ccoyle

Thanks! I feel inspired now to maybe actually finish the model (been sidetracked with some honey-dos for a couple of weeks). That last draft looks more like the kit model.

I have this image saved on my PC for reference; it is, however, not quite the same vessel, differing from the kit version on several points.

Hi, Rich Yes, the name "Blue Shadow" is pure fiction, but most of these dubious kit subjects were drafted from some plan source or another, e.g. af Chapman, Chapelle, etc., even if those drawings may have been reconstructions. So one possibility is to track down the inspiration for the Mamoli design and then simply call it whatever it is -- whatever that happens to be. It'll still make a nice model. You've got plenty of kits there to keep you busy. Good luck!

With your skills, I believe even this oldie kit will turn into something approaching art.

As one example of what you might expect to find in this book, here is an outline of the chapter on Chen Yuen. I. Introduction II. Origins III. Design and Construction IV. Service in the Peiyang Fleet V. Shipboard Organisation VI. Finance and Pay VII. Life Aboard VIII. Japan and the Peiyang Fleet IX. (Service in) The Sino-Japanese War X. The End of the Peiyang Fleet XI. Prize of the Japanese Navy XII. (Service in) The Russo-Japanese War XIII. A Long Shadow (discusses historical significance to both China and Japan) XIV. Conclusion This chapter includes 20 b&w photographs and an inset biography of Philo McGiffin, an American-born naval officer who served on Chen Yuen at the Battle of the Yalu River in 1894.

SUBMARINES OF WORLD WAR TWO: Design, Development, and Operations Erminio Bagnasco Seaforth Books, 2018 288 pages, 24.5 cm x 26.5 cm Suggested Retail: GBP40.00 When I was in middle school, way back in the day, some of my favorite books to check out from the library were books about military hardware -- planes, ships, etc. -- that were broad surveys of different types and included lots of pictures. I still enjoy such books today. Submarines of World War Two fits that description nicely, although it is (happily) more detailed in its descriptions than a middle-school book. Originally published in 1973, this book is literally a survey of just about every class and variant of submarine deployed by every WWII combatant, from major powers like Germany right on down to the smaller fleets of lesser combatants such as Latvia. Neutral countries are covered, too. First written in Italian, the English edition is very readable and gives very few hints of being a translated work. The book begins with a 32-page introduction that covers the origins of submarines, their subsequent development, and their coming of age as significant weapons of war during WWI. This portion of the book is well-written and worth reading in its own right, so don't skip the introduction in this work! The main portion of the book is divided into two sections, the first and necessarily larger section covering the major combatants, and the second devoted to lesser and neutral powers. Within each section, countries are presented in alphabetical order, and the various classes of boats are presented in the order in which they were first built. Each country is introduced with a short overview that cover various aspects of its development of submarines and use of them during the war. The description of each class of submarine begins with a wealth of statistical data, including number of boats in the class, names, dates and locations of builds, dimensions, complement, and performance data. The design and development of each class is discussed and its significant contributions are covered. The final disposition of every boat in the class is listed, and, if lost, the means by which it was lost is given. In some cases, as for instance with Germany's Type VII boats, these lists can be very lengthy -- a grim reminder of the appalling human cost of WWII submarine warfare. Submarines of World War Two is printed on glossy stock and profusely illustrated with line drawings (in the form of cross-sections and outboard and inboard profiles) and black-and-white photographs. It rewards the casual page-turner as well as the serious student of naval history. I think that I can safely say that the casual fan of WWII naval operations is broadly familiar with Kriegsmarine submarine efforts during the Battle of the Atlantic, and possibly to a lesser extent with U.S. operations in the Pacific. This book was, for me at least, a real treat in that it describes the not inconsiderable submarine operations of the other combatants, who don't generally get nearly as much ink in big-picture descriptions of the larger conflict. For this focused treatment alone, Submarines of World War Two is a worthy addition to the libraries of submarine fans everywhere.

I've never actually seen how one of these tools works and would be interested in seeing a demonstration.

Just the launch by herself would make a great model.

Hello from a California ex-pat! There's some good folks in the San Diego club, and of course their venue can't be beat in regards to nautical theme.

Pretty typical quality, I think, for a Schreiber kit. I don't think that architectural models in general ever get much in the way of weathering.

There are no special considerations given for inner bulwark planking in these early CC kits. No gun port framing, either. This is all because the kit is targeted at beginner/intermediate modelers. Simply make sure the inner bulwark is covered with walnut, square off the ports, and paint. Any detailing beyond that is on your own!

