A 1:700 scale 1944 Mare Island Navy Yard

[Reid]

soo true!!!

[bgire]

This week's work
Now Jean has hired some micro-workers to help him refitting the splinter shields aboard USS San Francisco (Niko Model)
Here are the men at work :






Note electric welding




Bruno

[Devin]

That looks amazing.

If I might suggest, you should look into this for added welding effect.

[nick]

Can't..resist...amazement!!!!!
Amazing work bgire!!

[bgire]

Hello

Now those micro-workers are busy on this cruiser...

[Guido]

Simply amazing, dude!
Guido

[MichelB]

At times like these its always good to quote Indiana Jones:
"That belongs in a museum!"

[bgire]

Hello, it's us again

Now Jean is furiously working at the design of the North inclined slip (on the right in photos) which was used to build submarines by pairs during the War.
The design is going quickly, but we found a point we want to make clear with your help please.

What are the twin structures circled on the picture below ? They look like ramps



Now here is Jean's theory about those structures :
Just in front of these you can see the floating gate which closes the slip entrance.
Jean thinks the twin structures are movable ramps which are put in place when the gate is open to avoid damaging the sub hulls during the launching operation. He drew the sketch below to explain :



Could some of you folks help us : is Jean right or not ?
If not what is the purpose of those twin ramps ?

Thank you
Bruno

[Cadman]

That certainly sounds feasable. I can't give a definative answer. But I do love those Sweeeeeeeeet illustrations.

[johndon]

Any more progress Bruno?

John

[bgire]

Any more progress Bruno?John

Yes, many, although not -yet- spectacular.
Jean is now speedy-busy on the inclined slip side of the Yard : He did the drawings for the slip, the scaffoldings, the surrounding buildings. He started drawing some pre-fabricated sections of Gato subs which will be put on slips. Preliminary shots show two more gorgeous PEs.

The trouble is we found the only available full hull Gato (Tamiya) is totally out of scale. I've heard of an announcement at Nurnberg Toy Fair of new 1/700 Gato and Balao by HobbyBoss for 2008. Maybe this should "save" our project.

On my side, I'm completing the master for the three finger piers, to be production cast in resin by next March. I'm also building the masters for the other piers around, including the slip.

At last, I'm waiting for Jean's corrected "production" master films of our previous etched sheets to start my own version. During all his own assembly, Jean found many small defects (as expected) and corrected them. In March, he should totally redraw the RR sheets to include all the new stuff suggested by some folks of this board (Cadman, Harry Dente, etc.)

So I wouldn't expect new pictures before, say, the end of February.
Bruno

[johndon]

I look forward to seeing the progress...

John

[Guido]

...me too!

[Guest]

Any new photos?

[bgire]

Sorry not before the end of March.
Our schedule has slipped by one month, as we're designing and building the submarine slip (on the right side of our model) : two additional PE sheets, with more than 200 new parts!
This is going really crazy : I've to say Jean included on the PE a large complement for a sub christening ceremony : from a full Navy music band to attending people, incl. some good looking ladies... even a micro Champagne bottle!
The new PE also includes a whole Gato class prefabricated main section, as often shown on Mare Island pictures.

Jean is now busy on his completely redesigned RR sheets, following fantastic helping from this forum's folks (Cadman, Harry Dente, etc.) : more stuff to come.
On my side, I'm completing the resin piers (preproduction run).. and starting my own PE assembly, using corrected production sheets.
Bruno

[Guest]

Ti sounds great! You've made me even more impatient to see the photos! Keep on doing the good work!

[Avery Boyer]

Hobbyboss is already preselling their Gato with a release date of early April Will we see it in your dio?

[bgire]

Hobbyboss is already preselling their Gato with a release date of early April Will we see it in your dio?

Of course! The old Tamiya Gato is ... old and not well detailed by today's standard.
I look forward to see the Hobbyboss... Where can I find it ?

On our twin slip we'll display one Gato being launched and prefabricated sections of another being put in place...

Extracts from Jean's master film (magnified) :





Bruno

[simon b]

I can't take any more

[Cadman]

That's just insane. Is that a champaign bottle breaking for the sub launch? Love the band.