Hi Gary

I was just about to spout off about the number of plans in Model Boats by Ron Carpenter when I realized I was thinking of the plans that were published there by Michael Ainsworth (1:1200 warships). Michael did about 150 or so warship plans. I have them all but one or possibly two but those are in storage. Bill Gilpin was going to send me the last two but he died before we could do that. I may have all of the Ron Carpenter drawings (which were much more useable) but alas if Carpenter's are in storage then so are the magazines that held the Ainsworth's. As an aside, the American John Youngerman told me much about Michael Ainsworth before John suffered his untimely death recently. Ainsworth was not his real name and if I remember correctly was a Canadian.

There are other plans out there as well. At one time I had intended to publish a list of all of the known plans but that is now for someone else to do as my wife is quite ill and takes nearly all of my time these days. I am sorry that it would be impossible to ferret out all of the those old (wonderful!) Model Boats issues from storage at this time.

Also, if memory serves (and it probably doesn't), in one of the last Ainsworh drawings published he remarked that Model Boats was changing direction and would henceforth concentrate on RC models and would not do any more of his drawings. Wonder how that worked out for them? I believe this was about 1973 so your search is nearing an end for Carpenter plans.

Sources of 1:1200 model ship:
ALL of the Bowen books on 1:1200 Model ships (3)
Model Boats issues for Ron Carpenter and Michael Ainsworth (and others?) up to 1973
The Talbot-Booth book on 1930s liners (not too useful)
The Talbot-Booth Series of plans that came out in the late 1940's(?) to the early 1950's. (Also not too useful)
MAP may have some plans as well. Are they still in business? Model boats published other plans by other than Ainsworth and Carpenter
There may have been additional John Bowen plans in Model Shipwright but I do not have many issues after about issue 100 so I have no idea what is out there for that from the last 30-40 issues.

Now wouldn't it be great if we could get a book published featuring all of those plans. The list of what has been done would be great to have but the plans would be even greater!

I hope this this was of some use to you and others reading this. All the BEST to you!

DonH