REVELL " CALYPSO"

Hello,

I built this kit as a youngster as well, and I loved it. I won it as part of an essay writing contest. Cousteau was my hero, and in those days, I dreamed of becoming a marine biologist and oceanographer like him.

The Revell Kit is a very good representation of the ship. From what I recall, the model builds up with the helipad just aft of the superstructure, toward the stern.

There does appear to be a dearth of photographs of the Calypso. Billings Boats makes a larger Calypso model kit, a composite model with both wood and plastic parts. Here is a link to a partial build of the kit: http://www.ahrensdesign.net/calypso/ There are some good pictures and information there, but unfortunately the builder did not complete the model.

The story of the ship appears headed for a sad ending. Here is a link to an article regarding the current status of the ship: http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=59&story_id=27047&name=The+sad+end+of+Cousteau

And another link to a photograph of the ship taken recently: http://letitblog2.0.free.fr/Calypso-de-Cousteau.jpg

 

I'd like to get my hands on another Revell kit if I could. I'll be watching the evil bay for opportunities. Congrats on your acquisition, and happy building!

 

Jose Gonzales

I loved that kit, I had it when I was a kid.

What was the Calyspo originally built as? Was it a sub-hunter, minesweeper or was it built as a research vessel for Cousteau?

I recently saw the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" and was looking for a Calyspo kit that was in bad shape to create the "Belafonte" from the film.

I would google the Calyspo for the info on the heli-pad. I'm sure there are some pictures out there in all it's configurations. Check your local libary as well. You might be able to borrow the Cousteau videos for free.

MikeMKIIC wrote:

What was the Calyspo originally built as? Was it a sub-hunter, minesweeper or was it built as a research vessel for Cousteau?

Actually a sub-type of a standard YMS minesweeper. Somehow this kit gets regularly overlooked by warship buffs, although it offers a ton of conversion possibilities, from a stock USN YMS in Pacific war fit to a RN late war fit to a USN Korean war ship to various nationalities and finally John Wayne's yacht. It makes a nice companion piece to the German 1/125 subs by Revell (if WW2) or the 1/131 Tacoma by Revell. The most obvious companion is the old Monogram/Revell minesweeper kit, which would make a very interesting pair; unfortunately that kit is very rare, at least where I live.

I agree it's definitely a great kit; it's a pity it comes up only every now and then.

Jorit

Boy, that kit brings back memories.  I must have built that some 25 years ago.

It is a wonderful kit.  Good find...

jwintjes wrote:

Actually a sub-type of a standard YMS minesweeper. Somehow this kit gets regularly overlooked by warship buffs, although it offers a ton of conversion possibilities...

Not this one - but I'm still trying to find one at an affordable price (never seen one anywhere
but eBay, and they've all gone over my price limit, even one which was part-built with the deck missing)

This is one of those kits which appears to owe its high price to demand not from collectors (as is usually the case with rare kits) but from builders. Calypsos in mid-1990s Revell AG boxes go just as high as 1970s ones.
Needless to say I definitely wish Revell would re-issue it! You'd think that the "Life Aquatic" movie might have prompted them to do this as a cash-in, even if they couldn't use the "Belafonte" name due to licencing costs!

The 1/350 SMS Emden/Dresden is another rare Revell ship kit. This one was moulded in the early 1990s, so it's incomprehensible why it hasn't been re-issued, considering that it's a Revell AG kit and the Emden is one of the more famous German warships.
I actually have this kit in my "stash"; I bought it for £3 at a kit sale this January, and didn't realise how rare it was until I saw one on eBay for about £35. As I'm a great fan of pre-dreadnought era ships, I doubt I'm going to re-sell the kit however!

Anyway, good luck on your $10 Calypso find, will look forward to seeing pictures of the completed build.

EPinniger wrote:

jwintjes wrote: Actually a sub-type of a standard YMS minesweeper. Somehow this kit gets regularly overlooked by warship buffs, although it offers a ton of conversion possibilities... Not this one

Actually yes.

