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Hey, Ron. Don't fret! You took on a fairly challenging project. My first couple of card models wound up in the trash, too -- there's a learning curve, to be sure. When you get around to feeling like another try, may I suggest having a crack at a free model? There's some good ones out there.

Hello! I took the liberty of fleshing out your build log title a bit, as I'm sure that many members (like me, for instance) will have no idea what a "Vapor Rimac" is. Perhaps you know the story behind the unusual name?

Umm ... shouldn't you of all people be saying something like "it's hours of great fun"? 😉

Welcome aboard! We do hope that one day soon you'll feel comfortable enough here to let us in on your real name. Perhaps we can call you 'SF' for short in the interim? When you get around to building your model, feel free to start a build log in the 'Build Logs for SHIP MODEL KITS' section (be sure to read the pinned topics there). We look forward to seeing your project and wish you every success on the road to completing it. Cheers!

Welcome back! I just made the move in the opposite direction a few years ago.

Welcome aboard! I built the Midwest flattie kit as my second venture into wooden models. Your scratch-build looks very well done. I for one enjoy seeing something a little different being modeled, and your personal connection to the subject makes it that much more interesting. Cheers!

GERMAN DESTROYERS Robert Brown Seaforth Publishing, 2019 64 pages, 21 cm x 29.5 cm format MSRP: $24.95 (GBP14.99) Verdict: Wow! (Apologies in advance for the perhaps odd-looking cropping of the photos that accompany this review -- it is really hard for this old guy to take photos using a digital camera with one hand while holding a stiff paperback open with the other hand!) Call me ignorant, but I had not previously heard of the ShipCraft series published by Seaforth. But after reviewing the most recent addition to this series, German Destroyers by author Robert Brown, suffice it to say that I will be alert for further titles. There is a lot of information packed into 64 glossy pages here, along with plenty of illustrations. Forty destroyers were built for the Kriegsmarine beginning in 1934 (of which 25 were lost), and they were essentially all built to the same design, naturally with some modifications to newer units. The book starts off with a discussion of the design elements incorporated into both the class as a whole and to individual vessels or groups of vessels within the class. This section includes a discussion of the inherent weaknesses of the basic design, these being the result of a lack of German shipyard experience due to limitations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles coupled with a lack of time for testing and improving the type -- a mere five years between the time the building program began in 1934 and commencement of hostilities in 1939. This portion of the book is accompanied by many B&W period photos. The next portion of the book was something quite unexpected: a survey of the various kits available for the subject, in everything from 1/1250 scale on up to 1/250. The described kits included both newer offerings from well-known manufacturers such as Revell, Trumpeter, and Dragon, along with 'classic' kits such as those from Eaglewall, Heller, and Matchbox. I was pleasantly surprised to see that two card kits (those from Wilhelmshavener and JSC) were included in this section. Along with the basic kits, this section also reviews the various aftermarket upgrades that are available. The next section is a gallery of some really well done models. It made me want to whip out my credit card and buy some kits and PE detail sets -- but I know my limits (both to my skills and to my line of credit). The gallery is followed by three pages of paint schemes, shown in black and white but including a key for the various shades of paint. Don't worry -- English translations are provided for the German color names. The last section of the book is a lengthy treatment of the appearance of the type. This includes both a discussion of general appearance and a section on variations and modifications made to the different classes within the type. Attention is even given to such variations and modifications made to individual vessels, so that the modeler is really very well prepared to attempt a portrayal of just about any of the 40 ships. This section is accompanied by four pages of crisp drawings consisting of side profiles and deck arrangements. Finally, a list of additional references is given, along with a list of the 27 other titles in the ShipCraft lineup. Might have to get me some of those other works! I can't say enough nice things about this book. The writing, photography, line drawings, and printing are all first-rate, making the book worth every penny of its US$24.95 price tag in this reviewer's opinion. CDC

Looks great from here, Danny! I have the Halinski Spitfire Mk V in my stash.

Agree! That looks fabulous, especially considering the age and scale of the kit. Very nice work!

Good luck on your project!

Stunning work, as usual! 👍👍👍

Looks suspiciously like a rendition of HMS Beagle. Google "HMS Beagle" and you'll find many similar images and models.

Moin moin aus South Carolina! My college degree is in the closely allied field of fisheries science, and I also have a keen interest in a certain Bavarian professional soccer club. Hope to see your work here soon! Tchuess!

You WILL make mistakes! All of us have. Fortunately, wood is more forgiving of such mistakes than some other media. In the end, you will find satisfaction in your completed model, warts and all.

Welcome, Wayne! I wish you every success with your Victory project. That is quite an undertaking, but it sounds like you have the requisite experience. In case you have not seen it yet, please have a look at the pinned post in the kit build logs section on the subject of Chinese kits. In a nutshell, the Chinese wooden kit industry in general plays pretty fast and loose with intellectual property rights and has earned themselves a place of dishonor here at MSW. The pinned topic will explain in more detail and includes a list of banned manufacturers. Cheers! Chris

Well, then, that means that their skills are far, FAR superior to mine! I love the effect of the weathered and flaking paint -- it looks very realistic indeed. Cheers!

Doh! Now I feel silly. Well, that description down at the bottom certainly isn't part of the NRG's official tagline, and a model can be historically accurate with regard to construction without including a historically accurate paint job. Don't lose too much sleep over it. 😉

Where are you seeing that??

Outstanding! Let us know when it gets published.

Great-looking kit and subject! I'll be interested to see how this comes together.

Learned another new thing today -- had never heard of Operation Meridian. Thanks for sharing!

I wonder if I can anneal card stock before rolling it? 🤔

Hey, Steven. This process, called "bending", varied by type of sail and era. It's very helpful to have a reference work on hand that illustrates the various practices, such as zu Mondfeld. Cheers, Chris

Hey guys and gals, In recent months we've been having a lot of folks share images to our galleries, for which we are all grateful, but many of those images have not been placed into folders. In that sense, they're kind of like loose photos in a box -- once they get bumped off the first page of unsorted pictures, they'll be somewhere near the bottom of the box, where they'll become increasingly less likely to ever be seen again. Folders help people find your images when they search for specific models. So, create a folder, and remember to put the name of the ship in the folder's title! Thanks!

Nice! Golden Age of Flight subjects are my favorites whenever I take on a card model airplane.