I noticed that when FSM does an article on scratchbuilding a ship that it seems short. No offense to FSM, they have other articles to put together so it cannot be huge. I was thinking that it might be nice to see a video or book made of a model done fron getting the plans to building the ship and its equipment. I have read articles but they do give enouofgh info for me to actually attempt to scratchbuild build a ship. I have been thinking of scratchbuilding the heavy cruiser, “USS QUINCY, CA 71”. I get lost when they try to explain how to read and dimensions of the drawings and also where to get drawings of anit-aircraft guns, etc. I think a video or detailed book just on scratchbuilding would be great. Mike Ashley does some excellent work on kits and scratchbuilt. His book touches on some points but some of the pictures are unclear or fuzz. Mike Ashley…thanks!
Hunt down
Building Model Warships
by: P.C. Coker III
copyright 1974
published by: The R.L. Bryan Company, Columbia South Carolina.
It is probably no longer in print, but it is an awsome resource.
Actually,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/books/091443201X/104-0771795-2724758
Geez, I didn’t know it was worth so much…
[Edit] I was just thinking, also,
Sanford Hohauser Architectural and Interior Models
Design and Construction
Published by: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company
copyright 1970 by Litton educational Publishing
This book is really filled with a lot of different techniques from paper folding to casting, and vacuforming.
And I think this is a book I need to buy, I will check with a friend tomorrow and verify that this is the book I borrowed when I was doing plans for an Italian warship,
Naval Guns: 500 Years of Ship and Coastal Artillery
by Hans Mehl
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/books/1591145570/104-0771795-2724758
Ok I checked with my friend, and he said this is the title of the book he has.
Naval Weapons of World War II
by John Campbell
Hardcover: 403 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.30 x 12.48 x 8.64
Publisher: United States Naval Inst.; (October 1902)
ISBN: 0870214594
He says it gets a bit too technical even for him(he’s an engineer), But it has drawings and diagrams of most of the guns ever used during WW II.
This is helpful for me when I draw up plans.
Scratch building is a very challenging art. Books are probably your best medium. Start with a How to book , choose a subject, then go get every spec/book/set of plans you can. Videos may or may not help, the problem is they keep talking when you want them to shut up.