The Calypso was commissioned in 1942 as J-826 and then passed on to the RN for use in the Mediterranean. After the war she was converted into a ferry before being bought up by one of the Guiness family (of beer fame) who then put it at Cousteau's disposal.

Jorit

This it?

 

I built this at least 15 years ago. I took it out of it's case for the photo. When it's in the case the two sharks hang from the top by invisible thread and are circling the diver's feet on the stern.

Fred

Beautiful build, onyxman. It was a great kit, but I don't remember mine looking anywhere near as nice as that one.

Thanks archelon,

Other than a couple of stretched sprue antennas, I think it's pretty much out of the box.  Seems odd they don't re-issue it.

jwintjes wrote:

Actually yes. The Calypso was commissioned in 1942 as J-826 and then passed on to the RN for use in the Mediterranean. After the war she was converted into a ferry before being bought up by one of the Guiness family (of beer fame) who then put it at Cousteau's disposal.

By "not this one" I meant that I'm a warship enthusiast who -hasn't- overlooked the Calypso kit's
conversion potential (but also hasn't managed to find a kit yet!). Apologies for the misunderstanding!

jgonzales wrote:

There does appear to be a dearth of photographs of the Calypso. Billings Boats makes a larger Calypso model kit, a composite model with both wood and plastic parts. Here is a link to a partial build of the kit: http://www.ahrensdesign.net/calypso/ There are some good pictures and information there, but unfortunately the builder did not complete the model. The story of the ship appears headed for a sad ending. Here is a link to an article regarding the current status of the ship: http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=59&story_id=27047&name=The+sad+end+of+Cousteau And another link to a photograph of the ship taken recently: http://letitblog2.0.free.fr/Calypso-de-Cousteau.jpg

It is sad to see this ship rotting away like that although it might be a fitting tribute to have the Calypso made into an artificial reef in the name of Cousteau.  I would much rather see it conserved as a museum, but an artificial reef seems to fit to me.

I was looking at the ship kit list at Skyway Model and the Revell Calypso was there.  It was listed for about $30 as I recall, but I'm not sure how up to date the info is.  It might be worth a shot.  They're at www.skywaymodel.com.  Most of their business is walk-in but I think they take orders via e-mail. 

Gasoline Alley Antiques has it listed on their inventory.  Their notes say "scarce, high demand kit" and the price reflects that.  $110 - ouch!  They have a web site. 

To think I could have bought this kit for a song from megahobby six months ago.  They no longer show it in their sailing ship catalog on-line. 

Ron Harris 

EPinniger wrote:

jwintjes wrote: Actually yes. The Calypso was commissioned in 1942 as J-826 and then passed on to the RN for use in the Mediterranean. After the war she was converted into a ferry before being bought up by one of the Guiness family (of beer fame) who then put it at Cousteau's disposal. By "not this one" I meant that I'm a warship enthusiast who -hasn't- overlooked the Calypso kit's conversion potential (but also hasn't managed to find a kit yet!). Apologies for the misunderstanding!

No problem at all - I guess it's me who has to apologize for the misunderstanding.

Jorit

  I've been looking for a reasonably priced kit for quite a while...ten bucks? Boy, did you luck out !  Good ol Wikpedia has a great little article on her, there is a ton of info on the net on the Calypso:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypso_(ship)

 

  Yeah, I wish they would re-release this one also....I'd probably buy a dozen.

               greg

onyxman wrote:

This it?   I built this at least 15 years ago. I took it out of it's case for the photo. When it's in the case the two sharks hang from the top by invisible thread and are circling the diver's feet on the stern. Fred

Fred, that's a fine looking boat fershure, regardless of historic value and all!  Well done, and yes, if I were to make a boatbuild list, after seeing that I would have to put this one near the top of the line!

~hurrying off to find me a boat~