The Ship Model Forum

Thank you!

Yes, modern "work vessel" have really a distinct look - in my view the look much cooler than earlier ones.

Great job Lars,

you can clearly distinguish modern "work vessels" from ships of about 10 years ago, just by looking at them. The covered and/or streamlined bows are quite obvious.
Love the tiny helo on Astrolabe

Some additional models:

French polar research ship L'Astrolabe (2017):

L'Astrolabe (1/700, Masters of Military)

German polar research ship Germania (1869)

Germania (1/700, scratch built)

US tracking/research ship USNS Range Recoverer (1944/62)

Range Recoverer (1/700, conversion Bill's Models)

I suspect that many parts for the 2nd expedition will not fit for the 3rd expedition, especially aft around the helicopter deck, which was moved up and enlarged.

1st expedition:
http://toysdaily.com/discuz/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=192152&extra=page%3D1&page=1
http://nabeck.web.fc2.com/soya3.htm
http://www.ms-plus.com/19583

2nd expedition:
http://www.ms-plus.com/26109
http://stzip.web5.jp/soya2.htm

3rd expedition:
http://www.mokei-doumu.jp/SHOP/fh-0020.html
http://www.hasegawa-model.co.jp/product_g/z23/

/edit:
Some photos of the planes and helicopters on board of Soya:
http://dansa.minim.ne.jp/CL-Nankyoku.htm

thank you maxim
the info and the picture on the Soya are great , i also find the Hasegawa PE for the kit but they are 2nd corp , also if i think that will be ok .

And a even smaller, the Russian research icebreaker Georgi Sedov (Project 97D):






http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4351:russischer-forschungseisbrecher-georgi-sedow-1700-fine-waterline-von-lars-scharff&catid=112:lars

This is a conversion of a Project 97A icebreaker made by Don McKeand.

Another polar research ship, RRS Ernest Shackleton:







http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4408:britisches-polarforschungsschiff-rrs-ernest-shackleton-1700-shipshape-von-lars-scharff&catid=112:lars

The model is made using a printed model by shipshape on Shapeways (upscalled from 1/1200 to 1/700) equipped with two MBB Bo 105 by KokodaTrail Models.

Soya was converted several times and these numbers refers to different expeditions. E.g. the helicopter deck was moved one deck higher between the 2nd and 3rd expedition. Today she still looks similar as during the 3rd expedition.

See e.g.
http://www.modelwarships.com/features/walkaround/soya-dl/index.html

I had used:
Vallejo Model color:
22 hull
4 superstructure
110 wooden decks
75 helicopter deck
161 steel decks

See also Frank's building report:
http://modelingmadness.com/review/misc/ships/j/spahrsoya.htm

There is a Model Art Special about here explaining the conversions. I think the well deck was closed between the 1st and 2nd expedition. But if you have the kit for the 3rd expedition, I recommend to ignore the first two expeditions - that would be massive conversions.

Hi all
i just bought an Hasegawa kit of the "Soya" in 1/350 , now i am looking around internet for some reference on color and more details from any picture i can find .
I have one thing to ask

My kit says on the description " 3rd corps " , So what is the main difference between the other kit of the Soya that have in the description "1st corps" and "2nd corps" ?

thank you
Daniele

I have written them an e-mail. Perhaps they have something, even thou they write that most of their models are based on photos.

Hi, well I'll have a look when I get back home. The more I think of it, the more I'm convinced I actually threw it away.
Either way I found the place where they build RC models. Perhaps if you contact them they can provide you with plans. They have some really awesome RC versions and even if their plans aren't perfect on 1/100 or 1/50, if you scale them down to your smaller scales they will be quite close or certainly acceptable.
I believe you have to make time for this

http://s334193509.website-start.de/ig-x-bow/flotte-der-ig/

I found some plans of Bourbon Orca, which are useful (but not perfect) to understand the hull form, plus reasonable good plans of the seismic research ship Columbus. I will probably built either Columbus or one of her sister ships or Polarcus Asima or one of her sister ships. If I find the time to actually start this project...

If you find the plan, I would be interested.

Nice Chikyu builds.

Maxim, I believe there is a German RC board specially dedicated to X-bow designs, not sure if they draw all their plans by themselves or whether they have access to some real design drawings. X-bow is quite popular, in only a couple of years since its introduction there are already more than 100 built.
I think I still have some deck plans of a diving support vessel with an X-bow (in relatively smaller scale, somewhere around 1/400 I think. Not sure if I threw it away or kept it during my last move though. If you want I can have a look again. That ship worked with us for a while, the name was Reef Despina. She was more a diving support vessel than a seismic survey vessel though. Some of the common users are Polarcus (survey), Bourbon (offshore supply vessels), and a variety of other companies (forgot who's property Despina was). Currently there is also the X-stern, together with the X-bow it makes a funny look. However by their characteristics in a decent seaway, the combination of both allows quite a stable platform that doesn't require too much effort to keep position. Therefore it's more fuel efficient since the Dynamic Positioning system doesn't have to do that much work.

Another lovely build of the Chikyu: http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=157853&p=641341#p641341

- D-Boy

Thank you!

I am collecting material about seismic research ships with the X-Bow design, but I have not started to built one. The seismic research ships of the Ramform design are even more odd.

Yeah exciting times for research ships nowadays. Don't forget the odd-ball Ramform Titan and its sister. Lots of Seismic research ships around nowadays, also the new drillships and semi-submersibles are pretty interesting. Also check out the Stena ships, they have some pretty neat paint schemes.

Congrats on your Chikyu, not exactly a well-known or common kit. Pretty difficult to get all those details right. Too bad nobody produces PE for such ships yet.

Thank you! I hope there will be more similar kit released. Not necessarily drilling vessels (JOIDES Resolution, Glomar Challenger?), but other research ships. There are many of them with some interesting stories, e.g. RV Knorr, which was used to find the Titanic wreck.

[quote="maxim"]Recently I have finished the deep see research drilling vessel Chikyu (1/700, Bandai):

http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3901:japanisches-tiefseebohrforschungsschiff-chikyu-1700-bandai-von-lars-scharff&catid=112:lars

I have modified a lot of the lattice structures, e.g. at the drilling tower, below the helicopter deck, the mast etc. etc. But there is much more, which could have been done.[quote]

Congrats, Maxim! I look forward to exploring the link. Will cross-post the link in my review of the kit.

D-Boy

Recently I have finished the deep see research drilling vessel Chikyu (1/700, Bandai):





http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3901:japanisches-tiefseebohrforschungsschiff-chikyu-1700-bandai-von-lars-scharff&catid=112:lars

I have modified a lot of the lattice structures, e.g. at the drilling tower, below the helicopter deck, the mast etc. etc. But there is much more, which could have been done.

The next research ship could be the polar research ship Shirase II:
http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3661:seals-models-japanisches-polarforschungsschiff-shirase-2-1700&catid=61

I found a ex-BYMS-26 at my LHS. Complete with Neptune decals. Sure looks like the kit I built when I was 12.