Thinking about trying to build models of each of the original 6 frigates of the US Navy. Anyone ever undertaken a model of this sort? Have any pointers on how to get started?
Post Reply
1 of 1
Anyone build wooden model ships?
1,999 Views |
7 Replies |
Last: 2 yr ago by Rabid Cougar
I used to build. Hope you have a lot of time. I did this BC (before children). Once they came along just never got back into it. In fact still have a kit in the attic. Just never seem to have enough time to devote to it even though kids have left the house
why not just go to a Hobby Store (where they still exist) and buy a Tamiya plastic model of them?
I just put together a German Cavalry scout.
I just put together a German Cavalry scout.
Not wanting to do a plastic model. I am looking for the challenge of doing wooden models.
Decades ago I had a good friend whose dad built wooden ship models. He would start with a block of wood, some dowels, and build everything wooden in the ship from those. All of the working parts on his ship actually worked. As I recall, it would take him something like 3 years to complete a ship. His finished models, however, were in various maritime museums up and down the East Coast and were appraised in the tens of thousands of dollars, and that was in 1970s dollars.
It would be fun to do, I think, although you'd probably have to have a dedicated model ship building room given the time required to complete a model.
It would be fun to do, I think, although you'd probably have to have a dedicated model ship building room given the time required to complete a model.
I started building wooden ship models way back when I was a single LT in the Army and saw a finished model of the Rattlesnake in a hobby store window that caught my eye and interest. Because I stayed in the Army for the next 25 years, but with 3 moves overseas, getting married, having kids, I would built wooden kits primarily of sailing ships in fits and starts ever since. And after building them I gave them all away!
Of the six ships you said you wanted to build, I am aware of only 2 of them in wooden kit form, the Constitution and Constellation. There may be kits of the others, so let Google be your friend. However, with research and plans, you might be able to modify those two kits into approximately the other four. For planning purposes I would guess that it would take you about 300 hours per ship to build. They would be about 3 feet long and 2 1/2 feet high if you kept them all in the same scale. There is a lot of stuff and info on the internet now, forums, stores, etc., general advice, that would guide you on your way.
I could give you more advice off this forum if you are interested.
Of the six ships you said you wanted to build, I am aware of only 2 of them in wooden kit form, the Constitution and Constellation. There may be kits of the others, so let Google be your friend. However, with research and plans, you might be able to modify those two kits into approximately the other four. For planning purposes I would guess that it would take you about 300 hours per ship to build. They would be about 3 feet long and 2 1/2 feet high if you kept them all in the same scale. There is a lot of stuff and info on the internet now, forums, stores, etc., general advice, that would guide you on your way.
I could give you more advice off this forum if you are interested.
When I was a kid in the 70's my dad would make ships out of balsa wood. Not kits but from scratch. He made many civil war iron clads and monitors plus WWII destroyers and cruisers. He would sit and work on these on Sunday afternoon while watching football. He would put fishing weights in them to make them ride correctly in the water.
Then the fun part began. We would anchor them out in the river at our farm and sit on the shoreline and shoot the crap out of them with Daisey BB guns. They would actually sink. We then retrieved them, repaired the damage and repeated the destruction. Anything that was beyond repair was summarily burned all the while being shot up with said BB guns.
I wish I had pictures of his work as they were very detailed. The Civil war ships were 1/72nd scale as he would use Airfix Civil War artillery figures as gunners and crewmen.
The WWII cruisers were about three feet long.
I have a WWII British RN PT type boat in 1/35 scale that he built. He used a Tamiya British 6 Pounder and crew along with Tamiya British North Africa infantry as the crew. Its about 45 years old.
Then the fun part began. We would anchor them out in the river at our farm and sit on the shoreline and shoot the crap out of them with Daisey BB guns. They would actually sink. We then retrieved them, repaired the damage and repeated the destruction. Anything that was beyond repair was summarily burned all the while being shot up with said BB guns.
I wish I had pictures of his work as they were very detailed. The Civil war ships were 1/72nd scale as he would use Airfix Civil War artillery figures as gunners and crewmen.
The WWII cruisers were about three feet long.
I have a WWII British RN PT type boat in 1/35 scale that he built. He used a Tamiya British 6 Pounder and crew along with Tamiya British North Africa infantry as the crew. Its about 45 years old.
Featured Stories
See All
64:01
15h ago
7.2k
Monday (1/12) Portal Storylines: Cycle nears its end in Aggieland
by TexAgs Recruiting
Texas A&M adds former North Carolina DT CJ Mims via transfer portal
by Ryan Brauninger
Terence Kitchens
Texas A&M adds former Houston Christian LB TJ Smith via transfer portal
in Billy Liucci's TexAgs Premium
26