Editing Ship model (section)

== Types of construction ==

The most common materials used for ship models are:

* Wood—commonly solid wood, two pieces of wood with a vertical seam or slabs of wood placed one on top of each other.
* Plastic—including both injected styrene and cast resin models. In larger scales (1/192 and larger), [[fiberglass]] is often used for hull shells.
* Metal—usually cast lead or other alloys.  Steel, sheet tin and aluminum brass are used less frequently for hull construction, but are used extensively for adding details.
* Paper—preprinted paper construction kits are common in Europe, and are available in a variety of scales.

=== Wooden ===
[[File:HMS Sussex model port broadside hr.jpg|thumb|A "plank on frame" model of {{HMS|Sussex|1693|6}} on display at the [[United States Naval Academy Museum]]]] {{Main|Wooden ship models}}

Wooden ship model [[hull (watercraft)|hulls]] can be constructed in several ways. The simplest is a solid wood hull sawn and carved from a single block of wood. This method requires the greatest skill to achieve accurate results.

A variant of this technique, sometimes known as bread and butter construction (the wood is the "bread" and glue the "butter") is a hull built up from thin blocks of wood glued together with either a vertical seam which can be incorporated into deck design, or a horizontal seam.  This reduces the amount of carving required, but still requires skill and the use of templates to achieve an accurate hull form.

Modelling precision and lightweight design can be achieved by creating a hollow hull. The ''plank on bulkhead'' technique inserts a series of shaped [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] along the keel to form a shaped stage which will be covered with planks to form the hull of the model. ''Plank on frame'' designs build the model just as the full size wooden ship is constructed.  The keel is laid down in a manner which keeps it straight and true. The [[sternpost]] and [[Stem (ship)|stem]] are erected, deadwood and strengthening pieces inserted, and a series of shaped frames are built and erected along the keel to form the internal framework of the model.  The planks are then applied over the frame to form the external covering.

A wooden hull can be used for operating models if properly sealed.

=== Plastic ===
In the decades since World War Two [[injection molding|injection-molded]] [[polystyrene]] plastic model ships have become increasingly popular. Consisting of preformed plastic parts which can be bonded together with plastic cement, these models are much simpler to construct than the more labor-intensive traditional wooden models. The inexpensive plastic kits were initially targeted to the postwar generation<ref>{{cite web| title=Toy Model Kits| publisher=Advarneg Incorporated| year=2007| url=http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Toy-Model-Kit.html| access-date=2007-12-05}}</ref> who could glue them together and produce passable replicas in a single afternoon.  Plastic models are available in both full hull and waterline versions for a wide variety of vessels.

A more recent addition has been a variety of kits in cold cure resin marketed by various small companies as part of a [[cottage industry]].  These often cover more obscure subjects than mainstream manufacturers.<ref name="Ashey">{{cite book| title=Basics of Ship Modeling: The Illustrated Guide| first=Mike| last=Ashey| year=2000| publisher=Kalmbach Publishing Company| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2ffCoUTsj4YC&q=The+Basics+of+Ship+Modeling| isbn=0-89024-372-7}}</ref>

Scales vary as well, with many kits from the early days being "box scale"; that is, scaled to fit into a uniform sized box designed to fit conveniently on hobby shop shelves.  Scales have since become more standardized to enable modelers to construct consistent scale collections, but there are still many to choose from.  In Europe 1/400 scale remains popular, while in the United States and Japan the most popular scales are [[1:700 scale|1/700]] (making a World War Two aircraft carrier about a foot long) and [[1:350 scale|1/350]] (twice as long as [[1:700 scale|1/700]]).  Nevertheless, mainstream plastic kit manufacturers continue to produce kits as small as 1/1200 and as large as 1/72, with a few even larger.

The early plastic model kit producers such as [[Airfix]], [[Revell]], [[Frog (models)|Frog]] and [[Pyro Plastics Corp.|Pyro]] have since been joined by [[Imai Models|Imai]], [[Tamiya Corporation|Tamiya]], [[Hasegawa Corporation|Hasegawa]], Skywave/Pit-Road, [[Trumpeter (company)|Trumpeter]], [[Dragon Models Limited]] and many others in producing a wide array of model subjects.  The plastic model kit market has shifted over the years to a focus on adult hobbyists willing to pay for more elaborate, higher quality kits.

Another recent development has been the advent of aftermarket parts to enhance the basic kits.  Decals, specialized paints and turned metal replacement gun barrels are available to make plastic models more accurate.  The introduction of flat [[Photoetching|photoetched]] metal sets, usually stainless steel or brass, also provide much more realistic lifelines, cranes, and other details than are possible with the injection molded plastic kits.<ref name="Ashey" />  These photoetch sets have transformed the hobby, enabling the finescale modeler to reproduce very delicate details with much less effort.

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Yamato.jpg|Details of 1/700 scale model of the [[Japanese battleship Yamato]], which is heavily detailed with aftermarket photo-etch detailing parts.
File:1.700 Waterline Zuikaku.jpg|A [[Tamiya Corporation|Tamiya]] 1/700 scale assembled model of Japanese Aircraft-Carrier [[Zuikaku]] completed with aftermarket [[Photoetching|photoetch]] accessories.
File:1.700 scale IJN Hiryu Battle of Midway.jpg|A converted 1/700 scale model of [[Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryū]] based on the photo of her before sinking during the [[Battle of Midway]].
File:Massachusetts model.JPG|1/720 scale plastic model of the {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-59}}.
File:Minekaze model OOTB.JPG|An assembled [[1:700 scale]] Skywave/Pit-Road Japanese destroyer is about the size of a pencil.
File:Minekaze by Tim Reynaga.JPG|[[1:700 scale]] plastic model completed with [[Photoetching|photoetch]] brass rails and other refinements.
</gallery>

=== Live steam ===
Enthusiasts build [[live steam]] model ships of many types and in many scales. These range from simple [[pop pop boat]]s to models of racing [[Hydroplane (boat)|hydroplanes]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mpba.org.uk/Section_pages/tethered_hydroplane.html |title=Tethered Hydroplanes |publisher=Mpba.org.uk |access-date=2012-12-10}}</ref>