Need some advice

[onegoodguy39]

I need help. I have not built a plastic model in year and I am currently looking for one. I want a battle ship of similar prefer an American or allied one from around WW2. Skill level 4 or 5 around $150 to $200 I expect to ad around $100 more for paint, glue, ad ons. What brands do you guys like and how do I figure out what ad ons I should get. This is truly when I need a local hobby shop to get my kit. Anyway I have looked at Big Mo and the New Jersey anyone please help!

 

[urumomo]

Well , I think a 300 dollar budget should cover it ! Ha ha .

What scale are you looking at ?
Where are you located so we can recommend where to buy ?

 

[onegoodguy39]

Well , I think a 300 dollar budget should cover it ! Ha ha .

What scale are you looking at ?
Where are you located so we can recommend where to buy ?

I was thinking 350 scale. Seems to fit my price point. There are absolutely no hobby stores near me at least that I can find. I live in Boynton Beach Florida. I figure I would have to buy on line. Thinking about maybe big Mo. the Bismarck. A destroyer or battle ship open to suggestions. What brand is also open to suggestions. What is making me nuts is I want a scale project with a bice amount of detail but there are so many up grades from so many companies what is enough. The up grades can double or triple the cost. I know I want to upgrade the guns . Thinking about a wood deck. Maybe metal props and Anchor. All subject to change except the guns. So this is what i am thinking. Any inp would be really helpful. We're are you at. It would be a miracle if you said Delray. Thanks, Steven

 

[onegoodguy39]

I was thinking 350 scale. Seems to fit my price point. There are absolutely no hobby stores near me at least that I can find. I live in Boynton Beach Florida. I figure I would have to buy on line. Thinking about maybe big Mo. the Bismarck. A destroyer or battle ship open to suggestions. What brand is also open to suggestions. What is making me nuts is I want a scale project with a bice amount of detail but there are so many up grades from so many companies what is enough. The up grades can double or triple the cost. I know I want to upgrade the guns . Thinking about a wood deck. Maybe metal props and Anchor. All subject to change except the guns. So this is what i am thinking. Any inp would be really helpful. We're are you at. It would be a miracle if you said Delray. Thanks, Steven

 

[onegoodguy39]

I was thinking 350 scale. Seems to fit my price point. There are absolutely no hobby stores near me at least that I can find. I live in Boynton Beach Florida. I figure I would have to buy on line. Thinking about maybe big Mo. the Bismarck. A destroyer or battle ship open to suggestions. What brand is also open to suggestions. What is making me nuts is I want a scale project with a bice amount of detail but there are so many up grades from so many companies what is enough. The up grades can double or triple the cost. I know I want to upgrade the guns . Thinking about a wood deck. Maybe metal props and Anchor. All subject to change except the guns. So this is what i am thinking. Any inp would be really helpful. We're are you at. It would be a miracle if you said Delray. Thanks, Steven

 

[blakeh1]

Most likely Trumpeter or Tamiya

I have the Trumpeter 1/350 CV-10 Yorktown and it is great details wise, It could use some photo-etch for the railings though

Although what is off is their 1/700 USS Nimitz actually has more details including the interior hangar bay walls than their 1/350 kit has
It even had photo-etch for the radar

 

[onegoodguy39]

Both those brands seem to standout. I like the size of the 350. Any input on kit or what upgrades are reasonable. Not looking to spend my mortgage payment but I want something that will take some time and be worth the work. Were do you shop if it's online. No stores by me for at least 75 miles then I gave up looking. Where are you located ?

 

[onegoodguy39]

Both those brands seem to standout. I like the size of the 350. Any input on kit or what upgrades are reasonable. Not looking to spend my mortgage payment but I want something that will take some time and be worth the work. Were do you shop if it's online. No stores by me for at least 75 miles then I gave up looking. Where are you located ?

 

[urumomo]

Scale Hobbyist is the best IMO

Genre you seek in 1/350 --> https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...1&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&era=0,6&sc=350

Some kits include metal barrels and photoetch .

Recommend ----> https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...1&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&era=0,6&sc=350

 

[urumomo]

1/350 detail set section ---> https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...,2,3&pg=1&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&sc=350

 

[onegoodguy39]

Scale Hobbyist is the best IMO

Genre you seek in 1/350 --> https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...1&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&era=0,6&sc=350

Some kits include metal barrels and photoetch .

Recommend ----> https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...1&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&era=0,6&sc=350

Exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks. I just became completely overloaded looking at all the kits. It seems all I need to add is glue and paint. When it comes to stick building and RC very little I don't know but not th case with scale plastic kits. The local shops are gone anywhere near me so I really appreciate your help and like I said exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to be laid up for a bit and this project will keep me from losing my mind.
Steve

 

[urumomo]

yes , the brick and mortar shops have been going extinct .
I think we still have ONE in the Houston area .

I've been ordering from Scale Hobbyist for 14 + years .
Great service and a huge , ever expanding inventory .

