Scale dilemma - model boat

[halsey]

Hi,

I am wanting to model a fishing harbour/general dock scene on "Hawkesbury" BUT whilst I've got a big enough physical space I can only find a 1:60 scale fishing boat that's fits the bill.

 

Does anyone know any other kits out there that are worth building in their own right

 

 

Comments

Edited March 17, 2023 by halsey

[whart57]

Artitec do a number of 1:87 kits (H0 scale). Check out their website. They are a Dutch company so the focus is on that side of the North Sea but Dutch vessels have to operate in the same waters as British ones so they aren't going to be that different. They also do bits and bobs to scatter around the dock and the small boats the in-shore fishers and crabbers use.

 

https://www.artitecshop.com/en/ships/h0-187/kit/

[Dungrange]

Langley produce a few boats, although I've never built one.

 

https://www.langleymodels.co.uk/awd1/index.php?route=product/product&path=190_191_194&product_id=8513 might be suitable.  The range is at https://www.langleymodels.co.uk/awd1/index.php?route=product/category&path=190_191_194

 

[Rich_F]

Are you looking for plastic kits? There's some other OO gauge friendly boats...

 

There's this I found https://anyscalemodels.com/shop/scale-1-72-for-oo-or-20mm/42ft-scottish-mfv.html

 

There's also barge type kits. Have used this retailer before & very good. 

 

 

[halsey]

21 minutes ago, Dungrange said:

Langley produce a few boats, although I've never built one.

 

https://www.langleymodels.co.uk/awd1/index.php?route=product/product&path=190_191_194&product_id=8513 might be suitable.  The range is at https://www.langleymodels.co.uk/awd1/index.php?route=product/category&path=190_191_194

 

I always think Langley are a bit pricey and if possible I do want a wooden kit that is worth building in its own right if I can find one - "one I built earlier!"

[halsey]

34 minutes ago, whart57 said:

Artitec do a number of 1:87 kits (H0 scale). Check out their website. They are a Dutch company so the focus is on that side of the North Sea but Dutch vessels have to operate in the same waters as British ones so they aren't going to be that different. They also do bits and bobs to scatter around the dock and the small boats the in-shore fishers and crabbers use.

 

https://www.artitecshop.com/en/ships/h0-187/kit/

 

That's about right - thanks!

 

Right selection but resin I really wanted a wooden kit

 

Are "we" saying that my 1:60 find isn't going to work??

Edited March 17, 2023 by halsey

[whart57]

4 hours ago, halsey said:

 

That's about right - thanks!

 

Right selection but resin I really wanted a wooden kit

 

Are "we" saying that my 1:60 find isn't going to work??

 

It might. I would check the hull measurements - length, beam, draught - and see whether in 1:76.4 scale they are still within the bounds of possibility. If that is the case then it may be possible to make adjustments to make it fit 00 scale. I'd be looking at reducing the height of the cabin, and the cabin door in particular. Likewise the entrance to the fo'c'sle. And replace the fittings like the lifebelts, winches etc with smaller 00 scale ones.

 

A boat is a large object. A 1:87 model will work on a 00 scale layout because we also scale down things like platform lengths, siding lengths and turnout dimensions beyond the strict scale. Going the other way I doubt will work so well.

[halsey]

28 minutes ago, whart57 said:

 

It might. I would check the hull measurements - length, beam, draught - and see whether in 1:76.4 scale they are still within the bounds of possibility. If that is the case then it may be possible to make adjustments to make it fit 00 scale. I'd be looking at reducing the height of the cabin, and the cabin door in particular. Likewise the entrance to the fo'c'sle. And replace the fittings like the lifebelts, winches etc with smaller 00 scale ones.

 

A boat is a large object. A 1:87 model will work on a 00 scale layout because we also scale down things like platform lengths, siding lengths and turnout dimensions beyond the strict scale. Going the other way I doubt will work so well.

 

We are on the same page which is why I think this one might just work (as pictured above) BUT I do want experienced opinions - I like it because its the kit I would happy to build at the right price - I can find a physically larger but perfect scale within the Billings range (St Roch) but its £150

 

Billing Boats Rainbow
This shrimp cutter is a typical cutter from the 1960's used for catching shrimp off the German, Dutch and Danish coasts. The equipment on board includes the necessary shrimp sieves and cookers for immediate preparation of the catch. 

Scale 1:60 
Length 28cm 
Beam 9cm 
Height: 23.6cm 

This kit features: ABS hull, wooden decking and superstructure with plastic fittings, mast and spars in ramin, rigging cord in various sizes. Includes Full size plan sheets and an instruction manual with English Text. 

 

If cabin height and doors are altered do you feel the rest would work?

 

Edited March 17, 2023 by halsey

[Il Grifone]

Scalescenes do a few ships in their print it yourself range to 4mm scale. They are easily altered for other scales on your computer of course.

[Hal Nail]

3 hours ago, halsey said:

If cabin height and doors are altered do you feel the rest would work?

 

Given 1:60 is halfway towards O gauge, I think it would look out of proportion with an OO cabin etc personally.

[SteveyDee68]

I have spent a lot (a lot) of time looking for suitable ship kits suitable for 1:76 but they are few and far between. 
 

Langley do a few kits at HO/OO - but are expensive, in my opinion.

 

Aritec also do various kits but I would need a second mortgage to afford them.

 

Anyscale Models do a few resin boats and barges, but these are not larger vessels.

 

For the money, you cannot go wrong with the kits offered by Scalescenes - not only correct scale, but they have quite a range to chose from, from small fishing boats to a small container ship. The next kit to be released is* a lifeboat station and lifeboat, so John Wiffen is doing a grand job of creating suitable shipping for railway modellers.

