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- Bill Ballanger: Model Man
It's enough to hearten any parent of a student disinterested in
history. Although he is known for his accurate and elaborate ship
models, researching the period thoroughly before he begins a new
project, Bill Ballanger admits he was never fond of social studies
as a youth. "I hated history when I was in school, yet I learned
through models I built."
Since he moved to Sidney from Chicago several years ago, Ballanger
has used his model making skills to benefit the Maritime Museum
of BC and the Model Ships
Museum, donating a number of models including the schooner Naden,
HMS Plumper, and a river dredge.
An aeronautical engineer, Ballanger says he has always been a model
builder, constructing miniatures out of balsa wood as a boy and
later creating dioramas for model railroads for his own two boys.
He also did a certain amount of designing in his own career. Ballanger
began in the family paper box business, later establishing his own
architectural model firm before founding Central Specialities, a
company that produced tubular steel products such as commercial
strollers and luggage racks. He sold the company in 1992.
Although boats have away been a part of his life - he once raced
in the Flying Dutchman sailing class and now owns a 26-foot Yamaha
sailboat - it was only after he started diving at the age of 30
that he developed an interest in nautical lore.
He started building model ships in the early 1960's when he constructed
a miniature Cutty Sark form a plastic kit. "I have not touched
a piece of plastic since," he said. Ballanger cuts his own
tiny planks out of apple and pear wood with a Lilliputian saw. It
wasn't long before he joined the North Shore Deadeye Model Club
and also served as a director of the Chicago Maritime Museum.
Ballanger, 73, treats his model making hobby like a second career,
spending up to six hours a day, seven days a week at the workbench.
His models can take up to six months to build, he also undertakes
commissions such as the diorama of Franklin's ship Erebus stuck
in the ice that he completed for an Alberta professor. He is now
researching explorer Vitus Bearings ships, St. Peter and St. Paul.
Lucky for our own museum, Ballanger and his wife, Joan, bypassed
Florida and Arizona and opted to retire on the Island, Ballanger
isn't ready to relax completely yet. While the couple's waterfront
home is comfortable, Ballanger had his priorities when planning
the custom design. "I've been told I built a workshop with
a house attached" he laughs.
Subjects at Museums
- "Nanceda" - Purse Table Seiner
- Purse Table Seiner
- Scale: 3/8" = 1'
- "Flycatcher"
- West Coast Troller
- Scale: 1/2" = 1'
- "St. Canute"
- "Gilda"
- West Coast Gillnetter
- Scale: 1/2" = 1'
- "F.F. Balena"
- Whale Factory ship
- Scale 1/16" = 1'
- Warren Jones (Model Maker)
Artistic Statement
Hind site is a wonderful interpreter of ones early experiences in
life.
Looking back at my childhood, I can only begin to understand why
I did the things I did. As a child, I often found myself under a
tree in the corner of the yard. There I would meticulously construct
a miniature farm with roads, barns, fields and even barbwire fences
with tooth picks and spooled thread. I recall my mother once saying
after dinner, "What ever happened to that box of tooth picks?
I'm sure there was a whole box of them here the other day?"
As a young boy I tended to be a loner. I felt that I had a commission
to achieve and learn certain skills and tools in order to accomplish
something that even then I was unaware of. I was always drawn to
artistic practices and often did well in them. I understood this
to be a "phase" of life that all kids like me (or otherwise)
went though. Little did I know that my path was chosen by someone
greater than I. "O Lord, you have searched me and you know
me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts
from afar. For you created my innermost being, you knit me together
in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made, you works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was
not hidden form you when I was made in the secret place. When I
was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my
unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your
book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139: 1-16
As a young man, I continued to chase the winds of ambition never
really knowing for sure if I had chosen the correct career path.
Job choices were merely a means to an end. As long as I could find
time to create I was at rest emotionally, and everything I did evolved
into an artistic exercise in one way or another.
As an artist, I was never intimidated with the challenge of a new
medium. It was only the reality of whether I was worthy enough to
pull it off to my satisfaction. If the idea created enough of a
challenge, then I was motivated to do it. If it were a big enough
problem, the I would find a solution however unorthodox the method.
I choose to sculpt or paint what I "feel" I see as opposed
to what I actually see. There fore I am able to find a emotional
escape that nurtures my motivation. Subject matter is never a hindrance
to me because there appears to be a "silver lining" in
all things. One needs the patience and imagination to leach it out.
