Model Monkey News

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce 3 more nameplates for County-class guided missile destroyers (1962-2006) have been added to the catalog.

- HMS Antrim
- HMS Fife
- HMS Hampshire

Antrim and Hampshire are also suitable for two identically named Devonshire-class armoured cruisers (1905-1922). Armoured cruiser HMS Hampshire struck a mine in 1916 and was lost with great loss of life, including the Secretary of State for War, Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, and his entire staff.

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce a set of 1/100 scale Royal Navy 1766 Armstrong-Frederick 42-pounder cannons and their associated carriages have been added to the catalog. 30 of these weapons were intended to be fit to HMS Victory as built, all on the lowest gun deck. They were later replaced by lighter 32-pounder guns which were easier to manufacture and procure. The models feature King George monograms.

These sets are recommended to help modelers back-date their HMS Victory kit to the ship's as-built appearance for service during the American Revolutionary War.

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce nameplates for all 12 Kriegsmarine Type 1934a destroyers have been added to the catalog. These ships were very active during World War Two with several participating in the Battles of Narvik. Among the survivors, 2 were transferred to France, one to the UK, and 2 transferred to the Soviet Union after the war where they continued to provide valuable service.

- Z5 Paul Jacobi
- Z6 Theodor Riedel
- Z7 Hermann Schoemann
- Z8 Bruno Heinemann
- Z9 Wolfgang Zenker
- Z10 Hans Lody
- Z11 Bernd von Arnim
- Z12 Erich Giese
- Z13 Erich Koellner
- Z14 Friedrich Ihn
- Z15 Erich Steinbrinck
- Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt
- Desaix (ex- Z5 Paul Jacobi in French service)
- Kl�ber (ex- Z6 Theodor Riedel in French service)

[bioshock73]

I got a question about your 1/200 open/closed chocks. Would those be too large for a 1/350 battleship? Maybe I can get away with using them. My Idaho kit has no chocks and looks bare without them.

[ModelMonkey]

Good question. The 1/200 scale chocks would likely look very odd on a 1/350 scale kit being 75% overscale. IMHO, they are too large for your 1/350 Idaho.

Some recent printings:

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce a set of RMS Titanic funnels is now available in 1/400 scale. The models were scaled from scans of original Harland & Wolff drawings. Each funnel is fully riveted. The models include steam whistles and feature accurate, integrated exterior piping.

RMS Titanic.jpg (27.34 KiB) Viewed 2594 times

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce a Cleveland class square bridge in 1/350 scale will be released in the near future. The model is intended for the Very Fire round bridge Cleveland kits but perfectly suitable for other 1/350 Cleveland class kits. The rendering below shows the design at about 90% complete. Some of what you see here will change and more detail will be added.

More nameplates have been added to the catalog. New nameplates include:

- A-10A Thunderbolt II
- OA-10A Thunderbolt II
- F-4C Wild Weasel
- F-14B Tomcat
- F-15A Eagle
- F-16DJ Fighting Falcon
- F-100F Wild Weasel
- FB-111A Aardvark
- MQ-9 Reaper
- Su-17M4 Fitter-K
- Su-22M4 Fitter-K (export variant of Su-17M4)
- TR-1A Dragon Lady

- USS Sims DD-409
- USS Hughes DD-410
- USS Anderson DD-411
- USS Hammann DD-412
- USS Virginia CGN-38
- USS Texas CGN-39
- USS Mississippi CGN-40
- USS Arkansas CGN-41

- HMS Antrim
- HMS Fife
- HMS Hampshire
- HMS Ashanti (Tribal class)
- HMS Cressy
- HMS Aboukir
- HMS Hogue

- HMCS Kootenay
- NCSM Kootenay
- HMCS St. Laurent
- NCSM St. Laurent

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce our updated design of the forward superstructure of "square bridge" Cleveland class light cruisers is complete. The model is now available in 1/700 scale. The 1/350 scale model will be released shortly.

The new forward superstructure design includes another level, the lowest level, the "Communication Platform" which housed a very large station in the middle called "Radio Central" and two smaller stations forward, the "Coding Room" and the "Main Communication Station". The model includes more detailing than the original design. The model is generally based on USS Miami's 1944 appearance, with features that are typical of most square bridge ships of the class.

Below are photos of the model in 1/700 scale.

[maxim]

Good to know that there is a way to update the old Pit-Road kit!

[ModelMonkey]

Thanks, Maxim!

Happy to announce a Cleveland class light cruiser "Square Bridge" forward superstructure is now available in 1/350 scale. The design is based on USS Miami's 1944 configuration which has features common for most of the wartime "square bridge" Cleveland class ships.

[ModelMonkey]

In order to better fit the superb, new Very Fire 1/350 scale USS Cleveland and USS Birmingham kits, our sets of 1/350 scale Cleveland-class 6"/47 cal. turrets have been altered to include a cylinder on the bottom rather than a post.

The turrets are now drop-fit replacements for the kits' turrets without any need for modification. Attach the kits' barrels to the turrets and literally drop the turrets into the barbettes. For those who want separate barrels that can be posed at any realistic elevation, we also offer sets of separate barrels. For those who want to use their own brass barrels, we offer separate trunnions.

The turrets have also been updated to include extensive rivet detail, weld lines, roof top raised access plate, and roof-top tie-down details. As with the original design, Turrets 1 and 4, those close to the deck, have exterior spent-shell ejection port detail on the rear wall. Superfiring Turrets 2 and 3 accurately do not. Those two turrets ejected spent shell casings through the bottom of turret overhang. Turrets are marked on the bottom, 1, 2, 3 or 4 for easy identification.

