Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[Builder 2010]

Here's pictures from the Floating Drydock Plan Book (a must have to really build an Iowa ship). The first is sitting in Tokyo Bay waiting for the Japanese to board. The next is in Pearl later in that September showing the "All Navy" hull scheme.

And here's another view during the Navy Day Visit in October.

I'm picking a time just before that additional Navy Blue was added.

[Builder 2010]

I have no idea why the second picture shows up twice and out of place. I attempted to edit it, but to no avail. Sorry.

[MartinJQuinn]

Questions about New Jersey's Kingfishers circa 1943-1944. Someone in our local club is building a pair for a 1/50 (approx) model that will be displayed on the BB NJ museum. He has questions about painting and markings. I'm guessing tri-color paint scheme, but anyone know what - if any - markings NJ's aircraft carried during this time period?

[Russ2146]

Kingfisher on NJ 44-45
http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/016256.jpg

[Builder 2010]

I just tried to upload this thread on Tips and Tricks forum, but got a general "not allowed to access" error. I know I've posted here so I'll put it here.

I just finished rigging my Missouri with E-Z Line. It's a very stretchy polymer thread that comes in a 0.003" diameter (also larger). I originally saw it at a booth at the National Train Collectors show in York, PA. Berkshire Junction makes and sells it. Originally, they were selling it to string model railroad telephone poles, but the small size is good rigging material.

Here's why: Instead of breaking when you bump it (liked stretched sprue) it stretches a lot. It has a huge affinity for CA and cures instantly when touching it. You can adhere a line, touch the contact with thin CA, and in a couple of seconds stretch it to the next point. Put a little tension on it and then touch some more CA. Done. Even better is how you can adhere one line to another as in joining the horizontal to vertical radio antennas. It glues solid with not bumps or lumps.

It doesn't like water-based glues. They repel. So you can't use it to make simulated insulators like with sprue. So I used some filled epoxy. Even that took a bit of coaxing to stay where I put it.

All in all, I think it some much easier to use than Sprue. I read Jim's work on Sprue a couple of times and then tried it on this ship. I was very dissatisfied with the results and finally ripped it all out, scraped all the glue off and started over with the E-Z Line. Give it a try...

In these pics I hadn't yet painted the insulators/blocks nor done touch up painting on the yards, but you can see that the rigging is intricate and complete.

[Timmy C]

The thread in Tips & Tricks went through - you should be able to see it there.

[Alex V Mandel]

Hi SIBIRIAK-66, great model!

[SIBIRIAK-66]

Hi RDENMAN 62 and ALEX V!!!Thanks you for replys!My model be build 14 years ago.Todayes i build new model.Excuse mi,my english is bad....

[SIBIRIAK-66]

Hi Guys!Small question-where catapults in this foto?

[Russ2146]

That is a post WW2 photo. The catapults were removed after WW2.
The crane was kept for launching the ship's boats.

[rdenman62]

The planes and catapults were removed in May 1949 so this picture was taken some time after that....

[Matt52590]

Hey all,
I am a new member to this site but very much familiar with everyone and their spectacular models and helpful opinions. I am not "new" to model building, and have built Tamiya's 1/350 New Jersey, Musashi, and Bismarck. I am however fairly new to adding anything more than what you get in the box. The pre-mentioned Bismarck was the first model I attempted to use photo-etch on but unfortunately this past fall Hurricane Irene made its way up the coast and flooded the entire eastern seaboard (my basement included ) and my Bismarck literally floated away half completed among other things. So since then, i have taken a "leave of absence" from modeling till i could get that gut wrenching feeling out of loosing all that hard work. Sooooo... now I'm back and ready to get back into it! I have decided to come back into the hobby with attitude and take on the biggest project i have ever attempted. I will build a Tamiya 1/350 USS Missouri as she looked on surrender day September 1945. Since mid march i have read up on this forum and researched many hours of pictures of models on this site and have already bought ordered many after market things such as the WEM Missouri PE set and both GMM sets, 18 lpi anchor chain from model shipwright, a whole lot of resin pieces from L'Arsenal, cotton scale flags, 20mm and 40mm replacement brass barrels from master models and BMK Brass barrels for the 16"/50 cal main guns and 5"/38 secondary guns to name a few. As i am still trying to collect a few supplies before i go out and actually get the model kit from my local hobby shop i have a question for Tony Bunch or anyone who'd be willing to give their two cents on a guess. So Tony, in the post below that you posted i love the scratch built work you did on the bridge! My question to you is what is the thickness of the sheet styrene that you used? I/m looking at evergreen styrene and they come in a variety of sizes so i want to make sure i at least ballpark the width. Thanks for any and all replies!

-Matt

Hi Guys,
Walt,
Here is the 1/700 NJ built as the real NJ appeared during 1983.
Accuracy confirmed by images from that era.


Jeff,
I have nothing definitive about the YMW Iowa conversion set.
Not to be a naysayer, but the YMW conversion sets are a, "tad rough", but still you're ahead of the game in the longrun. Tamiya's 1/350 Missouri has a fault with a, "seaway", that is missing. This is a passageway that is fairly large and goes all the way through the ship from port to stbd on the 04 level at the aft end of the lower bridge. This, "seaway", was ignored by Tamiya, but not so on their 1/700 offering.
This area is easy enough to fix by use of a cutting tool and some sheet styrene.
I did this on my still unfinished 1/350 Tamiya Missouri and used the Stillwell books' drawings for reference.
Take a look...