There is a saying "no rain, no rainbow."
Warren Jones 2000
Subjects at Museums
- Jack A Johnson (Model Maker)
Artistic Statement
As a young boy of 9 years old I was introduced to the fantastic
art of scale modelling by my eldest brother Ed Johnson who at the
time was a skilled car & aircraft modeler. Through the years
I gained most of the skills going from spray cans to air brushing
all my paints for my projects. During my early teens my mother would
make sure that we took weekly trips to the local hobby store to
purchase a kit or two for the weekend. I later found out that her
real reason was to keep her son in and not hanging out with the
rouble makers in the neighbourhood, bless you mom and many, many
thanks. The most important things I learned during the next 25+
years were extreme patience and discipline. In the early 1980's
I was introduced to the remote control aircraft hobby. I spent great
time and effort on aircraft and like most flyers I brought them
home in several dozen pieces. I was then smitten by the history
of the R.M.S. Titanic and began my serious naval models, 90% of
those being full remote control water ready vessels. My big commercial
break came when I was approached by Captain Bill Wilson of the H.M.C.S.
Tecumseh in Calgary and the Honourable Mayor Al Duerr of the City
of Calgary, asking if I could build a scale replica of the new City
class missile frigate H.M.C.S. Calgary. I modelled this subject
in 1/65th scale and everything on this ship was hand built, as only
one other model was ever built for the Canadian Defence Department
a 1/200th stand off replica for contract approval. I spent 14 hours
a day 7 days a week for 7 months on this project, as the day for
the model unveiling ceremonies at city hall drew near, this challenge
drew my whole family and friends into the model scene. My mother
Muriel worked on this ships zodiacs, my wife Carrie worked on masters
for machine guns and surface to air missile canisters. Special thanks
goes to Mr. Dennis Kaye and Mr. John Skobij of Calgary for there
never ending support. The J.M.C.S. Calgary model is now on permanent
display at the City of Calgary municipal building. I am at present,
modelling for car clubs throughout BC and Alberta and building a
replica of the K.M.Bismark for the Granville Island Ships Museum,
and just recently I retired my remote control 1/128th scale model
of the U.S.S Missouri to the Granville Island Ships Museum. I wish
to thank Mr. John Keith King for providing a beautiful home for
the "Mighty MO"
Yours Truly,
Jack A. Johnson
Subjects on display
-
U.S.S. Missouri:GI Model Ships Museum
- K.M. Bismarck: (under Construction) GI Model Ships Museum
- H.M.C.S. Calgary:City Hall Calgary
- CVN-70 U.S.S. Carl Vincent Carrier: Seattle Washington
- H.M.S. Faulkner Destroyer: Private Collector Calgary
- Several Tug Boats, Work Boats and War Ships.
- Danny P Kachur (Model Maker)
- Born North Vancouver BC July 21 1959
As a young boy my father introduced me to model making. I built
airplanes made from balsa wood, mostly gliders, at 13 I started
to made radio control airplanes, then always being interested in
submarines I experimented with radio control model subs. In the
early 70's this was unusual because no one made remote controlled
submarines, the main problem was to keep the water out and make
the sub travel underwater, and to surface again was a real challenge.
However after much trial and error, I figured out all of these problems,
subs are one of my favourite subjects, however as a scratch builder
I have made many different types of miniatures for clients including
models for film and television. I do have a strong sense for the
art of realism and enjoy my hobby business. Thank you to my wife
Bertha who supports my hobby.
Subjects at Museums
- Visit
the Submarine Collection
- Nautilus (Nemo's)
- Queen Fish (WW2)
- Alfa Sub (Russian)
- UBoat U331
- CCI Canadian Sub (WW1)
- Plastering Landscape
- Construction of Bridge, Marina, Docks, Float planes, Tugboat,
Pickup Truck,
- Hand made trees of all sizes
- Leslie Alan Smith (Model Maker)
- Biography
- Born London , England 1923
- Joined the Royal Navy as Boy Seaman 1937.
- Served in the following ships
- Kingston Amber, Admiralty trawler (Sunk in North
Sea while minesweeping.
