newbie to ships

Look in Shepard Pains How to Build Dioramas 2nd Edition... it tells you exactly how it is done and a regular guy like you could do it as well.

Thanks, you said 2nd Edition, but I bought the first edition I think on Ebay, does that cover it too?

What does "waterline series" mean?

How big is the 1/350 Tamiya USS Enterprise? I want to try it but I'm afraid it will be too big for my house.

The glass water I saw in the museum are those green kind. They are sort of like those green beer bottle glass. The white splashes by the ship are made with crushed glass powerder (so it's white), and simply looks awesome.

"waterline" are ship that are modeled from the water up (hence the name). Waterline ships are fine (in some respects easier as you don't have to worry about the lower hull, screws and props), but don't look right unless you display them in a diorama.

As for scale, just like with other types of models, the scale is how many scale feet per actual feet. Your 1/350 Tamiya Enterprise example is about 37 inches long. The Revell's 1/720 Enterprise is about half that. As for popular size it's a toss-up. 1/700 are cheaper & easier to display. However, 1/350 are easier to build do to the parts being larger and easier to see and work with (IMO). What it all boils down to is personal preferance. Personally I try to work in 1/350, but that's my choice.

As for a first ship I would stay away from the big "E". Tamiya makes an awsome 1/350 Fletcher class destroyer that while I haven't done it (yet), I hear nothing but GREAT things about it. It's only about 15 inches long (not too big).

I would try the Fletcher and a 1/700 ship of your choosing and see which you like best. Try looking thru this ship section and you will learn alot.

First try smaller ships, 1:350 fletcher or 1:700 waterline series is a good start.
Good luck .

I dont know about the 1st edition but I know the second one covers water in pretty good detail. you can maybe find it at a local hobby shop and instead of buying it just read through it for a sec. I believe its in the third chapter near the end of the chapter.

I agree with the rest. A smaller 1:350 scale or a 1:700 scale would be your best bet for a starter. Dragon makes the Spruance and Ticonderoga class guided missle cruisers in 1:350 scale and are about 18 inches long, small enough to easily display and large enough for fat fingered modelers like myself. The pieces are also easer to find in the 1:350 scale if they happen to find their way to the carpet.
Good luck.

Thanks a bunch.
I'll put off the Enterprise for now. Do you guys weather your ships? I saw some model battleships and carriers in the museum and they weren't weathered. But they still looked cool.

Weathering is a personal preferance. If you want a pristine look (like a museum) then no. If you want a more realistic look then yes. If you put one in a sea diorama setting then yes there too. With me it depends on the look I want.

It's no different than with aircraft, and you use the same basic techniques.

I personally prefer weathering for every model.
Or else it's going to look more like a toy.

But I also felt that weathering should not be overdone.