THE WORLD OF THE BATTLESHIP Bruce Taylor (Editor) Seaforth Books, 2018 440 pages, 24.5 cm x 26.5 cm Suggested Retail: GBP44.00 Verdict: It's a good read, as long as you aren't expecting it to be something it is not. I have to say that this large, coffee-table book was not exactly what I expected after first seeing its title. That's not to say that it's a bad book, just something unexpected. First, this is a book about battleships, but it is not a book about battleships in general. Rather, the authors have chosen to focus on specific battleships to create their narrative. The World of the Battleship consists of 21 chapters, each written by a different historian and dedicated to a discussion of a single battleship. Each warship is from a different country. In order to get 21 such ships, as you can imagine, the definition of the word "battleship" gets stretched a little bit. For this work, it is essentially an armored capital ship with 8" main guns or greater. The ships were chosen based on their historical significance for each country, and some are those the reader might predict, but others are initially surprising. Britain is represented by HMS Hood, which is a no-brainer, but Germany is not represented by DKM Bismarck. Instead, the book discusses DKM Scharnhorst on the basis of her more significant contributions to the German war effort. In a similar manner, Japan is not represented by IJN Yamato but IJN Nagato, the first Japanese battleship to significantly depart from British design principles. So, if you are interested in the ways in which individual warships impacted their respective nations' national identity, industrial development, international relations, and ability to wage war, this book might be for you. If you are looking for a book to use as a modeling reference, you might not be as satisfied. The book is profusely illustrated with B&W photographs, but there are no line drawings, color plates, cutaways, or other visual references. If you are looking for a book that gives a broad treatment of what we more usually think of as battleships, i..e. dreadnoughts and super-dreadnoughts, with plenty of examples of each of the different classes, you probably will want to pass on this as well. The ships covered in The World of the Battleship are: Chen Yuen 1882 (China) Garibaldi 1895 (Argentina) Iena 1898 (France) Eidsvold 1900 (Norway) Slava 1903 (Russia) Peder Skram 1908 (Denmark) Minas Geraes 1908 (Brazil) De Zeven Provincien 1909 (The Netherlands) Georgios Averof 1910 (Greece) Yavuz Sultan Selim 1911 (Turkey) Viribus Unitis 1911 (Austria-Hungary) Australia 1911 (Australia) Almirante Latorre 1913 (Chile) Alfonso XIII 1913 (Spain) Sverige 1915 (Sweden) Hood 1918 (Great Britain) Nagato 1919 (Japan) Vainamoinen 1930 (Finland) Scharnhorst 1936 (Germany) Littorio 1937 (Italy) Missouri 1944 (United States)

Hello, Tomek! Are you designing this as a kit for one of the European publishers?

This kit has been around since at least the 1970s and possibly earlier.

Welcome, Tony! Glad you enjoyed(?) my cautionary tale. By all means, start a build log for your steam pinnace. It's not a model we see often, and I'm sure you can get the necessary advice to work around the kit's shortcomings. Cheers!

Your model is in great condition because it has been stored in a controlled environment for many years. To keep it looking good, you will need to approximate those conditions, even though you're just storing it. However you choose to store it, you'll need to protect it as much as possible from direct sunlight, dust, accidental bumps, humidity, and big temperature swings. If you decide to box it, a packing crate built to the correct size is preferable to a cardboard box. We have members here with experience in such things; I will edit your topic title to try to get them to chime in.

You have a nice model there, much nicer than what we usually see. I'm going to venture out on a limb here, though, and say that your model is probably not worth a lot of money, mainly because it does not appear to be built to the standards that collectors and deep-pocketed buyers are willing to pay big bucks for. There are others in this group who are better qualified than I to confirm that this is actually the case or not. Selling your model is complicated by the fact that clipper models are extremely common in the mass-produced nautical decor market, and they can be had in varying shades of quality starting at around $100 and on up to nearly a grand. Unfortunately, this dilutes the value of your model for anyone just looking for a nice decoration. You might have to list it for a ridiculously low price to move it quickly. I have two suggestions. The first, seriously, is to convince your wife to find room in her heart for it. If I had a model built by my great-grandfather, it would be priceless. Second suggestion, if your wife insists that it must go, is to find an antique store near you that will take it on consignment. You get your space, you don't have to track down a buyer, and you might get a little money. Actually, if you still have the custom case, that might be worth as much or more than the model. But honestly, that's a pretty nice model, and it has personal history for you. I'd look for a way to hang on to it. Kind regards, Chris

Nowadays it would have to be paper, and there isn't a good card kit of it available that I know of. And it would probably be far, far back in the queue... after my DH82A, Fokker E.V, PZL P.11, Spitfire Mk. V, PWS-10, Stampe SV-4, etc., etc.

Just as an historical side note, this kit is one of a series of early Caldercraft "Nelson's Navy" kits that were designed by Chris Watton, whose name you may see crop up elsewhere on this site. These were considered cutting edge kits back in the day (although in this case "back in the day" is only two decades), and they're still pretty nice, even though kit design has taken some steps forward since then. The instructions in these early CC kits are not nearly as extensive as in later kits from the company, but since this isn't your first rodeo with model ships, you probably won't need them nearly so much. I have always liked the clean-cut looks of the ship-rigged Cruizers, and this kit does produce a nice finished product. Hope you enjoy it!

I have a soft spot for the Ar 196, as the old Airfix kit is one of the models I can remember building with my dad when I was a kid. I built the same kit again as a teen, but it disappeared somewhere eons ago.

I like how this model is coming together in light of the "box of sticks" nature of the kit shown in your first post. Laser-cut parts and detailed diagrams can be nice, but they are not necessarily essential for completing a project.

Outstanding! Hope you win. 👍

Hello, Charlie. I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but I think you will have some trouble in re-homing your model. It appears to be a nautical decor model, a type of mass-produced and inexpensively built model that is not a true scale rendering of its purported subject. In this instance, based on the figurehead, it looks like you have an attempt at portraying the clipper Cutty Sark, but the model is not a good likeness and is in a considerable state of disrepair. Your options for dealing with a model like this one are limited. It has little value for model builders or serious collectors of nautical artifacts. This means that it's unlikely that you'll find someone willing to invest the time needed to restore the model. Perhaps you have another family member who might appreciate it? Wish I had better news for you. Chris

Yup -- we've had them on our radar here for some time. 😉