Airplane question, but this is regarding a ship.

[Daryl J.]

I'd like to put Porco Rosso's Savoia in 1/72 on  a ship with a small catapult and a crane.     The Fujimi catapult for the Aichi Paul is already in hand to serve as an inspirational template.  However, I have no idea what ship models would give me a hull to convert into an appropriate sized 1/72 , um, well,  carrier for lack of a better word.       I just picked up a 1/72 Stranraer and an Alf for a pittance to fit into an alternate Porco story line and hope over the next couple of winters to persue the project.   

Proportionally I'm looking for something about 3 1/2 - 4 inches in the beam and 20+ inches in waterline length, much less streamlined than say the USS Missouri but not a wooden boat, not even a clipper.    What's out there that relatively fits the bill?     

Cheers, (Ceylon black tea, sugar, cream)
Daryl J.

[Thorvic]

To be honest i would just do a diorama with the catapult on an area of deck to show its ship based, and then look to create something in say 1/700th or 1/350th to represent the ship with the appropriate smaller scale catapult and the porco flyingboat.

The era is the 1920's so late WW1 ships would probably fit the bill

[Maverick]

Another option would be the old Matchbox Flower Class corvette.  Already in 72nd, so no scale issues and quite a large beast.  Not sure if Revell still has it in production tho.

Regards,

Mav

[PR19_Kit]

There's a Revell Flower on ebay right now, with less than 2 days to go.

But it's currently at £47.00 and the shipping cost to the US is $108!!!! Gulp! 

[Daryl J.]

There's a Revell Flower on ebay right now, with less than 2 days to go.

But it's currently at £47.00 and the shipping cost to the US is $108!!!! Gulp! 

That's a bit dear!      Thanks, however.   It's appreciated.

Daryl J.

[pyro-manic]

There's the Jacques Cousteau ship that Revell re-popped recently. I think it's 1:125 or something like that, but it might serve well enough as a base to build on.

Another thing to look at would be radio-controlled ship models - they are often in a scale similar (some are 1:72, 1:96, etc) so you might be able to pick up a bare hull and then detail it yourself. Or even look at building your own from scratch - there are lots of plans floating about for plank-on-frame R/C models etc and if you're doing a diorama, it only needs to be a waterline model so should be pretty straightforward.

[sandiego89]

Proportionally I'm looking for something about 3 1/2 - 4 inches in the beam and 20+ inches in waterline length,

Not sure I understsand your intent.  20 inches in 1/72 scale is around 120 feet, so that would be very small ship to handle a seaplane, an likely way to small to have a catapult.  Agree with Thorvic that it might be best to show the plane on a catapult with crane close by, but not make the whole ship in that scale.  If you really want 1/72 for the whole ship a few ideas that would not break the bank:

-PT 109, 1/72.  cheap, easy to get kit.  Nice hull shape, not for catapult use, but could be mini tender that could crane the seaplane aboard.
-Blue Devil, fletcher class destroyer.  1/125 scale, but cheapish and easy to get kit.  Good hull shape, but you would have to redo everything above the main deck to get the scale right.
-Submarine.  U-boat or GATO class in 1/72.  Would have to build a water tight hanger- the French SOURCOUF was an early seaplane carrying submarine.   

[Daryl J.]

To clarify better, I'm hoping to build a streamlined barge for lack of a better word with a near-ZELL launcher for the Porco Rosso Savoia.   And I'd like, if possible to use a styrene hull, signficantly modified for the project.

Porco goes alternative.   

Thanks for the input so far, it's all been helpful.       Although it would work, I think Mrs. J. would have my hide if I picked up Lindberg's 1/125 model.   The kid's new pants and socks come first.   

Thanks again,
Daryl J.

[lenny100]

you should see this, a real live solution you are looking at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361523/Worlds-oldest-aircraft-carrier-discovered-rusting-River-Thames.html

[Daryl J.]

That's the look right there.   Thanks!!   
Revell's Elco PT boat with a splice here and there to make it a bit more unrecognizable might then fill the bill.    I just don't want to have some JMN have a look, go 'Oh look...a PT Boat and go off on how rediculous this'n'that'n'th'tuther cr@p".   
Thanks again to each for the assistance.
Watch the pages below over the next several months for sporadic progress reports.

(afternoon coffee, plastic creamer)
Daryl J.