R.M.S Titanic (1:800)

This is the simply awful kit from an un-named Chinese company, of the White Star Line's R.M.S. Titanic in 1:800 scale. The kit is moulded in three colours: almost none are usable. Quality of the mouldings is appalling. Detail is bad. Fit is poor. Design concept is ill-considered. Decals are plastic stickers which cannot be used.

Titanic was one of three sister ships, and was laid down in March 1909 and launched in May 1911. It was completed in April 1912 and sank on it's maiden voyage on 15 April 1912. Poor design; lack of appropriate lifeboats and lifeboat spaces; poor work by Harland & Wolff of Ireland; a major fire in the hull which burned for two days in the yard; and crass corporate disdain for safety by White Star and Bruce Ismay led to the deaths of 531 third class passengers as well as 155 second class passengers (mostly servants). There were 34 Canadians on board, mostly in first class. All Canadians in third class died, as did half of those in first and second class.

Survivors and families in the USA and UK grouped together to sue White Star for $16 million ($418 million today), but because the US Supreme Court interfered on behalf of White Star to limit the liability, White Star ended up paying only a mere $664 000. (or about $16 million today) in compensation to mostly US passengers. Compensation did not go to non-UK or non-US citizens, and nothing went to third class passengers.

The criminal actions of the White Star company were never prosecuted, and company director Bruce Ismay (who survived the sinking) remained free. White Star did not survive the great depression, and was bought by Cunard with British government bailout money in 1933.

John Clearwater

White Star R.M.S TITANIC (1912)  1:800 scale

White Star R.M.S TITANIC (1912)  1:800 scale

White Star R.M.S TITANIC (1912)  1:800 scale

White Star R.M.S TITANIC (1912)  1:800 scale

May 2020 Meeting - cancelled

Due to the ongoing health crisis the 05 May 2020 meeting of the Capital Marine Modellers' Guild has been cancelled. Meetings will resume when the City of Ottawa re-opens all public facilities.

Keep working in your home shipyard, and let's see a lot of finished models when this is all over.

The First Shot of the Revolution - the Cruiser AURORA

Here are a selection of photographs of the museum ship Cruiser AURORA in Petrograd, and some models of the ship as well as art.

The ship fired the blank shot which signalled the start of the final phase of the armed uprising in November 1917. Interesting fact: during the Great Patriotic War the ship was sunk to prevent it from being damaged by nazi scum invaders. After the war it was refloated and restored.

The ship is beautifully maintained and well worth a visit.

http://navalmuseum.ru/filials/cruiser_aurora

Enjoy
John Clearwater

Cruiser AURORA

Cruiser AURORA

Cruiser AURORA

Cruiser AURORA

Cruiser AURORA

Cruiser AURORA

Cruiser AURORA

Cruiser AURORA

Cruiser AURORA

Ship Models in the Central Naval Museum

This is a selection of naval ship and submarine models on display in the Central Naval Museum in St. Petersburg.

It is worth a visit to their new location at 2 Naberezhnaya Kryukova Kanala, St Petersburg 190000
http://navalmuseum.ru

Enjpy
John Clearwater

Kirov-class nuclear powered missile cruiser.

Sovetsky-Soyuz class battleship design model (ships never built due to war)

Project 949 Granit cruise missile launching nuclear submarine

667BDRM Dolphin SSBN

Project 941 тайфун (Typhoon) SSBM

Note the lower hull has been extended down to accommodate the long missile tubes which run up through the tower.

Aurora

Heavy aircraft cruiser KIEV

Large naval gun mounted on a railroad car with massive  sway braces

U.S.S. Intrepid CVA 11, aircraft carrier (1968)

This is a 1:350 scale model of the U.S.S. Intrepid, CVA 11, returning to Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, USA, after six months duty in the western Pacific during the US war against Viet Nam.

The builder, Ray Bean of Winnipeg, spent four and a half years on the model, and has added extra aircraft, boats, a Moran tug, and a lot of sailors in dress whites lining the railings. The extra boats, cradles, yellow gears, and aircraft are 3D printed by Shapeways.

Ray wants people to know that he built this after having a stroke and brain injury. If he can do it, you can do it. Just get out and build it!

As a challenge you can try to find some of the bicycles hidden in the model. 

Thanks Ray,
from John Clearwater

Ray Bean and his 4.5 years of work on the U.S.S. Intrepid in 1:350 scale

Ray Bean's 4.5 years of work on the U.S.S. Intrepid in 1:350 scale

  

Ray Bean's 4.5 years of work on the U.S.S. Intrepid in 1:350 scale

HMS VICTORY (cross section)

This HMS VICTORY model project began in early 2017 with a 1:200 scale wooden kit from an unnamed company in China. Three years later it is finally finished. Plans would have been helpful.

This is a cross-section of the famous sailing battleship commanded by Admiral Nelson and victorious at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. It is preserved as a national treasure at the Royal Navy Yard in Portsmouth.

The hull at it's widest is a mere 80 mm across. It is 350 mm high from bottom of the keel to top of the main mast. The main yard is 175 mm across.

What made the build so very difficult is that the box mailed from China did not have the instruction sheets in it. So everything is a guess based on photos of the real thing and of professional models of the Victory. It is an all-wood kit. Only the gun barrels are brass. The kit costs about $30. There are several parts remaining and without plans I have no idea what they might be used for!

John Clearwater

April 2020 Meeting Cancelled

Due to concerns about the covid-19 virus and city closures related to it Capital Marine Modellers' Guild April 2020 meeting is cancelled.