Calling all South Dakota-class (BB-57) fans!

[Alex_y]

Hi there,
I need some help. I am currently painting my 1/700 BB-60 Alabama model(its a Hasegawa kit that takes quite some sanding and relocation of at least 12 20mm. if you want to build something close to the real ship), and I am trying to figure out the proper color for the deck. At least according to the instruction it should be wood,(the deck has wooden planks cover) but as far as I know these were painted with a fire retardand paint. However I don't have a clue what was the color of the paint and most of the pictures I found are B&W. Can someone help with color pictures of any of the ship or at least with a suggestion on the color of the fire retardand paint? Please excuse me if someone has already published such a picture.
Regards,
Alexander

[Tracy White]

I'm no 'Bama specialist, but if you look on ShipCamouflage.Com you'll see she was painted in either Measure 12 Modified or Measure 22 both of which called for Deck Blue paint on horizontal surfaces. Natural wood might be correct if you are depicting her after the war, when the decks were holystoned again, but I'm not sure when hers would have been. It is clear that the Admirals wanted their pretty ships back even before the war started.

[Alex_y]

I'm no 'Bama specialist, but if you look on ShipCamouflage.Com you'll see she was painted in either Measure 12 Modified or Measure 22 both of which called for Deck Blue paint on horizontal surfaces. Natural wood might be correct if you are depicting her after the war, when the decks were holystoned again, but I'm not sure when hers would have been. It is clear that the Admirals wanted their pretty ships back even before the war started.

Thanks!

[Dave Hill]

Hi all!

WIP Update: some last minute scratch-building and assembly.

While referencing my drawing for the locations of the 20mm ammo lockers I noticed for the first time a gallery of 20mm AA guns and their platform. ( add this to your list Jim! )..I checked out some referance photos and they clearly show the Oerlikons and the platform. The platform is located on the starbord side at the base of the funnel jutting about half-way out over the boat deck and slightly under the 5"director platform just behind the middle 5" mount. I made a tracing of the platform from the overhead view of my drawing and measured the lenght from the side view. I made the platform useing 0.20" and 0.10" sheet styrene and 0.40" styrene rod. After painting, the finnished platform was glued into place and a 20mm ammo locker was added, the guns will be added at final assembly.



Test fitting the platform.


The finished platform glued in place.

Dave

[Dave Hill]

My drawing with the platform highlighted.





Dave

[Dave Hill]

and some wartime photos showing the 20mm's and platform.






Dave

[MartinJQuinn]

She looks great, Dave. Boy, they really stuck those 20mm any place they could!

[Dave Hill]

Thanks Martin!!!...it seems to me the Navy could have saved space, weight and crew compliments if more twin Oerlikons were more widly used...the twins would've offered twice the firepower but the same footprint as a single!

Dave

[ModelMonkey]

Fantastic!

[Dave Hill]

Hi all!!!!!

WIP update: Rigging, Railings and final assembly!

Well it's been a long road, but I finished the final steps in this build, I started with the rigging, ready to use the UNI-Products Caenis thread suggested by David Griffith...WOW!!!...it works great!...it bonded almost instantly with the Gel-type CA I'm useing and needs almost no tension and no heat to get the thread taught. I also used "hair" from a Halloween mask to simulate the larger guage support cables and the Caenis thread for the lighter rigging lines. To finnish the rigging, I added the US flag modified useing the technique by Jim Baumann ( I hope I got that right! ) by backing the decal with lightweight foil to make a more realistic looking flag.



Attaching the deck railings were pretty strait forward with no problems eccept for some reason the railings were'nt long enough and didn't meet at the tip of the bow ...so I just spliced in a small pc of railing at the tip.




Another view of the deck railing.

Dave

[Dave Hill]

Well...here she is after adding the weapons, props and rudders...missing are the Kingfishers which were found by my son while exploring the bench where dad's been spending so much time




The only thing left to do now is build the display case...I've had a ton of fun with this build, although I did a fair share of scratch-building with this model ( needed to back-date to a wartime fit) it's not that bad of a kit really, it does have it's flaws and no kit is perfect, but in my opinion only it's a step up from North Carolina which I had many more problems with! I also enjoyed shareing my progress with everyone and greatly appreciate all the comments on the build, after only a couple years of ship building the words coming from such accomplished builders is a real honor!

Dave

[MartinJQuinn]

Bravo!! Well done sir - looking forward to seeing a complete photo spread in the gallery!

[pbudzik]

Dave,

That looks terrific, you've done a great job. I really enjoyed watching you build her.

Paul

[Dave Hill]

Thanx guys!!!!

I really had a good time with this build!!!!...almost sorry she's done!

Paul...what's the status of your build????????...you were off to a good start

Dave

[Devin]

Dave,

That's an impressive looking battle wagon. Nice job all around, you really made the Trumpy kit look good.

-Devin

[J. Soca]

She looks great!

[Elvis965]

Beautiful job, Dave!

Now get her to nats in one piece!

Bob

[JPH]

That is a great looking build.

Well done that man

[pbudzik]

Dave,

I made up a couple of masters for a Mk37 gun director and a twin 5". I sent them off to Paul Fisher for casting. Then I got busy at the office and it shelved both ships for a bit.

I sure love looking at your finished build.

Paul

[Dave Hill]

Paul,

I know how that goes!!!!!!!!!!

Looking forward to seeing your progress when you resume your builds!

Dave