Links to Producers of Ship and Boat Kits, Fitting Suppliers and Distributors

AHOY ... I've been interested in 1/72 boats and ships for several years and there use in wargaming. Back in the early 80's I discovered GDW's Twilight 2000 RPG, and was hooked almost immediatly on 20mm wargaming. GDW printed several modules for Twilight 2000 that took place on ships, but alas there seemed to be a lack of ship models available, much to my fustration. My gaming group played these modules using paper cut outs of the deck plans, but they lacked the feel of a 3D model. Revell's 1/72 scale PT-109 has been around for many years, however to find a good selection has required some detective work ....until now.

Ships tend to be the largest of all vehicles, so in many cases, a ship models of smaller scales can be used and not look out of place. In some cases doors, railings, and weapons might need to be replaced to get the right "look".

Most kits of smaller vessels are complete right out of the box, however many of the models of larger vessels require scratch building and additional parts to be supplied by the modeler.

Ship and boat models range from just a few dollars up to several hundreds of dollars. A good rule of thumb is the larger the model, the higher the price. You will probablly notice in some cases the same kit is offered by more than one company. This is due to new ownweship of companies, and molds from discontinued lines changing hands.

Many out of production kits can be found for sale from various retailers on the web or thru E-bay. "Toy" boats can also be useful for wargaming with some modification. Toys-R-Us, Kay Be Toys and "Dollar Stores" are good sources for toy boats. I've included in this list "Modern" vessels of the 20th century, that are known to be 1/72 scale and in some cases kits that are near to 1/72 scale.

TTFN BadMoon

Model Companies:

