Wanted Monogram Balsa Ship Plans Scans

[Lotus-14]

Hello to all,

If anyone out there has copies of the Monogram balsa ships from the '40s-'50s, and is willing to scan them, please let me know.

I would like to get copies, so I can build these models. I made all of them back when they were still being sold, and would like to do it again.

I am also interested in any of the Ideal models as well; particularly the USS Wasp, small Sub Chaser, and small Cost Guard Cutter.

Thanks for any help. Tim

[Oceaneer99]

Tim,

These plans would be excellent.  I'm going through the SMM archives now.  Not everything from the old site is on this site yet.  Also, Ray gave me a few of the hard copies of the AMCO ship plans for me to make new scans.

Here is what we have of a similar nature.  For those that are not already on the site, I'll try to get them all posted in the next week or so.

Airway USS Hull
Amco Aircraft Carrier
Amco Cruiser
Amco Destroyer USS Blue
Amco Submarine
Comet Battleship
Comet PT-9 (larger model)
Comet USS Gridley
Comet USS Indianapolis
Comet USS Perch
Comet USS Saratoga
Craftokit Cruiser
Ideal USS Farragut
Ideal USS Preston
Megow USS Constitution (low quality scan)
Megow Seth Parker (low quality scan)
Monogram USS Hobby (partial plan)
Strombecker USS California
Strombecker USS Indianapolis
Whitman Sub Chaser
Whitman USS Brookyln
Whitman USS Lexington
Whitman USS Ramsay

These kits are pretty rare, so if anyone has plans for these or similar kits, please let us know.

Also, Ray and I went to the Puget Sound Naval Museum and found that most of their ID Ship models were taken off display by the Navy and moved back to Washington, DC.  We know that there were plans for ID ship models made during WW II (because we have a photograph of some boys making models, with one of the plans tacked to the wall behind them), but unlike the aircraft ID models, we have not found a good source for the plans, or even a list of the model plans that were available.  If anyone has and leads on these, we would be very, very interested to hear from you.

I do have a copy of "US Navy Waterline Models", which has a fair number of 1:1200 ship plans, all US ships from WW II.  The book was printed just after World War II.

Thank you,
Garet

[Joe]

Hi,

I, too, built Monogram ship models back in the 50's.  I built two of them:  the USS Missouri and the LST.  However, I have recently acquired four un-built models with their respective plans in their original boxes:  the USS Missouri, the USS Shangri-la, the LST, and a Destroyer.  I will scan the plans in the next few days and post them. 

Joe

[Joe]

Hi,

I scanned the plans for the USS Missouri.  Due to the size of my scanner's bed, I had to scan the plans in four sections.  Also I reduced the files to meet (I hope) the requirements for this site.  Please let me know if the scans are satisfactory.  If so, I will do the others next week in the same manner.

One of the features I remember best about this model was the "Peace Table".  The experience of building this model allowed me to learn about the signing of the document ending WWII.  I remember painting the little rectangular solid green.  At the time I built the model very few 10/11 year-old boys knew the document was signed about the Missouri while she was at anchor in Tokyo Bay--or that Gen. Douglas MacArthur presided over the signing.  I learned all that because I was curious about the significance of the "Peace Table".  To me, this is yet another example of the collateral benefit of building models.

Joe

[Joe]

Hi, again,

I also have plans for the following Strombecker models:  USS Texas, USS Nautilus (diesel), USS Warrington, USS Gambier Bay, USS Buckley, and the USS Yorktown.  If you wish, I can scan those, as well, and post them.  Please let me know.

Joe

[Oceaneer99]

Joe,

Thank you!  We would really enjoy seeing those.  I sent you a separate e-mail regarding plans submissions.

Garet

[Jim]

Magnificent plan of the Missouri, Joe! But isn't it incomplete? Shouldn't there be a sheet also for the hull templates and one to delineate the superstructure elements as well?

[Joe]

Hi,

I have been working with Garet to do better job of archiving these plans.  I hope what we do will serve the site's needs appropriately.
In regard to the superstructure/hull template plans, I have attached a pieced-together incomplete set here.  I am still missing one part, as you can see.  But I hope this helps.

I am also attaching a scan of part of a Monogram Models flyer that shows all five of the warship models.  To date I am only missing the Cruiser, USS Chicago.  However, I am on the hunt for it.

Regards,

Joe

[Lotus-14]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the Monogram Missouri Scan.  There is a site that has some of the Monogram ship plans, but they were photographed and not scanned, so the quality is very low.

