All craft groupbuild Dec '09 - Jan '10...

[aleccap]

I think it was worthwhile, has a lot of fine detail, but the kit piece would still look nice for an out of the box build. I think only an IPMS judge with his dental mirror and flashlight would be able to see all the support beams under the deck though.

Funny you should say that, there are several models out there where detail is lost due to silly angles, for what it might be worth, in my opinion a bloody waste of time especially carriers, where underneath there's so much going on, and like you said without a dental mirror its quite pointless.
You've been at this building lark a lot longer then most, what would you do, seriously about high detailed parts that although you know is there, no bugger can see unless they're laying flat on their back, is it worth it just to say 'I know its there' ?

[Kym Knight]

I think it was worthwhile, has a lot of fine detail, but the kit piece would still look nice for an out of the box build. I think only an IPMS judge with his dental mirror and flashlight would be able to see all the support beams under the deck though.

Funny you should say that, there are several models out there where detail is lost due to silly angles, for what it might be worth, in my opinion a bloody waste of time especially carriers, where underneath there's so much going on, and like you said without a dental mirror its quite pointless.
You've been at this building lark a lot longer then most, what would you do, seriously about high detailed parts that although you know is there, no bugger can see unless they're laying flat on their back, is it worth it just to say 'I know its there' ?

Well Alec, if you break it into percentages, for me, at least 75 to 80% of the enjoyment of building a ship model is in the construction, so weather there is hidden detail to the casual observer, it's irrelevant. I might build quick (by some peoples standards) but I do take careful notice during construction of the ships design and often marvel at what the original ships designers and builders had in mind. So if some intricate lattice-work of trusses and girders are hidden at completion, at least I get some general idea of what those shipbuilders went through. It's not much different from guys who fully detail the interior of a tank turret only put it in place and see nothing.
You must know by now what I think about this unseen detail, I keep buying and will continue to buy the photo-etch sets!

[tweety777]

These models look real great!
I'm going to follow these builds.

Greetings Josse

[Charlestonguy]

Had a few days off for Christmas so I was able to get some work done on the CSS Hunley.
I spent most of one day cleaning the white metal parts and attaching them. The next day I painted and then started work on the spar and torpedo.
I elected to build my own spar using a left over oar from another ship build. The kit torpedo was made of white metal and I was concerned with the weight bending the plastic spar, so I made a new torpedo from brass tubing and left over PE.
I hope to finish the paintwork and base in a few days.

[Charlestonguy]

First nice work guys, Kym and Alec your builds are fantastic as always.
With the level of work you guys are doing in such a short time, I knew I would have to step it up a notch. So I starting rigging the spar torpedo but with a twist. I conducted some research on what the latest findings were about the spar. Some sources said it was 22 feet long made of white pine, but what was recovered was 17 feet of iron. I also learned it was rigged in a way that Lt Dixson could move the spar up and down like the CSS David. What I have so far is based on what they know by the evidence at the conservatory in Charleston. Another feature was two pad eyes under the dive planes. I used .020 copper rod to make my pad eyes by which I attached the stabilizer rope for the spar.
Most of the work is complete on the torpedo, a few more details and it's done.
What remains will be the upper support rigging and the torpedo firing line. More on the torpedo later.
The base is not complete just using it as a mount for now, but it came from a Verlinden Pirate kit and has worked out well for this build.
For more information on the spar here is the link.
http://home.att.net/~JVNautilus/Hunley/ ... ction.html

[Kym Knight]

Seeing that there is another month to the finish date, I thought I might as well slip in a destroyer. This one is another Hasegawa kit of the IJN Isokaze, a Kagero class destroyer. Today I got the hull waterlined, deck secured and started on the bridge. Just as I was finishing up for the day and took these photo's, I realized that I was building the wrong bridge. The one I had started was the 1940's as built, so off came the bridge windows and platform supports and commenced work on the modernized version. DOH!!!

[nick]

Wow Kym, you build reeeaalllyyy fast!


Will she be another addition to the '44 dio?

Nick

[Quincy]

Kym:

You'll probably have another 3 or 4 kits by the time this groupbuild ends.

Awesome job on your Yahagi.

As for my build, my photos will have to wait for sometime. My wife and I left our camera back east at my inlaws house. I probably won't be getting it back for at least a couple of weeks.

Maybe I can convince my wife to get a spare one?




Bob Pink.

[Kym Knight]

Will she be another addition to the '44 dio?

Yeah Nick and actually it's one of three more destroyers to go in it.

You'll probably have another 3 or 4 kits by the time this groupbuild ends.

At the moment it's very hot, humid & wet here and I've never had much luck getting a good paint job in this sort of weather, so I might just have to slow down a bit.

Bob, I think the best idea is to tell your wife that it is her camera back at the relatives place and you'll be getting your own.

