The Ship Model Forum

Hello dear fellow modelers !

My name is Gilles, and I live in Nice, French Riviera, south of France...I'm55 old and is US Navy fanatic from more than 30 years.
In my location, I 'have the great oportunity to visit more than 70 differents USN ships in the place of south french med. coast, like Menton, Monaco, St Jean Cap Ferrat, Villefranche sur mer, Nice, Juan les Pins, Cannes, Théoule, St Raphael, Toulon and Marseille.

But my favorite place is Villefranche. I know this marvellus town and his bay from my child time.
In my collection, I build only USN ship who have made a visit on this fantastic place, and this in all the time.
USN ships come in Villefranche from the 18th century ! And I estimate that more than 400 differents USN ships are visiting Villefranche ; and many of there in multi visits !
Villefranche was from 1953 to january 1967 the resident place for the admiral ship of the 6th Fleet like USS Salem, Des Moines, Springfield, Little Rock.

I just want to introduce here some ships I've buit in 1/700 scale...and comments are welcome ("bienvenue"...in french)...
If forum' moderators wants to publish some pics on the Gallery...is it ok for me !

USS Springfield - CLG 7 1/700 Niko Model :
6th fleet admiral ship based in Villefranche from 1960 to 1967.





















More to come...

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Gilles

USS Columbus - CA 74 1/700 Trumpeter
Heavy cruiser who was frequent visitor in Villefranche during 1948 to 1953 :

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Gilles

USS Mount Whitney - LCC 20 1/700 Trumpeter
Actual 6th fleet admiral flag ship. Coming in Villefranche last year in may...

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Gilles

USS Nitze - DDG 94 1/700 Hobby Boss
Nitze come two times in Villefranche : 2012 and at the end of the last year in december 2016. This is a reprensation of his 2012' visit :

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Gilles

USS Colorado - BB 45 1/700 Trumpeter
Conversion of two kits for to have this wonderfull battleship represented when she made a visit in Villefranche sur mer in january 1924 during here first cruise in Europe :

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Gilles

That's all for the moment...
Next build : USS Missouri when she come in 1948 at Villefranche...

Cheers.

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Gilles

Very nice, and great theme as well. Look forward to more.

Matt

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In the yards right now:
USS Utah AG-16
On Hold
1/350 USS Portland CA-33 1942
1/350 Trumpeter Texas with a twist

Very impressive modelmaking!

good and varied!--

I particularly love the Colorado!



Jim Baumann

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....I buy them at three times the speed I build 'em.... will I live long enough to empty my stash...?
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

IPMS UK SIG (special interest group) www.finewaterline.com

i like the focus of your collection. Your models are very nicely done. I collect photos of battleships from the Internet . Some of the most interesting are those of squadrons of ships moored off Villefranche. It is a beautiful setting.

Elles sont tres belles!

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De quoi s'agit-il?

Beautiful collection, sir. Thank you for sharing with us.

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- Greg

Thanks a lot to all of you...

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Gilles

Good looking models! Nice work, and nice theme connection them.

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Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery

I have seen many photos of ships moored in Villefranche - this must be a really nice era!

A very good idea for a model collection and impressively executed!

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Nice! Love that Colorado.

Very nice builds! I like them all

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Just finished:
1/350 USS Columbia 1945

Current projects:
1/700 USS Catamount 1960
1/700 USS Helena 1942
1/350 USS San Francisco 1944

Thanks a lot to all of you. It's a pleasure to introduce my models to the great modelers of this forum.

At this time, my Missouri is begining. I use the TAMIYA kit, including the great FLYHAWK details set and the INFINI wood deck (fantastic product !!!).

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Gilles

I know many of the former crewmen of the USS Salem as a volunteer on the ship as a museum. I became very good friends with a crewman whose favorite port of call was Villefranche-sur-Mer.
He started selling Carnival Cruises and we had a large group go on a 12 day Mediterranean cruise, with a stop in Cannes. He said to forget Cannes, and pre-arranged a van to take a group of us up the coast through Nice to Villefranche.
I'd seen pictures, but in person? Tres magnifique!
Lunch at La Mere Germaine on the waterfron, and then an afternoon exploring this wonderful village.
Dick made sure we all saw the plaque on the wall of a building that was a gift from the USS Salem thanking the village for all the hospitality they gave the crew.

I hope you get to do a USS Salem model for your collection in the future!

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Larry Ouellette
Volunteer, USS Salem (CA 139)
United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum
Quincy, Massachusetts, USA
http://www.uss-salem.org/

News adds in my collection :

USS Missouri BB63 during his port of call in Villefranche in 1948 :

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Gilles