I have built mostly airplanes, but have always built models representing a number of interests.  Everything from trains to planes at one time or another.

I built each of the Monogram ships, as well as Strombecker, and Ideal ships.
When  I was a Scout about 60 years ago, Ideal had a series of "Official Boy Scout" ship models, which I built.  As the greatest percentage of plane models I built were flying models, the ships lasted far longer in my collection.  Unfortunately while I was in the Army, my parents had a garage fire, where all my stuff was stored, and I lost them all. But I am slowly building up a collection of replicas of the ship models I had.

Thanks for the help.

Tim

[Lotus-14]

Hi, again,

I also have plans for the following Strombecker models:  USS Texas, USS Nautilus (diesel), USS Warrington, USS Gambier Bay, USS Buckley, and the USS Yorktown.  If you wish, I can scan those, as well, and post them.  Please let me know.

Joe

Hi Joe,

If possible, I'd like to get a scan of the USS Warington, and Gambier Bay.  Also if you have the kits, can you tell me how long the Texas is?  I have scans of the plans, but the scale is unknown to me, and judging by the dimensions given to locate some of the desk houses, the model seems that it is smaller than the other Strombecker ships.

Tim

[Lotus-14]

Tim,

These plans would be excellent.  I'm going through the SMM archives now.  Not everything from the old site is on this site yet.  Also, Ray gave me a few of the hard copies of the AMCO ship plans for me to make new scans.


Also, Ray and I went to the Puget Sound Naval Museum and found that most of their ID Ship models were taken off display by the Navy and moved back to Washington, DC.  We know that there were plans for ID ship models made during WW II (because we have a photograph of some boys making models, with one of the plans tacked to the wall behind them), but unlike the aircraft ID models, we have not found a good source for the plans, or even a list of the model plans that were available.  If anyone has and leads on these, we would be very, very interested to hear from you.

I do have a copy of "US Navy Waterline Models", which has a fair number of 1:1200 ship plans, all US ships from WW II.  The book was printed just after World War II.

Thank you,
Garet

Hi Garet,

I am wondering if the National Archives, or the Smithsonian might have the plans.
I ran across a website that discussed the Japanese internment in the western U.S., and there were a couple of photos of boys building I.D. ship models.
I wonder if the Ship models were a special program, not as wide spread as the airplanes.
I met a fellow who had a very large collection of I.D. ships and one of them had the name of a Folsom prison woodworking shop stamped on the bottom.  It seemed odd at the time, but it does make sense as there was, at least in California, prison shops which were building furniture for the school system.

Tim

[Joe]

Hi, Tim,

I apologize for being so long in replying, but I have been away.  I do have plans for both the USS Gambier Bay and the USS Warrington.  I also have the kits for those models as well as a built Warrington.  And I also have both the plans and a built model of the USS Texas;  However, the plans for the Texas are in fairly poor shape. 

I will try to scan the plans next week and post them for you.  The built models are in a "grandchild-proof" shelf and somewhat hard to get to, but I think I have time next week to open the shelf and measure the Texas for you.  I will also send you a photo of the built model.  Meanwhile, I have attached a photo of the "grandchild-proof" shelf and you can (barely) see the Texas at the end of the line of Strombecker ship models.

Regards,

Joe

[dave_t]

Wow, I like those ships in natural finish, they look grandchild proof without the case. Are they fragile?

[Joe]

Hi, Dave,

Yes, they are fragile--some feature 1/16" dowel, etc.  As regards finish, Strombecker encouraged the builder to use a natural finish.  All the pictured ship models are from the 30's save one.  The USS Nautilus diesel submarine is the only surviving model that I made as a youth in the late 40's.  It came off the dusty back shelf of my local hobby shop back when.

Joe

[Joe]

Tim,

Per your request I am posting three sets of plans in three separate postings on this thread:  the USS Texas, the USS Gambier Bay, and the USS Warrington.  The Texas items are included in this note.  

The plans are old and fragile and, thus, I have left them in their archival sleeve.  I think they are still readable.  As regards the length of the ship, all the Strombecker ship models I have are ca. 10"-11" long.  I suspect that was done so that all the boxes could be a uniform 12"  long.  However, that is only conjecture on my part.   I conclude that was the common length because all 6 of my built models are in that range and all 4 of my unbuilt kits are in that range.

I will try to open my "grandchild-proof" case later on and photograph the model for you.

Regards,

Joe