[help110]

Hi here are some pictures of my build the carrier Shinano. This is my first time working with PE kits and it seems that things just got smaller. I also realized that a good camera is a must to get pictures that are clear
Still working on my build so much to do so little time on a race to the dead line.
mike

[Timmy C]

Almost done! I've got till tomorrow afternoon to finish. Only needs a little bit more work on the water, rigging, railing, people, and sail on the boat.

Not too happy with the way the water came out - was trying to use Jim's method, but acrylics dry fast and water isn't a very effective thinner for blending; also, I did not have time to get some watercolour paper, so had to make due with crumpled regular paper, which sucked.

[GTDEATH13]

Nice progress guys... I will dig in tomorrow, just returned from deployment...

Season Greetings to all....

[aleccap]

Well judging by lightning Kym Knight and quick draw MacDraw Timmy C perhaps the next group build should be a 7 day job, there's been some really good builds, I would have liked more stage by stage progress of each build, as I noticed a few here is my build, then in the next breath almost finished, I would have liked to have seen more information, (sorry Kym and Timmy).
There are many people on this site such as myself just starting out, and what maybe a common knowledge thing to builders such as Kym and Timmy, could escape people such as myself, making plastic look like metal, how do you actually mask a 1-700 funnel ready for painting, what's best jet spray or hand painting, when you build something and explain and go on and on, then someone asks what/how did you manage that part of the build, that's typical me being lazy and can't be bothered reading through several pages, but isn't that simply part and part of this hobby, share ideas and push people forward with great ideas like this group build.
Maybe I was expecting to much, or not knowing what to expect, I knew from the outset 2 months for me to build a model was a joke, most take less then a week, but that's not the point, I thought sharing experiences was more then simply a build, photo's and more the merry I always believe, can't remember at the moment someone is building a fantastic sub, long prong with a keg of explosives on the end, several weeks ago I actually sent Jim B an email telling him about this model, obviously he'd seen it before, but that is my point, although peole might know, does it really harm telling them again ?
Everyone, great build, can't wait to see everyone's.

[Timmy C]

Sorry Alec, I've been in a rush to get mine finish for tomorrow (New Years present), so haven't had the time to take photos each step as I go.

[aleccap]

Good old Postman, what might have been lost forever in the Christmas post finally arrived today.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2512/423 ... 82d8_b.jpg
What's in the box ? Loads of pieces of plastic ha ha ha (a little joke that) errrr okay enough of that, I suppose I'll have to pull my finger out.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2633/423 ... 8244_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/423 ... 7863_b.jpg
I got a ton of extra again 2 frets of 'W' loads of small boats and heavy machine guns, which will no doubt come in very handy, its now 13.41 UK time, and already we're losing the light, so I'll sign off or whatever people do, and off down the shed for a mad half hour paint spraying.

[J. Soca]

Kym is at it again !! enjoy it while can mate i know your time will be up soon, when work is at hand is really hard to get back into the whole modeling thing.. good job so far

Alec: i can see you getting moren and more into japanese ships i know whats happening though you've been getting to close to kym lately he is one contaigious fellow


Jose

[aleccap]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/423 ... 13ce_b.jpg
Darn rattle tin let me down, but there's always plan 'B' slapped some paint over the deck and used what little there was in the spray tin to spit over the rest of the mouldings.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/423 ... 94a2_b.jpg
While in my opinion it doesn't make a huge difference on weathering first - as you go - or leave until last, I've done part and part.
At the moment because this is a Tamiya kit, its basically building itself, everything is going together so well I am hoping this will be finished before the dead line Jan 31st.
Talking of which, a little early maybe, but still.

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone

[aleccap]

Tonight my wife wanted to roast my nuts, and I don't mean the type you buy in a shop - Are you going to spend some time with us, and put that bloody toy away etc etc etc - as she blew her top the wording seem to somehow become, well, she must have a dictionary to come out with some of those words.
The reason for the outburst -
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2782/423 ... e77b_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/423 ... f112_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2644/423 ... eb42_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/423 ... d322_b.jpg
The above kit arrived this morning, paint still wet, and a ton of touching up to finish off, the PE rails and still some paint, then a lot of weathering. Considering my old woman hit the roof, I thought I'd be big about this and promise (glue and paint still wet and can't honestly do anything anyway he he he) I won't touch this till next year.
I've just made a quick add up of time, 9 hours from postman dropping it off until writing this thread. That is 9 straight hours, and my wife blew her top ? Funny old girl.

[Kym Knight]

Hey Alec, you sure aint waisting any time.
Today I spent assembling the major components and dry fitting them, then masked off and sprayed the Linoleum.
Big paint day tomorrow doing all the gray parts.

[aleccap]

Hello Kym and happy New Year, what's the model length of that destroyer ? Xmas Day I got the USS England an easy build straight out of the box, finished it the same day (OBB only) and that comes up about 12'', I was so impressed by this little model, that I've decided to buy another along with a full PE set, also got the 1-350 Fletcher, but its just something about these Jap ships that draw me every time, they look good (if you can say a warship can look good that is) Tamiya goes together so well, and there are obviously more Jap then any other type of WW1/2 surface craft out there.