Hello everyone,
After some time off for the holidays, I had the chance to start off a new project. The kit is the Dragon 1/700 USS Belleau Wood CVL-24. For reference, I am using the Booklet of General Plans for the CVL-26 available online for download, the station sections posted on this site for the Cleveland Class Cruiser (Thank you DrPR), and all the builds posted on this site (1/700 & 1/350) as well as pictures of the Dragon 1/350 USS Independence kit, which seems to be very good. Thanks also to the CASF Independence Class guys who have answered my questions.
After reviewing the kit hull, I decided to try to shape it to a more accurate shape. The kit's lower hull is just a square extension of the upper hull, it doesn't include the detail of the blister, has no bilge keels, and the skeg is too wide. After reviewing pictures and drawings, the bottom of the hull is rounded and the stern below the waterline is more square, and finally it has a bulbous bow.
I filled up the lower hull with epoxy and started sanding away. Always checking against the station sections which I cut out (they are really tiny in 1/700). I sanded away the blisters and replaced them with styrene. I also reshaped the stern, since the kit is only an extension of the upper deck (round). It should start round and finish off square below the waterline, with a slight tumblehome.
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Also, the bilge keels where added. They are styrene strips sharpened on one side to give the illusion of the triangular cross section.
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Also, I am bolting down my models to their bases, had a near catastrophic accident the other day.
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I am still sanding it, reducing the blister join with the hull and rounding more the cross section of the stern.
Happy holidays to all!
...and as with my previous builds, comments and criticisms welcomed!