Calling all USS Boston CAG-1 fans!

[RandyM]

I'm running out of excuses for spending beautiful weekend days inside at my desk. Nevertheless, here are some shots of Boston in her current state. There's so much stuff hanging off her now that just positioning lights for photographing is becoming hazardous. I'm sure you will notice the 3" AA batteries are missing... the kit-supplied parts aren't up to speed, I don't have the patience to scratch-build them, and I ran out of the very nice Veteran Models parts. I've ordered more and they should be here tomorrow (Thank You Brandon). Also, note that the entire superstructure still has not been attached. But other than that, if anyone sees anything heinous like.. oh, I don't know, a barbette being installed UPSIDE DOWN or something similar, please let me know.

I've begun the process of building up the ship's boats. And I'm starting the decision process of figuring out whether I'm going to seal the whole thing up with gloss/flat clear coats.

Almost looks like a BB from this angle...


One of the reasons I like cruisers - they look soooo graceful from the aft quarter.


I've also begun work on the Terriers. The kit-supplied bodies weren't any good (out of round, inconsistent, etc.) so I've built my own using the kit PE. Note that (IMHO) the PE is what saves this kit from being a complete waste of money...


Still lots of second- and third-order details to be added. That's quite an antenna farm going on.


Foc'sle is essentially complete. HOWEVER, I need to find some nice anchors... I hate to sound like a broken record but the white metal kit-supplied parts just aren't worth it.

[RandyM]

Finished building and basecoating the 3"/50 guns.
Installed all bitts on maindeck.
Installed three aft windlasses.
Finished maindeck railings.
Installed propellors.
Fabricated and installed prop guards (kit white metal is unsuitable for use IMHO).
Photographed next to Gearing as an interesting comparison in mass.

[raggs]

Man, THAT IS A CLEAN BUILD, Congratulations.

Question; if I missed it on an an earlier post ; The "baskets" mounted on the rear of the main
turrets, whats their purpose?

Paul

[gtbred]

Bravo Zulu!

[RandyM]

Continued will railings - I think I'm done with them... built and installed two of the four Terriers. There was opportunity to do some colorful markings on them but since I didn't want them to stand out too much I went with basic white-with-a-touch-of-grey.

You can also see the prop guard. I was sweating having to build them, but with a little thought as to sequence they turned out to be pretty easy to do.

Every time I think I'm getting close, I find something else to add to the do-list.

[RandyM]

I need some help with color schemes for crew launches from the 60s. My (few) color reference photos seem to indicate they had the usual varnished wood transoms and possibly decking while the rest of the upperworks were grey. My question is, were the undersides (below waterline) antifoul or grey?

Thanks,
Randy

[Sigma66]

I need some help with color schemes for crew launches from the 60s. My (few) color reference photos seem to indicate they had the usual varnished wood transoms and possibly decking while the rest of the upperworks were grey. My question is, were the undersides (below waterline) antifoul or grey?

Thanks,
Randy

Black. The Capt's gig would also have a red boot top. Boston was a flagship so you may want to add an Admiral's gig which would vary in color. Most interesting I saw was black with red below the waterline and a gold boot top.

[RandyM]

Thanks for the excellent info. I have a photo showing the captain's gig with a nice deep blue hull...

Next question... I have photographic references of Boston from late-50s thru the 60s. In some of these photos she is wearing a hull number both fore and aft, while in others only on the bow. I do not have dates for all photos, so I cannot determine when/if there was a change at a specific period.

Does anyone know when Boston (or similar) should have hull numbers 'on both ends' vs. only on the bow?

[Sigma66]

Next question... I have photographic references of Boston from late-50s thru the 60s. In some of these photos she is wearing a hull number both fore and aft, while in others only on the bow. I do not have dates for all photos, so I cannot determine when/if there was a change at a specific period.

Does anyone know when Boston (or similar) should have hull numbers 'on both ends'

My father was EMO in '67. He says both ends. Furthermore, the color for the forward mast you've chosen would be for later in her career, so, both ends.

[RandyM]

Excellent - thanks. I'm shooting for early 60s era (62-65?), based on the references I've got.