I'll bet these same pics are elsewhere on this thread, but posting them saves you and me time searching for them.
Moderator, if you find these pics elsewhere on this thread and want to install a link; no problem.
These pics are for you guys to use as you see fit.
Tony

[Builder 2010]

I like how you've removed the window area and built up the pilot house inside the bridge in prep for a PE window facade. I didn't take that route with my Missouri which is almost completed via today's session. Having not used a PE set that had the windows, I was left with the traditional choice of painting the windows with gloss black. From what I understand both Flyhawk and Lions Roar give the window facade. I used Eduard, while having lots of details, does not include that piece of superstructure.

I installed the G-force props today and installed all the remaining guns. All that's left is ship's planes, anchors and decals. Prop shafts are steel, painted white and the streamlined coupling cover is a piece of drilled and shaped sprue. The G-force props are for the North Carolina and are a bit undersized for Iowas, but they're a lot sturdier than the kit's props which are a bit oversized.

The ship is modeled as it appeared after the surrender signing on her decks, and after the teak was restored to natural wood color. During this time, the forward 20mm tubs were removed that flanked the #2 turret. This was just prior to painting the entire hull Navy Blue for the Navy Day celebration in New York City in October 1945. I picked this specific moment in time to show off the laser cut wood decks that I didn't want to paint deck blue. The effect is very good IMHO.

The picture I have of the Missouri in Drydock in the 80s shows the color of the shafts to be probably white lead.

[Matt52590]

Builder2010,
wow your Mighty MO looks amazing! Great job! I too have bought the g-force North Carolina class propellers but the smaller size that the kit provided ones led me to discouragingly put them to the side. They look really good however on your finished model! What did you have to do to compensate for their size?

-Matt

[rdenman62]

Builder2010, So is she complete? everything done final touches,etc....I see you're gonna send her to Pearl heh?

[Matt52590]

Hey rdenman62,
I actually was planning on posting a question for your too soon but since your on now i guess its a good a time as any. On your missouri turrents below (which look really good btw ), what color/paint did you use where the guns recoil. It looks like a silver and i want to use it when i build mine. The paint also looks very smooth and uniform, did you air brush that on or with a brush? Thanks for your opinion.

-Matt

Hello Everyone,
I am relativley new to this forum and have only posted a few times. However, I do frequently go thru all the posts to see what others are doing. I am finally starting on my 1/350 USS Missouri. I have the tamiya kit, YKM turrets, Eduard photo etch, GMM photo etch and various other goodies from L'Arsenal, Voyager, Paper Lab......Anyways here are some photos of the completed turrets that I finally have gotten done. I realize my work is not on par with others on this forum but I always strive for the best I can do. Any comments good or bad are welcome. Color of the turrets is Haze Gray as I 'm not sure the picture color turned out right. Next project up is the hull and superstructure.....

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[Builder 2010]

First, thanks! It's been a long slog (11 months), and it is almost finished (98%, but who's counting). What's left is the Seahawks and fastening the cats in place. I'm going to rig the Seahawks with the outriggers that extend down from the wings to the sides of the launch cart. I'm making it out of the same 0.008" guitar string that I used for the guy wires holding up the foremast and fore topmast. It's thin enough to look good in this scale, but actually has some strength to support the plane. Once this is done, I'll then fasten the cats permanently. In the pics they're just sitting there looking cool.

Everything was airbrushed in the beginning, but all subsequent touch-ups (many times) were done using various sizes of brushes.

I didn't do anything to make the props look right. I used a piece of 0.072" steel rod for the prop shafts and drilled the hole out in the back of the 4-blade G-Force props to accept to the shafts. In the real ship the shafts appear white (white lead?) so I did the same.

It's going to Pearl if I can get it there in one piece, and that is still a big challenge for me. I have time to think about it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated about shipping a 30" mounted scale model 6,000 miles.

Here's the shaft pictures as posted by Rusty Battleship (pen name) who was the superintendent at the Long Beach Navy Yard when the Iowas were rebuilt in the 80s. That's him standing on the strut. Impressive!!!

I simulated the streamlined shaft coupling bulge using some shaped styrene. The shaft scales out very close. The real one is 23" in diameter except for the bearing portions, which is 0.065" and I used 0.072". It fits the Tamiya shaft strut's hole perfectly!

[Matt52590]

Great! Now I don't feel bad anymore about buying the north Carolina props. Be sure to post pictures when youve added all the final details before you ship it off!
Regards,
Matt

[Builder 2010]

I didn't answer the other question: "How did I do the gun slides?"

The guns are ABER brass, so their natural color is, duh... brass. I didn't want to paint the slide area. In all the pictures, they tended to be polished with a golden cast (lubricant, anti-corrosion, etc.?). I used real aluminum foil with MicroFoil adhesive to hold razor-cut strips onto the brass. Then I mixed some clear red/yellow and brown Tamiya paints to make a semi-transparent coating to simulate the lube. It's okay but not perfect. It's nice how it reflect light, much better than paint.

[modellmariner]

Great Model!

J�rg