• LUCZORAMA SHIPWRECK SCAVENGER HUNT GIVEAWAY. 4 Weeks of Fun • 1 Legendary Prize ((OcCre’s Fram Ship)) • Global Crew Welcome!
    **VIEW THREAD HERE**

USS Baltimore ...

  • Thread starter Thread starter jsk
  • Start date Start date
  • Watchers Watchers 5

jsk

Joined
May 31, 2025
Messages
13
Points
48

Not quite certain where to put this but here goes....

I've got build logs on this kit on both MSW and Papermodellers.com but I'd like to share the final pictures and thoughts with SOS, too.

This is my first Heinkel card kit and my third model ship. I'd maybe call myself an advanced beginner in card modeling. Certainly my ambitions outweigh my experience and skill level! Still, it's an enjoyable hobby and card modelling is perhaps the least expensive of ship modeling and perhaps the least messy, too (Well, plastics might be less messy, now that I think about it.)

This was the electronic version of this kit sold by Heinkel though a printed version is available though WAK and they can also provide laser cut parts for the formers. What I did like about the electronic version is that it comes as a *.pdf file but if you're somewhat technically savvy you can edit the underlying SVG graphics. For example, I considered the deck too dark and the underwater hull too brown so I was able to edit the SVG to alter the graphics to my liking. (Though I have to admit I ended up painting the hull in order to hide many of the scuff marks my ham-handed assembly inflicted on it.)

I also 3d modeled some of the smaller, detailed parts and had them resin printed. Making them out of paper was not in my skill set! At least, not yet.

All in all I'd say the kit challenged my skills and that certainly shows in some of the details. Nevertheless, I've acquired several other Heinkel kits and look forward to building them once I've upped my game a bit.
baltimore_180.pngbaltimore_172.pngbaltimore_181.pngbaltimore_179.pngbaltimore_178.pngbaltimore_177.pngbaltimore_176.pngbaltimore_175.pngbaltimore_174.pngbaltimore_173.pngbaltimore_171.pngbaltimore_170.pngbaltimore_169.png
 
For me, it's one of the most interesting periods in naval architecture. Sort of "stem punk." You can almost see Capt. Nemo scoping it from Nautilus. If ever in Philadelphia, you must visit the Olympia.
 
Thank you, everyone, for the likes and comments. This hobby tends to be a pretty solitary endeavor so the sharing of comments is much appreciated!

@Peter Gutterman , I don't think I'll build a case for this one. TBH, I just don't think I did a good enough job on it to warrant the extra work and expense. This one was mostly a learning exercise. Hopefully, my skills will improve with each one I build. Maybe someday I'll reach that level of competence, though, that they deserve a case.

@3rdJerseyman, I tried, I really tried. A few years ago my wife and I went to Philly for my birthday in late March. I planned the trip specifically so I could visit the USS Olympia. We took the train up from DC on a Saturday morning and intended to stay through Monday since the ship was closed on the weekends since it was off-season. The plan was we'd visit it on Monday and head home early Tuesday morning. Turns out, that year, they had reduced visiting hours and were now closed on Mondays, too. Hrrrmph! IIRC, correctly, if we'd delayed our trip by a week the ship would have been open for the beginning of tourist season! I've yet to make it back.
 
Don't sell yourself or your work short. I'd hate for you to have to say later "Gee I wish I had covered that model. It's a whole lot nicer than I originally thought!"
 
Back
Top