What are we working on???

At present, I'm deciding whether to deck out my Tamiya '350 New Jersey in either Nam or Modern 1980's refit. Other than that, I'm quietly plugging away at my younger bro's old (very old when he was very young), the very old Monogram USS Ramsey DEG-2/FFG-2 which is approx 1/310.

Currently working on a 1:300 scale Royal Navy Type 22 Batch 3 general purpose Frigate HMS Campeltown. Scratch building her from plans by Jecobin. Modeling her as she is now as the plans are out of date with ref to detail. I was lucky enough to have spent a week on board her last year sailing back from Gibraltar to the UK as a guest of the crew and in particular my son! I have lots of excellent detail photo's that I can share if any one wishes. Memories of the trip, all excellent but the demonstration firing of the automatic 4.5in and the Goalkeeper CIWS Awesome!!!!! Oh and a very entertaining "Run ashore" in Gib!

Ive just started on the Lindberg 1/32 scale LCVP. I'll be converting it to a mini-RC model. (I built one this way 15+ years ago, and it was OK, but a bit heavy. I figure the new lightweight motors and batteries should yield a much more successful conversion this time around!)

-Bill

Scratch 1/700 Sacremento, Ticonderoga, Argentine missle patrol boats-4-Gonzalez Schmidt class,circa 1982.

I'm finishing my 1:350 Hornet and i have 1:350 RN Pola waiting to star too, its a poor kit, some detail are missing but i will finish her anyway.

Still plugging away with the 1:48 scratch built corvette ... working on the counter frames now and then comes the hull plating (I am building prototypical, thinking about an interior but no firm decision yet).

I have also finished researching the Foundation Franklin salvage tug, I'm waiting for the original plan copies to arrive from England and then I'll start cutting frames (no interior this time around).

Beginning research on HMS Admiral Gardiner ...

Bruce

Working on the Nichimo type IXC U-boat, and modeling the U-66. Lucky to have a photo of the starboard side of the U-66, so can get half of the rust spots correct.

DJ

Hey All,

i'm just gettin' started on a pair of German destroyers, Z-37 and Z-39

joe

Well I am going to take a deep breath and start my 1/350 Missouri tonight. Have never built anything this large but have some experience with ships and PE (Finished a 1/700 Indianapolis with PE). Any helpful suggestions would be welcome, I wouls like to make this a waterline ship, and I have a dremel tool, so anyone who has done this before, feel free to tell me what NOT to do :-)

Sure is...which explains why I have the only one in the US that I know of...

It's a problem that alot of resin manufacturers have when they first start out, they try to make their investment back as quickly as possible, so they overprice the kits and people don't buy. You lower the price, and the folks that were crazy enough to pay full price cry foul.

Having been a producer of resin kits, I know how much it costs to release a kit like Tone. It's apparent he's trying to make back his initial investment with the sale of 20-30 kits. I always tried to target 100-125 kit runs, so instead of making $50 profit per kit and selling 50, I'd try to get $25 from 100... You also need to have a popular subject that you know will sell... ICM's Konig/Grosser Kurfurst is a perfect example of what NOT to do when you release a ship model kit and expect to make enough money to release another...

Had ICM released their Hood or Takao or Scharnhorst first, they probably would still be in business.

Well, off to Olde Virginny!!

Jeff Herne
Modelwarships.com

that is one expensive kit!
Still finding more and more parts to superdetail/replace/remake on my 1:72 snowberry kit... right now im hunting down a "super smoke unit" from seuthe for the chimney, and trying to duplicate a gun that i superdetailed (note to self: plan ahead if you are going to make a mold of something...)
the more i build the more i wonder if i'l ever be finished ;)

I'm also building the Hornet (battle of Midway configuration). Looking forward to the Trumpeter Nimitz next year.

I have just cut the first timbers for the SMS Thuringen a WW1 battleship in 1:100.
I expect that this project will take me about two years. It has to fit in with a B36 and a painting of HMAS Melbourne that I have been commisioned to do.
Dai

You're not pestering me...trust me...I'm more than happy to share all this trivial information I've got floating around in this cranium. Just don't ask me for financial advice!!! :-)

Jeff

I'm working on that Trumpeter 1/350 Essex that I keep pestering you about.

Right now I'm in the middle of changing Trumpeter's 350" th Hornet into the Enterprise in the fall of 42,that time period cuz she had F4F's , SBD's , and TBF's . But this turned into much more work than I thought to get this thing converted to CV6........

The new Los Angeles Fire Boat #2.



This is currently the most powerful fireboat in the world.
It was designed by Robert Allen Naval Architects in Vancouver B.C. ,
and was built on Whidbey Island by the Nichols Bros shipyard.
Efforts to contact either for information on this boat was
met by silence, and the comment, "We're Busy!!"
However I manage to get enough frame information to proceed.
The boat is driven by two Voith Schneider tractor drives.



Fire Boat # 2 went into service in April of this year.



We hope to have two running by next spring.

Aimee

Well, I will be working on the Tamiya 1/350th Fletcher when my stuff gets here. But I guess you know that. LOL!

Anyway, most of the stuff has been mailed from Great Models so I hoping it gets here soon. Then just a few PE sets to get and will be all set.

James