RMS Titanic by ChrisSC - FINISHED - Minicraft (11320) - 1/350 - PLASTIC - first full build

[ChrisSC]

This is my first complete build of a model in about 40 years. I have looked at it as a learning process. There are many inaccuracies and novice errors but it has taught me a lot. Once I found that I enjoyed doing this I saw this as a way to work on improving my skills. I realize Titanic models are everywhere but it was the easiest to purchase for a first attempt, and I am an ocean liner fan. I used a Scaledecks wood deck, various photo etch sets, and brass masts from Master Model. I'm not quite sure if I am posting this in the correct spot as this is my first post. I just recently completed this so perhaps it should go in a section for completed models? Being that the photos are throughout the building process I thought it might be better here. Thanks for looking.

[Ryland Craze]

Super job on this model.  The wooden deck and photo etched parts made this model come to life.  I am glad you took pictures during the build process to show us some of the step you took during construction of this model.

[ChrisSC]

33 minutes ago, Ryland Craze said:

Super job on this model.  The wooden deck and photo etched parts made this model come to life.  I am glad you took pictures during the build process to show us some of the step you took during construction of this model.

Thanks. The many mistakes I made actually taught me a lot of what not to do lol. If I can get my basic skills up I would like to figure out how to weather and stuff like that to make the models look more realistic. I am working on doing a few more before I try any of that. I see a lot of model builds online that simply amaze me and I'm hoping to get better at it. I bought a whole bunch of tools, supplies, and quite a few models so I am really kind of hooked on this hobby. I enjoy it, and I enjoy the community and learning new ways to do things by looking at others builds.

[ccoyle]

That turned out very nice.

[Old Collingwood]

Superb work, nothing more to say.

 

OC.

[Veszett Roka]

Hi Chris,

 

she is a beauty. You did a marvelous job with a notorious joints of Academy/Minicraft kit (see the bridge and the deck joint for example), so accept my congratulations.

Why did you neglect the Marconi antenna between the masts?

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1592010/titanic-during-trials-belfast.jpg

[ChrisSC]

4 hours ago, Veszett Roka said:

Hi Chris,

 

she is a beauty. You did a marvelous job with a notorious joints of Academy/Minicraft kit (see the bridge and the deck joint for example), so accept my congratulations.

Why did you neglect the Marconi antenna between the masts?

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1592010/titanic-during-trials-belfast.jpg

Hi, thank you. As that was my first attempt at building a complete model in decades I looked at it as more of a learning experience than anything else. I wanted to see if I could figure out how to do things such as photo etch, clean painting etc. In that respect it was a success as I made a lot of mistakes but did learn from them for future projects.

 

As far as the rigging goes I have since learned to read the instructions to the end before starting the model. As I went along with the build the instructions would tell you where to place the rigging in the pre drilled holes for later attachment. When I had the whole model just about complete I began rigging it. I did not recall anywhere in the instructions where it told you to either drill a hole for, or to anchor a wire to get up to the lines between the masts. At that point everything was complete except rigging and I didn't feel I could cleanly attach a wire going up from the deck without damaging the surrounding area, or just making a messy glob of glue to attach it. So I just left it out.

 

I also did not put decals on the ship as I din't know they were supposed to be affixed on a gloss surface. I wanted the ship painted flat which is what I did only later to find out that was going to be an issue with decals. So that was another lesson learned.

 

I also couldn't figure out how to mask the gold sheer stripe as it was I believe supposed to be 3/64 wide and the entire length sat over raised rivets on the hull. Now that I have a few more models under my belt I would know how to approach all of those issues.

 

As far as the decks lining up on the Minicraft I believe the round molded on locating tabs on the hull place the bottom deck in the wrong spot. I wound up grinding them off and dry fitting the deck where I thought it should go to have everything line up. I then glued on cut down toothpicks to serve as a stop for the decks so I would know where they needed to go when I permanently glued them down. I also had to file the channels that the deck fits in on the promenade walls wider and cut back the wood decking from the edge to get the wood decks to fit.

All in all there are a bunch of errors on that model but it did serve it's purpose in that I learned what not to do in the future with certain things lol!

[Veszett Roka]

Hi Chris,

 

none of the mentioned flaws or errors are serious and all can be corrected easily, even the antenna wires or the decals if you revise this model in the next 40 years - i wish you could do!

I completed mine about 25 years ago, before the Titanic movie fired up the attention to Titanic again. Mine is an older mould though, with many errors and inaccuracy.

 

-Nick

Budapest, Hungary

 

[ChrisSC]

2 hours ago, Veszett Roka said:

Hi Chris,

 

none of the mentioned flaws or errors are serious and all can be corrected easily, even the antenna wires or the decals if you revise this model in the next 40 years - i wish you could do!

