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  #1  
Old 01-12-2013, 09:28 AM
Lynn Lynn is offline
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H.G Watkins Inquiry - New York Class BB

Greetings,
This is my first post, so apologies if I'm not posting in the proper area.
The battleship Texas BB-35 is a special interest of mine, and I've been working over time to try to compile a list and collection of the various scale models of the Texas, and even her sister ship, the New York, given that they are the same class.
A while back, this forum made me aware of H.G. Watkins paper models, and led me to believe that there was a Watkins model for the Texas or the New York.
Would someone be able to confirm this, please ? I'd really like to obtain a picture of the kit, unassembled or assembled. ( Or both. )
And it would really make my day if I were able to obtain a copy of this kit to add to my collection. ( I've been monitoring ebay and the web in general for a while, with no joy. )
Thanks for your time and consideration.
I'm highly impressed with the workmanship of those posting here, as well as the information shared.
Thanks again,
Lynn
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Old 01-28-2013, 10:54 AM
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Papercut Papercut is offline
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Hello Lynn, sorry to see no one has what you need. H.G. Watkins kits are very hard to come by. I was lucky that a friend severial years ago provided me w/the USS TN. I do hope you find the kit.
Rick
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  #3  
Old 01-29-2013, 12:28 AM
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paulhelfrich paulhelfrich is offline
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I have built the Watkins USS Oklahoma (H.G. Watkins USS Oklahoma under attack - December 7, 1941), but I didn't know he had a Texas/New York as well. I have a few other Watkins kits in my stash, but not that one, unfortunately...
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Old 01-31-2013, 12:01 AM
JHS JHS is offline
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I had the Watkins OKLAHOMA (purchased in fall 1978); it was one of his best, but many were terrible, and did not remotely reach the standards we expect today. I was able to get his SALT LAKE CITY about 20 years ago. I commenced building it in the '90's. It was a disaster. I had been able to get official USN plans for SLC. I copied them in the same scale as the Watkins model. Absolutely nothing matched the Navy plan set. The worst of it was the shape of the hull---the model was way too fat---it had the lines of a battleship, not the slender cruiser lines of the SLC. I came to the conclusion Watkins made the model from photographs, and used no plans. There was nothing for it but to pitch the whole thing into the trash.

There are so many superb paper model warships available now. I would advise giving up the quest for Watkins models, and wait for a state-of-the-art TEXAS. As I recall, the Watkins model was of NEW YORK. I do not think he ever did TEXAS. If you find the Watkins model, you will probably have to pay dearly for the 42 odd year old model (the first Watkins models appeared in 1970, I bought his WEST VIRGINIA right away---and was appalled, it was dreadful), and you are likely to get a wretched model for your money. I had his RENOWN, SHEFFIELD, OKLAHOMA, WEST VIRGINIA, and SALT LAKE CITY. As I recall, the SHEFF and the OKLAHOMA were the only ones which remotely came near Wilhelmshaven's LEIPZIG or SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, which were the gold standard when the last models Watkins models were released in autumn 1981. I was in touch with him, and eagerly awaiting his REPULSE. He disappeared along with his model line.
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Old 01-31-2013, 02:26 AM
dto dto is offline
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Lynn contacted me privately after seeing my old post in the Zealot forum. I have the USS New York kit, and once made a "test build" of scanned parts. Despite only a few internal formers and no central spine, the hull went together remarkably well -- even the complicated secondary gun casements fitted perfectly. I originally planned to recolor and reduce the parts to a smaller scale, but erasing all those deck planking lines was too tedious. I might return to that project in the future, though.

For a model intended for large scale naval wargaming, the hull and superstructure proportions "looked right" to me. The USS New York was copyrighted 1976, so I assume Mr. Watkins was improving his product. At least this was printed on gray cardstock, rather than the yellow manila folder stock used on earlier releases.

JHS, you actually corresponded with H. G. Watkins? I've heard he passed away in the early 1980s, which explains the sudden disappearance of his model line. There's so much of that designer that is now lost history -- even his full name is a mystery.

David T. Okamura

Last edited by dto; 01-31-2013 at 02:37 AM.
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Old 01-31-2013, 12:28 PM
Lynn Lynn is offline
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Thanks to each for giving of their time and knowledge to respond. It's very interesting to me to learn the history of the craft and of the various manufacturer's.

I'm always on the lookout for models of the Texas. Perhaps there will be a new paper model someday. And I too would be keen to know more about Mr. Watkins.

Thanks again to all !

Lynn
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Old 01-31-2013, 02:30 PM
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Darwin Darwin is offline
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The Watkins kits were literally a "garage" industry. From what I've been able to determine, H. G. Watkins passed on in the late 70s, and the model line died with him. Several of us have made attempts to locate and contact his heirs with no luck. As most of the copyrights for his kits were prior to 1976 and have not been renewed, it looks like most of them are now public domain. Every so often some of the kits show up on Ebay, but should be considered as collector's items rather than building kits. The series was developed for war gaming props rather than as "serious" scale models, so don't expect fidelity to scale should you luck onto one of the kits.
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Old 01-31-2013, 10:54 PM
RyanShort1 RyanShort1 is offline
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On of these days maybe we will have a USS Texas...

USS Texas
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  #9  
Old 02-10-2013, 10:07 PM
JHS JHS is offline
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I bought his SHEFFIELD in autumn 1981. I sent a note with the order which asked when his REPULSE was going to be ready. Watkins replied. He told me the R would be ready soon. And, that was it. I wanted to buy another SHEFFIELD a year or so later, and I can't recall if my letter was returned, or if I did not receive a reply, but it was plain his models were no longer available.

The person who knows about the Watkins story is Lou Dausse who used to run Paper Models International. I bought a few Watkins models from him about ten years ago.
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  #10  
Old 02-11-2013, 08:29 AM
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Don Boose Don Boose is offline
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Fascinating thread. It would be great if someone were to track down the Watkins materials and get permission to reproduce them.

And, of course, it would be wonderful to have paper models of Texas and New York.

Don
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