WIP: 1/350 Dragon Buchanan

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Martin,
You're almost there. Get er done! I have three of these kits, and I do appreciate them. I also appreciate your work. With the spray shields, I wonder if I won't learn from your PITA experience. Did you paint the inside of them the same color as the decks? Why not attach them sooner in the build process, or did you?
Nice build!
I also like looking at your other models!
Take care, Tony

[Capt652]

Has anyone done any scratch-building to the spotlight platform? I wanted to do something other than the kit pieces, I just don't like the solid parts as opposed to what I see from the real pictures. I am assuming that Aron Ward and Buchanan would have the same style platform with the flared hand rail surrounding the spotlight. I'm looking at the Aron Ward pictures, which of course are super clear showing the platform from the main deck and also from on top of the deck house. I spent more than a couple hours trying to duplicate that flair of the hand rails with no luck, the fun factor quickly plummeted to zero . So I ended up making the riser out of scrape PE and then I sanded off the floor of the kit piece and added perforated deck from an old piece of catwalk, as the picture of Aron Ward shows light through the holes in the deck on the platform. After adding the spotlight unfortunately not much of that floor is visible any more. After paint the flared railing looks like canvas covered, so that's cool.

Another word on the fine detail of these kit parts. I compared the spotlight assembly to a 36" spotlight I have from Paper Labs, and IMHO the kit part is every bit as detailed. I will definitely by buying more Dragon kits with this kind of quality.

[MartinJQuinn]

Tony - Thanks. I'm usually a paint a lot of stuff first and then put it together guy, but on the next DD, I'll have to do these spray shields first, then paint. They are just too fiddly.

Couple of other nit-picks: The directions are a little vague where some of the chocks go. Also, the ships boats are a bit of a pain to hang too. Maybe it's just me... Anyway, here is where I stand tonight, after I airbrushed a touch up coat of 5N on the hull last night (after masking off the lower hull and being careful to spray from the bottom to avoid getting overspray on the decks). Still a bit more touch up to do with a brush as well:

[MartinJQuinn]

Did I mention that the ships boats are a bit of a pain to hang? Well, they are a real pain to hang - at least that's what I'm finding. Anyway, here's where I'm at now, after a round of touch up painting with a brush: Once I hang the two ships boats, everything is done, except for the PE railings, some chocks and decals. As mentioned previously, I'll be using the Dragon fret that was offered when the kit first came out. Once the railings are on, I'll add the remaining chocks, then gloss coat and add the decals. More pictures once I've made some more progress.

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Martin,
Boats just seem to be a P-I-T-A. Tiny attach points I think.
Looking good my friend!
Also, you sure can tell that's an early war DD. The AAA layout got changed so much during the war did'nt it?
DD rock!
Tony
ps now just Tim to build a Buchanan!

[Cadman]

Did I mention that the ships boats are a bit of a pain to hang?

A big pain, I'm afraid. I think what is needed is a short section of PE block and tackle rigging that could be attached to the boat and more easily glued to the davits.

[Timmy C]

Hmm, can we have tiny PE eyehooks on the boats and tiny hooks on the tackle?

[PeteM]

Only because Martin invited it I'd like to post a couple pictures of my finished Buchanan build. I ran into the same issues as Martin, including the spray shields and ships boats. It is painted with Model Master acrylics and the camo scheme was done using Gators Masks. I'm not where I want to be skills-wise and there are some issues with this build that I'm hoping to improve on, but all in all I think it went pretty well. I didn't bother to rig it like I normally would because a recent wrestling match with the rigging of my Fletcher build has taken the wind out of my sails. I may revisit it in the future but for right now I'm going to consider it done.

[MartinJQuinn]

Pete,

Very nice - I like it a lot. LOVE the camo - super job on the paint.

[Cadman]

I agree nice looking ship. The camo look great. I expect to see more pics in the gallery soon.

