Noah's ark by Minicraft

Well...I guess anything that gets people - especially young people - interested in the hobby is a good idea.  A hull length of "over a foot" seems pretty small for a...ship...like this, though.  Those animals are going to have to be mighty small.

The Minicraft ad emphasises that the kit has been designed for families to work on together.  That's a concept I support whole-heartedly.  Quite a few years ago my wife, my stepdaughter and I built a series of life-size bird models by Bachmann, and all three of us enjoyed it tremendously.  We mounted all twelve birds on a stained wood plaque, which is still ornamenting the guest room.  And just a couple of weeks ago my nine-year-old grandson and I tackled the "Triceratops Diorama Set" from Tamiya.  The idea of modeling a dinosaur had never occurred to me before, but that kit is one of the best-designed ones I've ever seen.  The base includes a "pond" with a thin sheet of clear plastic over it (and fish and a prehistoric salamander below the surface), a "palm tree" with individual leaves made from plasticized crepe paper, and a pair of velociraptors (with individually-molded claws).  The instructions are beautifully done - and feature a section, obviously written by a zoologist, relating the known facts about the critters in question.  We finished the project in four sessions of two or three hours each - just about right for a kid of that age.  I confess I had trouble saying goodbye to our dinosaur when I packed him up in Ben's suitcase for the return flight to Texas.  Well done, Tamiya.  If this forthcoming Noah's Ark approaches the same level, I'll buy one for Ben's next visit. 

I think it's an interesting subject.  Of course, painting a ship that is all wood planking may be rather hard.  It took me two weeks just to do the deck of my Victory!

I concur that the price is a wee bit steep.  I should think that they will go on sale at a deep discount someday though.

usmc1371 wrote:

Actually, from the Biblical writings and archeological evidence of how boats were built then, the shape and design of the Ark can be fairly well determined.

You're joking....right.....!?

Now class, let's open our Bibles to the first book - Genesis, and turn to chapter 6.  There we will find a fairly decent description of how Noah was commanded by God to build the Ark to withstand the global deluge to come.  It states the exact dimensions, the materials used, and goes on to explain just how long it took Noah and his kin to construct this massive undertaking.  the entire story is a whopping 3 chapters, if you want the whole perspective of the legendary event.

Humans today would die of old age before that project was finished, but according to the Bible people lived much longer back then.  And there are some half-decent explanations for how that could be from a "Biblical perspective" combined with scientific considerations... but that's a whole other story.

If you loathe reading from the Bible, I am sorry to hear that.  And for that matter, I'd say unless you take the time to read that, you probably shouldn't have much to say about what is or is not "Biblically accurate." 

I am not going to comment on the accuracy, because I think it would do anyone a bit of good to go and read it themselves.  After all, we all research our model material when it comes to all the other goods, and here is the source of that particular subject.

  I'm going to build one and send it to George Bush.

      No, really.

Glamdring wrote:

No, he is absolutely right.  The Bible states the dimensions of the Ark and archeological evidence can show how ships were built back then.....

I'm sure both statements are true. 1. The Bible does state the dimensions of the Ark & 2. Archeological evidence does show how ships were build back then.

I’m not going to argue about each of these facts but unfortunately they rather contradict each other quite a lot.

1. The length of the Ark is stated as being 300 cubits long. During history the length of a cubit has changed significantly but let us suppose that they used the natural cubit which equals 45 cm or 18 inches or 1.5 feet. That gives us a length of 450 feet or 135 meters (other cubits are longer so that would only increase the size of the Ark even more). This size isn’t exaggerated considering the fact that all land animals, including the now extinct ones (like dinosaurs!), would have to be taken onboard the Ark. 450 feet is even a little on the small side then.

2. Archeological evidence about how ships were build back then has been found but is rather scarce which is understandable since the flood is supposed to have happened between 3402 and 2309 B.C. The evidence found does however not show that ships with the size of the Ark were ever built.

Even to this date it just isn’t possible to construct a practical and seaworthy wooden ship with a length of more then 350 feet or 107 meters (even then iron reinforcements and pumps to counter continuous leaking are necessary). The argument that Noah used technology that is unknown to mankind right now is off course a very simple explanation probably made up by people who just don’t have a satisfying answer.

Maybe we should accept that the story about Noah and the Ark is just a myth and nothing more. After all, the whole purpose of the flood was to wipe the wicked people from the face off the earth; did it work? The next flood, if it ever comes, surely is centuries to late….