[Sigma66]

Excellent - thanks. I'm shooting for early 60s era (62-65?), based on the references I've got.

Recall that, I'm told that it didn't at that time. He said that earlier yes, but by '66 it was gone. Sorry for the confusion.

[RandyM]

Yes, it's been a while, but I have a good excuse(s). We have been screaming at work, and I managed to injure my shoulder to the point that I had to have reasonably significant surgery last month. At any rate, I spent some more time on Boston this weekend, including:

additional - and hopefully final: you have to stop somewhere - details on superstructure, followed by overall flat clearcoat
rigging - I managed to get the starboard side finished before my arm gave out, but so far I'm pretty happy.

Still lots of things to do, but I'm really getting to the point that I need to move on (as in, call this one "done"). The kit continues to confound me at every opportunity: the latest occurred when I was applying the hull numbers and name - after applying the first one it became very obvious that whoever did the research on this really "missed the boat" - everything - the name and numbers alike, are undersized by 20-30% (and if you don't believe me, I can go thru the math with you ). So I'm creating new artwork and in the meantime the hull has patches of clear where the incorrect decals are placed.

Here are some photos. As always, if you see something really heinous, please let me know.

This backdrop is the best I could do with 1-1/2 arms...


I built a new base of Bubinga because I think the natural color contrasts well with the deck (as shown, the wood is natural with no stain/sealer/anything). I went with polished stainless steel tubing for the pedestals.


Still need some decent anchors. Unless anyone has suggestions, I may have to rob from a kit in my stash.


I think the level of detail works pretty well - there's lots going on.


I finally finished building the other two Terriers (all are from scratch using plastic rod and 0.005" sheet for the fins).


Some of the starboard-side rigging is visible, but I mainly just like the view.


The "drydock" shot...


Overhead forward, and


overhead aft.


Starboard rigging


Some good angles from astern...

[Sigma66]

Awesome work!

Did the kit come with waterline markings?

[RandyM]

No it didn't - basically included (incorrectly-sized) hull name and numbers, and some pennants. I have reference photos of Boston during the appropriate timeframe (1962) which show her wearing limiting draft marks fore and aft, and *possibly* draft numbers forward. I'm working on the artwork for correct decals now.

[modellmariner]

Looks very good!


J�rg

[el Cid]

Very nice build Randy, thanks for sharing your experience. FWIW, my father was Boston's navigator about the same period (circa 1964).

Cheers,

Keith

[Bigdaddy Mark]

Wow you guys sure make me feel like a hack.

[RandyM]

To everyone EXCEPT Mark... Thank You: I appreciate the kind words. There are many, many problem areas with this build, but it has been so challenging that I consider myself a better person just for having persevered through it (and I still have 20-25 hours to go).

To Mark... I'm not buying it for an instant. I've seen your work, which is very impressive. I very much like Bataan, and the effect you achieved with the well-deck lighting. I work with the (now retired) plankowner CO of Makin Island (LHD8), which is USN's first large-hull "hybrid" propulsion system and incorporates the cool canted stacks. So of course I'm going to build Makin Island soon, starting from Iwo Jima. For now, all I can offer in terms of semi-similar work to your Bataan is my 2010-fit CVN65, which really only has the hangar and some external sponson work complete.

http://www.nulspace.com/hobbies/enterpr ... s_pg1.aspx

[RandyM]

FINALLY... finished the anchors/forecastle.

Now I need to deal with the %^$& blast bags and decals.

[RandyM]

...almost. Here she is: my interpretation of Boston, c. 1962.

Finished the blast bags and rigging, among other items. Created and applied correctly-sized hull numbers (wound up using dry-transfer for the ship's name on stern). Installed the jack and ensign.

Still to do:

- captain's gigs (maybe, maybe not)
- additional signal flags (Uniform Sierra Charlie Gulf as a nod to my alma mater)
- vents on stern above name

There are a giga-zillion other things I *could* do, but frankly, I'm done with this one.

As always, comments/critiques/suggestions are welcome. Heck, without this forum my #2 barbette would be upside down

Randy


















Since my photographic skills are so awful, I decided to take a pic outside.