About the "rib-bone" effect . . .

[rjm]

A "little" off topic, but have you ever seen a photo looking down the side
of a B-52? I've never seen those ripples duplicated in any model, paper
or plastic.

[Kevin WS]

I think a really important point here to note is that the model should look right!

Note this does not mean rivet counting, or trying to get the model 100% accurate in miniature. You never will be able to - SJPONeill is correct in his comments on scale here. Rivet counters should write reference and historical books, not attempt models.

Quite simply I would suggest make the model how you like it, so it conveys what you want to convey. If you want it weathered, do so. If you want new, do so. If you want it dented etc.,.........

Listen to your creative feelings/gut feel and build something to convey what you want. Also build something you are capable of building.

And remember that 95+ per cent of the people who will admire it (hopefully!) will know zip about ships anyway!

Simple!

Now enjoy making the model....................!

[JohnM]

I think this point really comes home with architectural models. Especially old stone built ones with slate or tiled roofs. The 'real thing' just doesn't have straight walls or roofs. The warping is very difficult to correctly achieve, but easier with damp paper than other materials.

Johnny.

[Bionic Modeler]

I favor the distorted effect we get in paper. If one wants to truly match the weathered and dented effect of the sea bashing against the hull then add formers to scale so the paper will deform in squares like the ships are buit of. Each hull plate is supported by an understructure. So go for it if that is what you are trying to achieve. I am satisfied myself with the look we get with the model as designed. I don't like the smooth effect of plastic. So when a modeler goes to all the trouble to fill, and sand his paper model to get that plastic look I ask myself why not just build it in plastic since the paper is only serving as a base for the plastic fillers anyway so can one say that it is truly a paper model?

[romanmodels]

the sd14 im building has been desinde to follow the reel ship with card repaceing steel, and the card it has formed indents bettween the ribs.

[NimitzFan]

I've resisted commenting so far, but allow me to add an old naval officer's viewpoint.

We called it "the washboard look" and we hated it because it is a sign of structural weakness. It is common to welded ships built in the early days of welded ships, typically those built between 1940 and 1975... Many, many years ago I had a naval architect explain to me why it happened and how they prevented it in newer ships.

You will notice that it develops over time. Compare a picture of a newly launched ship with one from 20 years later, and it will have developed. He explained to me that there are several causes:
The most obvious is the combination of thin hull plating and extended sea time in foul weather.
The next most common cause is poorly planned or executed ship modifications. Sometimes you'll see a ship with "washboarding" to one side only - a sure sign of bad modifications.
Finally, age is itself a cause. The natural expansion and contraction of the metal due to temperature over time can cause it.

Sadly, I do not recall his explanation of how they prevented it from happening to newer ships. It was really technical; assumed I understood welding (which I still don't), and I didn't understand very much of it.

[Jim Nunn]

Take a look at this link for a photo of a ships hull.
http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/museums-air-shows-events-get-togethers/1526-what-real-hull-looks-like-visit-uss-midway.html

I expect to get a few comments on my opinion of what I call "The look of a model". All models (including mine) are not miniatures of real equipment they are highly stylized miniaturizes of what we think they should look like. As an example during my first deployment on The USS Intrepid after being on station for s few times, each time was for 45 to 60 days. After a while the ship looked like a scow complete with rust streaks and bunker oil smears from refueling at sea. We did a port call in Hong Kong for a week or so during which one side of the ship was painted while at anchor. We went back on station and on the next port call to Hong Kong the other side was painted. I would like someone to try and get that passed the judges at an IPMS show.

As for aircraft we like to see panel lines and even rivets and screw detail and for "weathering" we add some nice small oil/exhaust smears. We flew A1-H Spads off the Intrepid and after a few weeks of almost constant flying with several sorties per day you could barely make out the national markings because of the thick exhaust band down the side of the aircraft. As for the color they had a general dirty gray color about them. The nearly white underside was the same shade as the upper side of the aircraft. Panel lines and rivet detail you had to be with in a few feet to see them.

Our models are like a 17th century landscape painting by one of the Dutch Masters wonderful detail and the exquisite use of light to highlight objects and force your eye to the subject of the painting but resembling nothing that the human eye ever saw.

Jim Nunn

[Kevin WS]

Jim, I agree wholeheartedly!

If to the viewer it looks right...........!

[Mark Petersen]

Asked a guy at work if the ship he was on had any rib-bone or oil canning. He said no but he also told me that the Arleigh Burke's have a restriction limiting them to 12 foot seas.

[NimitzFan]

Jim,
I think you hit the nail on the head. I like to add small figures to my ships to reflect the fact that once launched, no ship ever lacks "her" people. To me, a ship model without people is a form of "Still life." As I do it, I try to create reasonable explanations for why they are there. I know it is an art-form. Just like model railroaders - I often describe their work as "industrial sculpture."