- King George V, Battleship (Atlantic and Russian
Convoys, Sunk the Bismarck)
- Glenroy, Infantry Landing Ship. (Sicily, Italy
and Normandy)
- Tenacious, Fleet Destroyer (Pacific)
- Formidable, Fleet Aircraft Carrier (Pacific, Okinawa
Japan, Hit by two kame kaze pilots on May 9 and 11 1945)
- Glory, Light Fleet Carrier (Pacific)
- Indomitable, Fleet Aircraft Carrier (Pacific)
- Left the Royal Navy and joined the Metropolitan Police in
1947
- Emigrated to Canada in 1955
- Worked for Kerrisdale Lumber from 1955-1956
- City of Vancouver, Engineering Department, 1956-1967
- BCIT Instructor, Operations management 1967-1987
- Retired in 1987
- Memberships
- American Institute of Traffic Engineers
- B.C. Society of Model Engineers
- Top Link Model Railway
- Avocations
- Sea Cadets, Great Britain 1947-1955, Canada 1956-1966
- Vancouver maritime Museum, Docent.
- Okanagan marine Museum. (S.S. Sicamous)
- Honours
- mentioned in Dispatches (2) Royal Navy)
- George Medal, Metropolitan Police
- Hobbies
- Ship Models
- Woodwork of all kind
Subjects at Museums
Burnaby veteran recalls Bismarck
The Vancouver Sun, Monday, May 27, 1991
It's been a source of books and songs, and for Les Smith, a few
pints of beer in the local pub. Smith, you see, was aboard the HMS
King George V 50 years ago today when it helped sink the Bismarck
in one of the most important naval actions of the Second World War.
Smith, now 67 and living in Burnaby, was 17 when the British navy
set out in May 1941 to find the famous German battleship. The HMS
Hood found it and opened fire, but the Bismarck sank it and killed
more than 1,400 men. Winston Churchill then issued his famous command
to "Sink the Bismarck."
Airplanes spotted it 30 hours later and a torpedo crippled its
steering gear May 26. All that night, the King George V and the
Rodney chase it through a North Atlantic gale. The Rodney opened
fire first and the King George followed 30 seconds later. After
two hours, the cruiser Dorsetshire, also on the chase, fired three
torpedoes. The Bismarck rolled over and sank.
Smith recently completed a two meter model of the King George V,
a wood-fiberglass-plastic replica that required 3,000 hours of work
and almost three years to complete. His friend, Ian Godbolt 68,
of Burnaby, has completed a similar model of the Bismarck. (Godbolt
was in the Royal Air Force. He never saw the battle of the Bismarck,
but was fascinated by the ship.
- John Tarvin (Model Maker)
The model making bug bit me at an early age, about nine I think,
when I became interested in model aeroplanes.
At fifteen I began work at an organization called The Association
of British Aeromodellers in London, England. Unfortunately, this
organization closed a year later, but I was fortunate to accompany
three of the principals when they started a company, Paramount Model
Aviation, producing kits and accessories for model aircraft.
At eighteen I went into the R.A.F. for two years, after which I
teamed up with a friend building radio control units.
About this time (1930) I saw a plan for a model boat and in a burst
of enthusiasm I built it. This was to be the first of many, interspersed
with building and flying model aircraft.
About 1955 I became Manager of a hobby shop in Hounslow, Middlesex,
and now married, my wife and I decided to emigrate to Canada, coming
to Burnaby, British Columbia in 1956.
Having been associated with model airplane and model boat clubs
in England, I joined the Vancouver Gas Model Club and returned to
my first love, model aircraft.
At this time there was no model boat club in Vancouver or surrounding
area. So after gathering a few friends together we started the Neptune
Model Boat Club, which is still in existence today as the Burnaby
Association of Marine Modellers, operating at Central park in Burnaby.
When I began working at Woodward's downtown store in 1957 in the
toy department, I was given a mandate to start a Hobby Department
which I operated for 17 years until in 1971 my wife and I started
our own retail hobby shop in Burnaby which we have been operating
for 29 years.
In this time I have built many flying models and have been honoured
to represent Canada in 1967 at the World Championships for model
gliders, held in Czechoslovakia.
At the same time I was still building model boats including a model
of the 'Johnston Straits' for Straits Towing, and a model of the
first 'side-tipping' log barge bought by Island Tug & Barge
to operate here in B.C.
Some of my models that I have built over the years grace the Granville
Island Model Boat Museum, namely:
- H.M.S Kent -Armoured Cruiser
- P.T. Chieftain - Paddle Tug
- Saxon - A Clyde Puffer
- Setter - A Whaling Ship
- Inuit - A Canadian Steam Tug
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