Academy Titanic – 1:400 scale – Introduction

I received this kit for Christmas 2014.   The admiral felt sorry because it wasn’t the Billing’s Titanic,  but I put her at ease…..this is a very nice kit.   Looking at the company website,  I see that they offer several versions of the Titanic.   What I have is the basic kit……they have kits that include up grades, like P.E. and wooden decks.

   

   

The kit………the kit contents………..the instructions……but then ……….this.   CHROME!!!!!!   What the blue blazes,  is chrome doing in a ship kit?!?!   I understand that some of the parts are for the stand,   but there are some model related parts on there as well.   This will not do……..I will strip them using brake fluid.   I also want to try lighting the model,  so the stand is going to go through some alterations as well.   The pedestal parts come in two pieces…….these will need to be sanded,  in order to hide the separation lines.   Much to do here.   There are also some clear parts in this package as well.    The decals and the flags are here as well…….not really into the peel and stick.   I found a very nice website that pertains to the history and paint scheme of the ship:

Titanic Paint and Color Reference

This model is going to be an even bigger challenge than the Andrea Gail……..and perhaps,   even more controversial.   You probably noticed the Icon in the upper right hand corner of the box.    It denotes that the kit is made up of different colored plastics.   We will start with the white parts sprues.

   

In the last picture,  the fore deck and stern railings can be seen.   I will need to do something with them…..the railings look terrible.   It would be nice to have the P.E. to replace them…..I have an idea that I want to try,  before I attempt to go in that direction.   The hull poses another problem……..the bottom paint has already been done.   The mold line along the keel has not been cleaned up………sprue marks are still visible.   The holes for the stand have not been drilled out,  rather left molded over and hidden.   This is strange,  in taking account of the stand that they include in the kit.

There are parts molded in black plastic.  This includes the stand base……..in that bag,  the rigging thread is included.   The other thing to be aware of,  is that the port and starboard screw tunnels are included on this sprue.   It will be tough to match up the paint to touch them up with.

Included here also,  are the funnel parts,  molded in a sort of orange color.    There are sprues molded in a brown color,  and the decks are a different color as well.

There are somewhere in the neighborhood,  of 530 parts,  in this kit.   It should prove to be a fun build………but do bear with me,  having not built a plastic kit since 2009.

AHOY!!!