Postwar navy.

[NukeMM]

I like the CVE-118 USS Sicily. It must be the 1/700 FleetNet USS Commencement Bay CVE-105 resin kit.

This is the only build of this kit that I have seen posted online, besides my USS Mindoro CVE-120 that I built for my Dad who served on her briefly in 1953.

My friend was born in Sicily and picked this particular ship because it served during the Korean war.


Carl i see you broke your one ship at a time rule.

Not quite, exactly. I just opened and looked at another kit. I haven't glued anything together. I just had fun dry fitting some parts.

[Nektarios]

The first is the Fujimi "Ark Royal", the Harrier-carrier version, which had a pretty decent pricetag (less than the Trumpeter kits, so it's probably been on the shelves for *ages*), and was quite heavy for its size (must be a lot of plastic in that box). I didn't check the contents since I wasn't in an RN mood today, but I'd like to know more for future reference. Buy or don't buy?

I do not know much about this kit but it is heavy because it has a metal part to add weight to the finished model.

The second/third are the Trumpeter LCC-19/20, "Blue Ridge" and "Mount Whitney" (can't remember which one has which number right now... ). They're kind of off the beaten track for me, being Gator Navy, but not landing ships - but that makes them all the more interesting to some. Has anyone built one of these and can tell me what I'd be getting?

I have built both these kits. They are a must have for modern navy builders. You ll regret it if you will not get them.

The last of my questionmarks is the Revell 1/700 Oscar II-class "Kursk", which I've been avoiding for years since it seemed such a blatant attempt to cash in on a tragedy. (Much like the Titanic - I don't think I'll be building one of those, ever). There are various other alternatives out there, I know, but since Revell is what's available locally, does it compare favorably to the rest?

If you want a WL model of the Kursk its the best kit you can buy and there are decals to build two sisterships of Kursk : Omsk and Tomsk.

[SebastianP]

Many thanks for the info, Nektarios!

I admit it freely, I have the poorest impulse control of anyone I know. Today is a classic: after shopping for Christmas gifts for my hosts this year, I managed to spend 40+ euro each at both of the local hobby shops, after having entered just to wish them happy holidays... *sigh*

Today's loot (all in 1/700):

The Italeri (DML) LHA-1 Tarawa, which is lightyears ahead of the Revell LHA-4 Nassau I got a couple of months ago and wish I hadn't;

the Trumpeter LCC-20 Mount Whitney, which I decided on only after telling myself I'll get the other one (LCC-19) next time;

the Revell Kursk, like the above based solely on Nektarios' recommendation and its low availability (only one in stock);

and last but not least, the Bronco Models "Kang Ding" frigate, which cost more than the Tarawa and the Kursk put together, but looks to be a really nice little ship. For the curious, the Kang Ding is the Taiwanese version of the French "LaFayette" class, differing mainly in having a mostly US-made weapons and electronics fit, according to the instruction sheet blurb.

Since the Bronco kit isn't listed among the reviews on the site, I'm willing to run the sprues through my flatbed scanner in case anyone is interested. It's not new, but it'll work for this, I imagine...

SP

[Nektarios]

the Trumpeter LCC-20 Mount Whitney, which I decided on only after telling myself I'll get the other one (LCC-19) next time;

the Revell Kursk, like the above based solely on Nektarios' recommendation and its low availability (only one in stock)

Oooops,,, sorry i answered last night your questions when i was very tired. Do not buy the Revell kit. I thought you wrote Tamiya Kursk which is the best kit for a WL model of Kursk.

[orb]

Hi Sebastian,

you just purchased three of the kits that I've had my eyes on for quite a while now: LCC-20, LHA-1 and the Kang Ding frigate. I keep telling myself that it would be best to work on the other kits that I have laying around here before purchasing more, but that little voice inside doesn't always seem to agree, although so far I've managed to resist Looking forward to you building those three (and others of course)!

[SebastianP]

Oooops,,, sorry i answered last night your questions when i was very tired. Do not buy the Revell kit. I thought you wrote Tamiya Kursk which is the best kit for a WL model of Kursk.

Too late now... It looks OK to me in the box, and I frankly prefer full hull models when it comes to subs, especially nuclear powered ones. A true waterline model of a nuke sub would not be showing any of it, after all... WWI/II subs are different, because they usually fought on the surface once they'd started shooting, but now you see subs on the surface only in or just outside port...

I'll be posting a review of the Kang Ding to Modelwarships, though it might take a bit since I have to coax my camera and scanner back to life first. The one major problem though is how to avoid starting the build before the sprues are scanned... Poor impulse control is me.

SP

[Hippy Ed]

Oooops,,, sorry i answered last night your questions when i was very tired. Do not buy the Revell kit. I thought you wrote Tamiya Kursk which is the best kit for a WL model of Kursk.

