Having built almost every plastic 1/600 ship, and quite a few white metal 1/600, I have been on a long time prowl for new subjects. To maintain continuity in my collection for comparative purposes, I would only entertain 1/600 models. Out of curiosity, I answered an add for a catalog of papermodels, and was surprised to find a wide selection of paper ship model kits. Subjects offered opened a whole new world of potential ship models ofinterest. For example there was a USS MAINE of 1898 in 1/273rd scale, HMS DREADNOUGHT of 1900 in 1/400, the SMS EMDEN of 1910 in 1/400, the Kreigsmarine raider STEIR in 1/250 scale, and three Dutch passenger ships in 1/700 scale. The variety excited me, but the scales did not. Then I thought-- maybe I can photocopy a kit in reduction mode, and convert to a paper 1/600 kit of these subjects.

To make a long story short, I did, it worked, and I am very pleased with my completed paper 1/600 U.S.S. CARD (CVE-11). USS CARD was a famous WWII US Navy escort carrier which, with its air group and escorting destroyers, sank no fewer than 8 U-boats in the Atlantic. The name CARD is a coincidence . The kit was made by JSC in Poland in 1/400. I therefore copied it in reduction mode to 66% of original, and had a 1/600 paper kit! It took me three months to build, and when I took it to my local IPMS meeting, they could not believe it was paper. It stacked up very well against plastic competitors.

Paper, or "card" models are printed on pieces of paper card stock. You cut them out, paste them together, and you got your completed model. This simple explanation is demeaning to the quality of the fine models that can be produced. My USS Card had a total of 95 pieces to cut out, shape, and glue (not counting aircraft). Although card models are printed in color, and do not require painting if assembled as is, if you reduce them on a photocopier, you must paint it. I did, and hence one can not tell the finished model from a plastic or metal kit. Except, I think the fine thin pieces of paper like the walls around gun tubs are superior to plastic or metal, as they are thinner. Oh, before I forget, don't copy them on plain copier paper, load the machine with a card stock similar to that of the original kit. Tool requirements are simple. A model knife, some white glue, a metal straight edge, scissors, and a cutting board.

There are quite a few manufacturers of quality ship kits in paper. Wilhelmshaven has a wide selection in 1/250. More than 30 military subjects, and an equal number of civil liners, freighters, and even the Greenpeace "Rainbow Warrior". Another manufacturer, Schreiber, has many civil subjects from the Titanic to cruise ships and barges. JSC, which made my USS CARD, has a line of WWI German Navy ships, and WWII ships. One of their interesting subjects is the Japanese ship MIKASA Japanese flagship in the Russo-Japanese War c. 1902. There are other manufacturers like Scheuer & Struver of Hamburg, Modelcard, and others. My suggestion is that you get a catalog, and be amazed at the wide and diverse range of offerings. Go for it! Give it a try. You will have fun with a different medium, and have goodresults.

IMPORTANT! The author of this article in no way condones the unethical photocopying of card kits in order to build more than one model or to create copies for illegal sale. This would cheat the kit makers of just reward for their efforts and could only serve to reduce the variety of card kits on the market. Both the author and the administrator of this site agree that it is OK to use a copier to adjust the scale of the kit to suit personal requirements.