1/96 USS Weehawken

[Devin]

Now that I've quit my full-time job to further pursue being a broke writer, I have a little more time to work on the USS Weehawken.

-Devin

[Dustermaker]

Great to hear you are modeling more, on a different note. Writers can make a lot of money, but first you must die....lol

[MartinJQuinn]

That looks really, really good. Bringing it to the next club meeting, I hope?

[Devin]

That looks really, really good. Bringing it to the next club meeting, I hope?

It looks as if I may have to skip the meeting this month due to other social obligations, but if I'm able to make it I'll bring her along.

-Devin

[Edward Pinniger]

Looking very good, I'll be interested to see more of this build!

One question - does the kit actually require you to scribe the armour plating detail on the deck? Or did you decide to re-scribe it?

[Devin]

One question - does the kit actually require you to scribe the armour plating detail on the deck? Or did you decide to re-scribe it?

The desk has no armor detail on it at all, so yes, it's required (or at least it was for me!).

-Devin

[Devin]

I've put a couple more photos of the Weehawken up on my website.

[Devin]

Here's the depths to which my madness had sunken (sunk? sank? I don't feel like pulling out my copy of Strunk and White to find out) to with the USS Weehawken project:

I made two test sheets. Styrene sheet, scribed with a facsimile of the deck plating, added eight raised bolts, scribed the side hull plating, and put in a bunch of flush-faced bolts. Essentially all of the work I've done on Weehawken's exterior surface on a small scale. I've got two contenders for Weehawken's described "lead" color, both are Vallejo paints. Pale Gray Blue (manufacturer #907) is mostly a simple light gray. Blue Gray Pale (905) has a bit more blue and life to it, so I think that will probably be the big winner. You can see from the photo that they're really close in hue.

The reason I made up these two test plates is so I can test weathering before I apply it to the ship. I've never built a ship in this large before (1/96). Also, Vallejo paints has this cool glaze medium that creates awesome effects. I'm going to apply a glaze of 907 over 905, and vice-versa, see how they turn out, and give both a wash of oils. The best looking results end up on the Weehawken.

[Devin]

I'm so happy with how these Dahlgrens turned out that I have to share pictures.

The guns themselves and the carriage for the XV-inch gun (the fatter one) are from the Weehawken kit. I scratch built the XI-inch mount carriage, turned the elevation screws out of twisted steel wire, made the handles out of bent straight pins, made the brass trunnion caps from styrene tube and strip, and the hand wheel and hex bolts on the trunnion caps are from the Grandt Line HO scale catalog.

[Gordon Bjorklund]

Great looking guns, Devin.
Have you picked out the color yet?

[Devin]

Yes, I'm going with the Blue Gray Pale, the more blue of the two. I've stripped and re-applied about 20 coats of paint and glazes and washes over the past few days. The conclusion is that I've put too much work into this to much around with new experimental techniques. She'll be getting a wash, dry brushing and pastels for weathering, save the glazes and overcoats for another day.

[Devin]

Finished up the turret tonight -- well, the inside at least -- and now the guns are in their permanent home.

[Devin]

Figures from Cottage Industry models. The tallest of the upright figures are right at 20mm tall. The bottom photo shows who will be the ship's sentry; I modified his hand position so he can hold the rifle, added an ammo clip box and belt to his waist, and I scratch built the rifle, using plastic for the stock and barrel, and 1/350th scale 20mm photo etch to fabricate a strike plate and hammer. The rifle is admittedly over-scale, but I just don't want to work with anything smaller than that!

[Devin]

Getting very close to finishing her up!

[DanCinSD]

Very nice build so far..... even if the early monitors are about the ugliest things afloat!!

[MartinJQuinn]

That looks fantastic

[Devin]

Just two quick photos before I run out the door this morning. She's basically "done", but I will add more figures and some more lines on deck this coming week before MosquitoCon next Saturday. Even though I made a few flubs I learned a LOT building this kit and really enjoyed it. Once I finish the rest of the lines on deck and get a new bulb for my photography lighting I'll post more detailed photos.

Oh yeah, and I still have to make a flag for her. The one I have just didn't cut it.

[Laurent]

Hi ,

this model really looks awesome !

Regards ,

Laurent

[MartinJQuinn]

Devin ran out to the RepliCon show in Long Island, where Weehawken took a 2nd place in the Powered Ships, Larger than 1/500 category. Well done!

[Avery Boyer]

Looks excellent, wonderful build!