Model Monkey 3D-printed Scale Models

10/31/2026

Battlecruiser HMS Hood fans! We're happy to announce our 1/350 scale HMS Hood funnels have been updated to include funnel cap grilles and internal service walkway gratings. Below are some photos of the 1/350 scale funnels we sent to a valued customer in Thailand.

These 3D-printed models are intended as direct replacements for inaccurately sized and poorly detailed funnels found in plastic kits.

The funnel cap grille, also known as a "funnel cage" in Admiralty drawings, provided a frame over which a canvas rain cover (or awning) could be placed when the ship was in port and the boilers were shut down. The interior service walkway gratings were called a "funnel flat" in some Admiralty drawings.

We don't yet know if the grilles and gratings can be done in 1/400 scale or smaller scales like 1/600, 1/700 and 1/720 scales. The delicate frames may be too fragile in those scales to survive the brutal printing and cleaning processes we use, or survive support removal by the modeler and normal handling. If test prints in smaller scales are successful, we'll announce those successes here.

And of course, we offer spiffy nameplates of various sizes for HMS Hood. We also offer one for the starship USS Hood NCC-1703.

Have fun. Monkey around.™

10/31/2026

Fletcher-class destroyer fans! A valued customer in Australia is building a World War Two-era "square bridge" Fletcher in 1/200 scale. He chose to outfit his ship with with several Model Monkey products including our newly updated pilot house and bridge deck. Here are some photos of the bridge models we recently sent to him.

The design updates include the rooftop handrail, separate doors, and much more detail.

We offer two different square bridge pilot houses, the difference being the aft door configuration. Although the real pilot houses' configurations had no specific name, we call one of ours the "Bath Iron Works" type and the other the "Bethlehem Steel" type to honor two significant Fletcher-class shipbuilders.

Fletcher-class pilot houses and bridge decks in larger scales such as 1/125, 1/144 and 1/192 scale will be updated soon. We regret to say that our Fletcher-class pilot houses in smaller scales like 1/350 will not be updated; the rooftop handrails in smaller scales become too fragile to survive the brutal printing and cleaning processes we use.

Have fun. Monkey around.™

10/28/2026

Battlecruiser HMS Hood fans! We're in the process of updating our larger-scale funnels to include the funnel cap grille and internal funnel cap walkway gratings. Below are some photos of the 1/200 scale funnels we sent to a valued customer in California.

These 3D-printed models are intended as direct replacements for inaccurately sized and poorly detailed plastic kit funnels. For example, the Trumpeter 1/200 scale Hood kit's aft funnel is smaller in width and length than the forward funnel and both funnels lack detail. The funnels should be the same width and length.

The funnel cap grille, also known as a "funnel cage" in Admiralty drawings, provided a frame over which a canvas rain cover (or awning) could be placed when the ship was in port and the boilers were shut down. The interior service walkway gratings were called a "funnel flat" in some Admiralty drawings.

Grilles and gratings will also be included with funnels in 1/350 scale. Customers ordering the set in 1/350 will receive the updated models with grilles.

We don't yet know if the grilles and gratings can be done in 1/400 scale or smaller scales like 1/600, 1/700 and 1/720 scales. The delicate frames may be too fragile in those scales to survive the brutal printing and cleaning processes we use, or survive support removal by the modeler and normal handling. If test prints in smaller scales are successful, we'll announce those successes here.

See these funnels and more at: https://www.model-monkey.com/

Have fun. Monkey around.™

10/14/2026

Youtuber "Mann's Model Moments" analyzes the modeling industry to try to identify which manufacturer is the largest in the world. His conclusion may surprise you.

We were excited to see Model Monkey mentioned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEW3vL6uJcg

And no, we aren't the largest. Someday....

Have fun. Monkey around.™

Start Meshy-ing at 50% off here: https://tryit.cc/iKtnZ3Looking f...

10/01/2026

King George V-class battleship fans! We're in the process of updating our larger-scale King George V-class funnels to include the funnel cap grille, uptake partitions and internal waste steam pipes. Below are some photos of the 1/350 scale funnels for HMS Prince of Wales.

The funnel cap grille, also known as a "funnel cage" in Admiralty drawings, provided a frame over which a canvas rain cover (or awning) could be placed when the ship was in port.

Funnels for HMS King George V and HMS Prince of Wales are ready now in 1/350 scale. We'll get our funnel models for HMS Duke of York, HMS Howe, HMS Anson and the battlecruiser HMS Hood updated with grilles soon. Our funnel models capture different features unique to each ship of the class, some subtle, some very conspicuous.

Grilles will be included with KGV-class funnels in 1/400 and 1/200 scale in the near future. We don't yet know if the grilles can be done in 1/700 scale. They may be too fragile in that scale to survive the brutal printing and cleaning processes we use and handling.

For superb turrets and other KGV-class appropriate weapons, boats and fittings, we recommend models by our friends at Micro Master.

And, of course, we offer nameplates for all five King George V-class battleships.

See these funnels and more at: https://www.model-monkey.com/

Have fun. Monkey around.™

09/25/2026

Message to our valued EU customers. We regret to say that we have paused direct shipping to EU countries. The new EU environmental regulation known as the "Packaging and Packing Waste Regulation" (PPWR) may require us to adopt new packaging and costly new business practices. New practices include hiring an agent in the EU to represent us as well as filing annual reports and paying annual recycling fees to each member nation. These new costs and practices may be unaffordable for us.