 

Mind you, I want to build a couple of ships that will end up approx 4 feet long in OO, and nobody does kits that size! 
 

HOURS OF FUN!

 

 

* well, last time I looked!

[Hal Nail]

You can get a 1/72 U boat. The beauty of that is you can chose how much is visible in the space.

[fulton]

38 minutes ago, SteveyDee68 said:

 

 

Mind you, I want to build a couple of ships that will end up approx 4 feet long in OO, and nobody does kits that size! 
 

HOURS OF FUN!

 

 

* well, last time I looked!

This model is over 4' long, I used a Deans Marine fibreglass hull, cut down to waterline, yes is 1/96 scale, but to me, looks the part, I scratch built  the superstructure to 1/87 scale, but I think would still be acceptable with a 1/76 superstructure, the prototype is the "Collective Farmer" an American built Liberty Ship, supplied to Russia under lend/lease, but apparently never paid for.

[Il Grifone]

That's the trouble - ships tend to come in Large, Very Large and Extra Large! 

(I'm thinking of building a Danish train ferry, but the ship is going to have to be 5-6 feet long (and way undersized at that!))

1/76 is really only a railway modelling scale. 1/72 and 1/80 are noticeably larger and smaller (probably acceptable for a ship), but other ship scales are way out.

I work on a basis of less than about 3% out of scale is not really noticeable. Perhaps this revels my slack standards!

Edited March 18, 2023 by Il Grifone

[SteveyDee68]

6 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

I'm thinking of building a Danish train ferry, but the ship is going to have to be 5-6 feet long (and way undersized at that!))

I shall watch eagerly! (Plans to build a cross channel sized train ferry in 4mm/foot - eek!!)

 

HOURS OF FUN!

[MarkC]

My own present  ship, only 105 metres long, comes out at 4.5 feet in length in 4mm scale

 

Mark

[Andy Hayter]

Yes, my turn of the 20th century passenger ferry will be a tad over 1.2m long.  So far I have 40 sets of frames cut out.

[JZ]

On 17/03/2023 at 20:42, SteveyDee68 said:

 

Mind you, I want to build a couple of ships that will end up approx 4 feet long in OO, and nobody does kits that size! 
 

HOURS OF FUN!

 

 

* well, last time I looked!

Revell do a Flower class corvette, which is about 3' long. There is only one on eBay at the moment at £195. I picked one up about 8 years ago from a model shop in Swindon for £30. At the time I was considering super detailing it, but discovered that to buy all the etched parts, it would come to another £300, so it has sat untouched in my loft, waiting for the day I will start it. But the type was derived from a whaler, so could be back dated, possibly. And I seem to remember that the hull is scored so to nake it waterline.

[JZ]

On 17/03/2023 at 21:32, Hal Nail said:

You can get a 1/72 U boat. The beauty of that is you can chose how much is visible in the space.

Or you could not buy it and have it submerged.

 

[Il Grifone]

No one should get too excited about the Imminent arrival of the Danish Ferry. She does have a name though - 'Prinsesse Astrid'  (after my daughter).

I did look into the cost of etched portholes - and immediately dropped that idea...

 

I was thinking about three parallel tracks each capable of taking three coaches or the equivalent length in wagons. (European coaches come in 'long' and 'very long'!)

This means three feet at least, plus another foot or so for the gauntletted  track on the access bridge.

[halsey]

On 17/03/2023 at 21:32, Hal Nail said:

You can get a 1/72 U boat. The beauty of that is you can chose how much is visible in the space.

 

I'm actually thinking (seriously) that I might build a PT109 on the basis that in period it is a army surplus buy for an ex sailor to convert to a house boat so it will be in primer and rust and missing some military bits

 

VERY loosely Hawkesbury is post war

 

Kit is under £20 on "the rain forest" (Amazon!) 

 

JUST agreed an offer on ebay for a "transfer" parts missing  Airfix Vosper so much better and only £15

 

Amazon order cancelled.

Edited March 20, 2023 by halsey

[Sotto]

On 19/03/2023 at 14:02, JZ said:

Or you could not buy it and have it submerged.

 

Must try harder! Scratch build a periscope...

[The Johnster]

14 hours ago, halsey said:

 

I'm actually thinking (seriously) that I might build a PT109 on the basis that in period it is a army surplus buy for an ex sailor to convert to a house boat so it will be in primer and rust and missing some military bits

 

VERY loosely Hawkesbury is post war

 

Kit is under £20 on "the rain forest" (Amazon!) 

 

JUST agreed an offer on ebay for a "transfer" parts missing  Airfix Vosper so much better and only £15

 

Amazon order cancelled.

A more likely prototype for a postwar houseboat in the UK as well; the PTs served mostly in the Pacific theatre.   John Kennedy served on PT109, which is why it features as a kit. 

Edited March 21, 2023 by The Johnster

[halsey]

3 hours ago, The Johnster said:

A more likely prototype for a postwar houseboat in the UK as well; the PTs served mostly in the Pacific theatre.   John Kennedy served on PT109, which is why it features as a kit. 

 

Yes the provenance was really my point - not the price which was a bonus! The general price for the Airfix is app £60 but this was cheap as the transfers were missing 😉

J

Edited March 21, 2023 by halsey

[Hal Nail]

18 hours ago, halsey said:

JUST agreed an offer on ebay for a "transfer" parts missing  Airfix Vosper

I was originally going to suggest 1/72 military boat hulls might have merit and in looking them up, stumbled upon the submarine.

 

As so often in life, I had a half decent idea then get distracted :)