Modelist-Korabel Journal A Look at Three Issues by Steve Backer

When I first looked at the web site for the Russian firm of Ship Model Construction (click for link), I was curious about the journal, Modelist-Korabel (Ship Modelist) that was published by the company. I had enjoyed and looked forward to new issues of the Russian Morskaya Kollektsia series, so I wanted to see what Modelist-Korabel covered.

Last week I received three issues of Modelist-Korabel. The format of the publication is quite unique. Rather than cover one subject per issue with photos and drawings, it covers three to four subjects in each 16-page issue. The contents are articles in Russian on the selected topics and the accompanying graphics are plans and drawings of those subjects. In the three issues that I have seen; #7 July-September 1999; #10 October-December 2000; and #15 January-March 2002, there are no photos but a lot of graphic information presented through the included plans and drawings.

Modelist-Korabel #7
Two and one half pages are on the second part of an article on the Soviet submarine, Leninskii Komsomol (Part One was in Issue #6). The main article was the second part on the 1895 Russian torpedo boat, Tranzund (Part One was in Issue #5). This article features 1:100 scale plans (profile and plan) on the boat, printed on two pages, one page for the bow half and one page for the stern half. Also included is the hull section lines with 16 sections shown, plus three above waterline cross sections. There is also a conversion chart in millimeters to covert the plans to 1:200, 1:80, 1:65, 1:50, 1:40, 1:28, and 1:20 scales.

Four pages are on the 1710 Russian Smack, Onega. The centerfold has a plan, profile, hull lines, ten hull sections, bow view, stern view, and six detail inserts. The third topic is the Finnish coast defense ship, Vyainemyainen, later the Russian, Viborg. A 1:500 scale plan & profile is provided with seven hull sections. There are also an isometric drawing showing superstructure and armament placement and a 1:500 decks schematic.

Modelist-Korabel #10
The issue starts with 23 groupings of drawings in four pages, that show the armament and fittings for the 1903 Russian torpedo boat, Gromkii. This is part one of the coverage of the Gromkii. Part Two is in issue #11. Each grouping of drawings is assigned a number. It appears that the plan, profile, sections, etc would be in the second part with the numbered drawings referring to the number key in that presentation. This seems to be the way it was handled earlier with Tranzund, the first part covering fitting details and the second part covering overall lines.

The seven-page center article is on the 1805 American schooner, Swift. Drawings include 1:100 scale plan, profile and inboard profile, seven mast & rigging diagrams, two rigging detail drawings and templates for the keel/hull & nine sections. The third item is the 1914 Russian tanker, Cheksna. There are 1:300 scale plan, profile and ten sections. Other drawings show mast detail, stern detail, prop & rudder detail, boats, cowlings and one cross section.

Modelist-Korabel #15
The major topic is the coverage of the German Battlecruisers, Goeben and Moltke. Five pages are devoted to plans and details of these two warships. Included are two pages of 1:400 scale plans & profiles of Goeben, one page for the forward half and one page for the aft half of the ship. Additional insets are provided for ships’ crests, 88mm guns, and torpedo net storage. Two drawings show the bridge detail of Moltke. Other drawings show 16 sections (in 1:200 & 1:400 scales), two mast rigging diagrams, bow detail, armament schematic and armor schematic. There is a table with conversion figures in millimeters to convert the plans to 1:800, 1:310, 1:250, 1:200, 1:150, 1:125 and 1:100 scales.

The middle article is on the 1963 Canadian yacht, Bluenose II. The centerfold shows a 1:150 scale plan with two stern detail inserts. Additional drawings cover the deck plan, inboard profile, eleven hull sections, keel/hull template, stern on view and seven drawings showing the hull/deck construction steps. The last article is on the 1904 Russian hospital ship, Mongolia. The format is the same as the third articles in issues #7 and #10. One page presents a 1:500 scale plan, profile and eight hull sections. One drawing is of a 1:500 scale decks schematic/plan and one drawing shows an isometric deck and fittings diagram.

VERDICT
This series presents a multitude of interesting ships’ plans in various scales. Priced at less than US$2 per issue, it is difficult to imagine a more economic source for these plans. It appears that Modelist-Korabel is the scratch-builders and detailers dream. Delivery from Tver, Russia to the US took only 14 days.

Issue 1 - Italian, later Russian Battleship Guilio Cesare (Novorossysk), Japanese Armored Cruiser Asama, Apkholder (British submarine Upholder?)

Issue 2 – British Battlecruiser Indefatigable, Battleship Imperator Nikolai I, USS Monitor, 25 Maya

Issue 3 – US Armored Cruiser Brooklyn, Otvajnii, RMS Titanic

Issue 4 – Panzershiffe Admiral Graf Spee, Destroyer Pronzitelnii, Barquantine Koran, Submarine Lemyt

Issue 5 – Torpedo Boat Tranzund, US Battleship California, Columbus’ Caravel Ninya, Submarine Lemyt Part Two, Vandal

Issue 6 – Columbus’ Caravel Ninya Part Two, Italian Light Cruiser Guiseppe Garibaldi, Leninskii Komsomol, US Battleship Oregon

Issue 7- Torpedo Boat Tranzund Part Two, Onega, Coast Defense Ship Viborg

Issue 8 – Clipper-Schooner Liberty, Vittoria, German Liner Wilhelm Gustlov

Issue 9 – Spanish Galleon San Francisco, German Destroyer V-99, Japanese Battleship Yashima

Issue 10 – Torpedo Boat Gromkii, Schooner Swift, Tanker Cheksna

Issue 11 – Schooner Liberty Part Two, Torpedo Boat Gromkii Part Two, Cruiser Kuban

Issue 12 – Italian Heavy Cruiser Trento, Galleon San Francisco Part Two, Ermak,

Issue 13 – Australian Light Cruiser Sydney, Tender Smeli, Japanese Battleship Hatsuse

Issue 14 – Battleship Navarin, Yacht Bluenose II, German Submarine Deutschland

Issue 15 – German Battlecruiser Goeben, Yacht Bluenose II Part Two, Hospital Ship Mongolia

Issue 16 – Japanese Destroyer Yukikaze, Tender Smeli Part Two, German Armored Cruiser Scharnhorst

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