Civilian/Military Transports Group Build Apr.15-Oct.15, 2011

[reigels]

Looking good Jim -

Very tough enough to get two cowl vents that look the same, let alone a half dozen.

[PetrOs]

Looks very fine, Jim!

[D-Boy]

Alright everyone, the 15th has arrived and passed already. Let the building commence!

Does the 1/350 Antarctica Observation Ship Soya from Hasegawa qualify for this group build? If yes, then this is my participation...

I would say that this qualifies as a "special duty ship" and would be allowed.

Have fun, it's going to be an interesting 6 months

Matt

If the Soya is qualified, I'd like to go for the Group Build Trifecta and propose a 1:700 scale build of Interallied's kit of the Shirase, which replaced Soya on Antarctic station for Japan.

I have a 1:700 scale Soya already underway, but too far along for this build. The quality of that kit encouraged me to buy the Shirase. I've dry fit parts for the Shirase to date, but that is all.

[Pieter]

I really like those cowlings too, Jim. I think my spares box has enough of them for my build but I did take some notes...
It's nice to see that there's two icebreakers in the group now. As Poelau Laut was build for travel from higher latitudes to the tropics we're covering the whole globe here...
Anyway, after a "ceremonial" coffee and cheesecake at her place of origin this afternoon , Http:/www.cafenoorderlicht.nl , I've started the build. A 1 mm styrene keel was cut out, an waterline plate constructed and the first pieces of balsa attached in order to fix the sheer line. Two pieces of evergreen 2020 added as well as some sanding done and that's enough for today.

[JimRussell]

APA-12 - hull roughed out. The close up of the bow in pic 3 was just to prove that the are some curves present, the vertical stem and stern give a very "blocky" impression.

jim

[Quincy]

Looking good Jim!




Bob Pink.

[reigels]

Looking good Jim.
Are the styrene inserts in the stem and stern carving guides to keep the hull on center?


Another pic of my BFM Drumgeith below.

Work so far:
~ .08 added to hull bottom
~ hull port holes filled
~ flying bridge added from styrene sheet
~ funnel from aluminum tube (krylon primer)

I plan to add some hull platting next with masked paint. Very fun little kit.

[Quincy]

Looking really nice Scott!!





Bob Pink.

[JimRussell]

Looking good Jim.
Are the styrene inserts in the stem and stern carving guides to keep the hull on center?

rrigels, thanks. Your guess is correct. Without the guides I find it impossible to keep a pointed stem or stern vertical. If the stem or stern is also curved (not the case with APA-12) the guides are even more helpful. In the destroyer group build moomoon uses a razor blade for the same reason - to get a sharp, straight stem. I think if I did that I would soon become a 9 fingered modeler.

Bob, thanks.

jim

[Harry @ BFM]

Nice work Jim & Scott.

Got a little work done on the Venture

The basic shape of the hull is complete.
I am going to use Peter Hall's new 1/700 PE wood deck planking on the decks.
Will let you know how this turns out.

[JimRussell]

Plugging away on APA-12, USS Leonard Wood.

First 2 photos some most of the major parts roughed out, the goal is to show what materials are used where.

The third photo is the parts needed to make one set of davits. The ship carried 8 sets, much more than any other USN WWII APA.

[Quincy]

Superb craftsmanship as always Jim!!




Bob Pink.

[reigels]

I added the hull plating tonight.

The tape was cut to 2mm with a straight edge (finding that I had both 1.5 and 2.5mm on hand but neither looked right) then airbrushed with some patchy rust, dark grey and black (well darker grey). Rust layer is visible at a few of the plate edges, and the two top coats helped ensure uniform coverage. Once the paint is fully cured I'll rub it down again with a soft cloth which should help it blend better with the earlier base coat and look a little less zebra-like.

[JimRussell]

Scott

The hull looks great! The plating works, the addition at the waterline absolutely blends in. I have a T-2 tanker that was waterlined TOO MUCH and needs the same job - yours gives me confidence.

jim

[Timmy C]

All right, here I begin! Fujimi's 1/700 Brasil Maru, with GMM's Liners PE (mainly for the rails and ladders).
I reviewed the kit here: http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... eview.html

So I started with drilling out the portholes and adding a few neglected ones on the bow (my first time adding new holes, so please excuse the waviness ); I also added the trapezoidal and circular openings on the bow for mooring lines:

That's it for now!

[JimRussell]

USS Leonard Wood - APA-12

pic 1 the bow in better shape than before

pic 2 the bridge face rough

pic 3 & 4 major components primed.

I promise to be quiet for awhile, not much to show in the next few steps - fix, reprime and paint.

jim

[Pieter]

Excellent work Jim, especially for a build with so little in terms of references.

[ArizonaBB39]

Looking good Jim, already a lot of progress since I visited you

[Timmy C]

A bit of progress - painted the hull and cutting some styrene supports for the spaces in the superstructure.

[Guest]

You are a monster!!!