Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[Timmy C]

05071. They also made a modern New Jersey, but both kits are inferior to the Tamiya (even the original Tamiya, not the recent upgraded modern NJ and modern Missouri kits).

[veliko_pile]

Hello, I'm now trying to buy a New Jersey model, the modernized version in 350 scale. Tamiya has 3 kits, the oldest 78005 and the one that is now avaiable 78028 . A friend of mine want to sell the 78005, so the old one, 1984 release, what's the differences? I'll be using the Pontos set with that.

[ArizonaBB39]

The Pontos set is designed specifically for the older version of the kit. I don't know what the differences between the kits are. I think the new one is supposed to be better detailed, but if you are using the Pontos set it doesn't really matter as it will add and/or replace all the details.

[Timmy C]

New one includes PE parts for radar, bow antenna, superstructure bulkhead details, and flight deck netting frame, as well as a few other bits. It also has newly-tooled sprues for the 5"/38 guns and both main and secondary gun directors. New stand as well.

See this pic for the PE and sprue: http://www.1999.co.jp/itbig18/10183411b6.jpg

Also includes a photobook.

More pics: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10183411

[veliko_pile]

New one includes PE parts for radar, bow antenna, superstructure bulkhead details, and flight deck netting frame, as well as a few other bits. It also has newly-tooled sprues for the 5"/38 guns and both main and secondary gun directors. New stand as well.

See this pic for the PE and sprue: http://www.1999.co.jp/itbig18/10183411b6.jpg

Also includes a photobook.

More pics: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10183411

So Pontos should cover that loss of PE and gun directors as well as the 5'' guns. Seems a good deal for me...

[Fliger747]

As a youngster I built the old Sterling 1:192 kit of the Missouri, a ship that piqued my interest as it was moothballed in the town in which I lived and I was privlidged to make a number of visits to her.

Some years ago I decided to completely overhaul this model as a modern version, which involved in recreating most of the superstructure in styrene, making new 5"38 dual mounts and all of the directors from resin with scratchbuilt masters. Really signigicant cosmetic surgery was required of the hull, new dual (working) rudders, skegs, bulbous bow etc. The teak decking was hand planked etc, not too much left of the original ship to see on the surface. As these things go life interrrpted and she sat in her box hanging on the wall for, geez, twenty years?

Back to the project, inspired to a visit to Mo in Honolulu and pawing back through my extensive library. The trip to visit brought back many memories and provided an opportunity to take many photos. Armed with the photos, some plans etc I am correcting some previouis errors and able to start adding a lot of the small stuff that gives a ship that busy look. The main and superstructure decks are hand planked with a thin wood veneer that comes with an adhesive back, cut into appropriate scale width and stuck down with its adhesive back peeled off. To further add security, a light coat of tung oil is applied, which runs into the board joints and sets them nicely. A light sanding with 600 grit wet/dry gives a very nice effect.

The question, low those many years ago, I planked the main deck back to the unerway repleshment boom, and a small section at the fantail. I have seen one photo in this configuration with the deck steel from there aft. Anyone have any info on how correct this interpretation is and for what time period?

The photos are great for trying to sort out the many areas that plans simply don't cover well. Missouri is now strewn with dozens of various rectangular lockers associated with both missle and active defense. Many of these are easily duplicated from acrylic sheet cut on the bandsaw, and doors added if necessary. All parts are scratch so far, though I have a bunch of Tom's PE on the way for rail, portholes, doors and ladders.

If i can get enough roundtuits assembled to form a critical mass, I'll post some photos.

Other projects to resume from the same period? USS Alaska CB1 waterline 1:192 100% scratch built.

Cheers: Tom

[Fliger747]

I did take a lot of photos on my visit to Missouri in September whic I can share as requested. Some are general deck views, but others are more detail shots of some of those nooks that contain a lotof detail but are not easy to see in general views.

Will have to reduce these a bit more to get under the 200 kb size as they start out considerably larger. I send these to myself to my eyepad which I can use on the workbench as a reference while considering details. Lots of detail photos and will try to share any of areas of interest, such as earlier questions about the conning tower slits etc.

[Fliger747]

A couple of more pix. Some had wondered about the bridge windows, they roll up and down, rolled down for firing of the main battery as the overpressure would break them. The conning tower has narrow slits, with an external glass that can be cranked up from the inside with a removable handle.

[Fliger747]

Looking up at the Bridge and tower, useful details from below. The various ships differed in tower details by year and ship.

bridge n tower small.jpg (94.65 KiB) Viewed 1374 times

[Fliger747]

Bridge and conning tower, For someone who wants to detail the inside I have photos.... Actual primary conning station is on the 08 level of the tower, better view of the ship and surroundings.

[Fliger747]

more pix

Looking fwd port side towards Admirals bridge

From Harpoon deck stbd, looking at fwd stack

[Fliger747]

Midships aft port side

Base of 5" director platform, note the inclined armored tube from the director inside.

[Fliger747]

Admirals bridge, port side. Note lower conning tower level.

[Fliger747]

Upper conning tower looking fwd.

The round bench is not really a ships equipment, a powder can for folks to sit on.

[Fliger747]

Conning twr stbd side. Note the slits and crank up slit cover glass.

T

[Fliger747]

Note that box like covers on ears of M37 directors are just that covers and do not represent an active ship.

T

[Wacko]

I enjoy the pictures very much, and wish to say thank you. If you have more could you please post them. I also have the Sterling 1/192 kit have had it for a few years now, haven't started it as of yet still getting all that I can get my hands on for PE parts and so forth. Thanks again

Wacko

[Jeffcsr]

Wasn't sure if this question would belong here or in the whiff forum, but just being curious, if any Iowa class were to be reactivated are the ABL's even serviceable anymore? I ask only since the USN doesn't appear to use them anymore that I've seen.

[Fliger747]

Very little chance the Battleships would be reactivated, main reason aside from young sailors dont know how to run analogue era equipment anymore, to the main issue was that they required too large of a crew in a manpower tight military.

As to the Sterling kit, i must have built this cirica 1963, maybe it was under $20$. Much of the hull shape is wrong in the forefoot and stern areas and would be easier to modify during initial construction. It is possible to add skegs and bulbous forefoot, but serious sugery. The decks i hand planked with sticky back thin wood veneer strips and then sealed and sanded. Much of the superstructure was covered or replaced with sheet styrene or plexiglass. Funnels are new, made thin cast hollow caps, made my own cast secendary mounts and directors, built up the 16" rifles from layers of tubing with some filler and turning. Directors and five inch mounts are shared with a same scale scratch built Alaska, also incomplete. I did not hand plank the Alaska decks as they were painted anyway, but used plastruct simulated wood planking sheet. Towers and turrets on CB 1 are from thicker plexiglas sheet. For the towers and stack this allows the curved corners to be easily sanded round.

I am an international pilot so am gone too much to make really fast progress on this.

Tom

[Fliger747]

Note the pelorus and platform, wooden grating.

Tom