I have two failed attempts at warships, I really admire the patience and skill you guys have.I tried to build the Graf spee a while back, everything was going perfectly, then I decided to set it aside indefinitely.The PE railing was just too much for me all the bending and the frail nature of the PE and also getting the paint to stick.My best job was on a WW1 Nieuport 17 bi plane as posted on Aeroscale, the rigging came out very well the patience required for that rigging pales in comparison when building a warship.I have started a simple U-Boot so that I may have at least one ship in my collection.

Hi David,
Stay with the ships. I am new to ship building but I have impressed myself with the expanded vocabulary of swear words you can develop while adding microscopic bits of photoetch, especially the railings. Post some photos and I am sure you will get some kind words of encouragement to help complete it.

cheers
Michael

I agree Michael, stick with it David.

Ship models are like several smaller models that combine into one larger display. It's easier to break down into sections and complete them one by and trying to finish all in one go.

They can take a while too, some builds go on for years, but the rewards are worth it... aside from making us all a little bonkers

Nobody says that you have to add PE to a model,build a couple out of box and enjoy them.They should look fine.Just because it doesn't have all kinds of AM products doesn't mean that it's a failure.

Ship models can be challenging if you want to put on every bit of AM produced for it. But armor kits, especially newer ones from Bronco, Dragon, etc., can also be a challenge, with upwards of 500+ parts, however, small errors can be hidden under additional stowage, or heavy weathering. Car models, while having fewer parts (AMT) have the challenge in clean assembly and painting, to get the perfect finish. Aircraft, likewise, in having to have seamless joints, and masking canopies. There are no really easy models - they all have their own areas of difficulty. Just choose the one you're more comfortable with.

Hi David,

Concur with what the rest of the guys are saying, stick with it. Ships models,like any other genre are as complex as the builder wants to make them. For me, some I chuck the kitchen sink at, others I build more or less from the box.

Etched railings are like anything else, practice makes perfect, so don't be disheartened if it doesn't go right, have a look at some of the build logs going on here, you will pick up a lot of tips.

Good luck with your U-Boat, good choice of subject.

Si

You're not alone, and your attempts aren't failures. Be careful with self-defeating vocabulary like that. I have a 1/700 IJN Ayanami that I have set aside because the PE was just getting ridiculous, and the fit of the plastic was posing plenty of challenges to begin with. It's all a learning experience, and the fact that you're trying something that ambitious speaks very highly of you. I personally find submarines and their like most enjoyable to build overall.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there's no time limit, and this isn't a race. You'll find that the best builds out their took quite a bit of time to reach completion. Just relax and take your time, you'll likely enjoy it most that way.

Thanks to all of you for the advice.I will have a go at the U-boat after I finish off my Sturer Emil...been at that for six months I think I tried something too ambitious as a model shipwrights beginner. I assembled the hull so far,the rigging is going to be a challenge as the connection points are practically non existent. what is with the online dating pics on this site?

Haha, David the ads are there to keep you on your toes

As a member of MSW you can turn of the adds in your account settings, so when you've logged on they're not there...

Concur with everyone's comments, don't be too hard on yourself, choose nice, easy, inexpensive kits to cut your teeth on, subs are a good start along with destroyer kits...

And be proud you're having a go!

PS. Rigging is the hardest part and there's no right or wrong way to rig, well, anything. Trial and error is the key to find out what you're comfortable with. Some people like stretched sprue, some caenis, some like ezy line, and others very thin wire. Attaching can be tricky, patience is the key. A little each day, working out from centre and before you know it the job will be done

David don't give up! Post build logs and ask questions.
I've only been working at ships for a short time after concentrating all my attentions on armor and aircraft. They can often be a completely different ball game, but a lot is similar.
I'm finding it easier to build OOB and concentrate on finishing skills, while slowly adding in etch, resin, rigging and converting. There are plenty of cheap kits at most popular scales to practice on.

One of my favourite builds a couple of years ago was Tamiya's Royal Navy O-class Destroyer. Built entirely OOB as HMS Onslow. I wanted to practice building and painting a realistic seascape as well as weathering. Being cheap, simple and easy to get hold of (not to mention you get 2 in the box!) I would not have been too fussed if it didn't go to plan. I got a of enjoyment out of it and learned a lot. Adding etch at the time would have driven me mad!





Good luck with the U-Boat and remember to post some pics as you go.
Stephen.

I would agree with most when it is said that each type of kit has its own challenge. I have done work on all kit types now. In the final stages of my 1/350 musashi to do the final type of kit.
If you build out of the box everything is pretty much the same. Ships tend to have more fine PE work to do. However, each kit has its share of PE but maybe not as much as a ship. It really is quite easy if you plan it all out and do it in sections.
Someone mentioned the woes of each type of subject. Cars tend to need more work to get everything to line up right. Tanks and such is all about painting and weathering. Planes has alot of seamwork and pe detail. Ships is all fine detail.
All of the above are the woes of them based on how I do my kits. All are as hard as the other. Just in another aspect