The Ship Model Forum

G'day all,
After a long delay due 2 my broken wrist back in March and moving house a few weeks back I have finally got stuck in 2 building an improved bow section for my 2-piece USS Long Beach CGN-9 (many pix can be seen of her in the "what if's" section) I had it pointed out 2 me that the MkI bow is to fat in the Stem (it is Grrrrr...) and push's thru the water rather than cut's thru.
The new bow is going 2 incorporate a few changes including working bow anchor's and some alterations 2 the original ballasting setup.
Here are some pix....

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,

You've got some guts renewing half a model
But I appreciate your desperation for the right detail
How did you fix the forward part to the aft part and ligning it up the correct way? Cause it's a long distance to align too (2.5 m?).

Gr.,
Pim

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1/50 P4
1/50 ASD Waterstroom
1/50 Stantug 1907
1/50 AHTS Maersk Helper
1/50 AHT Zeus
1/50 ASD Mercurius
1/75 Stril Odin

Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail..

Wow, Bruce, my man, my man...

You're really really good at this stuff. Building a whole new forward hull profile just to fix a little problem...I have to say...you're awesome. Keep up the good work, man!

_________________
Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

Hi Bruce You are Keen !!! To attempt to reshape a full forward section on any ship is a momentous task . I take my hat of to you considering also what you have had to endure over the past months. Amazing
Dave Wooley

Thx Guys!
Had 2 build a new bow once I knew it was wrong! Someone suggested cutting back the old bow and re-doin it, but this way I can still take her out for a run if I feel like it!! Need 2 get stuck into some more detailing on superstructure soon too...
Pim:
2 answer your question! I used a string line along the centerline from the stern center fairlead 2 line up marks on all the frames of the 1.5ish'metre section(total length 3.05m...(with the hull join frame bolted 2 the aft section) then glued em' all in and left 2 dry. One of the biggest problems with MkI bow is the 12mm Ply keel which developed a bend to it during construction, the new build uses ply ends attached to a length of 12mmX20mm Tasmanian Oak which is perfectly straight.

Should get some more building done this weekend....

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

Have been meaning to post an update for ages! finally done it!

Over the last couple of weekends I have been concentrating on making sure the existing superstructure sections will line up properly on the mkII bow. I have fitted a raised coming that the SS sits snugly against and will use some door closer magnets I purchased ages ago to secure the front SS piece and two for the bridge section.
Previous to doing that I cut out and glued on the bottom hull sheeting which is 3mm ply (for sheer cheapness!!) the rest of the bow will be done with 1.5mm ply which bends nicely around complex curves.
Last Sunday I went out to shed to start skinning the hull and got to thinking about working anchor winches so spent the day figuring out a good spot for either a twin drum Krick anchor winch or two single drum Krick winches...does anyone know how much chain these things can take? And can the twin drum unit drop one anchor at a time?
This ended up with me working out all the details of the fwd deck, capstan positions,bollards,etc. And figured out a good spot for a nice sized hatch beneath the fwd mk10 SM2ER launcher, all this mucking about will make detailing the fore deck much simpler than trying to work it out once the deck is glued down!
Enuff chatter here are the pic's!

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 the new bow fits so well , great piece of remeadial work , and often difficult to undertake .
Dave Wooley

Thx Dave,
I have been doing early morning starts at work (2.30am! groan)been home by 7am! ((and asleep by 7.05am) gettin paid for 2.30 till 9am regardless of what time we finish )
Over the week I have been getting up again at 11am and wanderin out 2 shed to do some hull skinning of the bow, by the weekend I hope 2 have the curved part of the bilges planked and then next week weather permitting I will start doing some filling before I start fibre glassing it.

Bruce

Here R some pix so far this week!!

_________________
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

Wow Bruce that's what I call dedication . But if it's the only way then needs must . There are few modellers that would rebuild part of a finished model and fewer that would attempt to rebuild much of the hull . I take my hat off to you and good on yer its a superb job . Now only the weather !!!!
Dave Wooley

Thanks Dave

Weather has been beautiful here over the weekend and on Friday and Saturday managed to get the bilges planked with 1.5mm X 12mm wide balsa strips first on Friday then with a second layer of wider 1.5mm balsa sheet skinned over that on Saturday. Then sanded off the foamed up glue and excess bits of balsa this morning. Next up doing some planking around the bow bulb to blend it all in, and then I can throw some resin over it before the filler gets put on.
Before I can glue in the foredeck I will need to do some work making up the pipe runs for the anchor chain to go thru 2 reach the winch's. Got to make up the pipe work with some gentle bends so the tension won't stop the anchors from dropping correctly.

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

The weather was nice an warm on Thursday so I got a coat of resin over the hull and this morning did a coat on the inside of hull to seal up the ply and balsa. Might get a bit of filler on it tomorrow if the weather is nice I have decided to do the filler before the cloth this time it should give a better finish....I think...
A pair of Krick single drum anchor winches are on order from Modeldockyard in UK, Nick at MD was very helpful with quick response time to my e-mails and even added the single winch 2 their website so I could order em online! Great customer service!! (I will definitely be getting more stuff from them)

Might not have much work at my job next week so I may get a fair bit done on this and some other project's!!

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

I wonder if I can figure out how to post on this forum?



Yours,
James D. Gray

Hi Bruce forge ahead with Long Beach while you can , any spare time is a valiable commodity
Dave Wooley

Thx James for the Great pic It has been saved 2 my collection!!

_________________
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

Cheers Dave,
I just came in from the shed, did a little bit of sanding on the hull but it needs another day 2 fully cure I think (keep clogging up the sand paper). Just had another delivery in the post a tube containing some lime wood planks to do the teak decking under the bridge area.
Been a reasonably productive afternoon (apart from getting the magic smoke out of a cheap ESC in my 30+year old Cabin cruiser )

Came back from the pond and soldered up some brass railings for the Quarter deck of a 1/72 APSmodels HMAS ANZAC that I am slowly rebuilding for one of my club mates. Figured I should get something done on her! She has been languishing untouched for abit and I really need to put some hours in to building bits for her.

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

Hi Bruce dug these pictures which may be of some help.



Dave Wooley press on

Oh, wow...what a beautiful, beautiful bow.

Bruce, your reconstructed bow is excellent! Your abilities are incredible. I cannot wait to see the detail work you have in store for it.

_________________
Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

DW thank you!!
Those pics will aide detailing the bow greatly!! Also shows the deck paint variations and danger lines very handy info!
(And great shot of the walkway around the second SPG-55 radar....still need to make that bit and do the grab rails on the back of the SPG-55's...)

navydavesof Cheers mate
It really looks better when compared to the old bow. Which will get maybe one or two more deployments, before new bow is ready for action. During the change over the stern section will have a bit of maintenance and modification around the hull join so that the halves mate up. The Aft section will get new bilge keels and the holes for the lower guide dowels will be eliminated as they are not needed (seemed like a good idea at the time!!).

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

Bruce you are very welcome , for the effort you are putting in on your Long Beach you deserve as much help as possible . So digging around a bit more , here are two more pictures that that I'm sure will be of help to you .


Dave Wooley

Koor those R sweet images Dave These R pics you need for the small details you can't spot in long distance pix!
Especially on a ship that is decommissioned and no longer around for a looksie...

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