1:192 USS Missouri modern configuration

[Luky]

Boot stripe complete.

[Fliger747]

What scale width did you settle on for the boot topping?

Cheers. T

[Luky]

I made the boot stripe 1/4 inch high.

That would be 4 feet high on the real ship.

[Fliger747]

Thanks! As info keeps rolling in, more modifications, mostly small. Back for a bit so hope to make some progress. Not happy with the rivet plates alongside the hull midships, so will use a thinner material. perhaps foil tape?

Cheers: T

[Fliger747]

Working on the area around the inboard screws, didn't have this quite right.

T

[Luky]

I am working on my aft deck and helicopter pad.
Some photos show the aprons on the forward part of the helo pad that
slant down, black, and some photos show them grey.
I think I will go with the black.

[Fliger747]

Currently on Missouri they are still a blackish anti skid material. I took a number of photos of this area should you need some detail reference.

Cheers. T

[Fliger747]

Current status of the fantail

[Luky]

I re measured all of my deck vent locations and sizes and got them as close as possible.

[Fliger747]

The long vent, the one closest to the foreground on the right is interesting as it is three circular tapered vents with one elongated cover. For grins I modeled the quick acess scuttles in the two hatches here as open.

Cheers. T

[Fliger747]

Time to get serious about finishing and painting the hull. This ship started out 50 years ago as a 1;192 Stirling kit of wood. I actually finished it to my primitive standard of the time. Many years ago I decided to rebuild it to a much higher standard, in a modern configuration. The quite mistaken idea was that the new version would be an easier build. At any rate the hull and superstructure were completely rebuilt using materials such as styrene, plexiglas and fiberglass. The hull required extensive rework as it had neither a bulbous bow nor the twin skeg stern and twin rudders. For RC it had a single large screw and conventional single skeg stern. Perhaps you can imagine the extensive rework, almost as much as building a new hull!

Anyway here is the hull on the workbench in an initial primer coat, ready for more then final painting.

T

[Luky]

Your hull looks great Fliger747!

I just discovered something on the internet that is unbelievable.
It is a website with a visual tour of almost every part of the Missouri in great detail!!
IT is http://www.ussmissouri.com/ Then click on visual virtual tour photo. First page.
It takes a few minutes to understand it but it is really great and a must do for the model maker.

[Luky]

Today I needed to touch up a couple spots on the bottom of the hell.
I had used rusty red metal primer.

I ran out of paint so I went and bought another can.
Well the new can of paint was more brown than red so the tow colors did not match.
I had to go back to the store again and I looked for another flat red but all I could find was a brick satin red.I thought well if the paint is the color of the plastic cap thats fine.

I went home and sprayed e first light coat.
Guess what...it was this sickening sort of pinkish redish color awful!

So I went back to my rusty red metal primer that was sort of more brown than red.
Looks ok.
At a real shipyard the thing happens too.
I know, I lived on a boat for 14 years. I know what bottom paint looks like.
And it is NOT fire engine red like many model builders use- nope.LOL

[Fliger747]

I painted the bottom, no boot top as yet. Used a red brownish Mr Color #29 which is allegedly "hull Red". The drawing I have available for BB63 Cirica the Gulf War shows an 8' boot top. Will research some more. In the past I have used Floquil Model RR paints, such as Caboose red or Boxcar red. I always like he way they applied and looked. Need to get some more paint, two jars were not enough for such a large area, which includes the massive flat bottom.

Cheers: T

[Fliger747]

I have seen the virtual tour, interesting! Boot stripes.... seem to vary a lot, as launched photo shows 6 feet.

T

[Luky]

In the real world boot stripes are a pain in the a$$.
The reason is that the boot stripe is not anti fouling paint and marine growth
starts to attach to that boot stripe. Do you like green? LOL..lol

Anyway many boat owners just paint the bottom paint up to where the
top of the boot stripe would be, and so the boot stripe is the color of the bottom paint.

Then you only need two colors in your paint locker when it comes haul out time.
You use a lot less rolls of tape too!

The Coast guard now uses a new chlorinated rubber for the bottom of their boats.
It must be sprayed on but is very very tough. The Coast Guard can get theirs in orange!
When I first saw it in the boat yard I walked up to it and felt it. Feels just like rubber.

[Luky]

The last coat of paint went on and then It crazed!!!

The two paints were not compatible.
So I let it dry an sanded it all down.

I was thinking how unsatisfied I was with the colors available in spray cans.

When my wife wants to paint the house inside, she is very particular about the colors.
That gave me the idea that maybe I should try latex paints because my local hardware store will
mix the paint exactly to your specifications. So I went and got the exact color that I wanted.
I painted that on the hull and now with some light sanding I think it will look just right!

[Fliger747]

Let me know how the sanding goes, paints vary a to their sandability, one of the great things I always liked about lacquer. I did find a color photo of Missouri in drydock being painted, with the red being somewhat more "red" though I think you are fairly close there. Color photos are not really trustable color wise, with variations on the ambient light, film type and then various reproduction variations. The older the photo the worse they are! Mine I feel is a bit too brown/rust at present. Off on my monthly international travels, so no progress for a few weeks. Ship model building is great for the Alaskan Winter, but Summer had other charms.

Cheers: Tom

[Fliger747]

http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/0163016.jpg

Missouri in drydock, I have seen this photo several times and the red varies, but does seem to have a fair rust/brown tint. I need to figure out where the various external drain pipes are located. I did get some plastic D shape/half round to simulate these.

T

[Luky]

I have been working on a display base and I have also painted my superstructure.
Still a ways to go. Lifeboat davits are next.
Click on the photo for a larger version.