shipbuilding: full hull or waterline ?

[s.e.charles]

for the investment of money and time, is there a better choice for hull selection? I understand the display may dictate, but if that is taken out of the equation, is one type preferred over the other?

[Badder]

I'm not a 'ship-builder' but l understand that 'full hulls' are the much preferred option when it comes to displaying them. 

However, dioramas are a different story, obviously.

 

So, unless you're going to build a diorama with a ship in dry dock, or beached on some far off shore, I'd go for waterline for dioramas.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Black Knight]

Wot he says; waterline handy for dioramas and wargaming, full hull for on stands like museum or builders display models.

But you can build full hull for a diorama; just cut a deep V slot for the ship to sit in and build up the sea around it

[bootneck]

That choice is all down to how the modeller wishes to see their model when finished.  Most builders I know tend to make their models as full hull and displayed on a plinth in a display case; much like how they would be seen in a museum.  For me, I find that to be a bit too sterile and would prefer the model to have story behind it; therefore I put mine into diorama settings.   One personal observation, and it is purely my own view, is that full hull models that are displayed like museum pieces should not be weathered.  I find nothing more disconcerting than seeing rust streaks and other weathering on an otherwise pristine model.  To weather a full hull model should require it to be weathered overall, including the barnacles below the waterline and the grimy waterline tide-mark included etc.

 

Mike

[davepb]

58 minutes ago, bootneck said:

That choice is all down to how the modeller wishes to see their model when finished.  Most builders I know tend to make their models as full hull and displayed on a plinth in a display case; much like how they would be seen in a museum.  For me, I find that to be a bit too sterile and would prefer the model to have story behind it; therefore I put mine into diorama settings.   One personal observation, and it is purely my own view, is that full hull models that are displayed like museum pieces should not be weathered.  I find nothing more disconcerting than seeing rust streaks and other weathering on an otherwise pristine model.  To weather a full hull model should require it to be weathered overall, including the barnacles below the waterline and the grimy waterline tide-mark included etc.

 

Mike

I agree fully with those sentiments. The only full hull display that should be weathered is in a "dry-dock" setting, often represented simply by wooden blocks. And then the weathering could include remedial cleaning.

 

Dave