Model Show at Grado, Italy, May 12 to May 19, 2004 - Between May 12 and May 19, 2004 a Model Show was held at Grado (Gorizia), Italy. The Club "Modellistica Monfalconese" made an appearance in force and entered models in many categories. Club members include, Germano Asquini, Riccardo Benco, Luciano Rizzato, Stellio Tognon and other. All of these photographs were sent by Luciano Rizzato. Added to the Miscellaneous Gallery. 

Akatsuki, Japanese Destroyer, Tamiya 1:700 Scale - One of the older Tamiya kits in the classic 1:700 scale waterline series of the warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy is the destroyer Akatsuki. In his first warship kit build since he was a kid, Brandon Hopkins tries his hand at the Akatsuki and likes the results. Added to the Destroyers Gallery. 

Mogami, Japanese Heavy Cruiser CA/CV 1944, Tamiya 1:700 Scale - One of the newest 1:700 scale kits from Tamiya is the Japanese heavy cruiser Mogami. Badly damaged at the Battle of Midway, the Mogami was reworked to a CA/CV configuration by the removal of the two aft turrets to make room for a seaplane deck on the aft half of the ship. This kit portrays the cruiser after that conversion and as she appeared as part of the Japanese force at the Battle of Surigao Strait, where she was sunk. Marty Shay built the Tamiya Mogami 1944 kit and provided the photographs. Added to the Cruisers Gallery. 

HMS Manchester D95, Type 42 Batch 3 Royal Navy Destroyer, Dragon 1:700 Scale - The Type 42 is the mainstay of the modern Royal Navy destroyer force. HMS Manchester is one of the Batch 3 variants. Michael Sharp  has built the Manchester 1:700 scale kit from Dragon. Added to the Destroyers Gallery. 

ARA Hercules, Argentine Destroyer, Revell 1:700 Scale - This is a model of the Argentine destroyer ARA Hercules. The kit is from Revell in 1:700 scale. It was built by Ayala Botto of Lisbon, Portugal. Added to the Destroyer Gallery.  

USS Nimitz, Trumpeter 1:350 Scale, First Test Shots of the New Kit Coming from Trumpeter - Mike Bass of Stevens International sent these photographs of the first test shots of the 1:350 scale model of USS Nimitz coming in September 2004 from Trumpeter. Added to Reviews under the Aircraft Carriers Section. 

USS Holland VI, 1:72 Scale, Modified Commander/Iron Shipwright Kit - Mario Grima took the 1:72 scale kit of the USS Holland produced by Commanders/Iron Shipwright and built the USN submarine Holland VI, which hung around until 1948, by which time it was truly an antique. Added to the Submarine Gallery.  

June Mystery Model #4 - For those that may see a faint resemblance among this model, June Mystery Model #1, June Mystery Model #2 and June Mystery Model #3,  this is a different kit. Included are four photographs showing all four; June MM4, June MM3, June MM2 and June MM1. As you can see, they are different from each other. Or is it, as Yogi said, deja vu all over again? What ship is this? Can you identify the name of the ship, scale of the model and name of manufacturer? Added to the Miscellaneous Gallery.  Although this ship was identified for June Mystery Model #3, no one identified this as Project 61ME, the Rajput Destroyer for the Indian Navy. From Combrig in 1:700 scale.

Pearl Harbor Battleship Guns - At the Washington Navy Yard Museum, Rick Davis ran across two interesting pieces of ordnance. Both the deck mounted 3-inch/50 HA AA gun and the casemate mounted 5-inch/51 LA gun were carried by the ships of the battleline at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Added to the Photo Tours section. 

USS Nevada, June 6, 1944, 1:192 Scale - Sixty years ago the Pearl Harbor survivor USS Nevada was preparing to use her ten 14-inch guns in support of the allied invasion of Normandy, Operation Overlord, D-Day. Bill Everett scratch-built the Nevada in 1:192 scale and portrayed her as she was on June 6, 1944. Added to the Battleship Gallery.  

Update of the Combrig Page - Combrig has added a few new items to their lineup for 2004. Can anybody say Henri IV? Also Combrig will start producing individual accessories. One example is a bag of ten 1.1-inch quadruple AA guns, known as Chicago Pianos. 

May Mystery Ship #1 - The subject of this period postcard was quickly guessed by Tom L. with "USS Atlanta is my guess." Atlanta it was. Added four new photographs. 

May Mystery Ship #2 - No matter how old the design, or how esoteric, someone always comes up with the name of the Mystery Ships. Try this one. What ship is this? To make answering the question easier, all that needs to be named is the class. 

