Here's one for you, How about a real beat up Tramp Steamer from the Fifties ( they were still around then)

I don't do merchant ships, not because I don't respect them but because I don't have a connection with them. As far a rusting up a warship, I have, but am a little hesitant to go overboard

Hi;

    You know I was pretty much the same way. Now after more years at sea than I wanted, I noticed even the " Supercarriers " have rust streaks! To be honest I never gave it much thought. 

 Then my Career went for a loop sideways and the next thing you know I am on the bridge of a ship and seeing ships in all kinds of shape. I have always wondered why and how they had so many oilcanned spots from Tugs?

If a tug hit( Instead coming alongside in a reasonable manner) they would definitely hear from the bridge! If the tugs couldn't do their job without making my ship look like a floating wreck then stay away!

    It wasn't impossible. Now take the U.S.S.John Brown. A Liberty right? Many ships followed that pattern with straighter stems and a Forehouse or Raised Forecastle, Midship house then Aft crew house. These were known as " Three Island Ships "or the same with " Stick" added. The Revell" Hawaiian Pilot" also falls in there as well as the U.S.S.RandalL and others.

 These are the best for this. Many ships carried freight and passengers Long after they should have . Between the wars and right after both are the times in Question. I had a photo of the Oregon from WW-1 and believe me was she rusty!

 The U.S.S. Dixie, for instance. I believe a largish model of her could be made from a President Liner Kit. I thought she was scheduled for De-Com till I saw crew moving around and the big doors in her sides open for whatever. Rusty, Nasty and Forlorn was the description that fit just then.

      Turns out she came back to Stateside with our Battlegroup for yarding. She'd been in Wes-Pac for 48 months. Boy! did she look sharp when she set out to sea again. Even grey the old lady looked Spunky!

      With the ageing /weathering thing, you give the model the look of the actual ship's Character ! For instance warships are Formidable looking when clean. Now fast forward. Sixteen or more months in theater. No time to paint and look pretty. Is she not looking just as BadA##%@ ?

      It's a choice though. I have both.  

OK TB, you ask for it. Here is my example of the Prince of Wales

You wanted a rusted out merchant cargo ship ? Shipspotting.com offers PORT PIRIE. An English cargo carrier built in 1947 at Swan Hunter & Wighham Richardson, Tyneside, England. Broken up at Castallon, Spain, July 1972.

Happy modeling    Crackers   

See, Steve:;

     That wasn't so hard was it? Looks great by the way! T.B.

Now, Crackers;

     That's what I mean, A ship that looks like she works for a living! We all have models that we want to look pristine. Take the Missouri. You should've seen her at the Signing. She was NOT clean as everyone assumes. After all she's been at work for months!

       I got to thinking about this ageing thing for another reason too. When I was on an Olympic Steamship Company ship she looked great in San Francisco. She didn't look so great after a trip to Wes-Pac and two trips through the Canal!

    Don't let outer appearances fool you though. She was clean as a pin on the inside. We carried freight( Break-Bulk.) Containers were coming fast. So Her days were already numbered. As a Victory she had been built and went immediately to the Mothball Fleet. 

    That made her new to work but not the world in general. I don't know how many were like this . I do know that going through the Canal we had a Russian Ship going the other way right next to us. Although she was bigger than us, she didn't have a clean painted surface visible that was more than twenty foot square. 

   I guess appearances weren't everything to everyone. Oh! the Russian was already Twenty-Five years old too! I can't imagine doing a Container Ship in 1/350 though. It would be monstrous even in that scale.