3D Model STL

Piracy is a horrible thing that terrors the world, even in the twenty-first century. Still, it might be a great idea to 3D print a pirate ship for your collection or wargames in the pool.

Actually, there is no such a class or type of vessels as “a pirate ship.” No shipyard officially builds anything under such a title. Pirates have always preferred to capture any well-made, well-armed, fast and reliable ship for their “bad navy business.” Usually, such vessels sailed under the black sails depicting human bones or a pirate hat, and their crew members were all involved in piracy.

This outstanding pirate ship 3D print was designed by Chris Hunt. She depicts a two-mast model with pirates on board:

Pirate ship 3D model STL
Maker: Chris Hunt

When painted, Hunt’s project looks like a fairy-tale:

Pirate ship with sea monster model
Maker: Chris Hunt

There are many great 3D prints in Hunt’s ShipWorks Terrain Group on Facebook:

Pirate vessel model
Maker: Bastian Melsheimer

Here is a simplified version of a pirate vessel 3D printing figurine:

Pirate ship 3D print
Image source: Thingiverse

14. World War 2 Ships

Most vessels used during World War 2 were armed. Hobbyists who study the ships of that period and wish to add some models to their collection can find many great designs on the web. For example, you can 3D print some models used by Britain, the USA, Japan or other countries.

Some of these projects have many delightful details, while others lack many particulars and still look great as an addition to the wargaming or tabletop games.

Here are some impressive British World War 2 ships which you can craft after downloading STLs:

World War 2 ships
Image source: cgtrader

This is a collection of the USA and Japanese STL files of WWII ships to 3D print:

WWII ship 3D model collection
Image source: cgtrader

Of course, there were so many WWII ships that you can 3D print any project you will find on the web or design it yourself. Here are some great examples of what other hobbyists have crafted:

World War 2 ships
Image source: instagram.com; @wargaming3d
World War II ship collection
Image source: instagram.com; @wargaming3d

15. Medieval Ship 3D Models

The design of most medieval ships is awe-inspiring. It is one of the reasons why many crafters are more than happy to find a high-quality 3D printing model of some vessels of early, high and late middle ages. Some of the most recognized boats of the medieval era are Cog, Knarr, Hulk, Carrack, Longship and Galley.

Here is an outstanding 3D printed Cog ship that could proudly decorate your display shelf at home:

Medieval ship 3D printed Cog
Image source: Everpunk Games

These are beautiful examples of 3D printed Endeavor, Drakkar and Sao Cristovao:

Medieval ship 3D printed
Image source: 3DR Holdings

Here are some more ancient projects brilliantly 3D printed by Tucho Fernández Calo which you can enjoy:

Medieval ships 3D printed models
Maker: Tucho Fernández Calo

What do you think about the most impressive 3D printed ships? Is there a model you would be happy to craft yourself? Share your thoughts in Gambody Facebook Group. It is your unique chance to influence the decision of which new vessel 3D print file to add to the marketplace in the future.

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