 

[Little Cutie]

$300.00 is a LOT of money for a model! If you're looking for something that has detail I don't know of any companies that make anything like that now. You could get a wooden ship or a pirate ship in that catagory but if you're looking for a warship from the modern era you'll be hard pressed to find any that aren't made from plastic. Most are in the 1/300th scale and smaller. I haven't seen one in a while since most are not as popular. You can try www.hobbylobby.com to see what they have or www.modelroundup.com if you don't have a local hobby store where you live.

 

[onegoodguy39]

Well , I think a 300 dollar budget should cover it ! Ha ha .

What scale are you looking at ?
Where are you located so we can recommend where to buy ?

Sorry to bother you again but the advice you gave me about the Very Fire kit is outstanding. The kit is absolutely amazing. A friend of of mine is encouraging me to get a 200 scale because he thinks I will want to convert what ever I build to RC. He may be right not sure. Is there anything in a 200 scale kit that you would recommend? The 350 is not really suitable for conversation. If not I'm going to go with a kit from Very Fire. They really are absolutely amazing.
Thank and sorry to bother you again. Sometimes it's just better not to talk to my friends. No matter what I end up building I will send pictures of the build.
Thanks again,
Steven

 

[onegoodguy39]

Sorry to bother you again but the advice you gave me about the Very Fire kit is outstanding. The kit is absolutely amazing. A friend of of mine is encouraging me to get a 200 scale because he thinks I will want to convert what ever I build to RC. He may be right not sure. Is there anything in a 200 scale kit that you would recommend? The 350 is not really suitable for conversation. If not I'm going to go with a kit from Very Fire. They really are absolutely amazing.
Thank and sorry to bother you again. Sometimes it's just better not to talk to my friends. No matter what I end up building I will send pictures of the build.
Thanks again,
Steven

 

[urumomo]

Ha ha , you ain't bothering me - that's what this community is for .
I'm glad you're so happy with the recommendation .

" Sometimes it's just better not to talk to my friends " - LOL

I'm not really versed in the 1/200 scale kits so we are on equal footing there .
Here's what is available on Scale Hobbyist , but I imagine you have already perused this :
https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...1&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&era=0,6&sc=200
You'd need to talk to the R/C people for good info on which of the static kits lend themselves better to radio control conversions or of course what out-of-the-box R/C kits are out there .

 

[urumomo]

Converting the beam and draft of the Missouri to 1/200 scale gives you ~ 6.5 inch beam and a 2.25 inch draft , I don't know what the freeboard adds to the hull depth . ,, looks like it adds about 60% of that height judging from the drawings linked below .
So about 3.5 inches in total hull depth available for the R/C gear .
Total hull length would be 53.25 inches .

I don't know how much volume you need but you can figure the usable from the below ,
Clickable and enlargeable drawings :
https://ussmissouri.org/learn-the-history/the-ship/as-built-blueprints#

 

[urumomo]

https://maritime.org/doc/plans/bb63.pdf

 

[urumomo]

 

[onegoodguy39]

Converting the beam and draft of the Missouri to 1/200 scale gives you ~ 6.5 inch beam and a 2.25 inch draft , I don't know what the freeboard adds to the hull depth . ,, looks like it adds about 60% of that height judging from the drawings linked below .
So about 3.5 inches in total hull depth available for the R/C gear .
Total hull length would be 53.25 inches .

I don't know how much volume you need but you can figure the usable from the below ,
Clickable and enlargeable drawings :
https://ussmissouri.org/learn-the-history/the-ship/as-built-blueprints#

Thanks , it should be no problem to do the conversation on a 1/200. I'm just not sure about doing it on a 1/350. Space is not what am worried about it's displacement. The electronics are so small now but to get any decent run time I'm concerned about the batteries. It can become unstable. Planes no problem I have converted over planes with 22' wings. That stuff I know I haven't built a plastic kit since I was 8 or 9.And never a scale project. The kits are absolutely amazing I am really looking forward to this. The kit you suggested is assume and as I text I realize I probably have 3 or 4 balsa boats in my storage unit so if I want an RC boat I can build one. I'm going to go with a 350. I'm still probably looking at 900 to a 1000 parts so why push it. Plus like most scale builders plastic balsa what ever I have ocd about making scale look like the real deal. That said I will probably be reaching out during the process if that is okay. I'm sure you are like me and will say no problem. I actually use to hold building clinics at my house every other Tuesday to teach people how to build balsa kits for RC. 2 or 3 guys a few hours every two weeks. It was fun modeling is a lots art in the USA. I lived in Spain for a few years there building is like it was when I was a kid. Both RC and static there are hobbies shops all over the place. I had a choice of a few with in 20 minutes. Here nothing in 100 miles I did a search. My biggest concern is going to be weathering I have no clue. No way I can not weather my kit they just look real! Some rust maybe a little combat damage. I'm in trouble already and I don't even have a kit yet. Thanks again. I am the kind of guy that never has a problem helping other build but to ask for help not as easy. The very fire kits look gr and they only do 1/350 and 1/700 and I want to stay with that so RC can stay balsa. I will let you know when the kit gets here. I'm hopeless any preference on type and brand for glues , paint, and weathering since I'm going to order everything together. Not like there is a local shop I need an excuse to drive to.
Thanks again,
Steve