Scale-O-Rama Conversion Project Ideas - Need Help

[Cliffy B]

Hey guys, I recently picked up one of RoG's 1/1200 RMS Titanic models for cheap and since I don't want to build OOB I've decided on a scale-o-rama project.  I'll be building her in 1/700 but my question(s) to you guys is what should I do with her???

Here's what I have to work with:

Titanic's actual dimensions: 882.5' x 92'
The 1/1200 kit in 1/700 would equal a real ship with the following dimensions: 514.8' x 53.67'

Her hull form lends itself nicely to any Turn of Century/WWI era merchant ship, many of which served in WWI and some in WWII.  I want to depict her in WWII service.  I'll be using the base hull but more than likely modifying it heavily and scratch building a lot of it so don't feel like your constrained to her silhouette.  The end result will be entirely fictional.

My options so far as are follows:
Passenger-Freighter (IE both in one hull) in a War fit - Lightly armed (couple of 20mms and a deck gun) and painted gray
Passenger-Freighter converted to a Navy Transport (AP/APA/etc...) - More involved conversion, heavier armament, with or without landing craft
Navy Tender/Repair ship - AA armament and extra boats/cranes/derricks/etc...
Navy Airship Tender - Flat after deck with a derrick for Navy Patrol Blimps.  Heavy Armament for forward deployment
Aircraft carrier conversion - Similar to USS Langley and/or HMS Argus
Seaplane Tender Conversion - Similar to USS Langley or more of a freighter with a partial flat deck for the planes
Hospital Ship - No guns, large superstructure, a lot of boats, and all white with red crosses and a green stripe

What do you guys think?  I'm leaning towards the tender options right now.  The carrier ideas are neat but her beam is just too narrow for flight ops I think.  Most CVEs of similar lengths were much wider and we all know how dangerous they were to land on.  I don't want to modify the hull too drastically save for sanding off the out of scale side plating/port holes to be replaced with appropriate items.  I might use the fore and aft deck inserts but the rest will more than likely be scratched.

Feel free to add your own ideas.  I'm open to just about anything right now 

Any and all thoughts, ideas, comments, etc... are appreciated as always,
-Mike

[deathjester]

I would recommend an Airship tender dio, using Revell's tiny little Hindenburg as its partner in crime - maybe put in some little fighters patrolling around too...?

[Weaver]

Takara do a ready-made 1/700th Blimp which is ripe for conversion/backdating:



You can often find them on ebay.

[finsrin]

Cut blimp in half lengthwise.
Two halfs can be antenna housings one on each side of medium-large ELINT/AWACS aircraft.
Blimp gondola can be bridge on 1/700 ship.

[Cliffy B]

Weaver, what material is that Takara blimp?  Looks die-cast maybe?

I'm really liking the forward deployed (IE heavily armed) airship tender idea! I'm thinking a tender for K-class and similar blimps, maybe with a small hangar for barrage balloons? 

Now where to station her.... 

Choices are:
Arctic - Greenland, Iceland, Canada, etc...
Med - Malta, Gibraltar, Canaries?
Atlantic - Azores
Caribbean - Cuba, Bahamas, Lesser Antilles


Question, do you think I should save this kit for that build or use it for another project first and get another for the airship tender?  Said project involves a story I'm concocting involving a Liberty ship, another transport and a DD or 2 fleeing a Dunkirk style evac in the Arctic circle while be hounded by German aircraft and subs.  If I go that route I'll modify her to look like a turn of the century cargo liner.  Help me decide please  :)

[Weaver]

The Takara blimp is plastic, so it's easy to modify. It does come ready made and painted though.

[Geoff]

Aircraft carrier or seaplane tender, or how about a submarine tender?