Here’s a few shots of my Tico-class cruiser Chancellorsville from the Monterey Dragon Premium Edition kit.
The kit has a photo-etch fret and an additional molding of antenna upgrades to bring the model closer to an up-to-date ship. The PE is nowhere near complete, so I used a Gold Medal fret to fill the blanks. The Cartagraph decals have markings for CG 61-63. Being of a Southern persuasion, a Native Virginian, I chose Chancellorsville. I used Navy News website photos for references.
I didn’t use the PE masts. Although they are thinner and more to scale, I thought the flat PE just wouldn’t look correct, so I used the plastic masts. The kit is designed to double for a Spruance-class destroyer so the box contains two fo’castle decks. The Tico one isn’t proportioned correctly and leaves one heck of a seam. Nor is there any indication of openings for mooring lines.
I filled and sanded it then added some thin wire shapes and old PE fret surplus to try and get it close. Tico-class ships do show a thin seam where I put it, but I’m not real happy with my solution. I didn’ try to cut any holes. The sanding left the plastic so thin, I wasn’t sure it wouldn’t crack or split. I painted the inside of the wire circles a darker color and left well enough alone. The fit is OK otherwise.
The model is painted with MM Acryl paints plus some Tamiya Smoke weathering on the antenna and masts from the stack. Like my other ships, its mounted on a black base and uses old guitar strings for antenna and rigging.
Once sealed in the case, it will look OK, but it isn’t a build that left me with many warm fuzzies.
Rick, the base is just an unfinished black base of a Trumpeter display case. I just wiped it down with some alcohol before taking the photos. I do all my ships that way, build them as waterline hulls and mount them to a black base.
I’ve tried coating the bases with Future, or painting them, but often just leaving well enough alone seems to work fine too. I don’t think I’d do a modeled seaway very well and since I’m not doing a diorama type of thing, I think simple is better. Its my view that poorly done water will hurt a good model and well done water will draw attention away from it. I might try it one day though.
Very nicely done! You are right, the Dragon premium ship kits have a very small (and incomplete) PE fret… but you cant argue with the price. I was doing the Samuel adams and had to box it for awhile, fit issues galore…
For those who may have access to woodworking tools & material something which I’ve done … a black lacquer base. When finished it will have a smooth high-luster sheen like Japanese lacquerwear. Bur be warned, it is not something which is just thrown together at the end for the model to sit on. It can take days to complete.
Start with a piece of medium density fiberboard (MDF) cut to your desired base dimension. You may choose a wood such as poplar or bass but avoid something with an open end-grain like pine. End-grain is harder to get to come out smooth & even. Use a router to cut a decorative edge around the base. Using fine grit sandpaper give it an overall light sanding. Use a tack rag to remove the sanding dust. Spray a light coat of rattlecan of gloss black spray lacquer (hardware store item) overall. Lacquer dries quickly, in 15 - 30 minutes you can sand it again. Sand using the same fine grit paper and wipe with a tack rag. Spray another light coat and sand again moving to a finer grit paper. Spray, sand, tack rag, repeat. Every two or three coats move to a progressively finer sand paper. (I’ve found down to 32000 at the local wood working store). it will take 8 to 10 coats (or more) and you will obtain a glossy black base which you can see your reflection.
What a great model! You showed some real attention to detail. I should know, I was actually stationed on this very ship for 3 years. It makes me feel like I am right back on her. I have purchased this very model and it is next on my list to make. Any suggestions? I am really going to try and emulate the look you have here but, my modeling skills might not be as good as yours. I am curious as to how you got the non-skid look and texture on the decks? What colors did you use on the hull, deck, and pretty much throughout? I love the rust and weather effects you did on the ship as well. Overall, a fantastic job. Seriously, from a sailor who served on this ship, I love it!
One more thing, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but, the only thing I can see that you missed, or the makers of the model I should say, is the LSO shack located on the helo deck. This is where they talk to and signal the helo during take-off and landing. It is located on all of t he Tico class ships.
Thanks for you comments about my CG 62. You are correct about the LSO shack being not included in the kit. I tried to scratch build something, but just couldn’t get to work out correctly.
The hull was painted with the discontinued MM Acryl Standard Navy Gray paint. I’ve found that Gunship Gray makes an excellant scale color for non skid deck surfaces. I will mix in some light gray, or dry brush it to give it some weathering. The rust color on the helo deck starts with an earth brown color and I just vary it untill I get the look I want.
Since the Navy Visual News site offers excellant photos of just about any current ship, I usually pick a given shot or two and try to match the look.
Thanks again for you kind comments. When you get positive feedback from a crew member, it is high praise indeed.
Very nice, clean, crisp build [Y] And I would agree with you that sometimes, a plain black base is the best thing, and it seems to work best with warships, since there is so much more to look at on then, as opposed to, say, the usual WW II auxiliary that is my field of interest.
