Hello;
Listen, I was just thinking. Suppose you don't want to do 1/200 scale and wanted something different? Well, if you are into scratch building, here's a suggestion for you. Try the RailRoad Scales. They are H.O. or 1/87 , 1/160 or " N" and Of course a new player for smaller ships, there's always "Z" scale, Even if you are NOT into scratch Building ,But! if your thing is mods to large salvaged hulls. Do your own design on an existing hull.
For instance, The Tamiya Big"E". Here's a Carrier that has seen more iterations in her career than many other ships of the type. Want a large Cruise Ship Model? Without the deck support structures and many outboard overhangs the hull is perfect for a Mega Liner! I have used two, converting them to one-a Mega Tanker, and Two as a Hospital Ship and floating Generation Station for emergency post disaster assistance through a port.
I even took a S.S. United States and converted it to a very believable Postwar Aircraft Carrier. I have even scratched (Using the Revell tanker kit) a believable Light Carrier from W.W.2 .. So why not use carrier models for something other than what they were built for? I have many times bought ship models I really didn't need or want just for the convertability or the hardware.
I have written here in the past, that when a child, I used to clean a fairly well known fountain at a "Service Station" in my neighborhood in Palm Beach, Florida. My pay? Free Coney with Chili and Cheese with Fries, beforehand, and all the ship and car models I found by the drains and the money tossed in. I would take the ships and if I could salvage to somewhat original state of useage i.e. A Cruiser remained a Cruiser and so on. So Today that means scratchbuilding, what I want using a produced but Glue-Bomb ship hull already there!
Remember the Hull is the biggest part! Once you have that, do as you wish. Within certain types, your imagination is the rule for what you wish to build. I have taken the old Lindberg Minesweeper and converted it to many types of small ships. It makes a great core as does the "E" and many others. Try it , I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Oh, a really surprising two that convert to unique vessels is Lindberg's U.S.S.Hornet or other name Carrier, with the Hangar deck. And, the Pyro model of the Robt.E.Lee/Natchez riverboat. This converts to other scales and makes perfect FerryBoat base model of something else. Years ago while stationed in Bremerton,Wa. Naval Shipyard I took the Natchez as a base and in the Base Hobby Shop converted it to the "Kalakala" which was an Art deco design from the late thirties for some Expo. and a single ended streamlined Ferry in Puget Sound /Seattle operations.
Small vessels are NOt exempt here. The Pyro Tuna Fisherman makes a nice base for an Ocean Capable yacht!, Research vessel, or Liveaboard Houseboat! As does the remnants of the good old Despatch number 9 from the Pyro model of the Standard Oil Tug. Keep tha old Optical Orb Mod . 1 ,searching and you'l open all types on oppurtunities for this twist on model Ship-Building