The turrets are available in two different sets, one for "round bridge" ships which had bolt-on armored rangefinder hoods like those shown below, and another set for later "square bridge" ships which had integrated, welded armored rangefinder hoods.

The turrets were designed from scans of builder's blueprints for a precisely accurate shape and size.

Our 1/350 scale Brooklyn-class light cruiser turrets have also been updated to include the same extensive exterior detailing.

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce sets of US Navy 24-pounder cannons and 32-pounder carronades are now available in 1/196 scale and 1/146 scale intended for classic Revell USS Constitution "Old Ironsides" kits in those scales. Below are photos of the model weapons in 1/146 scale.

We've also made available for free download a US Navy Naval History and Heritage Command document describing Constitution's weapons throughout her history and the reproductions she carries today.

New ship plans for free download include three sets of official US Navy drawings of battleship USS Pennsylvania BB-38: her 1922 as-commissioned appearance, her 1931 post-major reconstruction appearance, and her February, 1942 post-Pearl Harbor attack appearance. The 1942 plans identify alterations and improvements made to her anti-aircraft weapons and splinter shielding at Navy Yard Mare Island, California just weeks after the attack.

Complementing the newly released Combrig 1/700 scale Gazelle-class light cruiser kit, new nameplates include several World War I-era Gazelle class light cruisers of the German Kaiserliche Marine. The Gazelle class were fleet workhorses and are best remembered for actions at Heligoland Bight and Jutland. One ship of the class, Niobe, also served with Yugoslavia and Italy after the war under other names. The last of the class was broken up in 1954.

Complementing the new Combrig 1/350 scale World War II-era French La Galissonni�re-class light cruiser Montcalm, we are happy to announce nameplates for all six ships of the class are now available. The La Galissonni�re-class ships were considered very fast and successful, with a speed of 35 knots and mounting nine 6"/50 cal. guns in three triple-gun turrets. Three ships of the class supported the Allied landings in France. The last of the class, Montcalm, served until 1970.

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce our 1/350 scale battleship USS Pennsylvania BB-38 superstructure, 7 December 1941 appearance, has been updated.

The model is an entirely new design based on scans of US Navy shipyard blueprints of the actual ship obtained from the National Archives. The new design includes the forward tripod, improved shape, and significantly more detail than the model we previously offered. It also has a more logical parts breakdown to make painting easier.

Fighting tops, fire control directors, turrets, cranes, and vents are available separately.

USS Pennsylvania BB-38 was the elder sistership of USS Arizona BB-39. Both battleships were present at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Pennsylvania survived the attack and went on to provide important service throughout the remainder of the war. Unlike USS Arizona, USS Pennsylvania was built as a fleet flagship thus her forward superstructure was configured conspicuously differently from that of USS Arizona. This model accurately captures those differences.

Nameplates and free scans of shipyard blueprints of both USS Pennsylvania BB-38 and USS Arizona BB-39 are also available.

[taskforce48]

Gorgeous work as always Steve!

Will you be doing it 1/700 as well?

Matt

[ModelMonkey]

Thanks, Matt!

Regarding 1/700 scale, private message coming your way.

[MartinJQuinn]

That looks great Steve!

[ModelMonkey]

Thanks so much, Martin!

Happy to announce we've begun preliminary design work to produce an accurate cockpit for the classic Bandai 1/24 scale Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai. The Shiden-Kai ("Violet Lightning") was employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War Two. The design will get our full attention once our 1/32 scale Bristol Beaufighter observer's station design is complete.

New nameplates have been added to the catalog. They include three famous sailing vessels:
- Endurance
- Mayflower
- Christian Radich

Three more French Georges Leygues-class anti-submarine destroyers (nameplates for all 7 ships of the class are now available):
- Dupleix
- Latouche-Tr�ville
- Primauguet

All six French Flor�al-class surveillance frigates:
- Flor�al
- Germinal
- Niv�se
- Prairial
- Vend�miaire
- Vent�se

All five Kaiser-class battleships of the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy, World War One)
- SMS Kaiser
- SMS Kaiserin
- SMS Friedrich der Grosse
- SMS K�nig Albert
- SMS Prinzregent Luitpold

Two more Gato-class submarines:
- USS Drum SS-228
- USS Croaker SS-246

Three more World War Two-era ships:
- USS Rudderow DE-224
- HMS Palomares (fighter direction control ship)
- HMS Pozarica (fighter direction control ship)

A modern Ukrainian Navy Krivak III-class frigate in your choice of Latin or Cyrillic text:
- ??????? ???????????
- Hetman Sahaidachny

Three more Swedish-built CV90 fully tracked armored fighting vehicles:
- CV9030CH (Swiss Army)
- CV9030FIN (Finnish Army)
- CV9030N (Norwegian Army)

[ModelMonkey]

Australian customers: ace news, we have been notified that the US Postal Service has ended its shipping suspension to Oz. Economical USPS First Class International Package shipping via sky gator has resumed. Place your orders; she'll be apples.

[maxim]

A question to the Flor�al-class surveillance frigates: is there a 1/700 kit available? Was the L'Arsenal 1/400 kit the motivation to make the nameplates?

[ModelMonkey]

You are correct, the Flor�al-class nameplates are intended to complement the L'Arsenal 1/400 scale kit. Links:
http://www.larsenal.com/fregate-type-fl ... 2x15951382
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/larsena ... al--966618

I don't know of any Flor�al-class frigate kits in 1/700 scale. But, Amatuer Wargame Figures (AWF) offers a 3D-printed Flor�al frigate in three different wargaming scales and may be willing to rescale their model to 1/700 for you; AWF offers several other model ships in 1/700 scale. Link:
https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?t ... &q=floreal

Hope this helps!