By way of introduction I have recently taken up modeling again after a few decades of military service. It was a teenage hobby which I remember thoroughly enjoying, and I’m finding it to be so again. The impetus that brought me back to it was the convergence of circumstances: frustration with retirement, forced idleness brought on by winter and a knee injury, the rediscovery of several unassembled model kits that had been packed away in a moving box for I can’t remember how many years, and frustration with retirement (did I already mention that?!). There was also a recent visit to and a personal connection with the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum’s Forrest Sherman class USS Edson (DD 946) and several Forrest Sherman class model kits I inherited from my dad stacked on a bookshelf that begged to be assembled. It so happens too, that Atlantis Models has a decal set that includes the hull number and name for the Edson which settled the matter. And so, it was with an Atlantis Models Forrest Sherman kit that I jumped back in.
Modeling has been a lifelong interest. With an uncle who had been a longtime editor for the Nautical Research Guild as well as a maritime historian and professional model builder in his own right, visits to his home were always exciting. With his basement workshop and library stacked with all manner of books dealing with maritime themes, ships plans hanging from numerous racks, an extensive tool collection, and models of all sorts and in various stages of assembly, not to mention the completed ones in display cases on the main floor, how could I not take interest!
Like my uncle my primary interest is in sailing vessels – I have a particular affinity for naval sailing vessels – but also more modern destroyers of the WWII and immediate post-WWII era. While all my experience has been in plastic kits from well known companies such as Revell, Lindberg, and Monogram, I aspire to graduate to wood kits, perhaps this winter. So it is that I look forward to participating in this forum, asking lots of questions, seeking advice, and sharing my humble attempts to ever increase my skill and abilities.
As soon as I figure out how to post pictures, I’ll share a photo or two of my first attempts after a 40+ year break from the hobby.
As mentioned, here is a picture of my first build after 40+ years away from the hobby. While the markings are of the USS Edson, the model was built out of the box so it really represents more closely the Forrest Sherman rather than the Edson, but future attempts will strive to fix that. So too will future iterations strive for greater detail while attempting to correct the kit’s many flaws.
A work in progress, the Airfix Royal Sovereign. This model had been partially assembled decades ago right out of the box with only the gold details painted. This presents some challenges to my attempt to now enhance the visual presentation of the model by painting the hull based on internet research and the work of others who have built models of this incredible 17th century British warship. A long way yet to go!
Welcome aboard! When you’re ready to start a wooden ship/boat, Model Expo sells Midwest Model Boats kits which have great instructions and are an easy entrance to wooden ship building.
Welcome to the forum. Glad that you’re able to pick up modeling again. “It’s just like riding a bike”. My dream ship to build one day is the USS Constitution. I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Welcome aboard @MarineGen3. Glad to have you aboard and you’ve got one heckuva good introduction going on there with that USS Edson build. I have a buddy of mine that retired from the military after 20+ years of service and he had the same problem you did with the idleness of retirement. He’s now got a good amount of things going on but he did purchase a Tamiya M109 Palidan kit so we’ll see where he goes with that.
Your build of the Edson was a good starting point as you started out basic and are working your way up AND you just joined a scale modeling forum which is going to be a huge benefit to your skillset. In three months or so you’ll start noticing your skillset will be improved to the point to where you’ll have those, “I just did that??!!” moments.
Glad to have you aboard and we’re all looking forward to chatting with you Eddie.
Welcome to the forum, Eddie! I like your Forrest Sherman kit build! I built that as a kid in the 70s in its original issue from Revell but yours is much, much better. I look forward to more builds from you!
I admit to being a bit intimidated by wood kits as well. To overcome, I have been collecting a small libray of guide books to help demistify the process. Some of what I have put my hands on for the library:
-Ship Modeling Simplified by Frank Mastini, International Marine
-Period Ship Kit Builder’s Manual by Keith Julier, Naval Institute Press
-Building Plank-on-Frame Ship Models by Ron McCarthy, Conway Maritime Press
-Rigging Period Ship Models by Lennarth Petersson, Seaforth Publishing
-Ship Modeler’s Shop Notes edited by Merritt Edson, Nautical Research Guild
The last one is a way beyond me at this point but figure it will be a good handy reference once my skills have advanced a bit. For my first build I picked up the Lady Nelson by Victory Models. Numerous vendors list the kit as appropriate for beginners/intermediate level builders and there are some decent youtube videos; besides it looks cool and not too complicated to rig being a single masted cutter. I figure I can read through the references and be ready to dive in by winter.
Almost all of the books I found on ebay at reasonable prices.
Once I begin Lady Nelson (I’ll likely name the model something different, probably after one of the cutters in Alexander Kent’s " With all Despatch") I’ll create a build page, although I suspect this kit has been covered on this forum before.
I think my intimidation comes from a long time ago, when I had an uncle who had a wood ship kit that he asked me to build. I was in junior high school at the time. I thought I’d be able to put that thing together even at age 12 or whatever I was, but I wasn’t long into it when I realized that was never going to happen. I ended up returning the unbuilt kit to my uncle with my tail between my legs.
Thanks to all who have welcomed me to the forum. I was inspired to join by the build page for the HMS Bounty done by JDavis657 at First Model- Revell HMS Bounty - #2 by JDavis657. I have an Airfix kit on the way that I’m looking forward to starting on as soon as it arrives. Her build was amazing, especially for a first time model builder!
I mentioned in my introduction future builds of the Forrest Sherman kit - the beginning of the second iteration pictured below. I’ll move this discussion to a build page later. Objective is to more accurately reflect the Edson. Being launched about three years later than the lead ship in the class, Edson differed from the Forrest Sherman in a number of ways at the time she was launched and later commissioned, including a higher stem giving her more freeboard and buoyancy in the bow, two rotating triple tube torpedo mounts in place of the four fixed tubes Forrest Sherman was originally armed with, some differences in her bridge and signal decks, and no large cranes amidships are among the most noticeable in photographs. On the first attempt I painted her bottom black which is historically accurate at time of launch as well as during her time as a museum ship; her bottom has also been painted red with a black boot at times throughout her service life. Between the two I have been simply working out my beginner airbrush skills. On this build I’ll attempt some photo etch rails and some other details while also attempting to correct some of the issues with the molded parts.
I’m learning right up front patience is king ruling any hope of a good result! I attempted a quick paint brush job on the Royal Soverign I pictured above because I didn’t want to take the time to mask the hull only to spend hours 1) cleaning up the mess I had made, 2) masking the hull to get a decent result. That was a teachable moment. I figure it will be the same with the wood kit.
That’s a great kit the 1/96 USS Constitution. Would like to get my hands on one; they are out there but expensive! I picked up the Revell 1/96 Cutty Sark years ago - mid-80s, early 90s - and look forward to building it one day. Not sure where I’ll put it given the size it will be when completed but the build and especially the rigging will present an enjoyable challenge.
