Hello

[PRIAM]

Hello Modelers. My name is Terry Moore, living in England and retired. I've been interested in ships for many years and have built a variety of merchant ships in 1/1200 scale but now I'm having trouble with ships of say 450ft long reduced to 4.5 inches. On looking round for something other modelling activity I stumbled on this site several weeks ago and was astounded by the expertise of the workmanship of the modelers-I don't think I will ever be able to reach anything like that standard but I'll have a go!

[Tim Crowe]

Welcome to the forum Terry

Tim

[JohnM]

Hi Terry. Welcome to the PM forum. You'll find novices and experts from all over the world sharing their experiences here. About 90% 0f it is about paper, but plenty of other types of modelling get mentioned along the way too. We're not all purists, but although often mentioned, the Pl**tic stuff is way at the bottom of the pile here. Most of us agree that it's pretty useful stuff for windows and cockpit canopies though.

The real beauty of working in paper is that when it all goes wrong, or you just don't like that bit, you can screw itl up, print it again, and have another go ... or not, if it was that bad. I build animals and figurines, and I usually build two at a time ... a rough, uncoloured one for experimentation and modification, with a parallel build in full colour. Saves a lot of ink by not throwing a fully detailed model away every time something goes wrong.

Also, as is usual, that kit of exactly what you were looking for but in the wrong colour, or wrong logo, ... is pretty easy to re-colour to your desires. Giving you the ability of building fleets, teams, and crowds from just the one design. Most designers are quite flattered by re-paints of their designs, but don't forget to ask the original designer's permission before you re-distribute though.

So, welcome to the hobby. If you need help or information ... just ask! You'll be surprised at how far afield the replies will come streaming in from, and your circle of friends will grow astonishingly fast.

[Richschindler]

Well hello, and welcome. Glad to see you've come across this great site. As you look through it you'll find a wide variety of models, ships in your case, but many other choices as well. You'll also find a wide variety of skill levels. So, sit back and enjoy.

[elliott]

Hi Terry! Welcome to the forum. Thanks for joining. We have an active bunch of ship modelers here. Yes, some are experts that build at a level that few of us ever expect to reach in our lifetimes but I would guess that most build at considerably lower levels and are happy with the results. So, have a go as you said. You'll find this to be a fascinating hobby with its own set of challenges and rewards. We're glad you're here. Welcome aboard!