The Ship Model Forum

G'day all,
Here R some pic's of the start of my scratch build of USS California CGN-36 in 1/72 scale.
She will be 2.52m (Length)X 0.258m (Beam) X 0.138m (Draft) and will weigh in at about 28 to 30kg when finished. She will have a couple of 700 sized motor's driving a pair of 70mm 5 blade props from George at GT Sitek and Electronize FR15 ESC's.

Started her about 3 months ago and only just got stuck into construction!
(Construction has halted briefly due 2 excessive water logging of shed electric's due 2 overflowing gutter's!! It be a few days before I can do any more gluing on Cali... )

Cheers Bruce

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building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

Hey Bruce,

I was wondering when Cali would make an appearance

Now you have to promise to go slow or you will make me look bad

Andrew

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Ex RAN. Anzac, Duchess, Vampire, Yarra, Betano, Bombard, Brisbane, Swan, Melbourne (Carrier), HMS Leander

I will be going slow on her my finance's R shot 2 bits at moment due ta car rego(gone up again!!), gas bill, power bill, all one after the other!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

Bruce

_________________
building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

Hi Bruce Good to hear that your CGN-36 hasn't received to much damage from the leak hope you sort things out OK.
Dave Wooley

Cheers Dave!, Cali' is fine she didn't get wet (fortunately) she is currently piggybacked on USS Long Beach's hull on the bench in center of Shed (away from the wet stuff runnin down the walls!!) Should be able 2 get some ply for hull planking in 2 weeks when Tax return check turns up!

Cheers Bruce

_________________
building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

Sounds like a very nice project.
I like the scale, and i like the ship.
I'll be following this one.

Greetings Josse

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Making a complete new Well Enhancer, again scale 1:75.

Thx Josse,

California is again on hold due 2 new job, should be able 2 get back 2 her in about 3 weeks or so.
I have to get some work done on a couple of other higher priority project's 1st, so CGN-36 will have 2 be a slower build than my normal pace.

Cheers Bruce

_________________
building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

Hi Bruce
that is a interesting subject and a good view of hull building.
very good

Thx Mate, Work on Cali is still halted while I try an get a heap of detailing dome on my USS Long Beach in time for the TF72 Annual regatta across in New South Wales. I did some Google earth research its a 1336km trip....1 way!! 2672km total plus a slight detour around the Mount Panorama race track in Bathurst its only a extra couple of km's but I must make the pilgrimage !!

Bruce

_________________
building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

Now that's what I like to hear , there's dedication for you Don't forget to get the pictures to post here . Looking forward to these .
Dave Wooley

I envy you mate, will be in Sunny Vancouver.........

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Ex RAN. Anzac, Duchess, Vampire, Yarra, Betano, Bombard, Brisbane, Swan, Melbourne (Carrier), HMS Leander

I told ya Mate PULL A SICKEE!! LOL

Bruce

_________________
building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

HvyCgn; I would like to scratch build a model of CGN-36 for my brother-in-law who served aboard this ship, I was wondering where you came up with the lines for your hull, I haven't had much luck finding anything.

mike.

Mike I just checked with my friend he says you might be able to find the drawings from floating drydock http://floatingdrydock.com/MasterPlan.htm

I just looked but didnt see the california listed though

Joe

Bassfun (Mike) I used a couple of drawings in a older book called "Encyclopedia of World Sea Power" I photocopied the colored drawings (enlarging them a little) then worked out what scale they where. Then I marked out how i wanted 2 the frame spacing 2 be, then measured the width across the deck at each frame. Then starting at the widest Beam point began drawing the hull frames in 1/72 scale (referring 2 pix for an accurate approximation of hull shape) Hardest bit is getting the flare of the bows nice. Once you have drawn a few plans like this it starts getting easier!! I will be doing some hull work ( defintely!!!) next week !! Should have some progress 2 show by New year's day

Cheers N' HAPPY NEW YEAR

Bruce

_________________
building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

Thanks Bruce....kinda figured thats what I am going to have to do, the more I think about it the more I really want to do this project.

mike.

Mike you definitly want 2 do a California She is a great looking ship, R you thinking of an RC or static model??

I finally got some work done on my hull over the weekend and today!! Got the last (bottom) row of stringers on , I had forgot 2 do the slots for em when I was cutting out the rest!!! And have formed up the sonar dome using balsa blocks. Then I abused it with my trusty sanding disk on the end of my old drill. Now just have 2 give all the frames a bit of a tidy up with the sanding block before I do hull sheeting / planking.

Bruce

_________________
building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

Hi Bruce good to see your CGN 36 taking shape
Dave Wooley

G'day Bruce,

Cali is looking really good, especially like the balsa sonar dome.......

Probably a bit rich, advice coming from a rank amateur like me, but if I were you I would also "block up" forward of at lest your last frame and pre shape the bow before you begin your planking process.

I think Varyag's bow would have been much easier to build had I done that.

BTW it is STILL raining here in Brisbane, glad it is not snow though

Question, how do you work out where the stringers go and therefore where to cut the slots in the frames BEFORE you install the frames? Again, my Varyag was not too successful in that department and I had to "fix" a few mistakes


Andrew

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Ex RAN. Anzac, Duchess, Vampire, Yarra, Betano, Bombard, Brisbane, Swan, Melbourne (Carrier), HMS Leander

Thx Dave, Its been slow going on Cali with most of my free time over the last couple of months being spent detailing USS Long Beach, LB can wait for more work for a while the weather is good for building!! Hopefully get a lot of work done on California's hull during the next few weeks.
I'm also getting stuck into the rebuild of an APS models ANZAC FFH for a club mate when the glue is drying on Cali.

G'day Andrew, There R a few ways of marking out the stringers 1/ test fit frames 2 keel then run a string line along hull where you'd like the stringer 2 go ( I used the actual stringer for the last pair that I had forgotten, cable tied em on then marked positions on frames) or 2/ stack the frames up with widest at bottom (Bow 2 midship & Midship 2 stern) then mark slot positions top one generally follows the deck lines, mid stinger I start it at the aft approx. waterline dipping down towards mids then curving back up 2ward bow, bottom stringer I have starting at the stern corners following the bilge line then curving back up at bow.
I will be using some blocks in the bow section I wanted 2 get the sonar dome shaped beforehand.

Cheers Bruce

_________________
building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10