Now hear this..Ashville Class gunboat build blog!

[fhvn4d]

So I have got a hold of a 1/131 scale USS Ashville PGM gunboat. Its an older kit by Revell, and I want to try and add a little PE and some more detail than the plastic offers. Problem is I have only been able to find PE in 1/100, 1/120, and 1/144 scales. My question to the masses, is which scale would be best to use? Im not sure which would be over and which would be under, and what would be closer to the detail I am going to be taking off ( hatches, doors, fire stations, and ladders). Any thoughts or experiences would be great!

[dupes]

Hmmm. I'm no expert in off-scale/box-scale ship kits, but it sure seems to me like you might be S.O.L.?

My assumption here is that there's only generic aftermarket vs something available specifically for that kit.

[fhvn4d]

I was thinking about going with either the 120th or 144 scale stuff, because a door is a door is a door.. but not sure which size would be more correct than the other, and rather than pay 40 bucks for 2 frets of PE that I might never use..... hoping for some thoughts.


Dupes you are correct, as of yet I have not been able to find PE for the kit itself.

[TRM]

Hey Brian, I suppose it all comes down to tolerances...yours against the scaling gods! For the sake of argument and terms of scale v.s. sizes, and mind you it is not the size of the watertight door matter, it's how you use it ...lets call the door 3' x 4':

Real world door - 36" x 48" (914.4mm x 1219.2mm)
1:144 - 0.25" x 0.33" (6.35mm x 8.38mm)
1:131 - 0.27" x 0.36" (6.85mm x 9.14mm)
1:120 - 0.30" x 0.40" (7.62mm x 10.16mm)

Visually, take one section of the superstructure that is big enough to work with, take a pencil and draw the scaled sizes (120 & 144) on either side of the existing model door...see if you can see a huge difference...assuming the manufacture has actually incorporated to correct scaling of the actual door onto the model...which I would bet they have not. Bottom line, at least for me, would be that if you are removing all of the doors and replaced them with PE...even in another scale, they would not be noticed being out of scale. Items like hose stations and reels are similar as the come in all shapes and sizes along with ladders and gangways.


Both the 1/120 & 1/144 are pretty darn close if you ask me and the size is negligible...especially at this scale to be honest. Personally, I would just pick the easiest, cheapest and closest set (in that order) of PE I could get my hands on and roll with it! Lets put it this way...if you happen to get called on 0.02" or 0.03" on the width of anything on your build, especially at a show...come and find me....I would not only like to meet someone with eyes that good to detect basically 0.5mm with nothing to reference it on, I will love to buy you the first couple beers afterwards my friend!!

[fhvn4d]

ROFLMAO... thank you Todd thats all I needed to take the shot!!! 144 it is!!! and WHEN some rivet counter picks it out, I take my beer with Southern Comfort and Coke... LOL

[TRM]

Deal! I will probably make sure to be a judge that day and see if I can get in on this one...LOL!! Wait until they all finish talkign about it and then bring up the scale! LOL!!! I would buy you the drink either way my friend! Grip-n-rip!!

[wbill76]

I find it ironic that the weird box scale of 1/131 falls nearly perfectly in the middle between 1/120 and 1/144. Talk about your coincidences...

[TRM]

LOL...you have to love Revell's thought with their stopgap planning a while back! I have a nice 1/534 carrier in the stash...add that to the ubiquitous 1/426 Arizona and we have a party!!

[fhvn4d]

I am sensing a group build or a contest entry for AMPS or IPMS..... off scale!

[deafpanzer]

Nov 17, 2015 14:25:54 GMT -5 fhvn4d said:

I am sensing a group build or a contest entry for AMPS or IPMS..... off scale!

I am afraid you are correct... we are talking about doing it in 2016.

[moramarth]

Nov 17, 2015 14:28:22 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Nov 17, 2015 14:25:54 GMT -5 fhvn4d said:

I am sensing a group build or a contest entry for AMPS or IPMS..... off scale!

I am afraid you are correct... we are talking about doing it in 2016.

Puts me in mind of something I read in a wargame magazine about half-a-century ago (so you've probably seen something like it before).  It's a list of excuses for models that turned out wrong, specifically AFVs:
Model over-sized: "It's German"
Model undersized: "It's Italian/Japanese"
Model comprises parts from two different scales: "It's French"
Model comprises parts from three or more different scales: "It's British"
Model lacks wheels/tracks: "It's hull down"
Model lacks turret: "It's an ARV"

There was a lot more I've forgotten.  The article concluded with a recommendation that one component should be left very loose so it would fall off when being inspected by competition judges, thereby inducing a sense of guilt which would lead them to mark it better than it deserves...

Cheers,

M

[TRM]

LOL...love the part about leaving a piece loose!! WOW, making me want to put together something with no glue...paint and weather and watch the whole thing fall apart! Could only imagine the face on the person judging!!

[fhvn4d]

I saw something similar happen at that last show... big fingers caught a pitot probel and it went flying.

[fhvn4d]

Nov 17, 2015 14:28:22 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Nov 17, 2015 14:25:54 GMT -5 fhvn4d said:

I am sensing a group build or a contest entry for AMPS or IPMS..... off scale!

I am afraid you are correct... we are talking about doing it in 2016.

In that case I am ahead of the game ! LOL

[moramarth]

making me want to put together something with no glue...paint and weather and watch the whole thing fall apart!

When I were but a kid, I had a Triang railway with some pseudo-military wagons, one of which was an "exploding" ammo wagon.  When hit by a missile from one of the other waggons a spring loaded arm would dislodge the roof and sides before detonating a paper cap of the sort you used to get in rolls for use in toy guns.  That could be effective...   I also had a locomotive which had (until I broke it) a generator which, when filled with a special oil, caused "smoke" to come from the chimney.  I suspect the technology has moved on, especially as there now appear to be sound chips in every cheap little toy, so I suspect it would be possible to craft a model tank which, when touched, had the hatches fly open and smoke pour forth from them illuminated by a pulsing red glow from within...  Depending on the subject, a sound chip with voices chanting "Allah Akbar!" might be appropriate.  My own preference would be for a model car which, if moved, had all the indicators start flashing and emit the sound of an anti-theft alarm.

Cheers,

M

[fhvn4d]

TOMS MODELWORKS COMES THROUGH IN FLYING COLORS!!!! Thank you too to Todd and those of you who said the 1/144 would be close enough. I ordered parts tuesday night and they arrived in the mail TODAY!!! frets are open and on the bench... give you a couple pics to compare scale in an hour or so!

[fhvn4d]

[TRM]

That is great Brian! Looks like a masterful fit!! Rock on!!

[Leon]

Great news Brian! Looks pretty darn close.

[wbill76]

Can't beat that with a stick! Should dress up the gun boat nicely!

[fhvn4d]

So it all starts with a couple pieces of PE fret..... now Ive completely lost my mind and Im scratchbuilding the friggin Bridge! The kit provides no plastic for windows but there is plenty of room to look in there... so on with the visors and a couple pieces of plastic, some old telephone wire... and who knows what else. I cant find a good reference photo so artistic license here... but its fun! Oh yeah, and portholes!