1/200 USS Missouri

[BBlover]

Thanks Kelly.

I agree the basic kit looks enough like the Missouri to satisfy me without any major reconstructions. The Pontos detail up set is killing me with those hundreds of grab irons and I know I will never ever use all of the details in that set.
I do plan on adding the vertical support stanchions to the various decks, gun and director tubs and the bridge wings as they are in the 1/48 scale Gibbs & Cox display model as they add a something that's fairly easy to replicate with Evergreen .025" rod or even .030" for the bulkier supports. I'm not far enough along that I can't still at least try to do that.

I went ahead and finished the upper bridge level using the Pontos parts and now realize the window frames don't match the lower bridge level. Drat, don't know how to fix that without ruining it but maybe a spare ladder has the right rung spacing for the windows frames, yes fat chance!! Didn't even notice until you pointed it out but maybe the model just became the Jersey after the bridge reconstruction, nope, wrong hull colors and too many differences. I guess I just ignore the windows as after all if that's the only mistake I make in the next year of construction I can live with it.

I'm still waiting and hoping that Pontos does in fact come out with the resin 40mm mounts they have mentioned several times as every time I look at the photo etch and instructions for those mounts I just put them back in the drawer until later. I stopped looking at the 20mm stuff a while back as maybe the kit mounts are going to be adequate or maybe the ship is in 1946 or so when most of the 20mm's are landed, but then what to do with the empty gun tubs? Drat, I hate this procrastinating.

Your model is fantastic with the airbrushing skills you obviously have whereas mine looks like the sailors painting were still on liberty and maybe not quite sober. It's the first major warship I have attempted with this much detail other than some attempts at Tamiya and Trumpeter 1/350 ships that never quite got to the ever completed stage. The 1/200 scale does make a difference but sometimes I wish it was 1/32 or 1/35 like the aircraft and armor that are so much easier to see and work on. But where would I put a 30 foot model?

Keep up the great work.

Lloyd

[BBlover]

Kelly I tried the Microscale in the windows and it looked pretty Mickey Mouse so I ended up scraping it all out which is not fun.

Fliger747 if you have any better pictures of the bridge support stanchions than the Gibbs & Cox pictures I have managed to find can you post them please?

Regards,

Lloyd

[Ronald47]

http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MI-9&Category_Code=FINPROD&Product_Count=8

Great suff for these builds. By the way; superb modelling!

Yep, I have the product to do it, I'm just wondering if I "should" do it. Thanks!

Thanks Kelly!

Kelly I tried the Microscale in the windows and it looked pretty Mickey Mouse so I ended up scraping it all out which is not fun.

The key to succes is to apply it in layers. If the first touch doesn't close the window, no panic. Just let it dry, touch it up a second, third or even forth time. Eventually it will close from the outside to the center. Applying is done in a circular way with a little product on the tip of a for example wooden pointed stick.

Trying to close a (too big) gap in one touch will not work

[Fliger747]

R47

There are some photos of the flag bridge and stanchions I posted earlier on the most recent page of BB64 photo requests. I actually don't think the upper and lower bridge windows are supposed to line up exactly.

Cheers. Tom

[BBlover]

Tom

Can't seem to find the photo requests page for BB64 Whisky.

Thanks,

Lloyd

[Timmy C]

Here's the BB-64 photo thread: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=153523

You can find it at the lower section of the main Picture Post forum, before it divides into WIPs, Completed, and Group Builds.

[BBlover]

Got them.
I was hoping they didn't have the little triangular bracing wedges top and bottom and they don't so it should be simpler to just use some .025" or .030" Evergreen rod to fab them. Fitting them might be a little trickier though with my size 12 hands and four thumbs.

Thanks Tim

Lloyd

[BB62vet]

Kelly,

Pix finally are visible - great work!!! I've PM'ed you re. gusset plates if you're interested.

Hank

[Kelly Quirk]

Aft funnel is completed. This took me 2 solid days!

[Fliger747]

Easy to see why the funnel might take that long!

LLoyd, another material that might work well for the stanchions is brass wire which might attach to the lower deck more securely via a drilled hole. Note the most forward of these attaches to a stub wall bulwark at the aft of the flag bridge. At least that is the current configuration.

It appears that the funnel has been subtly weathered? Quite nice... T

[LE BOSCO]

Woo hoo your work is very crispy and clean I am very impressed
congrats Kelly
cheers
Nicolas

[BBlover]

Tom

Your idea of the brass wire is good as trying to use the Evergreen .025" and .030" is like trying to push string but the closest hobby shop to get the wire is 200 miles one way and I have the Evergreen from other projects.

