I have reached another step in finishing my Spirit of London model. I further detailed the model and like most of my other ship models I have constructed the base for a dynamic sea diorama. There is still some work left, I need to scratch build the lounge and mast, I have been putting it off for a while because I’m still not sure what is the best way to construct the curved lounge. I also need to make a mould for replicating lifeboats and her foredeck need further detailing.

Anyway here are a couple of pictures and a link to a little web page with more pictures and illustrations.
Spirit of London model

Onno

I know it is difficult to obtain good plans. Before the 80’s cruise brochures and companies gave accurate deck plans but today’s abstract colour patches are no good at all (neither to the modeller or a future passenger wanting to fantasize about walking trough the ship)

Good GA plans are the best and the hardest to find, to be honest I often work purely from looking at pictures of the ship and then figuring out the shapes. Scale 1:600 suits me best, large enough to be taken serious and not as a toy and small enough not to spend years on small details and rivet counting. I also have something for water line models, from a photographers point of view this is the way I perceive ships and since I want to capture a ships essence with my models I make them water line. Water line also eliminates the most difficult under water shapes of the ship. (another advantage when you can not find good GA plans.) Before I start a model I digitally draw the decks so that I get an accurate shape and then print them for further use. If I have plans for hull frames I use those to create the hull but if I only have the decks I use them as a sandwich to create the hull.

If you are interested, here on CT are several other modelling projects of mine.

sadly I have not been as smart and started some 1:100 models....I guess in some decades I will have some pictures to post.
The quality of deck plans did not really improve. But also the old "to-the-scale" plans do not show all decks, and rarely a side view. Luckily some yards were nice, and "Navimodellisti Bolognesi" is of course a good resource.

I generally do not understand why there are nearly no models of passenger ships around. (Or do they actually know how ugly their ships are?)
For a reasonable scale, like 1:600 there would be a market, not only for travel agents, but also as a souvenir. Even if you sell kits, people will buy them e.g. as present for their grand children. (selling kits, one must not care, wheter they are built )
Giving the number of passengers, the increasing number of sister ships, and the possibility to even sell some via the internet, this should be enough to be economically sucessful.
But also models of the more beautiful old ships are rare. Very, very strange, as ships are not so unpopular for decoration.
So I guess we have to continue to build them on our own.

Greetings

Ernst

P.S.: Anyone her is cordially invited to give me advice, where plans of the following ships are available: (I already posted this list today, sorry)

I must say, I agree with you about those 70's cruise ships. They have something, and are more interesting than one thought in the '70s.
I must confess however, at the time, when Princess had the Pacific/Island PRincess, and this Sun PRincess, I liked the sisters better than this one. I guess this was because they were a bit more traditional in design, than this streamlined ship.

'Spirit of London' is a nice name, better, than Sun Princess, although that SOL is named SUN later is perhaps only apt...

The name-giving department at P&O/Princess can be subtle at times (cfr. Royal Princess/Artemis)

I think your models are absolutely amazing. And one of the things I love about ship models the most is that they allow you to notice things about ships that you have never seen before. For instance, I was really surprised at how similar the stern of Spirit of London is to the rebuilt back of Sea Princess/Victoria!!!!

Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

Onno

quote:

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Originally posted by sslewis:
Onno,
I note a little spoiler aft of her funnel(Mini Angie/Mike). Was it there as new or added by Princess?

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Onno

quote:

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Originally posted by Ernst:
Isn`t she (the Spirit of London) one of the very few ships, which has been nearly completed at the slip-way? (at least the exterior. I remember a photo, but I am not sure)

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Indeed Ernst, you're right.

quote:

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Originally posted by Vaccaro:

Indeed Ernst, you're right.

Here's an old thread from 5 years ago where I had posted a picture of her launching. For some reason, I've always loved this image.

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What ever became of your Potsdam project?

Kenneth.....

[ 03-21-2005: Message edited by: Kenneth ]

I noticed the pic showing the embarkation platform, which is mostly obscured by the boats when in the davits. The superstructure on that deck is the dining room. That bulkhead running the length of the embarkation platform has a series of large round windows (from the dining salon). I believe I sent you a picture of the embarkation deck depicting them.

I’m right now constructing the ocean view lounge and again you pictures are up on my laptop, they show nicely the curved window pattern of the lounge.