Well I’m glad that is over! This is the Houston, a containership which was converted from the T-2 tanker Mission Carmel. I started with the Revell Esso Glasgow and as you can see, changed a lot.
This was my first try at making my own decals, for the container logos. It was a real learning experience but it came out as well as I could expect.
I was Third Mate on the Houston around 1980. She ran from New York ( Port Elizabeth) to San Juan, Kingston, Houston, New Orleans then back the same way.
Looks like a very nice and clean model. Good job!
Scott
Thanks Scott. I only regret I didn’t cut the bottom to a more realistic waterline. The way it is, half the propeller should be out of the water and the ship wouldn’t be on an even keel.
Fred
This is really excellent…nice job! Nice to see a commercial ship, and see someone kitbash a ship model for a change, especially given the number of real ships that have been ‘kitbashed’ themselves over the years. So many ships out there that have been converted, and the T2 hull itself was famous for that…move the wheelhouse aft, convert the midships pump room to a cargo hold, and presto…
I’m working on a sister kit, the Mission Capistrano, in a diorama pierside, with some shell plating being replaced (below the sheer strake, of course), and the hull being painted by the crew. No pics yet, but what you did here is inspiring. The PE came out beautiful. Also, glad the home-made decals worked out. Did you use Testors decal film and fixative?
KP,
As far as the decals, I found SeaLand decals by Microscale in HO RR scale. That is what is on the stack. I scanned the logo and used Paint to make the container logos then used the Testor’s sheets and fixative. The drawback I discovered is you don’t get white on the clear film. I experimented with doing the SL logo on white sheet and adding the ‘Sea Land’ on clear on either side, but I ended up deciding it wasn’t worth the effort. I was impressed that such small decals, cut close to the printing were pretty durable. The ‘reefer’ motors on #5 and #8 are printed on paper and white glued on.
The fact that you can cut off the midship house and stick it back aft with not too much fitting says this old kit must be pretty accurate.
T-2s sure did get sliced and diced didn’t they? Besides the containerships that I know of (Tampa, Jacksonville, Houston and Summit) there were some bulk ore/coal carriers. I think the ill-fated Marine Electric was a T-2 conversion. Then there must have been dozens of lengthened and modified tankers.
I look forward to seeing your Mission project.
Fred
Fred
Nice build. I like these “work boat” models. How big is this/what scale?
I remember seeing in Model Railroader a couple of years ago - a coal ship done with a massive railcar tipple dock with chutes for shiploading, based on one on Lake Michigan. If I remember right, the dock model was 6 ft. long! Done in HO (1/87) scale. Talk about a lot of work!
Fish Head,
I’ve seen that model, it’s huge. About 20 years ago I was scratchbuilding a roll-on roll-off ship in 1/8" scale (pretty close to HO scale) and the hull was about 4 feet long. I loved working in the larger scale, but I never finished it. I fiberglassed the hull and added the rudders, external shafts, struts and wheels, then started to build the stern ramp, then lost interest. I’m figuring I’ll pull it down from the attic one of these days and pick up where I left off. I switched back to the small plastic kits a few years back because I can actually finish them in a reasonable timeframe, but the big scale is pretty cool.
Aric,
This is 1/400 scale. T-2s were about 523 ft long. This model in about 15.5 inches.
Fred
Got some more photos? i´m an swedish modeler trying to build revells J.L. Hanna and S.S. Hawaiian Pilot, Hasse N.
I’ll be glad to email you some more pics.
Fred
A beautiful model of an interesting, important ship. I hope you’ve made good arrangements for keeping it clean and safe - for a long time. Ship models built by people who served on board the actual ships are extremely valuable artifacts. If your family doesn’t want to claim this one after you’re gone, I’m pretty confident that some maritime museum would be delighted to get it.
Thanks much jtilley! Presently she’s in a glass case in the Seattle union hall of the Masters, Mates and Piliots. If the union and/or the U.S. Merchant Marine doesn’t outlast me, I might see if the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle wants it. They have a few nice merchant ship models on display.
Actually the Houston was a pretty miserable ship. The quarters were the original T-2 rooms and so were going on 40 years old by the time the ship reached the end of her life as a containership. She was hot in the tropics and cold in the winter up north. If I recall she was one of the last jobs I had that required celestial navigation for most of her run too. But when it comes to building merchant ship models beggars can’t be chosers unless one wants to built entirely from sctratch. There aren’t too many out there, except liners.
Fred
´Thanks fred,
i´m 56 years old and has built revell´s all navy and mercant ships in the past but they ar all gone now, it´s time to start all over igen. Beginning with the J.L. Hanna and Hawaiian Pilot. I was at sea in the 70´s on the swedish freigters M.S. Rio De Janerio and M.S. Portland, Johnson Line ships.
Hej mr. Neren,
Welcome to the forums. I visited your beautiful capital Stockholm a few times and each time went to see the royal warship Vasa (Wasa). You might want to try modelling her some time. A very good kit of Vasa by Airfix can be found in the museum shop for a decent price.
I am trying to lure you to the sailing corner of this forum…[;)]
Good luck with your builds!
Hej då,
Thank´s fred for the photos.
It´s giving me the right mode to start again whith my hobby that i have missing so mutch. By the way, do you remember the beautiful revell model of m.v. Benledi (M.V. Da noli) ?
Hasse.
Hej Bryan,
I have seen your country to, many times when a was sailing to the States, Hawaii and both sides of South America in the 70´s.
Bryan, do you remember the M.V. Benledi from Revell?
Hasse.
Hello Hasse,
Unfortunately I don’t no anything about this model. I’ve seen pictures of her but that’s about it.
Did you sail on her as well?
Hasse,
I can’t say I ever heard of that one either. But I’m actually pretty new to this ship modeling thing, so that means nothing.
Fred
Hello again Bryan,
No i only walk the decks on the Swedish company Johnson Line, but i did build the model a long time ago and wonder why i´ts so hard to find. No one talk´s off her in the forum, it´s a beautiful cargo ship model in scale 1/480.
Somebody out there? Please give my a hand to find the model or some info.
Hasse.
Hello again Fred.
It was sold as DA NOLI to.
By the way, i got a Aurora figure, it´s a navy sailor date 1958 Aurora plastics corp. Is it rare to?
Hasse.