Calling all USS North Carolina BB-55 & USS Washington BB-56 fans

[gerinc]

Does anyone know (or better yet, have a photo of) how the paravane chains at the bow are attached, both underwater and also on the foredeck? I'd like to add some to my trumpeter kit, but have no idea how they are affixed at either end. I would assume that on the foredeck, they're attached to some pelican hooks, in a similar fashion to the stoppers on the anchor chains, but would like to know if the info is out there.

Thanks

[GTDEATH13]

I AM RECENTLY BOUILDING THE TRUMPETEER KIT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA. SHE'S A FINE LADY, MIGHT I SAY BUT I AM VERY DISSAPOINTED BY THE MANY INACCURACIES OF THE KIT. I ALSO DID NOT USE ANY PHOTOETCHING BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET YOUR HANDS ON PE KITS HERE IN GREECE. THE ONLY WAY IS BY ORDERING IT ON LINE. ANYWAY I AM THINKING OF ALTERING MY MODEL AND APPLYING MANY CHANGES, BUT I AM A LITTLE AFRAID TO DO SO BECAUSE THE BUILD IS IN LATE PROGRESS. I HAVE NOT PAINTED ANYTHING YET BUT A LOT OF DETAILS NEED IMPROVEMENT.
I AM POSTING SOME PHOTOS OF MY KIT AS IT IS NOW. WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD DO??
FINISH THE KIT IN THE FORM I INTENDED TO BUILD IT WITHOUT ANY PE AND DETAILING IT MORE ACCURATELY IN A HISTORIC POINT OF VIEW OR SHOULD I START RESHAPING AND REBUILDING.
FOR STARTS, IF I CONTINUE TO FINISH THE BUILD I AM THINKING OF PAINTING HER IN MS-22 CAMOUFLAGE SINCE HISTORIV ACCURACY PASSED AWAY IN THIS BUILD. IF I RESHAPE THE KIT TO MORE ACCURATE STANDARDS I WILL PAINT HER IN HER WONDERFULL MS-32 CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN.

[GTDEATH13]

THE RAILS I USED ARE FROM HELLER'S 1/400 KITS BUT THEY ARE ACCEPTABLE 9NO COMPARISON WITH A PE KIT THOW)...

[GTDEATH13]

THE FORECASTLE IS MY BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENT ...

[GTDEATH13]

THESE ARE THE PARTS OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE... I HAVE NOT DONE ANY DETAILING YET... EXCEPT FROM THE PORTHOLES ...

[GTDEATH13]

MID PART

[GTDEATH13]

THE AFT PART

[GTDEATH13]

THIS IS No3 TURRET.

[Timmy C]

I would remove the chunk of flash that's on the starboard boat crane rig.

Also, would it be possible to not type in full capital letters? It's rather difficult to read uppercase letters in a full text

[GTDEATH13]

I would remove the chunk of flash that's on the starboard boat crane rig.

I have not got round to that yet. I am waiting to see what will the suggestions be and then i will get on to removing extra material and other details.

[Timmy C]

For those who are building the Trumpeter/Pit-road North Carolina/Washington, Lionroar's releasing a 1/700 version of their 1/350 Detail set:

http://www.dragonmodelsusa.com/dmlusa/p ... NRLE700100

[pbudzik]

I think I have the elevations and basic structures for the aft island worked out.

[pbudzik]

Thanks Dave,

I'll get more pics after I add some more structure and detail. The problem is going to be painting. With the bracing for the directors (it's a little different for the Washington) it's such an integrated structure that I'm not sure I can keep the pieces separate for painting.

I've just been working it pretty slow, but so far it looks like I'll probably have to scratch out a substantial portion.

Paul

[GTDEATH13]

I think I have the elevations and basic structures for the aft island worked out.

Very nice work!!! I wish I had done some scrutchbuilding to my NoCa but unfortunately I did not do detailed homework on the build so it is historically inaccurate. Nevermind, though...

I have decided to paint my North Carolina in MS-22 paint scheme, as she appeared late in the war, or post war. I have decided, since the inaccuracy is already there, to paint the main deck with tan, but the upper decks in navy blue... I think this will be better than painting all the decks tan. Thus, every deck of the superstructure will be in navy blue.

What do you guys think???

[kd3kds]

Does anyone have a good reference diagram or direction to good reference material for USS Washington's MS 12 camo pattern in early 1942 when operating in the Atlantic? I know what the three camo colors are, but am looking for a diagram of the pattern itself. Does the Classic Warships North Carolina Class book illustrate this? I've reviewed the "Calling all North Carolina/Washington fans" thread.

[MartinJQuinn]

The book has some pictures, but I've yet to see a definitive drawing of Washington's Ms12-R scheme. The best "reference" I've I've seen is Christoph Mentzel's build of the Regia Marina kit, which you can see here

[MartinJQuinn]

In case you missed it, Ed McDonald's 1/350 Washington - a conversion from the Trumpeter North Carolina kit - was just added to the gallery.

[AA Military Research]

I think I have the elevations and basic structures for the aft island worked out.

Very nice work!!! I wish I had done some scrutchbuilding to my NoCa but unfortunately I did not do detailed homework on the build so it is historically inaccurate. Nevermind, though...

I have decided to paint my North Carolina in MS-22 paint scheme, as she appeared late in the war, or post war. I have decided, since the inaccuracy is already there, to paint the main deck with tan, but the upper decks in navy blue... I think this will be better than painting all the decks tan. Thus, every deck of the superstructure will be in navy blue.

What do you guys think???

Wood decks bright teak with metal decks 20-B deck blue in Ms-22 is accurate once she's about halfway through the Panama Canal after the war.

[pbudzik]

I got a bit snagged on the gun directors and twin 5" mounts. Trumpeters versions are not the greatest. I ordered replacements from L'Arsenal, but they were disappointing as well. I made up some masters (the 5" was by reworking the basic Tamiya turret) for each and sent them off to Paul Fisher who was kind enough to mold and cast them.
Here is a photo of the twin 5" mounts on Washington


My casting is on the left and the L'Arsenal is on the right. Note the difference in geometry and height of the vertical portion under the guns.




The turret was cast on a rather substantial base that I can mount in a lathe chuck and machine off the base. I was counting on this to minimize distortion in the molding/casting process.


Also, there is a difference at where the base of the turret is positioned.


When I ordered the L'Arsenal gun directors, I didn't realize that they were a later style, however, the castings were disappointing because not one of the set had all the hinge detail cast completely (which really sets this pattern off) and the decision to cast the rangefinders on the the side has the mold split which obliterates and distorts some of the side detail. For these reasons, I made a master for the gun directors with most of the details left off. I will add these back with machinings and photoetch. This photo shows all three gun directors. The one on the left is from the kit and it is substantially over-sized.




I sure wish I was at the same stage of completion as Ed's beautiful model.

Paul

[L'Arsenal]

Hello Paul,

Just a quick note about your post on L'Arsenal 5"/38 twin mounts. I absolutely do not want to enter a dispute with you, but there were several different marks of 5"/38 twin mounts in service during WWII.
The one produced by L'Arsenal is the Mk.32 as indicated on the label. It was mostly seen onboard Essex class carriers, and the bottom of the front face was significally smaller than the ones onboard the battleships. This is why you found the difference.
I have attached a photo of the Mk.32 turret so you can see that L'Arsenal's offering is correct for this mark.


Best regards from Normandie,
Jacques Druel
L'Arsenal
http://www.larsenal.com