HMS Griffin British Destroyer, Card Model in 1:1250 Scale - Michael Kaintoch downscaled the 1:400 scale card model of ORP Garland by JSC to build the British destroyer HMS Griffin in 1:1250 scale. Clearly Michael as discovered one of the benefits of card models. They can be scaled up or down to the size that you want. Added to the Destroyer Gallery.  

Lady Lex Before the Storm: USS Lexington CV-2 1940, Fujimi 1:700 Scale - This can go in the diorama gallery as well as the carrier gallery because Richard Smith shows the Fujimi 1:700 scale USS Lexington CV-2 in harbor as well as at sea, as she was in 1940. Also included is a dramatic sequence of four photographs which portrays an aircrafts approach to the Lady Lex. To be seen to best effect, copy them at full size and then cycle through them at speed on your viewer. Added to the Carriers Gallery.  

Tone, Japanese Heavy Cruiser, Fujimi 1:700 Scale - When I first saw these photographs of a model of the Japanese heavy cruiser Tone, I saw the detail and immediately thought that this was the new 1:350 scale resin kit from Minekaze. I was mistaken. The photographs actually show the old 1:700 scale kit of Tone by Fujimi that was super-detailed by Imre Somogyi of Hungary. Photographs submitted by Akos Gergely. Added to the Cruisers Gallery.  

USS Detroit AOE-4, 1:700 scale from JAG - This is the USS Detroit AOE-4 in 1:700 scale. Maurizio Chiaro built the Detroit from the JAG model of USS Sacramento.  Added to the Auxiliary Gallery.  

May Mystery Model #3 - To add a little mayhem to the May Mystery Models, here is a twist on the usual format. Can you identify the name of the ship, scale of the model and name of manufacturer? Added to the Miscellaneous Gallery.  Robert Dibbon, AKA Grinch, was right when he said the kit was the HMCS Kootenay, Ex-HMS Decoy, British D Class Destroyer in 1:350 scale from Armada Models of Canada. The kit has been long out of production but there are rumors that the master pattern is in a cave behind Ray Bean's igloo. This model was posted because of a question regarding converting the WEM J Class to HMS Hero. This is the only 1:350 kit that I know of of the classic square bridge British destroyer of the A through I Classes.

April Mystery Ship #1 - The ship on this post card was quickly determined to be either USS Indiana BB-1 or USS Massachusetts BB-2. It was the Indiana. James Wade was first to identify this as an Indiana Class Battleship with, " Obviously an Indiana Class BB." James further refined his answer with, "From the bow scroll I think the Oregon is ruled out. So its down to either Massachusetts or Indiana" 

May Mystery Ship #1 - This ship is a golden oldie from a period postcard.  What ship is this? To make answering the question easier, all that needs to be named is the class. 

The Newest from NNT - Vitze Admiral Popov - If you want to round out your 1:700 scale collection, the latest from NNT should interest you, the Imperial Russian Vitze Admiral Popov. Preview photograph. 

March Mystery Ship #2 - Yes, I know, the label says March Mystery Ship #1, when this is really March Mystery Ship #2. Well, the Ermack was identified quickly enough, so we'll go back to warships on tobacco trading cards. What ship is this? To make answering the question easier, all that needs to be named is the class. Please post all answers to the message board. Roger Todd correctly, although questioningly, identified this as the USS Michigan. "Is it the 'Michigan' or 'South Carolina'?" This is USS South Carolina as depicted in the 1911 Wills Cigarettes set The World's Dreadnoughts. Added five new photographs. 

April Mystery Ship #2 - The last cigarette card posted from The World's Dreadnoughts set posed some difficulties because of a modicum of artistic license taken by the artist. Here is another from the set for your consideration.  What is it? To make answering the question easier, all that needs to be named is the class, which is not much of a help since there was only one in the class. 

Almost every modeler of warships has heard of the series of volumes produced by Profile Morskie of Poland. Profile Morskie produces a number of lines of warship reference books, which feature very extensive plans and line drawings of their subject matter, as well as photographs. Newer volumes are in English as well as Polish. SteelNavy is happy to welcome Profile Morskie on the main page. 

March Mystery Ship #1 - The ship in this period postcard was quickly identified as being the large protected cruiser HMS Terrible. Fast but a white elephant for her lack of armor, the Terrible and sister Powerful never fought but did serve as troop transports in World War One. Charles Olson identified the HMS Terrible right away. "Clearly a big British Cruiser (single 9.2" gun in forward turret). I think it is the Powerful or Terrible based on the stacked QF ports in the bow." 

April Mystery Ship #1 - Last time a detail of the bow of a ship on a postcard was used, it was quickly identified. This detail from a period postcard should follow the same pattern. What ship is this? To make answering the question easier, all that needs to be named is the class. 

For January Through March 2004 Additions, Click on Link