Rogus McBogus Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Why are there so few model warships in Airfix's catalogue? Do they feel there is not a big enough market for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 A number of factors contribute to this. First and foremost more people seem to be interested in aircraft. Even then, more are interested in warplanes and hence we get fewer civilian types and more warplanes. Secondly, 1:700 and 1:350 seem to have cornered the market. Besides the Airfix "fleet" I only know of a very few 1:600 ship models and most of those are 1950's / 60's examples where detailing is a far cry from the standard expected today. I find I'm the odd one out still building to 1:600. No problem though. I like the scale. Not too big like 1:350 and neither too small like 1:700. I've bought all the 1:600 types I could lay my hand on but for the last 15 years or so have concentrated on liners...... this has basically mean scratchbuilding. However, I will shortly start building a kit of the Airfix SS France I acquired but this time I'll build it as the Norway. (I already have a France). Should make an interesting pair. I will probably start a thread and post the build on-line ....... but at the rate I build it will probably take me some 4 or 5 months! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon-1333300 Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Ships still are a minority interest, what I get from attending model shows in and around London is that it is a growing area of the hobby. With what Airfix are turning out in other genres, It would be great for ship modellers if Airfix were to some gaps in 1/350th. RN WW2 destroyers, we only have a tribal in plastic, and it has a few flaws. An Abdiel class fast minelayer would be excellent, any of the war emergency destroyers, J/K/N class, option for a flotilla leader, Mountbatten's Kelly, the Polish N class ORP Piorun, both fairly well known. HMS Ajax / Achilles. A Batch 2 Dido, HMS Sheffield, HMS Norfolk, HMS Suffolk. to name but a few. Just my thoughts. Cheers, Si Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 (edited) On 23/03/2024 at 04:11, Sailorman said: I find I'm the odd one out still building to 1:600. Not so odd, brother. 😁 Me too, as you no doubt know by now. 🙂 G'day, I've just cut this from the Cunard liners thread. I don't know if I've said this on this forum, I know I have elsewhere:- 1/600 scale ships are my forte, mainly WW2 vintage although I'd like to do some WW1 ships too. There's quite a number of ships that could fill in the gaps in Airfix's range, such as the convoy escorts (C-class cruisers, corvettes, sloops etc), the war-built destroyers, Dido class cruisers, armoured and escort carriers, and they're just the RN ships. The Kriegsmarine could use a light cruiser and other destroyers to accompany the Prinz Eugen. Plus there's the whole gamut of other navy's ships, such as USN, IJN, French, Italian. And of course, the WW1 HMS Iron Duke is very lonely. She needs company, such as a battlecruiser or three. Plus an R-class battleship, that could be converted to WW2 also. And a reason for being - adversaries. Yeah, I know, they'll never happen, not in 1/600 kit form anyway. Oh well . . . Regards, Jeff. Edited August 21 by ArnoldAmbrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 There are plenty of us who still predominantly build 1/600. I just wish that Airfix would test the market with a new tool warship in 1/600 - maybe a Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 (edited) On 22/03/2024 at 20:11, Sailorman said: A number of factors contribute to this. First and foremost more people seem to be interested in aircraft. Even then, more are interested in warplanes and hence we get fewer civilian types and more warplanes. I wonder about this. Whilst I largely think you're right, that military models are more popular, I wonder how many of us out there build warplanes, warships and other military stuff just because there is no other option. We want to build models, but we can't built civilian subjects because the model companies don't kit them. Therefore nobody builds them, therefore they must be less popular?!?!? Edited August 21 by A J Rimmer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat_Ern Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 As someone who would really appreciate a WW1 Cruiser or something that could be converted to same. My Great Uncle served on HMS Challenger during WW1 and I would love to build that. She took the first prisoners of WW1 in the Bristol Channel when she seized the Ulla Boog, a German Merchant ship leaving South Wales. She then joined the East Africa station and with HMS Cumberland was involved in the Cameroons. He also served on HMS Philomel at the relief of Ladysmith in 1900, but I know I will never happen across a kit of that Cruiser. Ever hopeful, Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD45elect2000 Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 I’d like a nice model of the morro castle… Randall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted September 14 Share Posted September 14 On 09/09/2024 at 18:24, Topcat_Ern said: As someone who would really appreciate a WW1 Cruiser or something that could be converted to same. My Great Uncle served on HMS Challenger during WW1 and I would love to build that. G'day Andy, what scale would you be interested in? And if there are no kits available have you considered scratch building. This obviously has great meaning for you and so if you can find diagrams or plans of the ship or similar it's not as difficult as some people think. Regards, Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat_Ern Posted September 14 Share Posted September 14 I've only seen photographs Jeff, no plans. A scratch built scares the life out of me presently, as it was a three funnel and mast fore and aft. I presume 1/600. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted Monday at 19:11 Share Posted Monday at 19:11 It's not as difficult as you might think to scratchbuild. Much more time consuming but not much more difficult. I scratchbuild to 1:600 to match the Airfix ships. If you want any tips let me know. Here is an example: USS Spruance. I started off scratchbuilding by first carrying out a conversion. HMS Tiger to HMS Blake. I followed an article in an old Airfix Magazine. It's a good way to build up to a full scratchbuild. These started off as two Airfix 1:600 HMS Tiger kits. