I’m in a bit of a building block usually 1/25, 1/25 scale autos, bought an Airfix 1/700 scale Titanic, to break the block, only paid 11.00 us for it at Barnes n Nobel. any hints suggestions any one have any knowledge of this particular manufacturer?
The 1/700 Titanic needs a lot of work to make it look good. You’ll need to cut all of the molded-in rails and some other of the pieces that make this look like a bathtub toy. With a little bit of work it can turn out nice, actually.
Tom’s Model Works has two sheets of PE brass details for the 1/700 kit that will only help it…railings and some other details. I think between the two sheets, you are looking at around twenty five bucks or so…but that will be money well spent. I don’t know how far you want to take this build but those pieces will help, for certain.
Do some research on the actual ship just so you are familiar with what can be removed and what needs to be embelished. If I’m not mistaken, several of the deckhouses have molded railings that look more like barrier walls than anything else…so those need to go, regardless if whether or not you replace them.
Use something like 6/0 or 8/0 fly-tying thread for your rigging. Nothing looks worse than the thick, black rigging that ends up on this scale of ship. Gray fly-tying thread looks nice and subtle (almost an afterthought) and won’t jump out at the person viewing your finished build. Most sporting goods stores should have a wide variety of sizes and colors.
I’m considering doing a quick and dirty build of this same kit for a friend’s daughter. She saw my 1/350 and asked for me to build her one EXACTLY like mine. I had to chuckle…I’m going on 3 1/12 years with mine. I doubt I’ll put in the detail like the 1/350…I can just see it being bombarded in the bathtub by an “800 foot Barbie” monster.
Have fun and post pictures. I love seeing other people’s approach to this kit.
Matt
The Airfix Titanic is, I believe, a reissue of the Academy kit. It’s not bad, but since then Revell has released the same ship on the same scale. I haven’t seen the Revell version, but on the basis of pictures (and the instructions, which you can download from the Revell Germany website) it seems to have a good deal more detail. For one thing, the hull is molded in port and starboard halves, encouraging better plating detail. And I’m pretty sure the Revell one doesn’t have molded-in guardrails.
The Academy/Airfix one, though, can, I’m sure, be made into a fine model. I’ve got one in my stash; as I recall the rails are molded in such a way that they can be taken off without much trouble.
Good luck.
thanks gents like i said this is way out of the box for me, I usually build stockcars (dirt trackers, that kind of stuff,and ran into buliders block ) someone suggested trying some thing different building wise your suggestions certainly will help as I havent built a ship since my early teen (just turned 60)
I would go ahead and build it as is. If you like it, do the Revell one and try the PE.
I would have to agree. Since this is a departure from your normal subject matter, keeping this an “out of the box” build is probably the safest way to go. Once you finish and feel like you have the hang of it (ships, I mean), then move to another manufactuerr or different scale wiith ALL the bells and whistles.
Mr. Tilley is correct…the Revell kit’s railings are separate pieces and don’t look to be all that bad. A tad out of scale maybe, but the fact that they are separate and not molded in place is a huge bonus.
Looking forward to a build log soon…
Matt
Just a thought, Airfix just re-issued the 1/600 Mauretania and Queen Elizabeth. Both are very nice kits to build out of the box.
Fred
I just scored both of them in a single eBay auction tonight. I can’t wait to start the Queen Elizabeth, although it is way down the list. I have been on an ocean liner “kick” lately and think I have all the liners that I’m willing to do. A 1/350 Lusitania would be nice, also…but the prices for those are way too much for my taste. Instead, I picked up an S.S. Oriana by Revell (odd scale, that one) so that should be fun to research and detail.
Now I just need to find shelf space for all of these should I ever finish them.
Matt
The Airfix Mauretania can be built as the Lusitania with a little or a lot of work depending on how accurate you want to be. They were not exactly sister ships. There was probably more difference than there was between Titanic and Olympic. But the general layout was pretty close. The Lusitania had a paint scheme on her last voyage that was not the standard Cunard scheme. There is some debate as to whether the white structure had been repainted grey, but it’s pretty sure the funnels were black in 1915.
As for the Airfix Queen Elizabeth, ignore the paint scheme in the instructions showing a light grey or white hull and yellow stacks. That is completely bogus and Airfix should be ashamed of itself. The troopship colors were totally grey.
What I should do is just save my pennies and get the Lusitania in 1/350. I already have the PE set from GMM (leftovers from my Titanic build) so I’m motivated to go THAT route. To try and convert a Mauretania might prove to be more aggravating than it sounds. I’ve been doing so many corrections to the Titanic that I have, I just might burn out quicker than I should. What I need is a straight-forward, out of the box build (or two) just to get my sanity back. Titanic has burnt me out…but the end is near, so that is good.
That odd paint scheme for the QE was for only a short period in history of the ship. Once it was retired, it was sold to a private individual in Hong Kong where it was repainted. Why Airfix would call out those colors is beyond me. That time period is almost a footnote in the ship’s career.
Don’t worry, it will be all Cunard colors, all the way for this build.
Matt
I’ve been hoping that, with the surge of interest in World War I due to the centennial, some good company might release a brand new, state-of-the-art Lusitania. But no sign of it so far.
On the other hand, Trumpeter and Flyhawk have given us some exquisite warships from that period in 1/700. It wasn’t long ago that the WWI ship model enthusiasts had about three kits to choose from. Things are getting better - but it sure isn’t happening very fast.
I hear you Matt. But I don’t think Airfix’s scheme is even very accurate for the Seawise University period. And they don’t supply decals for it anyway. Cunard colors are the best plan.
Yeah, those Seawise colors make no sense to me at all. Since the kit isn’t in front of me yet, I’ll ask a silly question…Does Airfix give the proper Cunard colors on the instructions and uses the other paint scheme as an alternative? It won’t be hard to put down the correct colors, and Lord knows model companies get their color call-outs wrong sometimes…but to ignore the ship’s color scheme throughout it’s career as a liner (and the fact that the company is selling it as the QE and NOT Seawise University) would be careless and ridiculous to give the white hull and yellow funnels as the correct colors.
White Ensign Models has a PE set to be used toward either the Queen Elizabeth or the Queen Mary. I plan on picking up a couple of those…seeing I have both kits in the stash pile now (or soon, anyway). I’ll have to search around for a set or two that could apply to the Mauretania. Another that would come in handy would be a set for Gunze-Sangyo’s 1/450 QE 2. I have a generic set from GMM that covers the 1/450 scale, but getting some brass lifeboat davits would be cool.
One day I’ll get to start posting progress on these kits. I have a QM 2 sitting in the wings, but plan on lighting it (another year or so for THAT project).
Matt
I don’t have the kit right in front of me either, but I do have it in the stash at home. The colors for the Cunard post war period seem to be pretty accurate, and at any rate they can be researched easily. Of course there is always debate about just how orange Cunard red is. The color scheme showing the white and yellow/buff stacks is listed as “from 1940” which is of course ridiculous. The ship came out of the builder’s yard and went right to troopship duty. Sources say there was a period when she had black stacks and grey hull, but mostly she was all grey during the war.
For the Mauretania , it’s been years since I built mine, but if memory serves I used Tom’s 1/600 merchant ship PE which includes the ratined shrouds. There are two styles in that set, the other being for Titanic. Railings are 5 bar.