1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road/TR)

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Expand view Topic review: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road/TR)

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Dan K » Fri Feb 07, 2025 7:25 pm

From the NPS site: https://www.nps.gov/perl/getinvolved/pa ... vation.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."

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by FFG-7 » Fri Feb 07, 2025 10:21 am

not enough big docks for the battleships to dock to?

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by sdk10159 » Fri Feb 07, 2025 5:10 am

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

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Dan K » Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:12 pm

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-pa ... quays-1941

https://www.model-monkey.com/product-pa ... appearance

Five Star carries three types:

https://www.hobbyeasy.com/cgi-bin/i8_us ... y_code=SHP

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by sdk10159 » Mon Feb 03, 2025 7:55 am

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

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Dan K » Wed Nov 03, 2021 3:42 pm

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.
Attachments
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Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Kometa » Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:32 pm

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:

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Dan K » Wed Nov 03, 2021 12:01 pm

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.
Attachments
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Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by taskforce48 » Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:13 pm

Gorgeous work!

Matt

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Dan K » Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:52 am

Thx, Vladi.

This photo, 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.
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Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Vladi » Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:25 am

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

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Dan K » Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:00 pm

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.
Attachments
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Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Dan K » Tue Oct 05, 2021 11:53 am

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.
Attachments
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Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Pieter » Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:49 am

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.
Jim B wrote: I don't build ships regularly, so casting aircraft in clear plastic just seems bizarre to me. :scratch: And your West Virginia really looks great.

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Vladi » Mon Jul 19, 2021 2:55 pm

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 :(

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Jim B » Mon Jul 19, 2021 11:43 am

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 West Virginia really looks great.

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Pieter » Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:06 am

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

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by Dan K » Sat Jul 17, 2021 9:27 am

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

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by gscott » Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:57 pm

Beautiful work as always, Dan. :thumbs_up_1:

Re: 1/700 West Virginia 1941 & USS California 1941 (Pit-Road

by J.F.S. » Fri Jul 16, 2021 7:19 pm

Nice recovery Dan!

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