Model WW2 Ships

[Howitzer]

Hi all

My Dad has always been interested in Naval warfare and the like so I was thinking of getting him a WW2 ship model.

I don't want it to be too difficult but would also like it to end up looking like an impressive model.

So, does anyone have any reccomendations?

I used to build 1/72nd model planes years back but never a ship.

Also, possibly a pair of ships involved in a famous battle?

Dave!

[chris watton]

There are a lot of highly detailed ship kits out there - you could get him a 350th scale Bismarck and HMS Hood, or King George V class, from Tamiya and Trumpeter.

[Eric Mc]

You need to decide on what scale.

[Howitzer]

Going against all initial thoughts and after speaking to my Mum it appears that when he was a lad he wanted to build a wooden sailing ship.

So after little to no research and impulse buying away, i've ordered this....



It's a beginners kit, 1/60th scale and 520mm long.

I am fearing the worst, will take him tool shopping once we figure out what he needs.

Dave!

[Eric Mc]

Has he any model making experience?

[The_Jackal]

Wow, that's a beginners model!!!?!?!
I thought you were talking plastic airfix type kits.

[chris watton]

Howitzer said:

Going against all initial thoughts and after speaking to my Mum it appears that when he was a lad he wanted to build a wooden sailing ship.

So after little to no research and impulse buying away, i've ordered this....



It's a beginners kit, 1/60th scale and 520mm long.

I am fearing the worst, will take him tool shopping once we figure out what he needs.

Dave!

That's a Mantua kit (which includes Segal and Panart) - I know them very well. If I'd have known it was a wooden plank on frame model you were after, I could have recommended you the perfect beginners kit, with free advice all the way for your dad!

As for tools, there is a lot of gimmicky cr@p, he will just need a Stanley knife, steel ruls, pin vice with a selection of small drill bits, sandpaper, tweezers, selection of needle files, small modelling pliers and wire cutter and a small hobby plane, along with normal PVA woodglue and superglue. (A razor saw comes in very handy, too)

The kit is stated as a beginner kit (Is it the President?), but is very old now, and some skill and perseverance is definitely needed to complete it.

If he really gets into it, ditch the rigging plans, as they’re fantasy, and buy a book dedicated to masts and rigging.

Edited by chris watton on Sunday 7th December 22:21

[The_Jackal]

And if memory serves me right Chris is a damn good expert on model ships.

[chris watton]

The_Jackal said:

And if memory serves me right Chris is a damn good expert on model ships.

Don't know about expert, but I do dabble....

[The_Jackal]

Dont you review them and build them as comissions?

[Howitzer]

He used to make all the regular model planes et as a child, but he's 52 now so that would have been about 40 years ago. No experience of this kind of kit.

He's a very patient and thoughtful chap though so I don't doubt he will do it, may take him a while though.

Thanks for the tools advice, i'll pass on your thoughts about the rigging.

The ship is called the HMS President yeah, I ordered it from Online Hobbies UK.

Dave!

[chris watton]

The_Jackal said:

Dont you review them and build them as comissions?

I design them - draw all the laser cut/photo-etched parts in CAD, draw all the construction plans, build the prototype (to make sure it works!), and write the instructions (In plain English) Takes bloody ages, so no time for commissions....and I can't review them because there may be a hint of bias.

[JTD]

How's the Cuttysark coming along and any idea as to when it's going on sale?

Edited by JTD on Tuesday 9th December 14:07

[chris watton]

JTD said:

How's the Cuttysark coming along and any idea as to when it's going on sale?

Edited by JTD on Tuesday 9th December 14:07

Hi JTD

I cannot talk about that particular model unfortunately, for now at least. I am working on a few other things though, which should come to fruition shortly....

[rhinochopig]

About 5 minutes ago this was delivered by the postie. My father is obsessed with U Boats - has just about every book ever written on the subject. He also used to scratch build sailing ships, with an engineers level of obsessive accuracy and as such now gets asked to restore museum models.

Anyway, I thought I'd take a risk and combine the two and buy him a Revell 1:72 Type VIIC u-boat model. I've just had a quick look at the parts and it seems a really nice kit - the accuracy on the mouldings is very good.





He'll probably hate it, but he's a nightmare to buy for.

To the OP this model is just shy of a metre long and doesn't appear to be a complex build.

[Zad]

I have that Revell VII-C U-boat in the loft, waiting for me... (along with the sort-of matching S100 "Schnellboot" and rather HUGE British Flower Class Corvette (that's the ship not the car). The trouble is, I got so much into researching these beasties, I haven't really had time to build them! If he wants to do an absolutely obsessive job on the U-boat, there are quite a few photo-etch and resin kits available for it. There are even detailed internal room modules, a wooden deck, and a pressure bulkhead to buy! The Corvette isn't great on accuracy, and the full set of photo-etch etc costs just over a grand... *gulp*. The U-boat and Corvette both have books on them in the "Anatomy of the Ship" range, which is basically 100 or so pages of detailed diagrams which, if he doesn't have them, make excellent birthday pressies etc. I think I paid £17:50 for mine, but they go in and out of print.

I imagine father and son pottering around tool shops on boxing day is practically a present in itself. I love perusing those sorts of places, wondering what on earth I'm going to use <new purchase> for.

[rhinochopig]

Well thankfully my father liked the U Boat model. Had it all out over Xmas and it's a really nice looking model.

Edited by rhinochopig on Tuesday 30th December 21:57

[Shar2]

rhinochopig said:

Well thankfully my father liked the U Boat model. Had it all out over Xmas and it's a really nice looking model.

Edited by rhinochopig on Tuesday 30th December 21:57

Now you can get him the fantastic resin updates for it.

[rhinochopig]

Shar2 said:

rhinochopig said:

Well thankfully my father liked the U Boat model. Had it all out over Xmas and it's a really nice looking model.

Edited by rhinochopig on Tuesday 30th December 21:57

Now you can get him the fantastic resin updates for it.

So what are the worthwhile and good value ones - he has a birthday coming up soon.

[Zad]

You can get wooden deck and pressure hull kits, but I wouldn't bother with those as a) the deck it looks no different when painted and b) you can't actually see the pressure hull when it is in place!

Hannants have a photo-etch detailing kit:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=ED53008 (quite a lot of info there) £17:60

White Ensign have their version here (if the url works - scroll down):
http://www.whiteensignmodels.com/acatalog/index.ht...

The cutaway inserts cost nearly as much as the original kit unfortunately. And you need 5 of them to do a full set!
(e.g.) http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=CMKN7201

If he likes painting figures, there are several sets available:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=CMF72116

Or for plain inspiration, show him these photos:
http://cs.finescale.com/forums/784376/ShowPost.asp...