Ship Bashers - This is for You

I'm thinking more scratchbuild than kitbash.

Jtilley, I just found this thread. so I'm a few months behind. You're right about lack of interest by kit manufactures in merchant, and passenger ships as well. I am currently scratch building a Danish immigrant ship model for my wife. No plans, a few old tintype photos from the late 1800's, and a few images of museum models in Norway, that's it. I don't expect models of obscure ships and the only people who seem to be interested in these old passenger ships are people doing genealogy research.

Jim

I will Agree :

Remember  I told you that I did a disasterous try years ago  .I was just wondering if anyone had tried it successfully . 1/700 might work , but the way my eyes are I don't think I could do it justice. There are modelers out there that I am sure would shock you , I and everyone else. Right ?     T.B.

Why would I laugh :

I've done worse .  T.B.

I agree, but Mr. Tankerbuilder seems to have established his own viewpoint.

I'm of the opinion that this would really be a difficult project.

Related subject- artifacts from the ship exist in a number of fine establishments.

Admiralty Modelworks is about to release a 1/700 resin Normandie. The price is steep, but you can choose between waterline and full-hull versions. The same company also offers a set of photo-etched deck chairs. You can see all three at www.hobbypreorders.com.

The merchant ship world has been badly served by the plastic kit manufacturers. The liners in plastic kit form can just about be counted on both hands. I can think of at least a dozen more that would make beautiful models.

I question whether bashing any kit hull into a Normandie would be much easier than making a hull from scratch. Lots of modelers seem to recoil instinctively from such a thought, but it's not as hard as you think. You could scrounge lots of detail parts from plastic kits and the aftermarket. And there are several good sources for decking material.

Don't laugh, please. The best I can come up with is a heavy duty mauling of Bismark.

So if you scale the usual suspect in 1/350 down to 1/400, which is a good froggie scale, The various numbers aint so bad, and she has a pretty clean hull without a lot of sponsons etc.

Well , Fred;

    There are times when this is Not possible. Budget is to tight to pay for plans and reduction there-of and don't forget the materials .When I tried it I was just out of Boot Camp .You know back when you got about 96.00 to 104.00 bucks a month

I think a complete scratch build would be easier than turning any of these kits into a Normandie. 

Fred

Wiki lists the United States as 101.5 feet wide, and Normandie as either 118 or 119.5, I guess depending on how much caviar is onboard.

A big difference is displacement- 68,500 tons vs, 45,500 tons over the same length- kind of a "vache".

To my eye the United States has a lot of deck sweep fore-aft, not so apparent on the Normandie.