The Ship Model Forum

From the NPS site: https://www.nps.gov/perl/getinvolved/partners-in-preservation.htm

"According to a US Navy document, "the vital need for additional berthing space for capital ships at Pearl Harbor necessitated the development of 16 fixed moorings to relieve congestion. The moorings are … the first of this kind constructed. They provide berths similar to those at a pier at a greatly reduced cost. They economize on space and provide practically double the berthing for an equal area as compared to anchored moorings."

not enough big docks for the battleships to dock to?

Dan,
Thank you very much for the links. Ah, yes, mooring quays. Now the brain cells are active.
Now that you mention it, I've only ever seen them in pictures of Pearl Harbor. I wonder why?

Steve

Hey Steve -

So, those are mooring quays. Pearl Harbor was equipped with a ring of them around Ford Island to facilitate the docking of the Fleet's battleships and carriers. Almost any photo of Battleship Row back then shows them.

I can think of two sources off the top of my head, Model Monkey and Five Star.

Model Monkey carries 1940s era and modern versions:

https://www.model-monkey.com/product-page/1-700-uss-arizona-mooring-quays-1941

https://www.model-monkey.com/product-page/1-700-uss-arizona-mooring-quays-modern-appearance

Five Star carries three types:

https://www.hobbyeasy.com/cgi-bin/i8_user_page.cgi?a=advance_search_result&page_size=10&page_number=1&keyword=mooring+platform&category_code=SHP

Hi Dan,

I saw your finished diorama of the USS California in the gallery. Marvelous work.
I am just getting interested in 1/700 ships and I have a question. Perhaps you posted it in the build log, but I didn't see it. In one of the pictures, you the California up against those odd shaped mooring islands. I forget what their actual name. Did you scratch build those or were they aftermarket? I'd like to use them in some ship settings.

Steve

Thx, Kometa. The Kingfishers are a true pain, but, patience and practice can pay off. Maryland's planes came out reasonably well.

Not the best photo, but these do look good in person.

Great job Dan.
I am afraid that I am going to spend the same work with the airplanes in the constructions that I have pending.

:wave_1:

Thx, Matt!

Maryland is pretty much done. She turned out the best of the three, as one might expect after all this practice. Gallery photo shoot to come.

Gorgeous work!

Matt

Thx, Vladi.

This photo, http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/download/file.php?id=138372&mode=view , shows the halyard lines for Maryland's mainmast to be anchored further inboard than I previously understood to be the case.

So, I followed suit. I used white Lycra line this time, and it was much easier.

That happens... Fingers crossed to your PH battleship row!

Since no build of mine can be completed without a mishap, allow me to present Maryland's.

My mainmast needed another coat of 5-D to cover the upper portion, including the underside of the lower spotting top level. I blocked off the the spotting top, but not enough it seems. ( I lapsed in wrapping something around it for additional protection. Just brilliant.)

After a great deal of rework, the spotting top was repainted (though not as cleanly as the first time - gggrhhh) and the mainmast attached to the ship.

I've decided to complete USS Maryland 1941. You may recall that I had built up her bridge and cage masts while building California.

Progress pics below. I reduced the width of the torpedo blisters at their top with a file.

I'm sorry for being slightly OT her, but for modern aircraft with bubble canopies clear plastic is very effective and that is probably why most kit makers are still doing them. You simply mask the bubble with a drop of masking fluid, apply a black or dark grey primer and the grey paint of choice and after removing the mask you have a nice and quick result. A quick drybrush stroke gives you the front styles of the canopy if neccessary. The problem is that painting complicated cage canopies like these is almost impossible on clear plastic, as Dan shows in the first picture.
[quote="Jim B"] I don't build ships regularly, so casting aircraft in clear plastic just seems bizarre to me. :scratch: And your [i]West Virginia[/i] really looks great.[/quote]

Congratulations, Dan, your BBs look just awesome!

I fully consent to your experience with Trumpeter seaplanes, but you made them look fine in the end. Similarly, I am still waiting for a suitable replacement to their SOC-3 Seagulls. Clumsy, overscale, panel lines like WW1 trenches and a pain to work with that brittle transparent plastic :(

Nice job on those Kingfishers. They look really nice. I don't build ships regularly, so casting aircraft in clear plastic just seems bizarre to me. :scratch: And your [i]West Virginia[/i] really looks great.

Nice result with those kingfishers and good to know that I am not the only one struggling with PE canopies.

Thanks very much, guys. Gallery pics to be posted at some point. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I have to be motivated.

Beautiful work as always, Dan. :thumbs_up_1:

Nice recovery Dan!