Tried drilling some #69 holes down from the decks above but can't get things to line up properly so it looks like I have to cut each stanchion to fit and try to position from the side. In one way it's good the Evergreen is flexible but it looks like this is going to be a much nastier job than anticipated, of course what isn't? Good thing I have lots of Evergreen rod as I can measure 5 times even with calipers and still cut too short and it doesn't stretch too well.

From the pics I have it looks like the rearmost stanchion on the bridge wing goes outside of the bulkhead and drops down behind the 5" turret below but then the stanchion immediately above is inside the bulwark and continues up to the 40mm mount above. Funny thing is they appear to be in a straight line when looked at from the side and rear. Is this correct?

I forgot to mention that I'm depicting the Mo as she appeared on Navy Day New York Oct 5, 1945 with the overall 5-N hull and holystoned decks. But without the huge "Missouri" sign painted amidships. The only other snag I've ran into is the 20mm mounts and tubs abreast #2 turret were gone but since I don't want to try to patch the Pontos wood deck I may cheat and remove the mounts and ready boxes and pretend that they haven't gotten to removing the tub sides completely yet. Also my reference pics seem to show that the tops of the 5" turrets were back to 5-H on that day but since the rest of the turrets and higher metal decks, etc were still faded 20-B I don't know if this is correct.


Regards,

Lloyd

[Fliger747]

Lloyd:

The aft stanchion is not outboard of the bulkhead, but partially sets in the waterway. I know about the distant hobby shop scenario. Another possibility for stanchion material is pins for sowing! Maybe even have some about the house! Four of the stanchions are in line, the foremost is inboard and the third even with the edge of the bridge wing.

Cheers. Tom

[BBlover]

Yes I see that the bottom of the rearmost has to sit in the waterway behind the 5" turret but it looks like the top is behind the bulkhead (bulwark) on the outside, unless it's a shadow in the only decent picture I have of that era. The same stanchion continues up to the 40mm mount above and appears to be on the inside of the rear bridge wing bulkhead(bulwark) yet they appear to be in a straight line and also appear to be one continuous stanchion.

The sewing pins or those pins they use in new shirts sounds like better idea than the Evergreen, I'll give them a try as the Evergreen is like trying to play with cooked spaghetti noodles.

Any idea on the 5" turret top colors in Oct 1945?

Thanks again Tom

Lloyd

[Fliger747]

The photos that I have of BB63 are of course current. From looking at some wartime photos it appears that only the aft most stanchion falls outboard. The platform is still there that supported the 40 mm mount, without any supporting stanchions at the bridge wing level. Wartime photos show two stanchions which I would guess would carry up from the lower level. The ships seemed to vary a bit in configuration here. I did see one photo where the aft stanchion did look as it ran up the aft side of the bridge wing. These wings were extended aft at some time, perhaps someone here knows when. It does appear that having the aft 40 mm support stanchion run up the outside of the aft of the bridge wing would be correct for a WWII build. Today the area bounded by the stanchions at bridge level is an enclosed compartment which is why we cant see the stanchions.

In conclusion the stanchions carrying through with the aft one outboard of the shorter bridge wing would be correct for a WWII build.

Good luck, Tom

[Fliger747]

Lloyd

I have not studied the various camouflage schemes for these ships individually, but most of the wartime photos in measure 32 show the 5" mounts as deck blue on the top. Certainly Kyle would know.

Cheers. Tom

[Kelly Quirk]

I believe that in October 1945 the 5" turret tops were painted back to 5-H. I've read it somewhere and I'm pretty sure I have a picture that shows it too. That is the way I'll be doing mine. The 16" tops stayed 20-B.

[BBlover]

Thanks Kelly

I was hoping someone could verify that as the pictures I have seen with for example the Mo going through the Canal on her way to New York for Navy Day seem to show the 5" turrets as all one shade but my photo interpretation skills are lacking.

Less masking is good. Sad news is there are still over 120 of those dinky little grab irons for the 10 secondary turrets and I haven't even finished them all on the superstructure.

The vertical stanchions I've been on about are turning out to be a challenge also but with lots of great suggestions and reference material from board members I'm going to beat them. I think that they will add some more interesting detail at no cost and if my patience holds out they will be there.

Just thought of the rigging, that's going to be another major challenge.

Fascinating hobby...........

Regards,

Lloyd

[Joe Simon]

Kelly that looks great! Congratulations on your cover article on IPMS also. I am in the middle of reading it.

[BBlover]

Tom thanks for confirming what I thought I was seeing as it's going to be easier to run that pipe up the outside of the rear of the short bridge wing from behind the forward 5" mount and then have it continue up to support the overhead 40mm mount.

This board is a Godsend and just wish I had known about it from back when I was working on the 1/350 stuff. Now that the old eyes have deteriorated enough that I have to go to the bigger scale it's amazing how much more detail shows up that needs to be there. Frustrating too sometimes..............

Thanks again guys,

Lloyd