WIP - 1/350 USS Lexington (CV-2)

[lvsquarerigger]

As most of you have found out the rear shafts are too close to the hull and the props hit it so something had to be done. I chose to follow Charles Landrums fix and extend the braces.

I was told the shafts are not correct as depicted, there is a tapering to the shaft housing as it comes out of the hull. Some pics are on the way but don't know how I will deal with that but do have a few thoughts. We'll just have to wait and see.

[lvsquarerigger]

I've been a busy little beaver but not much to actually show. I liked how Charles Landrum did the plenums on his Lex build so I copied that. I also made and installed the mooring bits that are missing in the kit (also removed the couple of wimpy ones they had on the aft weather decks).

Got some pics that show the Lex shafts, props, and rudder which I'll post here. They show the braces to be streamlined instead of the squared off shape in the kit so had to go back and do some judicious filing, those rifflers that have been gathering dust on the shelf really came in handy. Have a real good shot of the Lex from directly aft while in drydock and it clearly shows the rudder shape. Only problem is the file size is too big and the only one I can get to fit the forum here is way too tiny. WIll see what I can do later though.

Also have a pic of the spreaders taken from the Lex looking back so you can see they are not solid as depicted in the kit.

I braced the top of the hull so the flight deck would naturally fit in instead of trying to force the top out to fit the aligment studs on the bottom of the deck.

[lvsquarerigger]

After seeing the pics of the Lex in drydock I had to make some modifications to what came in the kit. First I streamlined the shaft braces. Then I cut out the plastic shafts. Next I formed tapered extensions from rod stock, chucked them in my little Dremel and tapered them to the approximate shape I saw in the pic. Then it was sand them a little more to get them to fit and line up with the shaft supports.

Siniace I was going to replace the shafts themselves anyway now was the time to drill them out and put in the brass rod. I won't put the props on until it is painted as the PE ones are easily susceptible to damage.

[lvsquarerigger]

Got things going for a few days so no new stuff for awhile.

[lvsquarerigger]

Well my head band magnifier arrived yesterday so now I feel ready to tackle some of the PE stuff and am also getting some assistance from a friend to set up my airbrush and put a first coat of primer on the hull. It will still be a few days as there are a lot of things going on and I have a group of friends coming in over the next couple of weeks culminating in a large get together the last weekend of the month. So don't get discouraged, just check occasionally and it will take off again soon.

[MartinJQuinn]

Great stuff - looking forward to more updates.

[lvsquarerigger]

I hadn't been doing much on my models as I have had so many other things going on right now. BUt I noticed something that got me started off on a tangent that should have been addressed awhile back. I have noticed that most of the pics I see of modelers benchs are rather cluttered, mine included. This bugs the neat freak side of my mind but I have just sorted things out as I work and move on, besides, I rationalized, I haven't got everything set up yet so it will work out. Too late! I noticed that I had pushed my magnifiying lamp back and snapped the mast of my almost finished Constitution cross section, AGAIN! DAMN!!!!!

So I decided to do those things I had been thinking of and get things set up, then finish the Constitution, after repairing it of course, and get it out of the way in my small workspace.

Here are a few pics of the disaster and the first steps to recovery.

[lvsquarerigger]

Well all the visitors have gone and I have a day to recuperate before I run off to Montana for my grandsons' graduation. When I get back from that it will be time to pick up and carry on. See you in a week or so.

[lvsquarerigger]

Well it's obviously been more than a week but I'm still kicking. Been busy as hell and a lot going on. Will be out of town again next week and have a cabinet I have to build for an organisation when I get back but I took a small amount of time to fire up my new airbrush and get a feel for it. I first just loaded up some paint and sprayed all over a big piece of stray plywood I had laying around. Then I got my hull and deck out and sprayed primer on the areas I've been working on. This is supposed to show any flaws that will show when you do the actual painting. I was pretty impressed with how most of it did come out and it does show the flaws I have to work on. That will have to wait a little but here are the pics of the results. I tried an online photo editor to see if I can get better results than with my HP product. With this one I can get them small enough to post yet still be able to zoom in. Yay!

[MartinJQuinn]

Jim,

Just curious - have you had the chance to make any more progress on your build?

[SweeperSkipper]

Very nice build of the lady Lex, Some years ago I acquired a Silk Handkerchief from the ships store, Sold to the Sailors for there Wifes and sweathearts. However I dont know from what Lex she came from. Looking at it I would say Pre WWII But cannot say for sure.

[Lucky]

Hi
Excellent job
Ciao
Luciano

[lvsquarerigger]

Haven't posted anything for quite some time namely because life has been very busy for me and all that time of being retired has flown like the geese in the fall. After several years of being a widower I started dating, long distance of course, and am now engaged. Since it's long distance, about 6 hundred miles, we commute back and forth but haven't yet decided how we will actually settle down after the wedding. In the meantime my Lex sits up on the shelf, watching over me perhaps, and I haven't done anything but have hopes for more after I'm settled in the new house however that works out. So it isn't dead but it is waiting for rescusitation.

[lvsquarerigger]

Well it's been some time since I last posted and boy is there a lot of water under the bridge. All my stuff in storage, moved to a new city(Albuquerque), had pneumonia which put me in the hospital for a couple of weeks, during the treatment of which they found heart problems so I had another couple of weeks in the hospital, a different one, for quadruple by-pass surgery. Going to rehab three times a week and doing quite well now but still have to find a house, get my stuff down here, and then set up. So enjoy what has come so far and it will get done. I promise.

[MartinJQuinn]

Holy cow - you've been through the ringer. Get well soon!

[lvsquarerigger]

Holy cow - you've been through the ringer. Get well soon!

Working hard on that. Rehab is one hour of aerobics. heartrate 110/120 range, and now that my chest has healed enough, another hour of weights three times a week. Feels good to get some stamina back and not poop out on hikes.

[lvsquarerigger]

Still not able to work on my model but I did order Steve Wyper's new book, which comes in Wednesday, so at least I'll have that to go through and get some ideas from.

[lvsquarerigger]

Don't have a new house yet but I did get my kit and some of my tools and things while in Vegas for a visit, imagine digging through a 10 X 15 storage unit packed to the ceiling, and will spend a few bucks at Harbor Freight for a minimum set of tools to get going so look for some pics soon after the holidays.

[kidcurrie42]

Glad your recovery is going well, Have a Happy Christmas and a Great New Year.

I look forward to seeing some progress pics as and when

Happy Modeling

John

[lvsquarerigger]

OK. Work is progressing but computer facilities are extremely limited so no pics yet. I've sprayed the bottom of the hull so now that part is a flat red color. Im basically working on the bridge and funnel assemblies which bring up many questions. I have the new WP33 so that helps a lot but I still have questions which I'm taking over to the forum. Meanwhile I'm using Chris Smithers excellant model log for quite a few answers. Pics and details as soon as I can arrange them.

James