[drdoom1337]

Maybe it's just me, but I love the ms21 scheme. I think it really helps to show all the detail on the ship, while with MS12 or MS32 the focus is more on the paint. I can't wait to get at my 1/350 1944 NJ build (tom's conversion), and your build has been an inspiration to me. I actually just bought the 1945 Buchanan with PE from Dragon's website!

[sixman]

Timm,

Would you consider writing up how you scratchbuilt the mast for your Buchanan. Your pictures show a wonderful build.

[MartinJQuinn]

This past Saturday, I was with a bunch of naval history/ship modeling buddies, among them Bob Cicconi. While admiring Bobby's USS Quick (built - with mods - from the Buchanan kit) I mentioned how I was really having a hard time with my build of the Buchanan kit, through no fault of the model. It was just one of those builds where nothing seemed to go right. Then tonight, when trying to mount the starboard side bow rail, I managed to snap the model right off the base. Rrrrrrr.....

So here she sits, waiting for more railings...or the hammer. I haven't decided which - yet. BTW, if I haven't mentioned it, I'm not impressed with the Dragon PE set for this kit.

Yep, this certainly had been "one of the those" builds...

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Martin,
Finish the model when you're good and ready. I've never seen a gain from, "hammering", a perfectly good model. okay, so it needs some repair work. I've seen guys re-build models!! Think of the time you've already spent on this! Come back to it when you're, "centered".
Work on something else, or would you be afraid to; fearing never getting back to it????
I KNow that one!
Keep that Martin Quinn Chin up!
That's the Martin I know.
Tony

[MartinJQuinn]

Tony,

Thanks buddy. The "hammer" comment was tongue in cheek (just barely) - just a little frustrated that I'm butchering such a magnificent kit. Here's another photo - before I snapped it off the kit supplied display stand - along with Bobby's Quick from our get together last week.

Photo courtesy Jim Flynn

I'm not sure gluing it back to the display stand it prudent, I'll have to figure something else out.

Thanks again for the encouragement!

[Cadman]

I'm not sure gluing it back to the display stand it prudent, I'll have to figure something else out.

There's always waterline!!! Seriously take a break from it Martin, don't let it get to you. Come back to it when you feel like it.

[ddb]

Hi Martin:
Just about all my builds are troublesome. Left the impression of my shirt sleeve in a lacquered piece of teak yesterday bolting my Prinz Eugen to it. (Hadn't let it cure enough I guess). I read years ago there are 2 schools of thought to modeling. First to take care of problems before they come up, requiring lots of planning ahead or secondly to deal with problems after they crop up, as I usually end up doing. Sometimes the best thing is to leave it for another day and suddenly things just click. You've done such a nice job Martin, it will come together very nicely, it's just Karma!
Dave DeBack

[drdoom1337]

Martin,
Your Buchanan looks beautiful compared to mine. Somehow I always seem to ruin everything I touch. I'm currently working on the '45 Buchan pictured in the North Carolina build I have up (who knows the last time I touched that NC since this Buchanan..) Pieces from the kit have shot up in the air as I snap them off from the fret, requiring hours of detective work to find them. My anti-skid decals came off once they were placed on and got cut up (no anti skid for my Buchanan..). Severe difficultly guling PE with CA glue to plastics, etc. Every build I have is plagued with problems. My Buchanan wouldn't stay attached to the hull so I opted for the waterline route myself.

[Gordon Bjorklund]

Martin,
Great build you have going there.

Is that a floating drydock you have your ship resting in? That looks great too.

[MartinJQuinn]

Thanks for the encouragement, fellas. I shouldn't be so whiny, guess I got a bit discouraged. I decided NOT to let the b*tch beat me, and got almost all the railings on tonight. Just need to rail the alternate searchlight platform, and construction is done.

Gordon, that looks like a dry dock, doesn't it? It's a foam 'stand' that is actually made for HO trains. Got it from Micro Mark awhile back - it comes in handy from time to time.