Calling all USS North Carolina BB-55 & USS Washington BB-56 fans

[EN2Boger]

For future reference, Steve Wiper's Warship Pictorial books are invaluable resources for the modeler and artist alike.

-Mike

Thanks Mike, I am slowly finding out ships take way more research than cars ever did

[CWatson]

Are there any pictures of the North Carolina wearing MS12 Mod?? I am wanting to do my 1/700 Trumpeter as she looked 1942.
This is the only one I could find

is her port side the same, and are the turrets, and everything else the same as MS12?


Thanks
Donnie

Donnie,

If you want to do North Carolina in MS Mod 12 don't use the Trumpeter 1/700 North Carolina kit because it has the late war AA fit and you will have to remove alot of the lite and medium AA guns..

Use the Trumpeter 1/700 Washington kit. I am building it off and on and have to modify it to be a early war Washington. It is really a early war North Carolina out of the box with the correct early war AA fit for North Carolina.

Comes with decals for both ships.


CW

[EN2Boger]

oh man, you have to be kidding me.... Guess this one will get the later MS

[EN2Boger]

How late in the war is the 1/700 supposed to represent?

[Cliffy B]

The North Carolina kit depicts her as of 1944 in her dazzle scheme. Some quick detail modifications will get you a 1945 until decommissioned fit. The Washington kit depicts her as of 1942 in Ms. 12 Mod before her massive AAW upgrade and camo change. If you want a line drawing of her in 1942 I can send you one. I'll need to dig through some folders first though so let me know.

[EN2Boger]

The North Carolina kit depicts her as of 1944 in her dazzle scheme. Some quick detail modifications will get you a 1945 until decommissioned fit. The Washington kit depicts her as of 1942 in Ms. 12 Mod before her massive AAW upgrade and camo change. If you want a line drawing of her in 1942 I can send you one. I'll need to dig through some folders first though so let me know.

If you would be so kind to, thank you.

[robertmelvin]

Looking for some advice from those that have gone down this road before me. I'm getting ready to start on my build of Trumpeter's 1/350 U.S.S. North Carolina BB-55. In researching the kit I've discovered that the 01 deck level is cast a bit too high. From what I've read, most of it on this forum, the give away is the height of the port holes on the bulkheads, which are above the top of the hatches. A technique I've read about for correcting this is to mark the port holes on the interior casting, cut it down to that level and sand smooth, then do the same with the external bulkhead castings after marking the location of the port holes so that they can be redrilled later on at their proper level.

My question to the more knowledgeable is this: given the numerous inaccuracies of this kit, is it worth it to do this? Does this extra work, with the attendant risk of screwing it up, enhance the look of the finished model enough to justify the work and risk? Opinion, guys?

Thanks in advance.

Bob

[Roger Torgeson]

Yes it's worth it if your going to build only one in your life time and have the dreaded sickness of �Making it Right�. I spent almost five months on my build of the Washington and while I didn�t actually enjoy every minuet of it I was very happy I spent that amount of time when it was finished. Lowering the 01 deck wasn�t all that hard, I simply scribed the bottom of the Center Deck till it fell out. I the figured out the correct height allowing for the thickness of part E1, made out of scrap plastic blocks to that height, glued them all the way around the Center Deck opening then glued back the section I had cut out at the new lower height. Do not worry about cutting each part that makes up the bulkhead details; glue them in place and once dry cut/sand to the sub deck level, part E1 will cover up any gaps or holes. I believe all the excess height is above the port holes. You may have to redrill a few. I took the opportunity to remove the cast Aztec steps, open the closed deck and bulkhead hatches, the ships never had hatches for the 4 ladders and add incline PE ladders. Feel free to contact me if you like as I have some in progress build photos I can email to you.

Roger

[Sean Hert]

Roger, I think we'd all like to see those in progress shots!

[Cliffy B]

Does this issue exist in the 1/700 kit as well or is it unique to the 1/350?

[dklausabc]

Roger - this is an issue that I've been struggling with as well. I would definitely like to see your in-progress pictures, especially those showing how you lowered the center deck. Thanks.

[robertmelvin]

Roger, thanks for the input. I'd love to see the pictures of your North Carolina build. Looks like a command performance!

From what you said, it doesn't sound like the fix is all that difficult, it just needs to be done with care, as most of our work does. Lowering that 01 deck level would, I think, make her look more sleek. The unaltered kit pictures I've seen look a little bulky at that level. Having been to the real North Carolina several time, and having a pretty large number pictures of her on my computer I will look back over my pictures and try to get it fixed in my mind's eye how she should look at that level.

Thanks again for your help.

Bob

[EN2Boger]

Photo etch arrived today, still waiting on the reference material to get here......

[Hippy Ed]

Does this issue exist in the 1/700 kit as well or is it unique to the 1/350?

Hmmm good question Cliffy!! You gettin' away from the CVs for a bit? LoL...

[jester63]

I Just ordered the 1/700 Trumpy USS Washington. So this kit does not depict her in her 1942 fit? I was lead to believe it did. What would have to be changed to make her so? I want her to look as she did during her Gualdalcanal conflict with the Kirishima.

[Dick J]

The kit is a fairly good representation of a North Carolina while in the Atlantic in the first half of 1942. Even more to the point though, it depicts THE North Carolina (which was a bit better documented), not the Washington. Washington also received an AA upgrade just prior to her transfer, adding the fantail tubs, among other things. Both the Washington specific AA fit, as well as the upgrade, will need to be accounted for.

[jester63]

Do you happen to know the AA changes I would have to make? Or know where I can look on-line to find out? Any help is greatly appreciated!

[jester63]

Can anyone help on the AA arrangement of the Washington in November of 1942?

[Dick J]

I have done more research on the early '42 rig, and have adapted a drawing for that. But pinning down the Nov '42 rig will take more time - I don't have an "off the shelf" config chart for it.

[jester63]

Oh ok. Well, just let me know if you find anything Dick.

I thought maybe I could maybe find a decent photo on navsource with an arial photo of the Washington in late 1942, but was unsuccessful.

I appreciate your help and research Dick. It has been a great help, along with the rest of you guys. Just let me know if you, Dick, or any of you guys can point me in the right direction of a photo, plans, or a site that will help.