Calling all Oliver Hazard Perry-class FFG fans

[NukeMM]

Willie,

I have been admiring your detail work on your FFG. 1/700 right? "Wow!" Is all that I can come up with.

It is both a thrill to see your master work on these scratch built pieces and yet a little depressing, as well. I can't help but to have a split second feeling of "Why do I even bother with this hobby? I don't think that I could ever strive to conduct such fine work, myself."

But then, I come back to reality and tell myself that it is just too much fun and so satisfiying to finish a model and knowing that I have tried my best and that it all adds up to more practice and an increase in my skills. The next one will be even better.

I have ordered another DRAGON 1/700 USS Ingraham kit in order to try that one, again. I have done three models since my first Perry class FFG that my first Ingraham just doesn't seem worthy anymore. For one thing, I used the wrong color on it. I used Light Ghost Gray on it. Totally wrong!

Please keep the photos coming!

Most humbly yours,

Carl M.

My first FFG........The photo's effect makes it look better than it really is.



I am much prouder of my lastest build. 1/700 USS Knox FF-1052

[Willie]

I have been admiring your detail work on your FFG. 1/700 right?

Hi Nuke,

No, it is 1/300. I am more for bigger models. I cannot imagine the vast amount of patience that you have to invest in your tiny 1/700�s
Very best regards,

Willie.

[NukeMM]

1/300!! Thank goodness! Now I feel much better.

I was wondering, if it was 1/700, what kind of tiny tools do you use. I would want some, in that case.

[Willie]

Hi there :

I was working this week on the aerials, vent trunks and some other equipment aft.
As for info, I had to cross some pics that more or less cover the whole area :

According to it, these are the solutions that I made.
Aerials and sensors, made with a piece of sprue, carved with file, and smoothed with sandpaper -- and some patience :

The ventilation trunks were correct in shape but too thin, so I had to thicken them using Evergreen strip, and adding the bases afterwards :

Refueling poles :

One of the aerials was a bit more complicated because of the conical base, and required special attention, but it came out at last, more or less :

So this is the present appearance of the aft-upper deck at the moment :

I hope you like it, and very best regards,

Willie.[/size]

[Willie]

Hi there again,

The last of today, the mk.32 TT, which are like this :

The tubes that were issued in the box were not too good, and after the sanding they would be far too thin, so I had to scratch-build them with Evergreen rod and stretched sprue. Very easy to build.

Brgds,

Willie.[/size]

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Willie,
NOW THAT's how it's done!
Sweet!
NukeMM told me to check this out. Now I know why.
I'll be checking back with regularity.
Tony

[Willie]

NOW THAT's how it's done!

Hi Tony,

Thanks for your kind remarks. As you can see the process is quite easy -- needs only a bit of patience.
Very best regards,

Willie.

[NukeMM]

Willie,

Have you taken a break from your FFG? What are you working on now? I love checking out your scratch building!

I am working on FFG-14 USS Sides in 1/700 from Skywave.



I'm intending to display her with my USS Vincennes CG-49 model to depict Operation Earnest Will in the Persian Gulf in 1988. It will look something like this.

[Willie]

Hi Nuke and all,

No, nothing is stopped, actually I have been building the main mast, but with little time to post the progress.

Two weeks ago, the frigate F86 Canarias, sister to my Santa Maria was visiting our port in Vigo, and I could visit her. As I was making my visit with a modeler�s eye, among other little details I could notice that the auxiliary stack is some how higher than the flag boxes besides, and not levelled with them as is the case of the Lee stack that was in the kit, and that I used as a base. So I decided to scratch-build another one, good from the beginning, and with the correct profile.

Afterwards I started the main mast, which is like this :

All masts that come OOB are far too short, and the main mast lacks a cross section as well, so they have to be scratch -built from zero.
The necessary measures were obtained from the profile pic that opens my part in the thread, knowing that the overall length is 138.10 m. Actually, I found out that Lee�s mast is more than 1 cm. short at 1/300.

