RMS Titanic: A Modelmaker's Manual [Hardcover]

Peter Davies-Garner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2005

RMS Titanic has had more written about her than any other ship but, surprisingly, there is a little information directed at the modelmaker. This new book contains all the information needed to build a highly accurate model down to the tiniest details of the hull's rivets. The book is based on the author's own remarkable 20ft model, specially commissioned for a traveling exhibition throughout North America. It contains a mass of practical information on how to construct every part of the great liner and is equally applicable to a small static bread-and-butter display model as to a large working version. It is highly illustrated with superb close-up photographs of the model, detailed drawings by the author and a large collection of photographs of the prototype herself, some of which have never been published before. In addition, the book contains a complete set of plans of the Titanic which are considered to be the most accurate yet drawn. With its mix of practical information, rare photographs and highly-detailed drawings this book will appeal to all Titanic enthusiasts as well as to ship modelers of every sort.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Of Anglo-German descent, Peter Davies-Garner trained as an architect but is now a professional ship modeler. This is his first full length book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 150 pages
• Publisher: Chatham Publishing/Stackpole Books; First edition (2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1861762275
• ISBN-13: 978-1861762276
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,787,866 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have reference for building a Titanic Model, March 18, 2006

By 

Kurt A. Greiner (Grass Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: RMS Titanic: A Modelmaker's Manual (Hardcover)

Like many ship modelers, I have always had a fascination with the three Olympic class liners, and particularly that most famous of the three, the Titanic. Of course, many are drawn to her story and tragically short life, but I have always been fascinated by her appearance - in my estimation, she was one of the most beautiful ocean liners ever built.

Over the years, I have made a couple of attempts at capturing her in miniature, but was not satisfied the results. One core problem has been the lack of reference material. The discovery of the ship and the subsequent James Cameron film has sparked massive amounts of interest in her, and a result has been the publication of many books, plans and websites on all things Titanic. The amount of research that has been done in the last decade has finally allowed highly accurate models of this ship to be built. This book documents a very impressive feat of the model shipwrights craft, a 1/48 scale Titanic that is some 18 feet in length.

Starting with a brief summary of the prototypes story, and quickly progressing into research and building, Peter Davies-Garner has written a no nonsense documentation of the model. The author touches on every area of the build, but some more thoroughly than others - a necessary compromise to control the size no doubt, but I was left wanting more. The many photographs are really the core of the book, and the model is covered thoroughly in black and white with a central color section. If you see a high resolution scan of the cover, this is a classic case of not judging the book by it's cover - for some reason, it is a poorly reproduced digital image, whereas the photographs in the body are higher quality.

This is an important work to scholars of the Titanic. What I particularly appreciated was the author's clear differentiation of which areas are factual and which are educated conjectures. As he states, there will never be a totally accurate model of the ship built, but his must surely be the closest to that goal yet made. I highly recommend the book, and, if you are visiting Orlando, seeing the model in person.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must have" !, May 2, 2005

By 

R. Lepien "liner buff" (Lansing, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: RMS Titanic: A Modelmaker's Manual (Hardcover)

This is a "must have" for any person interested in the Titanic or ocean liners in general. Although, the book is aimed at model builders, people interested in the external structure of the ship will also find this book extremely interesting. The book is full of plans and some very rare photographs - I think some of the photos have never been published before.

If you're a model builder the scope of the book will blow you away with the plans and details of the ship that will be found no place else. Years of research went into this book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Guide, March 8, 2007

By 

Chris Dye "Rebuilding Titanic" (Charleston, WV) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: RMS Titanic: A Modelmaker's Manual (Hardcover)

I purchased this book after searching and searching the internet for a detailed model guide for building my own. The book is based on the building of most complete and acturate Titanic model built todate. The book breaks the model down to perfect detail. Even though the one that I am building is quite a bit smaller. The color photos are great, wish there was more. Each chapter takes you up one desk at a time, leaving no detail or explanation left out. He even includes little known history of the ship. If you are building, getting ready to build, or just want to learn, in detail more about the famous Titanic. Then check this book out well worth it.