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted Tuesday at 09:20 Share Posted Tuesday at 09:20 Wonderful build those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted Tuesday at 14:28 Share Posted Tuesday at 14:28 On 21/08/2024 at 04:47, ArnoldAmbrose said: And of course, the WW1 HMS Iron Duke is very lonely. She needs company, such as a battlecruiser or three. Plus an R-class battleship, that could be converted to WW2 also. IIRC there are four, plus maybe two more potential, WW1 subjects: Iron Duke, Repulse, Warspite, and Mauretania. Then there is Campbeltown, which started life as a USN Wickes-class destroyer, several of which served in WW1; and Hood, which was delayed by various redesigns and hence missed WW1 but only just. You have to do surgery on Repulse and Warspite to backdate them to WW1, but then this is true of Iron Duke too, which IIRC is depicted as of 1921, so nothing unusual there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted Tuesday at 14:43 Share Posted Tuesday at 14:43 19 hours ago, Sailorman said: These started off as two Airfix 1:600 HMS Tiger kits. They look amazing, fab job Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted Tuesday at 15:41 Share Posted Tuesday at 15:41 51 minutes ago, john redman said: You have to do surgery on Repulse and Warspite to backdate them to WW1, G'day, yeah I didn't think of them as they're in their WW2 guise. So good point. I think they'd need quite a bit of work though. 55 minutes ago, john redman said: but then this is true of Iron Duke too, which IIRC is depicted as of 1921 I wasn't sure when she was depicted, but I did my model of her as at Jutland. Again, quite a few mods. I also thought that the USN flush-deckers (Campbeltown) were completed after WW1 so I didn't consider her either. So I looked them up and you're correct. 🙂 I still think some earlier battlecruisers would be nice, plus their adversaries of the High Seas Fleet. 🙂 Regards, Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted Tuesday at 16:54 Share Posted Tuesday at 16:54 An article on the WEM website when under its original management reckoned the Iron Duke was circa 1921. I forget how this was determined. The other thing is that if you compare the deck levels and overall height of the forward superstructure to plans, it's too tall. I don't think that's a wrong-year thing, I think it's a bit off. So there's a bit to do to fix it. If you want an early battlecruiser we'll have to wait for that 1/600 Dreadnought kit people have been campaigning for...which will be able to donate the necessary 12-inch turrets. It's about time we had a wing-turreted design in 1/600... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted Wednesday at 13:59 Share Posted Wednesday at 13:59 (edited) 21 hours ago, john redman said: The other thing is that if you compare the deck levels and overall height of the forward superstructure to plans, it's too tall. I don't think that's a wrong-year thing, I think it's a bit off. G'day, I believe that's correct. I took off about 2.5mm of height spread over three levels of superstructure. One error is the provision of fourteen 6-inch guns. The ship had twelve. The casemate guns under Y-turret were found to be too close to the water so they were re-sited onto the foc'sle deck, just forward of the funnels and boats, and firing aft. But the kit has guns in BOTH positions. The searchlight platforms on the second funnel, heavy spotting top, numerous light guns and external range-finders on the turrets suggested to me she is depicted late/post war. Plus the chain plate at the forefoot and some of the positions of the ship's boats. But I'm not an expert. 21 hours ago, john redman said: If you want an early battlecruiser we'll have to wait for that 1/600 Dreadnought kit people have been campaigning for I'm seriously considering scratch building them in 1/600, but not in the immediate future though. So I WISH Airfix would do them to save me a lot of work. 🙂 Regards, Jeff. Edited Wednesday at 14:02 by ArnoldAmbrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat_Ern Posted Wednesday at 17:30 Share Posted Wednesday at 17:30 On 16/09/2024 at 20:11, Sailorman said: It's not as difficult as you might think to scratchbuild. Much more time consuming but not much more difficult. I scratchbuild to 1:600 to match the Airfix ships. If you want any tips let me know. Here is an example: USS Spruance. I started off scratchbuilding by first carrying out a conversion. HMS Tiger to HMS Blake. I followed an article in an old Airfix Magazine. It's a good way to build up to a full scratchbuild. These started off as two Airfix 1:600 HMS Tiger kits. Tips would be great. Sorry for delay in responding I have been asking various maritime archives if they have any plans for her and have just been put into contact with the Royal Museums Greenwich and they seem to have the plans in their archive. I need to contact them to see how I can access those. She is described as Challenger Class with only two vessels in that Class. Records appear to suggest that they are modified High Flyer Class ships if that helps. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted yesterday at 03:56 Share Posted yesterday at 03:56 10 hours ago, Topcat_Ern said: Records appear to suggest that they are modified High Flyer Class ships if that helps. Yeah, I believe so, and these were slightly enlarged Eclipse class cruisers. So the hull forms of any would be very similar I'd imagine, and could be used for HMS Challenger. HTH. Regards, Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat_Ern Posted yesterday at 08:01 Share Posted yesterday at 08:01 Thanks Jeff, struggling to find any kits on the web for Eclipse Class or Highflyer Class for conversion. I didn't realise the state of under representation of our Naval past in model kit form. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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