The funnels turned out great, along with her mast. Filed away in the back of my head for my future build on the Laffey.
Making pretty good progress on her.
Thank you Goldhammer,
I’m looking forward to getting back to the bench tonight, but I’m not sure where I’ll concentrate my efforts.
-Chris
Looking good ridleusmc [Y]
I’m still trying to get the urge to get back to my USS Johnston. The PE just wears me out and need something different plus I find the Tom’s Modelworks instructions lacking which make me use even more brain power to figure them out.
I may have missed it but what did you use for the DC’s in the racks? What paint are you using?
Modelcrazy, I used 0.060 inch Evergreen plastic rod for the depth charges. I cut them to relatively long lengths of about a half an inch. I would lay several pieces out flat, parallel to each other, and rolled up against each other. I’d use Tenax to glue the lengths together. Then, I’d cut all the depth charges to length at the same time using a razor blade. I cut them to about 0.100 of an inch.
The paints are mostly AK Interactive. I used AK 5001 for the 20B deck blue, and AK 5004 for the 5N Navy blue. I got these colors in AK’s set US Navy Camouflages (AK5000). I’ll use Tamiya for the red hull and black book stripe.
I have a few comments about AK interactive paint. I used Vallejo Primer. The AK paint goes on very nicely with the airbrush. However, small chips tend to lift with the more aggressive masking tape. 3M painter’s blue tape lifted quite a bit of paint, which resulted in small chips. However, Tamiya masking tape did not lift paint. Brush painting to touch up the chips resulted in a different sheen to the finish. I’m hoping that this difference in finish resolves itself with gloss coats and final dull coats.
I got a little more done tonight. The funnels will be the focus tomorrow, time permitting.
Rigging it! I found a handy way to hold the EZ-Line in place while gluing and setting.
It’s been rainy in Cincinnati, so I’ve gotten much done over the last few days. There’s much left to do, but she’s starting to look like a ship.
This is a very fun WIP thread, especially for a guy who hasn’t built a ship in over 40 years. It’s really interesting to see the PE, resin, and your scratch work.
Thanks for posting this and doing such a great job keeping it updated.
Thank you Greg,
I’m having fun with this one, because it’s a few steps out of my comfort zone. I’ve built a few aircraft and military vehicles, but ships have special challenges. I’ve never done so much painting before assembly, and all of the different assemblies and detail require a great deal of planning.
-Chris
Oh how I wish I were as careful a model builder as you! Your build is really top notch and it’s looking very, very good indeed.
Thank you Mike, this is a fun one, and it was launched in 1943.
This was how I held the whaleboats in position while I applied glue to hold them. It was a little tricky positioning everything just right.
I’m running out of parts to apply. The end is in sight.
Last night, I worked on rigging, touch ups, and PE adjustments. I’m doing my best with the rigging with references from pictures and diagrams, but it’s hard to decipher. Each ship is a little different. It’s also the case that the EZ line (which I love), is a bit thick for scale. I hope to get more done tonight, but much depends on the weather (c’mon rain!).
Looking good and yes, rigging can be a major PITA.
Thank you Modelcrazy,
I’m calling the rigging done, and I think it looks good. The forward, main-deck handrails were installed last night. That only leaves the aft deck handrails, depth charge roller racks, depth charge storage racks, and waist position Oerlikans. I plan to go over the model touching up paint after all of the PE is installed. That may take a bit. Brass/metallic paint is on order for the screws. It should be here either by Saturday or Monday.
I’ve had a heck of a time with a good wood base for the model. Michael’s has wood pieces which are the appropriate size. They are nice flat boards with routed edges, but they don’t take stain well. I’ve tried two of those. I’ll attempt to make my own wood base this weekend, but my routing skills are not developed. I’ll keep working on the base until I can get a nice dark, smooth display base. I have a lamp finials to attach the model to the base with screws and nuts (epoxied to the inside of the hull).
Here’s how she’s looking today.
I have some clean up and touch ups to do, but today I worked on the aft deck rails and stern depth-charge racks. I also decided to add supports for the forward Bofors mounts. I see them in reference pictures, but I generally don’t see them called out by model or aftermarket manufacturers. I used some brass rod for the supports. She’s getting there, but I’ll save some for tomorrow. I’m in no hurry, because I have to find a solution for my display base delema.
Wow, you have made an excellent work on this ship. Congratulations
Jorge
If you’d wanted a bit more work, in war-time service the whaleboats were swung out overboard and griped back ( a “Y” shaped strap that pulled the boat against a small spar between the davits) so as to be ready for service.
They are swung inboard wen brougt up to a pier or when nested together. At anchor or on a mooring, a boat boom would be out with one of the whaleboats bent to that.
Since you are doing a full hull, you’ll not want to forget the sonar dome. It’s about 6-7’ in diameter and forward of the 51 mount on the centerline.
Not a lot of good graphics for these. I know it’s on the Floating Drudock plans for USS Boyd DD-554 with actual scale-able dimensions.
Which does not show the dome faired in.
Cassin-Young DD-753
Thank you Jorge
Thank you CapnMac. I think the whaleboats are best left where they are, but had I known, I would’ve swung them out. I figure that port configuration would be OK since I’m displaying the ship on a base with pedistal stands. Also, I put railings around the torpedo mounts, which I’m sure those railing were up only in port. The sonar dome is definately something to look into. It doesn’t look like it’d be very difficult, and I still have plenty of my hull paint mixed up. Thank you for the information.
OK, I did some reading, and I still have questions about the sonar. These are the pages I was reading:
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/Q/c/QC_sonar.htm
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/Q/g/QGA_sonar.htm
Is the under-hull fairing for a QC or QGA sonar? Fletchers were equipt exclusively with QC sonar until 1944, when new ships were equipt with QGA. I’m wondering if Fletchers, such as Cassin Young and Kidd, were equipt with QGA during their anti-Kamikaze refits and modifications. I’m wondering if the fairing was for QC, QGA, or both. I was going for a pre-Kamikaze refit Dortch, so the QC sonar would be appropriate. I’ll keep digging. If you have any more insight into this, your input is greatly appreciated.