Too late now... It looks OK to me in the box, and I frankly prefer full hull models when it comes to subs, especially nuclear powered ones. A true waterline model of a nuke sub would not be showing any of it, after all... WWI/II subs are different, because they usually fought on the surface once they'd started shooting, but now you see subs on the surface only in or just outside port...

I'll be posting a review of the Kang Ding to Modelwarships, though it might take a bit since I have to coax my camera and scanner back to life first. The one major problem though is how to avoid starting the build before the sprues are scanned... Poor impulse control is me.

SP

[SebastianP]

Well, I've managed (barely) to avoid starting on the Kang Ding, and that's mostly only due to the herculean task of assembling the five main pieces of the Tarawa's hull. Hard to start another model while you're holding on for dear life trying to keep two warped pieces from separating... but I think it's settled enough now that the tape will hold it. I hope.

The Oscar II is also half done now, but since it's only fourteen pieces including the stand, that's not saying very much. It needs some work done on the hull seam (what sub doesn't?) but it's well within my tolerance level. Thankfully the area around the torpedo tube hatches went together nearly perfectly, so I won't have to risk sanding those away. Would be a pain to rescribe...

Merry Christmas everyone,

SP

[Sauragnmon]

If you want to insist that it's so easy, you Could always go about modelling your Oscar II with one of the Granit tubes open.

Just a thought.

[Hippy Ed]

If you want to insist that it's so easy, you Could always go about modelling your Oscar II with one of the Granit tubes open.

Just a thought.

[SebastianP]

No. Just...no. I'm quite happy building a kit I don't have to use tweezers for anything on, and where the most concentration involved will be in adding the decals. Very nice break from the various complex mast arrangements and whatever that tend to need extreme care and attention in assembly, and are then a pain in the behind to brush paint (and you generally can't paint first because the glue doesn't stick etc.)

Also, the fewer parts, the less blood I need shed to get it done. The Tarawa hull has already received two blood sacrifices courtesy of my No 10 and my right thumb just to do the necessary bits...



SP

[Nektarios]

If you want to insist that it's so easy, you Could always go about modelling your Oscar II with one of the Granit tubes open.

Just a thought.

That is a great idea Sebastian. I ve seen an Oscar II with thwe tubes open in a modelling contest in Greece.


Merry Christmas to you too.

[ASFC]

Merry Christmas to everyone, expecially if you are deployed with your countries Armed Forces at the moment.

Sebastion, brig your oscar over to the Soviet Shipyard.

[Nektarios]

Merry Christmas to everyone, expecially if you are deployed with your countries Armed Forces at the moment.

Sebastion, brig your oscar over to the Soviet Shipyard.

Mathew Merry Christmas to you too. The package i sent you was returned to me yesterday. I don't know why this has happened. I ll send it again ASAP (Monday)

[Sauragnmon]

Merry christmas guys. Safe holidays, and come back in one piece.

The idea for the Oscar with tubes open was My suggestion, Nektarios - he didn't bite, not a clue why.

If you can get pics of the tubes-open Oscar, I would love to see it - that's a job that takes some cojones.

[Nektarios]

Merry christmas guys. Safe holidays, and come back in one piece.

The idea for the Oscar with tubes open was My suggestion, Nektarios - he didn't bite, not a clue why.

If you can get pics of the tubes-open Oscar, I would love to see it - that's a job that takes some cojones.

Merry Christmas to you too Simon. The idea for a SSGN with open tubes is very good but a little difficult to make due to the small size of the submarine in 1/700.

I ll try to find some photos of this Oscar and yes this is a job that takes some cojones.

[Sauragnmon]

I wouldn't mind doing an Echo with a popped-up tube or some such. There's a few Soviet SSG/SSGN's I wouldn't mind getting my paws on - Echo, Whiskey Long Bin, and maybe some others.

I have an appreciation for Subs, but there isn't a lot of bash potential on some of them.

[Nektarios]

I wouldn't mind doing an Echo with a popped-up tube or some such. There's a few Soviet SSG/SSGN's I wouldn't mind getting my paws on - Echo, Whiskey Long Bin, and maybe some others.

I have an appreciation for Subs, but there isn't a lot of bash potential on some of them.

In the main gallery there are two outstanding subs from Vladimir Yakubov.

Echo II
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

and Whiskey Long Bin.
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

This kind of detailed work (especially on Echo II) isn t something you see evryday.

[orb]

Those are links to some excellent sub models, I especially like how they modeled the water so realistically.

Merry Christmas guys!

[Nektarios]

Guys i m also, except from USN aircraft carrier (and other carriers too of course) fan, a submarine fan too.

Here are a couple of shots of my Soviet and Western subs collection.





I have most commercially available full hull kits of modern subs. Exceptions are Delta III from DML and Delta IV from an unknown Japanese resin company.