The Ship Model Forum

and from above ..it looks like this...yes some fine tuning to be done...
next is a new top part...one that is 2/3 open so you can see the stairs

worked a bit on the 127mm gun directors

actualy...I think there is .. a gliding door, probably to have access to the radar on that side.
You clearly see a line above the window on capture 2 giving top side of door....well...anyway..thats how I interpreted it
I only did a side door on radar side...so 2 have it on the left side...and 2 on the right side
the plastic used is as thin as I have....ones glue hard..then limed off to min ...there must be hardly 0.2mm left
these pictures are what I used as refference
I made the windows on all...No such details in the kit

I'll be using these for the smaller direcctors

once painted...the difference will be hard to see...after all this is scale 1/400...nobody is gonna take a microscope to check if its 0.2 or 0.18mm or only 0.13mm
bout the door...I'm sure there would be a way they made to be able to go repare the radar at any time as these radars are of capital importance ...best way is with a door..sliding...or regular...if its a door that is even with the outside panels when closed...its invisible ...specialy on a scale model...so now it is...visible

continued on my gun directors....the radar...heller kit radars for these gun directors are...awefull...not only wrong form (heller are round as real ones are rectangular) but also...well....hellers
so I deceided to make my own...had a radar grill left over from the Adm.Scheer PE ug kit...cut it in 4 equal parts...took 2bars from a 4 bar railing and a piece of plastic as base....

looked to my view ok....but something missing...took 1 bar of a railing...bend it twice...added a fine cut plastic triangle....will place it better once glue is dry

to give an idea of what the kit provides...

all modification I wanted ....done...now fine tune and need to paint them

I found back why I was convinced there was a sliding door..
1) you see clearly there's a door
2) my idea...it glides on that structure to the right

lets get serious...somebody working at heller realy wasn't very....perceptive....
the radars for the 127mm guns they made round...they where in reality rectangular
the radars for the 57mm guns they made...rectangular....and they where ...ROUND.....pfff
so gonna modify all 4

added some stuff on the wall from the front main deck up to next level...mind the fine copper wire is 0.1mm....once all painted grey...it will look better...but wanted you to see how I did it

the 57mm directors are taking shape...3 steps shown

all directors are now almost done...a few fine tunings here and there to do
and btw...I now know for sure the 127mm had that gliding door...even one on each side

as I realise ...I'm doing more and more small..to smaller and smaller details...I ordered some new working materials...
like drills (smallest atm 1mm...ordered 0.2-0.4-0.5mm)...lime (actual 5mm large...new1.5mm large)...plastic sheets 0.5mm atm...ordered 0.13 and 0.2 mm
this should help me making those tiny details faster...and mainly better...I hope

both sides done...now paint it and fix it

final 57 director radar touch...

now...painted and placed...it looks pretty ok...fyi...I added the "Tri-pied pour ravitaillement à la mère" not sure yet what colour I'm gonna put it in...light grey, darker gray like the deck or black...

couldn't resist dry fitting all I have...

I find when I dry fit items, motivates me more to keep the momentum going. Great work !
Randy

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Completed: Trumpeter 1/200 USS Arizona
Current Project: Trumpeter1/200 scale HMS Hood
Future Project: TBD