Heck, we don't need a flood. We have global warming.  Of course, that is going to increase the sea level, and alter the air currents, so we will also have....flooding.

   Better get started on my 1/1 scale Ark!  This time, though, I'm only going to take animals that I like, and lots of hot chicks.

              greg

bryan01,

I was not saying the the Ark was fact (all though I believe it is), I was stating that an accurate model could be made with information that scholars have.  Scholars can tell from the Bible and archeological information how the Ark was constructed and what it would have looked like. 

The arguments as to weither the Ark existed or not have been going on for a long time.  And the arguement will continue as long as there are unbelievers. Thats a choice the individual needs to make.

By the way, does anyone argue over the dimensions of a model of the Starship Enterprise?

Jesse 

usmc1371 wrote:

By the way, does anyone argue over the dimensions of a model of the Starship Enterprise? Jesse

     Oh my...you should visit any of the scifi modeling sites...people are verbally flayed alive for daring to use the wrong aztec pattern on the Enterprise !  Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?

"verbally flayed alive" ... how did we get onto the subject of divorce court?

Seriously, though, I'm glad to see some new and different ship kits coming out, but for that price tag, I'll have to pass.

  Yeah, I was thinking how fun it would be to "have" to go to Farrell's and buy the Zoo a couple of times, just so I could get enough little plastic animals!

         Dizzy from the sugar.

                            greg

Think of the diorama possibilities:

1. Animals loading in the Ark

2. The Ark afloat

3. Or my favorite, the Ark settling on Mt Ararat

Speaking of a 1:1 scale model, one is being built in my home state: http://www.newsline.umd.edu/etcetera/noahsark/noahpage1.htm

http://www.godsark.org/html/the_construction.html

Jesse

I was personally rather happy to see that everyone involved in this discussion, regardless of personal views, was doing quite well at maintaining themselves and keeping it "intellectual" as opposed to emotionally charged.

But, to keep in with our host's words...

Does anyone remember way back ages ago when Arco gas stations had the Noah's Ark freebees for every tank fill?  When buying gas you would receive a pair of animals... and if you wanted you could buy the ark to go with them.  Was the highlight and fun of going to the gas station when I was a kid!  Like the toy surprise in the cereal box!

No, you can't !...Yes, I can !....NO ! you can't....I will....Nmmphg,mnphgh......Heh Heh

The last time I built an Arc, I used fourteen thousand volts ! It didn't last long, but it was spectacular !

Oh, Ar K.......(yes, I did)

sumpter250 wrote:

No, you can't !...Yes, I can !....NO ! you can't....I will....Nmmphg,mnphgh......Heh Heh The last time I built an Arc, I used fourteen thousand volts ! It didn't last long, but it was spectacular ! Oh, Ar K.......(yes, I did)

I had to do a double-take on that...

"The last time I built an Aric" ???? 

heheh... and of course, "The last time I built an Arik" comes to mind as well.  My name has always been spelled "Aric," and have at times used the spelling "Arik" online for the hal-i-but.... (dunno if anyone ever heard that joke, but used it anyway...)

   I dispute the manufacturer! I want to see the reference blue prints and measurements.      KIDDING

   I watch and read a little of everything, although they claim there are written measurements of the original Ark, there is no reference to the standard of those scales of measurements (i.e. 1 foot is the length of the current reigning kings foot) in comparison to todays standardized metric and standard systems.

    Plus, if manufacturers in this day and age still muck up the dimensions in model form (length, width, yadda yadda) on items produced merely decades ago, you know something from a couple thousand years ago might be a tad bit off.

   A smaller price tag be more inviting, could even do a time line diorama, 1-construction/loading critters, 2-floating, 3-atop the mountain (or possibly the crater at the base, too much History, Discovery, and The Learning Channels maybe).

Coming to the party VERY late, I know!  I recently stumbled across the Minicraft Models "Noah's Ark" kit on a bargain shelf full of clearance items.  I forget the exact price I got on it, but it was under $50.

Surprised there weren't any comments here about the model after it came out (was curious to see/hear from others who had already taken a crack at the kit), but had to smile at the posts speculating on what the it would be/should be, as the final model seems to reflect a lot of what was wished for here.  It's 18" long (so not quite the 2' that one post hoped for), it does have an interior, and does come with animals.  I didn't realize, until after I got the kit, that it was out of production.  (The store also had a regular priced copy of the kit that was over in their model aisle...no idea what was going on with that.)