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Best 10 Ship kits of all time...

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  • Member since
    May 2006
Posted by thunder1 on Friday, October 16, 2009 2:22 PM

Hello Oceano75

 Yes, I was stationed on the CGC BIBB at the time, I haven't heard Sector Boston referred to as "Base Boston" since the 70's. Spent my entire career in the First District, mostly Mass. and Rhode Island. Pulled a lot of Ocean Stations, Gitmos, Yucatan Patrols, etc. Served on patrol boats, buoy tenders and even the dreaded NANTUCKET Lightship(where careers go to die). If you remember Base Boston, then you must recall the "Combat Zone", the Hobbytown was located in the same area. 

 Spent some time in Allentown, use to visit a shipmate there. What about your CG connection? 

   

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Warrington PA
Posted by oceano75 on Friday, October 16, 2009 7:09 PM

thunder1

I'm a '75 graduate of the Academy.  I visited "Base" Boston on a cadet cruise on Eagle in summer '71.  Only spent a weekend.  First Lt on Alert. CO LORSTA Enewetak. Ops at Base Glouster (now Sector Delaware Bay).  OPS on Dallas. Admin Officer at Yorktown.  Deputy at Int Ice Patrol.  Got out as an LT in '86 to settle down and raise 4 kids.  I have a son in the class of '10 at the Academy and another son who is taking the ET2 SWE tomorrow at Sector DelBay.  I joined the Auxiliary a few years ago when my commitment to my kids Scouts and sports activities started to wind down.  Sounds like you had a 30 year career from about '70 through '00 or so with an awful lot of underway time.  E-8, E-9?  Or did you go warrant or mustang?

Semper Paratus!

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 16, 2009 7:13 PM
 surfsup wrote:

For me it is the following and not in any order.....

1:- Revell Cutty Sark 1-96

2:-Trumpeter HMS Hood 1-350

3:-Tamiya Bismarck 1-350

4:- Revell Savannah

5:- Airfix HMS Prince

6:- Dragon USS Buchanan 1-350

7:- Trumpeter USS Essex 1-700

8:- Revell S100 1-72

9:- Revell/Matchbox HMS Snowberry 1-72

10:- Revell QM2

They are my favourite Ships at the moment but everyones list will always change with new kits coming out at a fairly rapid rate.

 

This is a very fine list, IMO...
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Warrington PA
Posted by oceano75 on Friday, October 16, 2009 7:19 PM

Robert,

Question.  I have the Pyro Blockade Runner/Harriet Lane and have opened the box several times.  Each time I look at the blocks and standing rigging and put the box away again.  I am planning to get aftermarket items from Blue Jacket or a similar place to replace the kit parts.  In your various builds of the kit have you done it out of the box or have you gone aftermarket?  If you have gone aftermarket, where have you gotten your new items?

Thanks!

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Robert on Friday, October 16, 2009 10:43 PM
I've always built it out of the box except for the last time when I substituted Revell blocks as they are a bit smaller than the ones that come with the kit. But this time who knows?  
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Warrington PA
Posted by oceano75 on Saturday, October 17, 2009 6:13 AM
Thanks
  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: NJ
Posted by JMart on Monday, October 19, 2009 3:41 PM

I am glad I stand corrected on the sailing ships... I guess my only recollection/experience has been bad old heller kits , the beagle and the pirate ship. I don't have any "young" fond recollections of sailing ship : ( Next time I will finish my coffee before posting ; )

I also forgot the Morgan, that would have made my list... Bill brings one more I would have put done, the Borodino. Also has one of the best box art examples I have seen. I am saving THAT box for sure! The Nagato would have made the list if not for the infamous CAD lines. The details are just exquisite.

Another point to consider is cost, as mentioned before... an honorary mention goes to Dragon 1:700 modern navy Premium kits. Varied quality, but also varied subjects and the kit includes a small PE fret and full hull/waterline options. A great "starter" kit you can find for less than 15$ USD on sale at all major online shops.

This thread could evolve into a great group build theme ; )

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2009
Posted by Harshman II on Monday, June 14, 2010 2:07 AM

Here is offering aiming for mass market, value for money classic kit.

Tamiya 1/700 USS Enterprise/Hornet

Hasegawa 1/700 IJN Akagi

Trumpeter 1/700 USS Nimitz

Tamiya 1/350 USS Enterprise( CV-65)

Tamiya 1/350 Yamato

Tamiya 1/350 Prince of Wales

Dragon 1/700 USS Essex

Tamiya 1/350 USS Iowa

Revell 1/350 Bismark

Trumpeter 1/350 USS Lexington

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: NJ
Posted by JMart on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 7:40 AM

Good list; we are in the golden age of kits, more so in the ship category. Not only we have good scale conversions (the Tamiya 1/700 Yamato is even better than the 350 scale offering), we have the slide mould Dragon series of WW2 destroyers, the Academy Wasp, the Hobby Boss sub series, etc....

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Carmichael, CA
Posted by Carmike on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 1:15 PM

It would seem that we need a set of criteria to go by - something like the Military Channel does with their "Top Tens" except that we can probably leave out "Fear Factor" - unlikely that a kit that is so poorly engineered that you don't want to build it should be in the top ten (I guess that eliminates Aurora's Bonhomme Richard).

My first cut at the criteria would include (most important first):

1. Scale fidelity (the appearance and proportions of the kit should be identical to the real ship)

2. Detail and Completeness (the kit should have be highly detailed and include everything that you need, aftermarket PE should not be needed)

3.  Length of production and availability (for example Revell's 1:96 USS Constitution and 1:570 Queen Mary have been around for a long time and are in the catalog year after year)

4. Innovation (did the kit offer some really innovative features or it was it groundbreaking in some way, for example the Revell 1:192 USS Constitution was highly detailed for its time)

5. Price (how much do you get for your money, a 10 being under $15, 9 under $20, 8 under $25, etc.)

If we try an example, say Revell's 1:84 NYFD Firefighter, using a scale of 1 to 10

1.  Scale Fidelity: 10

2. Detail and Completeness: 10

3. Length of production and availability: 3 (the kit has been around for a long time, but is not in the catalog very often)

4. Innovation: 3, it's a nice kit, a unique model, and originally came with brass plated parts, but nothing earthshaking)

5. Price: 8 (the kit has always been affordable, i.e., under $25)

So that would give the Firefighter a score of 34 out of 50 or about 68%

Anyone want to give another kit a try? 

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