MENG 1/150 STEAMER "THE CROSSING"

[domer94]

ok all , this has been on my list for a while.. every once in a while ive seen one on ebay. for this i had to order from BNA hobbies in Australia. SOooo... i have been building plastic models , mostly ships since age 8 like many of you. THIS is something i have never seen before (more like experienced) ... never have seen a kit presented in such a fine manner.. like a crown jewel. ive seen many "special addition" , "platinum" etc etc.. but this one is a league unto itself. the packaging... lets start there... unreal. the outer sleave of the box is artwork... then sliding it off, you get what looks like a vintage hardcover massive book that opens up like a book and is made of very thick book cover material. you open it and the hull is there in a "felt" lined spot like you just found some hidden treasure. ok then... the instruction manual is a hardcover book unto itself! ive just never seen anything like this. the nameplate of the stand is an actual engraved piece of metal , the hull comes colored and is very quality.. i think it may just need light "weather wash" , or definitely dullcoat. you dont need any aftermarket at all , but i couldnt resist getting the wooden deck set to add a bit of "organicness". seeing how it comes out , i may add some coiled lines or oil drums lashed someplace like a real steamer would have. it does leave you with a tough choice though... to weather or not to weather... its such a fine kit that it would look great as is , but this type of vessel screams out for some rust streaks and salt treatment. it also comes with internal USD led light strip. anyhow heres the journey... i applied the hull "stickers" and couldnt help trying out some of the decking which was sourced separately on ebay. only one piece was damaged... the stern rail on one section. its bummer but i may be able to heat and fix it

 

[domer94]

more pics

 

[BarleyBop]

a crown jewel.

...wow, I'd be afraid to open the box!

Take your time.
Enjoy.

As old Leonard sang:

I'm slowing down the tune
I've never liked it fast
You wanna get there soon
I wanna get there last
It's not because I'm old
It's not the life I led
"I always liked it slow"
That's what my mama said

 

[edz280zx]

Impressive kit. I wasn't impressed with Meng's 1/700 Titanic, but this kit here is very nice indeed.

 

[domer94]

well , i decided to go the weathered route. i cant see a coal powered steamer being spotless... and with the best efforts of the crew, you will still get soot. i toned down the decks with some AK deck wash as well. i havent added any rust effects yet.. will wait and see. also , they provide these glossy black stickers to cover the cabin tops , i will be using some sort of red oxide instead

 

[Edbert]

Amazing presentation, reminds me of Apple and their approach to boxing in some ways.

I've built 3 Meng kits in the last year or so, was very impressed in almost all steps. I'm gonna watch this build.

 

[domer94]

finished up thew focs'l with anchor chain and installed some afterdeck equipment. applied some AK grey grime wash to areas of the deck around the machinery. deck green applied to the uppers. will probably do some more weathering as i go..

 

[scottrc78]

That is an interesting kit and concept of how they marketed it. Nice work.

 

[domer94]

mounted some deck house sections and installed grabrails

 

[domer94]

some more work on the aft house. installed some railings, dry fitted 02 level deck. played around with some weathering washes. shes gonna be a gritty work horse

 

[BarleyBop]

Nice! Makes me think of a B&W film noir, a steamer getting Shanghai'd, with Peter Lorre invariably involved in some nefarious way.

 

[domer94]

this vessel was central in the film "the crossing"... never seen it , but now i have to !

 

[domer94]

finished fitting the 01 level deck... all those vertical supports are separate pieces.. what a PITA getting them all to line up in their holes before pressing down. added a couple ladders

 

[kevin]

this vessel was central in the film "the crossing"... never seen it , but now i have to !

I know it's not the same kind of ship, but the ship in the Peter Jackson's "King Kong" movie came to mind when I first saw the model.
It's really looking good.

 

[BarleyBop]

Yes, it really is looking good!

Watching this build, is like reliving every large ferry trip I've ever been on, from Caribou Island to Prince Edward Island on the East coast, Prince Rupert to Port Hardy on the West coast, the Seto island sea, or from Kagoshima to Okinawa...

The sounds, the smells, sometimes the 'soot', the bright colours of painted surfaces. The rhythmic heaving of the deck.

Probably an entirely different experience than for those who served in the navy, but somehow akin, I think, to that of passengers on your ship.

 

[domer94]

I know it's not the same kind of ship, but the ship in the Peter Jackson's "King Kong" movie came to mind when I first saw the model.
It's really looking good.

ya know , there were a couple of movie ships in my years that this brings me back to... for all you 80s kids.. the beginning of the "black stallion" , and the steamer in "raiders of the lost ark".... the one where he falls asleep on the lingerie clad karen...

 

[GCB]

Amazing kit!!

 

[domer94]

got the upper decks installed. continued making her into a gritty 19th century coal fired steamer....

 

[BarleyBop]

Looking awesome!

My dad worked on a steam-powered hydrographic vessel in the early 50s, visiting outports around Newfoundland and Labrador. He had fond memories of it quietly slipping through the water on calm, moonlit nights. He said the experience was very different when the ship was refitted with diesel engines.

 

[domer94]

Looking awesome!

My dad worked on a steam-powered hydrographic vessel in the early 50s, visiting outports around Newfoundland and Labrador. He had fond memories of it quietly slipping through the water on calm, moonlit nights. He said the experience was very different when the ship was refitted with diesel engines.

i remember my first night on a motor ship... spent an hour stuffing little pieces of folded paper in between overhead panel seams and all the other stuff that was rattling... finally got to sleep. did some trips on the old SL-7's ... smooth as butter

 

[domer94]

installed port lifeboats , skylights and ventilator, and a couple of liferings. im probably going to use some thinner and lessen some of the grime effect when all is together. doing 30-45 min at the bench towards the end of the evening before me and the miss plop on the couch...

 

[BOATMAN]

HI SIR very well done on your ship you have made a very nice job of it as im goin to be back to my BIG USS HORNET after ive finishished my phantom so another shippy person comin lol an sorry about the bold letterin but my laptop is playin up
Chrisb

 

[domer94]

im calling this one finished tonight. i decided to paint the stack and cargo gear buff instead of leaving it black plus add guy wires to the funnel. couldnt leave a yard and stay rig without rigging, so i EZ lined guy wires, topping lifts , and whips. added a bundle of oil drums on deck for effect, put mooring line on the forward reel , and flaked down a couple of lines on the foredeck. did my best to rig some lifeboat falls. finally mounted on the kit stand with that nice engraved nameplate

 

[BarleyBop]

Just a beautiful build. Cast off!

 

[kevin]

That's a good looking ship, something different for sure. I like the paint job and weathering.

 

[Airborne01!]

Coming along beautifully mate
Steve