The next steps are easy : to draw the profile on a paper, with very thin lines, to place the vertical rods with tape, making sure that they are placed exactly on the lines.

Then it is necessary to cut the horizontal bars, making sure they are exactly the length needed, so that the rod does not bend.

Now it is necessary to let it dry a whole day, so that the rods are firmly fixed.

Brgds,
Willie.[/size]

[Willie]

Once the sides are dry, I added the supports for the horizontal and oblique bars, and the base and top of the main structure. The base is only provisional, and will be removed later. Both base and top are made with pic-nic glass bottoms, the ones you can find in a Dollar City for $1.

Once this is dry as well, we can add the rest of the bars. They are not the same caliber, as can be observed in a high res, pic.

I have made them with Evergreen rod, 1.2, 0.88 and 0.64 mm. I have inverted the position of the 0.88 and 0.64 so that the structure is a bit tougher, as it will be very manipulated when painting and adding details. As it can be seen in the pic, the horizontal bars do not go exactly from side to side, and it makes the work much easier.

I hope you like it, and very best regards,

Willie.[/size]

[Willie]

Hi all again,

The next step are the platforms for the aerials and other equipment. They had to be done from scratch, as the pieces OOB were ad good as nothing. I think that the problem with this Lee model is that the hull and main structure are 1/300, and all details and equipment are 1/350 !!!! Not a very good kit, to put it politely... :dry:

The upper platform is made with 12 pieces. The cuts should be done very carefully, so that the structure remains flat. The lower platform ( 4 pieces ) is much easier, and the scuttle for teh scale was made with a file.

A dock view, as in the big pic of the mast in the other post :

I hope you like it, and very best regards to you all,

Willie.[/size]

[NukeMM]

WOW, WOW, and WOW!

While assembling my 1/700 PE mast for my FFG, I actually had the thought, "Man! I'd hate to have to scratch build one of these." No matter what scale, really.

I am always awed and amazed, Willie.

[Francisco P. de Nanclares]

And he actually keeps telling it�s a piece of cake!.

Fantastic job Willie.

Cheers.
Pachi.

[jgrease]

Remarkable stuff! I look forward to the next step!

[Willie]

Hi all again,

Thanks a lot for your kind remarks. It is really apleasure to share this construction and the interest in these beautiful ships with you guys.

The construction goes on. After the structure is completely dry, we can proceed with the handrails, equipment and supports for the aerials.
What should be done is this :

And here is what I have done at the moment :

The equipment is already 50% complete, but some tiny details will have to wait until the very end of the construction, so that they do not break in the process. The cable handrails were a headache, because they are made with stretched sprue, and are so thin that they break easily with the excess of glue that has to be applied.

This mast has really hooked me...

Very best regards,

Willie.[/size]

[NukeMM]

That is just beautiful, Willie!

I have been working on my FFG USS Sides, this weekend. Painting the small details, gloss clear coat, and ready to put on some decals.

I'm going to attempt to put on some warning circles around the aft antennas and CIWS and then put the remaining railings on, there. Then the Helo Pad netting.

[NukeMM]

By the end of the day, I have placed the decals on. The masts and towers are not permanently attached, yet.

[Kazec]

Hi,

Share my 1/700 Reina Sof�a , finished on May.

[Willie]

Hi Nuke, Kazek and all,

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L !!!!!!!!! The only thing I can say is that I would go nuts with these tiny 1/700 !!!!!!! And the round handrails on the bridge
Keep the excellent work, and best regards,

Willie.

[NukeMM]

Kazec,

I like your model of the Reina Sofia, very much. Is that a Spanish ship?

What model kit did you use for yours? Mine is an older Skywave 1/700 kit, identical to DRAGON. I am curious about the conversion differences from USN to Spain's FFG. Where did your detail parts come from?

I am looking for a 1/700 Mk 38 25mm chain gun in 1/700 to put on my model. I was told that some Fujimi FFG kits have them included.