Okay first I have to say I got it for $1 at a garage sale! So all things considered however it turns out, it was worth it! Anyway I have not built many ship models, the last was about 15 years ago when I was in my teens. I am mainly a ww2 aviation modeler.
So any comments on this kit? The only thing missing are the tiny decals (no big deal). I plan on going very simple on it and it looks pretty straight forward. I think it will be good change from building wingythingys.
I built this kit about ten years ago to try out some concepts prior to tackling the Minicraft 1:350 Titanic kit. For a kit introduced in the mid-70’s there were few assembly problems other than getting the focs’l deck to sit properly in the hull. Your satifaction with the completed model will depend on what you expect from this kit, some things to consider:
(1) There is no provision made for rigging stays for the funnels, so you’ll need to drill holes in the funnels and boat deck or try to use strected sprue tacked down for the stays.
(2) The boats and davits are produced as a single unit and lack a lot of detail, plus they mount into the boat deck through a long slot which is difficult to conceal (I did a lot of trimming and painted the stringer below the boats the same color as the deck and no one noticed). Similarly, the ratlines for the masts are also molded as a solid unit and look pretty clunky.
(3) There is very little molded-in detail in the superstructure - prominent items such as windows (in the public rooms), port holes and doors are all missing. If you can find and scan a good graphic of the Titanic you might be able to color it, scale it down, and make custom decals (maybe one or two narrow strips for the entire deck) to add this.
(4) The two major painting challenges were getting waterline correct at the bow and painting the thin yellow band on the hull just below the superstructure.
For a buck though, it should be a fun break from aircraft.
Have fun,
Mike
Everything you need can be found here -
I’ve built this kit, OOB-- With a little effort, you can make a nice looking model-- something not too big…
The fit of the parts around the forward end of the superstructure, in the bridge area, is the trickiest part-- test fitting and some careful clamping will be needed. I also tossed the heavy molded ratlines for the foremast.
One of the model’s shortcomings is the face that the sides of the superstructure have no detail at all- they are just long blank white walls. Somebody used to sell a set of decals for this model-- long strips of window and door decals to go on these bulkheads. If they are not still available, you could probably make your own. They wouldn’t have to be all that accurate-- a series of rectangles and squares would create the impression. You could probably do the same thing with paint, too…
If you’re just getting back in to plastic ship modeling, this is a good kit. Yes, there are a few fit issues, but nothing that can’t be fixed with a little superglue, clamping and patience. My 12-year-old daughter tackled this last summer, her first model ever, and had a good time. Naturally her assistant (that would be me) was volunteered to do a lot of the detail painting, and when all was said and done it turned out looking pretty good - impressive size, adequate level of detail, and who can argue with the subject matter?