I completed mine about 25 years ago, before the Titanic movie fired up the attention to Titanic again. Mine is an older mould though, with many errors and inaccuracy.

 

-Nick

Budapest, Hungary

 

Nick, well I bought so many models recently that I don't see getting back to that one soon, but maybe some day. I have the 1/200 Trumpeter Titanic with all the detail sets waiting to be built. When I get around to that one I will try to give it my best effort to have a nice and accurate Titanic model. I'm not planning on building that one in the near future though as it looks like a very long build that I would really want to improve my skills to take on.

[john757]

Hi Chris,

 

Great job on your model! I have the 1/350 Minicraft Titanic in progress after putting it away six years ago to move on to other priorities. However, I've decided to finally get back to it and complete it in the next few months or so.  I like your treatment of the funnels. The color seems to match the paintings and illustrations I've seen in books where it is referred to as white star buff. I'd like to know if you used an off the shelf paint like a flat light yellow enamel or a mix of paint colors as has been suggested on some other titanic modeling sites in the past. Thanks for your help.

[ChrisSC]

Thanks. I used a mix of Tamiya paints to get that color. I experimented until I thought it looked right. The following is what I did which includes the amount of drops and that number broken down to its lowest denominator in parts. 

XF-15 Flat Flesh-168 drops-42 parts

XF-3 Flat Yellow-84 drops-21 parts

XF-64 Red Brown-12 drops-3 parts

XF-57 Buff-32 drops-8 parts

XF-2 Flat White-228 drops-57 parts

[john757]

OK, Chris, thanks for that information.

[TomShipModel]

Would you consider the Minicraft kit as the best one for 1:350?

[ChrisSC]

16 hours ago, TomShipModel said:

Would you consider the Minicraft kit as the best one for 1:350?

I'm not an expert but I believe it may be the only 1:350 kit available. It has been sold by other company names in the past but they are basically the same kit with a few updates along the way. I think there is a kit by another manufacturer in 1:400, Academy,  but I haven't built it.

[TomShipModel]

Thank you, Chris,

 

I did a little more research and was able to get the timeline for this kit.  You are correct about it.  The first version was in 1978 by Entrex.  The same kit was marketed by Academy and then Minicraft with three different releases, the last two to update the kit based on new information.  There is yet another release, but that released it as the near sister Olympic.  1:350 is the scale that I want so this will be it.  There are no fewer than seven photoecth sprues available for 1:350 from Toms Model Works as well as wood deck.  I found a few reviews saying that the older molds are a bit "tired" so some of the casting isn't very crisp.  I both the deluxe kit (the latest one).  I'll see if the main parts are decent.  If not, I will look for an old kit and use it for the parts that didn't change over the several releases.  There is Mosquitocon 2022 on April 2, so I can check then as there are hundreds of resell kits available there.  If you are near Wayne NJ, it is put on by IPMS.  Not too many ships, but literally almost 1000 models and plenty of vendors so you can enjoy beautifully detailed plastic models and impulse buy to your hearts content,

 

Thanks for your help.

[ChrisSC]

45 minutes ago, TomShipModel said:

Thank you, Chris,

 

I did a little more research and was able to get the timeline for this kit.  You are correct about it.  The first version was in 1978 by Entrex.  The same kit was marketed by Academy and then Minicraft with three different releases, the last two to update the kit based on new information.  There is yet another release, but that released it as the near sister Olympic.  1:350 is the scale that I want so this will be it.  There are no fewer than seven photoecth sprues available for 1:350 from Toms Model Works as well as wood deck.  I found a few reviews saying that the older molds are a bit "tired" so some of the casting isn't very crisp.  I both the deluxe kit (the latest one).  I'll see if the main parts are decent.  If not, I will look for an old kit and use it for the parts that didn't change over the several releases.  There is Mosquitocon 2022 on April 2, so I can check then as there are hundreds of resell kits available there.  If you are near Wayne NJ, it is put on by IPMS.  Not too many ships, but literally almost 1000 models and plenty of vendors so you can enjoy beautifully detailed plastic models and impulse buy to your hearts content,

 

Thanks for your help.

The kit I built (11320) comes with some photo etch too. There are also metal masts available for this kit made by Master Models.

I bought an old Entex kit for spare parts and found the parts were much cleaner in some areas than the newer Minicraft.

[TomShipModel]

Thank for this information.  The kit arrived about an hour ago.  There was a hole punched in the lid but everything was clean inside.  This is the 2020 upgraded kit and most of the sprues look go with no flash at all.  The plate overlaps on the hull look a bit rounded.  I will look for the Entrex kit at Mosquitocon in April.  If it isn't there, I'll go with what I have.  I will be sure to get the brass masts.  I was going to scratch build them but that saves me quite a bit of work.