At this time, we are learning more about the regulation's requirements and evaluating whether or not we are able to comply with the new requirements.*

Rather than risk a customer's package being returned to us for non-compliance, or worse, seized and destroyed by officials in the receiving country, with great regret we have decided to pause direct shipping to EU countries until we know more.

We are very sorry for any disappointment.

​We will continue to ship directly and normally to non-EU member nations such as the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Bosnia, Serbia, etc.

For now, we are continuing to ship models to eBay customers in the EU through eBay's International Shipping Program where eBay handles the international part of the shipping. But this may have to cease as well.

We list a small portion of our catalog on eBay to help increase brand recognition. If you see some products of ours that you would like added to our eBay store, just send us a message and we may be able to accommodate.

As we learn more, we'll post here.

* If our understanding is correct, the new regulation will require us to:
- register as a shipper with each member EU country.
- hire at least one agent in the EU or possibly an agent in each EU member country to represent us.
- weigh each shipping box and its internal packing material by type of material.
- identify the source of the materials and whether or not they are recycleable.
- mark the shipping box with those weights and id's.
- file annual weight reports to each EU member country through the agent.
- pay each EU member country through the agent(s) for local recycling of the packaging materials we ship to each country.

09/24/2026

Do you find cutting supports from 3D-printed parts difficult? You are not alone! But fear not....

Our friends at Squadron MMD have put together a video showing how to use their new ultrasonic 3D parts cutter. Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwucmQbl0Gg

Highly recommended!

Disclaimer: we have no professional relationship with Squadron other than as a very satisfied customer and admirer.

Have fun. Monkey around.™

As seen as the IPMS National Convention in the Squadron booth - thi...

09/08/2026

US Navy aircraft carrier fans! A valued customer in Washington state is building a 1/350 scale Trumpeter kit of the Lexington-class aircraft carrier USS Saratoga CV-3 as she appeared circa 1936. He chose to replace his kit's island, funnel, boat pockets and 8"/55 cal. turrets with much more accurate Model Monkey products. Here are some photos of the newly updated 8" turrets we are sending to him.

Our Lexington-class 8" turrets were recently updated to include cannon barrels. Previously, the turrets included slotted trunnions so the modeler could use his or her own brass barrels. Since Lexington-class brass barrels appear to becoming harder to obtain from other sources, our turrets now include 3D-printed barrels.

The models feature extensive, accurate rivet detail. The set of 4 turrets includes 2 superfiring turrets with rangefinders at the rear, and 2 flight deck-sited turrets without rangefinders.

USS Lexington CV-2 and USS USS Saratoga CV-3 were originally constructed with these large 8" turrets as a protection against enemy cruisers. Guns were mounted in a turret sleeve and were elevated together. By 1942, the 8" turrets of both ships had been removed. In that year, Saratoga received more useful 5"/38 cal. Mk.32 twin-gun, dual-purpose mounts in their place. Lexington's 8" turrets were also removed but she was lost at the Battle of the Coral Sea before she could be fitted with 5" mounts.

The models are also available in other popular scales including 1/700 and 1/200. Models is these scales will include barrels, too, although catalog photos may not be updated yet.

And, of course, we offer spiffy nameplates for both ships of the class.

See these turrets and many others at:
https://www.model-monkey.com/

Have fun. Monkey around.™

09/07/2026

US Navy battleship fans! Award winning modeler Martin J Quinn has published a review of our 7 December 1941 USS Pennsylvania BB-38 parts in 1/350 scale on ModelWarships.com. These parts help the modeler convert their USS Arizona BB-39 kit to her elder sister.

Link: https://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/misc/Model_Monkey/350-PennsylvaniaUpgrade/ModelMonkey_BB38_UpgradeSets.htm

Thanks so much, Martin!

Have fun. Monkey around.™

09/07/2026

US Navy heavy cruiser fans! A valued customer in Rhode Island is building a model of the Pensacola-class heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City CA-25 in 1/200 scale, perhaps from the Wydawnictwo WAK card model. He chose to equip his model with a newly updated set of Model Monkey turrets. Here are some photos of the turrets we sent to him.

The update includes barrels and refined exterior bolthead detail on Turrets 1 and 4. Previously, the set included slotted trunnions rather than barrels. Modelers could use their own brass barrels. But brass barrels for Pensacola-class ships may becoming difficult to obtain so we now include 3D-printed resin barrels with Pensacola-class sets in all available scales.

USS Pensacola CA-24 and USS Salt Lake City CA-25, the two members of the class, were handsome and fast ships, both surviving World War Two and both providing sterling service.

Compared to other US Navy heavy cruisers, the Pensacola-class ships featured an unusual 2-3-3-2 turret configuration. Turrets 1 and 4 were twin-gun turrets, dictated by the fine lines of the hull, too narrow for triple-gun turrets in those positions. Guns were mounted in a turret sleeve and were elevated together.

The models are also available in other popular scales including 1/700, 1/350 and 1/192. Models is these scales will include barrels although catalog photos may not be updated yet.

And, of course, we offer spiffy nameplates for both ships of the class.

See these turrets and many others at:
https://www.model-monkey.com/

Have fun. Monkey around.™