Airfix 1/600 SS France

What a beautiful ship and model!

Yes, mooring bitts would do nicely. There'a also a pair of booms on the swimming pool deck, but you probably know that.

Bill

I permanently glued down the decks and bridge. I also added window decals and some photo etch doors. It took some filing but it went together pretty good for such an old and warped model. I think I'm going to add some styrene posts on one of the stern decks as it looks a little empty. It also still needs some seams closed up. Then on to the railings and other details.

Thank you all. Yes I agree the little details add up. I do plan on using PE on her as I did on my 1/600 Queen Elizabeth. The pool filling is a great idea but I think I will skip it on the France since the pool is covered by a dome that mostly blocks its view. I'm about to start adding window decals and then onto the PE. Still a long way to go.

Very Little gain?

         B.S.! That's what is pulling her out of the Ordinary into the Excellent category. You just keep going Ya hear ? Now, a tip. Do you have some CLEAR two part epoxy or Aleens Craft glue? You can take a little bit and tint it and fill up the pool!

By the way, have you considered adding some photoetch?  WEM produces a fairly extensive collection of 1/600 sets for most of the Airfix range. Even simply replacing the Aztec stairs with PE ladders could make a huge difference.

Bill

Chris,

Ship modeling often requires a lot of effort for what seems to be little gain. But, it is those little gains that carry so much impact and could easily turn a mediocre model into a masterpiece.  Your efforts are giving you just that!

Bill

ChrisSC,

No pain no gain. Your effort has really a lot of detail that would have been missed, nice work.

Marcus

A lot of masking for very little gain, a few square inches...maybe. I think I'm gonna paint a white line at the bottom to separate the black from the deck.

I got the rear decks on my France painted and can finally see what the colors look like together. The reddish funnels and lifeboat interiors should bring some life to it. It still needs some adjustments and all the details added but it's coming together.

Tanker-Builder

OOPS!

    Somehow My post didn't make it in here. I wanted to compliment you for doing such an excellent job on the ships. You must note the beautiful Sheer line( The curve at deck between Bow and Stern). The fact that your painting is awesome enough to catch that and emphasise it, is wonderful. I enjoy popping in for a look see!

  I wish There was a model of the original Normandie for you to do. Ouch! that would be awesome too!

 

OOPS!

    Somehow My post didn't make it in here. I wanted to compliment you for doing such an excellent job on the ships. You must note the beautiful Sheer line( The curve at deck between Bow and Stern). The fact that your painting is awesome enough to catch that and emphasise it, is wonderful. I enjoy popping in for a look see!

  I wish There was a model of the original Normandie for you to do. Ouch! that would be awesome too!

keavdog

Dude!  You are cranking out these liners and they look fantastic!  Nice work.  And your tape/masking work could get you a job at Eduard I would think.  Really enjoy your builds.  My Titanic sits and waits for me....lol

 

GMorrison

Here is a helpful suggestion for any and all building ship models.

The name of the ship and her home port of registry.

The name at the stern should be level with the water. The home port of registry parallel and horizontal to same.

And usually center registred.

Kit decals give it a guess, but usually might only be right if the distance above the waterline is the same as that of the location on the model.

The way to solve this is to mark a pair of baselines parallel to the waterline. Then cut the decal for each letter and apply the type on that line letter by letter.

 

Bill

 

Dude!  You are cranking out these liners and they look fantastic!  Nice work.  And your tape/masking work could get you a job at Eduard I would think.  Really enjoy your builds.  My Titanic sits and waits for me....lol

Here is a helpful suggestion for any and all building ship models.

The name of the ship and her home port of registry.

The name at the stern should be level with the water. The home port of registry parallel and horizontal to same.

And usually center registred.

Kit decals give it a guess, but usually might only be right if the distance above the waterline is the same as that of the location on the model.

The way to solve this is to mark a pair of baselines parallel to the waterline. Then cut the decal for each letter and apply the type on that line letter by letter.

Bill

Thanks Marcus. I masked and painted the bridge windows and attached the forecastle on my 1/600 France. Lots of tiny pieces of tape!!

ChrisSC,

Good choice of colors, they blend very nicely with the hull.  I doubt the French would paint the ship decking fence green. 

Marcus

Just laying the decks on there the color will be good enough for me.

Marcus McBean

Sweet! Looking mighty fine.

Marcus

 

Sweet! Looking mighty fine.

Marcus

Decals are done.

A little bit of history,

The last Captain of the SS United States, and Commodore of the United States Lines was a guy named Leroy Alexanderson. He was born to Swedish immigrant parents, in New York, in 1910.

He was commissioned in both the Merchant Marine and the USN (R) in 1930. I came across his name while reading a fascinating set of pages from a wartime diary kept by the father of one of our members. This father was assigned to a fleet oiler stationed in Iceland in 1942, in support of transatlantic convoys.

Alexanderson himself was in command of USS Melville AD-2, a WW1 vintage destroyer tender that was also in iceland servicing the large numbers of "cans" that came through in both directions. Our correspondent mentions Alexanderson as a straight up and respectable guy whom he enjoyed having dinner with while in port.

Alexanderson had several more commissions, on APAs in the Pacific. He was in command of USS Gage APA-168 landing elements of 6th Marine at Okinawa.

He returned to Merchant Service in 1947 and continued his career with the United States Lines. He died in 2004 and was buried with full military honors in his Commodore's uniform.

We can discuss the significance of Gage and her enduring conributions to museum ships, another time.

Bill

GMorrison

SS France, SS United States and RMS QE 2 were each in their own one liner too late.

The 707 was in the air by the early 1960's. Cruise ships were not yet a concept.

Building a 35 knot liner had no real return for the speed.

About that time the resistance to rolling became a bigger design goal for the comfort of the more leisurely passenger.

 

Bill

 

SS France, SS United States and RMS QE 2 were each in their own one liner too late.

The 707 was in the air by the early 1960's. Cruise ships were not yet a concept.

Building a 35 knot liner had no real return for the speed.

About that time the resistance to rolling became a bigger design goal for the comfort of the more leisurely passenger.

Bill

Marcus McBean

Nice work on the hull.  The hull has very graceful lines, looks like she would be very speedy on water.

Marcus

 

GMorrison, I guess the world needs some Studebaker Avanti's too lol!

Nice work on the hull.  The hull has very graceful lines, looks like she would be very speedy on water.

Marcus

Well there's the Oriana, and the Lindberg APL ship.

The Revell NS Savannah is a good one too.

Sort of a seagoing Studebaker Avanti.

Well I got the color on the hull of my 1/600 France. Now I need to put decals and a coat of flat clear on it. When that's done I will try to figure out how I am going to paint all these tiny windows.

Thanks guys. I added a bit more filler and am in the process of painting the hull. Between coats I routed, drilled, and polyurethaned the display base.

I think the Canberra is the only liner I am missing. As you can see I have enough to keep me busy for some time!