 

I've read in several places that the yellow stripe at the sheer between the black and white on the hull has been impossible to mask because of the plating.  I was going to experiment with liquid mast and air brushing instead of brushing.  The kit that just arrived has a segmented water slide decal for the stripe.  Let's see how it goes.

[Roger Pellett]

A great job and handsome model!

 

For those interested in Titanic and the myths and controversies surrounding her, I suggest reading Titanic Ships Titanic Disasters by Gartze and Woodward.  The book is published by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, (SNAME).  Gartze is a Naval Architect specializing in forensic analysis of shipwrecks, and the late John  Woodward taught Marine Engineering (shipboard machinery) at the University of Michigan.  These guys know their stuff.

 

They objectively examine design of Titanic, Lusitania, and Britannic (intended to be an improved Titanic) in the context of 1913 shipbuilding technology, regulatory rules, and the owner’s specifications.  They do this by subjecting the three ships to Naval Architecture design criteria; stability, subdivision, hull strength, and machinery reliability in extremis.  When “manning the lifeboats” that weighed several tons, at night the ability of the machinery to still provide power to winches and electric lighting was important.  The book is readable and will be understood by those without a technical background.

 

Readers will be surprised by their conclusions.

 

Roger

[ChrisSC]

3 hours ago, TomShipModel said:

 

 

I've read in several places that the yellow stripe at the sheer between the black and white on the hull has been impossible to mask because of the plating.  I was going to experiment with liquid mast and air brushing instead of brushing.  The kit that just arrived has a segmented water slide decal for the stripe.  Let's see how it goes.

Thanks Roger Pellett. Tom Ruggiero, I'm eventually going to build this kit again mainly because I left the sheer stripe off. I've built quite a few more models since this one and am confident that I somehow will get that yellow stripe on there lol. As previously mentioned this was my first model in decades so I didn't know how to approach many things. Besides the sheer stripe the next one will get decals, proper rigging, and better hull colors. Good luck with your build.

[TomShipModel]

Thank you Chris.  I may do a build log, but time will tell.

[TomShipModel]

By the way, first build or not, that is a beautiful model.  

 

Tom

[Old Collingwood]

40 minutes ago, TomShipModel said:

Thank you Chris.  I may do a build log, but time will tell.

Please do Tom.

 

OC.

[Grayhawk]

What a grand lady she was...

[Etcher]

Another kit I fancy building at some point. It looks great!

[Kevinq]

    I am currently working on the OcCre Beagle. Only about 10% complete. I received the Titanic Minicraft as gift.  I only removed the instructions and put box on upper shelf. 
   Looking at instructions and websites I don’t  seem to understand how the painting process is done?  Should  I paint while attached to grid and remove when needed? I would then need to paint again after filing off stem pieces?

  Thanks, Kevin 

[sanlopez]

Solid build Chris, and we are in the same boat (pun intended), since I have not smelled Testor's glue since Clinton administration.

 

Yesterday I tried using the Minicraft yellow stipe decals, but they are prone to breakage, plus do NOT like going over the rivets. I ended up painting the line, after carefully masking it using Tamiya 10mm tape, Blue painter's tape, and several sheets if paper. I used a rattle can of Tamiya Chrome yellow. I made the line the width of two rows of rivets by masking above the 'ledge' between the portholes and the first line of rivets, and then below the second line of rivets. You do have to cheat your masking a little bit towards the bow and the stern, since some rectangular windows do not quite line up. Cheers

[TomShipModel]

Doing any masking at all on this hull is quite a chore with the in and out plates plus the rivets.  I know that you need to burnish the tape but getting it to come down on those rivits is a tough thing.

[ArtMat55]

Hello

new to forum! You did an awesome job! I have the first Minicraft Titanic from early 80’s. Just retired and started to finally build her. How did you do the rails? Very frustrating!

[ArtMat55]

Hello!

well I finished my 1980 something Minicraft and it’s ok! Loads of mistakes, but learned a great deal from this web site. My original Titanic sat for all those years in my attic and it warped!  As I said, I finished it and will give it to my grandson for his room. He’s 4.  I just purchased a new Minicraft titanic deluxe and all the proper tools to build her right! Be well! And hope to start my own post with pictures!

[Tigerdvr]

A project to be proud of. Attention to detail is excellent. Only you (with some of the Titanic fanatics) know where the mistakes may be.

You're good with the camera too. The only fault I could find is your work area is just too neat and clean.

Thanks for sharing with us.

Cheers