AFP: ANZAC F.F.H. Class Frigate, Ticonderoga Class Cruiser, Spruance Class Destroyer, MPC 85 Meter, MPC 80 Meter, HMS MANCHESTER Destroyer Escort, HMAS TORRENS Destroyer Escort, HMS PENELOPE Frigate, River Class Frigate DE, Type 22 Frigate Bach 2, Type 22 Frigate Bach 3, Fremantle Class Patrol Craft, Black Swan Class Frigate, Daring Class Destroyer, Battle Class Destroyer, Bay Class Frigate, Grimsby Class Sloop, Bathhurst Class Minesweeping Corvette, Town Class Cruiser, Admiralty Tug, HMS HOOD, Type 21 Frigate, Survey Ship HMAS MOREBY, Niteroi Class Frigate, Tribal Class Destroyer, Q Class Destroyer, Liberty Ship, Russian Missle Corvette, USN WWII Fleet Tug .
Airfix: RAF Rescue Launch, Vosper MTB ;rumored tp be out of production, but still available at many retailers.
Amati/Verlinden: U-47 german submarine
Armageddon:LCVP
Art Toys:LCA
Baymo:F 215 BRANDENBURG-modern german navy frigate, Russian Scvremenny class destroyer, USS HUE CITY-Argis class cruiser
Billings Boats: St. Roch-Arctic Trawler, SMIT Rotterdam 1/75
Britiannia: LCA, British Raiding Dory, LCT, LCVP, Sturmboot 39, Greek caique Fishing Boat, Sturmboot 42, Sturmboot 39(sea going), Pioneerlandungsboot 40, Vorpostenboot Armed Trawler, LCM, Armed Motor Launch, Kyak w/2 crew, 4 US Paras in Assault boat, PBR "Pibber"
Barcelona Universal Models:US Landing Craft with Truck, British Commandos with Submarine
Combat Models:USS WARD, USN PC Subchaser, USN LCI Landing Craft, Mark VII-C U-Boat, USN Fleet Boat, Mark XXI U-Boat, USSR Alpha Sub, USN SSN THRESHER, USN S Boat, Mark IXC U-Boat, mark IX D/D2 U-Boat, USN SSN SKIPJACK, U-35 WWI U-Boat, U-9 WWI U-Boat, USN SSBM PATRICK HENERY, USN SSN LOS ANGELES, USN SSN NAUTILUS
Crusader Models:LCA MK II, LCM MK I, LCP(R), LCVP, Zodiac Assault Raft, Daihatsu Landing Barge, SK-5 PACV Hovercraft, STAB Strike Assault Boat
Exo Kit:Treadway Ferry Boat, US Storm Boat
FCMmini subs: U-Boot SEEHUND, U-Boat NEGER, U-Boat HECHT, U-Boat BIBER
Fine Molds:IJN Pearl Harbor Midget Sub
Friulmodel:Japanese Navy Manned Torpedo "Kaiten" Type 1, Japanese Navy Midget Sub Target Type A (same as Fine Molds ??)
Front Line Miniatures: Extra Pontoon Brigde Float-suitable for Assault Boat, Extra Pontoon Bridge Bardge-suitable for Assault Bardge, German Landing Bardge Type A1-motorized w/enclosed wheel house, German Landing Bardge Type A2-towed w/open wheel house, Tug Boat, Motor Fishing Boat, Assault Bridge Ferry, Herbert Ferry, Sanpan w/Thatched Shelter
Glecoe:WWI USN Subchaser 1/74 OOP but still can be found at some retailers
Homtyk: Tupolev G-5 Russian PT Boat (same as Interavia??)
Hovels:Japanese Type C Landing Craft/Patrol, Japanese Type A Landing Craft
Interavia:Tupolev G5 Torpedo Boat
It Figures:German Assault Dingy w/4 Crew
Leva Productions:LCVP, Patrol LCVP(Armoured), Seibel Ferry(Seelowe) 50 ton rating
Liberation Miniatures:Zodiac Semi Rigid Inflatable Boat
Lindberg: Diesel Tug 1/84, Tuna Clipper 1/84, Air Force Rescue Boat 1/84 (OOP), Coast Guard Patrol Boat 1/84 (OOP), Coast Guard Tug Boat 1/84 (OOP), Grindel Tug Boat 1/82 (OOP),-of the several Lindberg I've built, they've all been larger than the stated scale. OOp kits can be found at a few retailers, and are seen often on E-Bay.
Mac: LCVP (OOP,same as Armageddon's??)
MGM: Big Rubber Dingy, 1 Ton Flossack Rubber Dingy, 2 Ton Flossack Rubber Dingy, 4 Ton Flossack Rubber Dingy, Flat Bottomed River Boat-Type A motorized, Engineer Landing Ferry 41 w/deckhouse, Flat Bottomed Boat-Type A non-motorized w/gun, Flat Bottomed Flak Boat-Type A 3x37mm Flak 36
Monolith Designs:LCM MK 3, LCM MK 6, LCVP, LCV
O.T.W. Designs:British TRAFALGAR Nuclar Sub
Raventhorp: LCVP, German WWII Inflatable Assault Craft w/crew and LMG, Commando Canoe w/2 crew
Revell Germany:DGzRS ARKONA SAR, British Vosper MTB, HMS SNOWBERRY Corvette, PT-109, PT-117
Revell Monogram:German Torpedo Boat S-100(due Oct-Nov 2001), PT-109
ROCO:US Assault Craft, Life Rings, Trailer w/2 Storm Boats these are 1/87, but are big enough to work with 20mm figs.
Scale Shipyard:USN USS GEARING Destroyer
SDD: PBR"Pibber", PCF "Swift", Light Seal Support Craft "STAB", Monitor MK IV, LCVP, LCA, LCM MK 3, LCM MK 6
Senic Effects:Russian 1125 Gunboat, LCT 4 UK, LCP(L) UK, Vietnam era Monitor, CCB(Command Communication Boat), Vietnam era Monitor Flame Thrower(Zippo), ATC(Armoured Troop Carrier)
Sentry 20mm Models: British LCT MK 4, British LCT MK 5
SHQ: German WWII Rubber Dingy w/4 crew
Skytrex:German River Ferry, German Assault Boat-Large, German Assault Boat-Small
S&S Models:Combat Support Boat
Trumpeter Models: Patrol Torpedo Boat 815, Vosper Fast Patrol Boat "Perkasa"-(same as Tamiya's??)
Tamiya:Vosper Brave Class Fast Patrol Boat(OOP?), Japanese Torpedo Boat 15(815?)(OOP?)
TP Models:Soviet Gunboat BKA 1125
Viking Models: Assault Support Patrol Boat, Vietnam era USN Monitor, PBR MK 2 "Pibber", LSSC-USN Seals, Trieste II Bathyscaph Sub DSV

Fittings Companies:

AFP:Various 1/72 scale fittings both modern and earlier.
Great Little Ships:Fittings for Revell/Matchbox Snowberry Corvette and fittings for various torpedo boats.
HR ProductsHigh quality 1/72 scale ship fittings
SHQ: 2 Vietnam Brown Water Navy crew packs w/weapons and fittings
Sirmar Model Ship Fittings:Fittings for Revell/Matchbox Snowberry Corvette

Distributors:

Brookhurst Hobbies:Carries Monolith Designs, SDD, SHQ
Great Models Webstore:Carries Airfix, Heller, Friulmodels, Mac Models, Armageddon, Revell Germany, Revell Monogram, Tamiya, Trumpter Models, Amati/Verlinden
Mighty Military Miniatures:Carries TP Models
Naval Base Hobbies:Carries Airfix, Glencoe, Lindberg, Revell Germany, Revell Monogram, Tamiya
Research in Scale:Carries Homtyk kits
RLBPS:Carries Front Line Miniatures, Raventhorp, Sentry 20mm Models
Skyway Model Shop:Carries Armaggedon, Fine Molds, Revell germany, Tamiya
Squadron:Carries Airfix, Amiati, Armaggedon, Revell Germany, Revell Monogram, Tamiya, Viking
Tracks & Troops:Carries MGM and Art Toys