Lexingtons last battle, 1//700

[marijn van gils]

Thanks Hypno7!

Meanwhile, I added dirty and rusty streaks.
On the hull sides:







Close-up:



Of course some extra attention to the bow and anchors:



And on the funnel.
I also added directors, rangefinders and part of the AA guns in preparation for rigging. The rest will be installed after rigging and gluing to the hull.





On the bridge, dirty streaks were kept minimal, but rangefinders, directors and searchlights were added. An additional FC antenna was added too, but this one needs some more paint still. The 8" director and AA guns will be added after rigging.







And finally something I should have done some time ago but didn't get round to yet.
The kit erroneously contains eight 24" searchlights instead of four 24" inch ones for the bridge and four 36"searchlights for the platform at the top of the funnel. Maybe a minor mistake, but I really like the look of those big 36" searchights on the corners high up that funnel, so I wanted to correct it. I first tried to buy the Paper Lab items, but these are not made anymore and no-one seems to have them in stock. So scratchbuilding was the only option:



All comments are welcome.
Cheers!

Marijn

[Guest]

What a paintjob... what a weathering!
Looking absolutly amazing!!!!

[LE BOSCO]

HI Marijin

your weathering, easily exceeds what I have seen so far the dirty and rusty streaks are very convincing your "extra attention" to the bow are applied with pertinence ,a masterstroke not even finished ,it's just sublime
I like also your scratchbuilding on the searchlights
bravissimo Maestro
cheers
Nicolas

[marijn van gils]

Thanks guys!
I come from armour and figure modelling, where painting is a very important aspect indeed. And as a diorama modeller I am less interested in making a "technical" model (although I do appreciate them!), but rather aim to make a model "speak", for which a good paintjob is also essential.

Cheers,

Marijn

[LE BOSCO]

.... but rather aim to make a model "speak".....

do not worry Marijin
it's realy very speaking
cheers
Nicolas

[Angeliccypher]

Wow. I can't get anywhere near that in 1/350..... The fact that you are doing it in 1/700 is mind boggling to me! I happen to be reading "The Lexington Goes Down" right now and find myself continuously wanting to look at this tread whilst reading.

[marijn van gils]

Thanks a lot guys!

Wow. I can't get anywhere near that in 1/350..... The fact that you are doing it in 1/700 is mind boggling to me!

Thanks! I just love to work in really fine detail, so this scale suits me very well. Capital ships in 1/350 would be way too much work for me as I would like to do them to the same level of finesse too, so I would never be able to finish them. So I am always full of respect for people who can actually finish 1/350th battleships or carriers. Everyone has their strong and weak points...

I happen to be reading "The Lexington Goes Down" right now and find myself continuously wanting to look at this tread whilst reading.

Then I better get building and provide some updates for you! I have meanwhile done the rigging on the bridge, but still have to take photographs, which is sometimes difficult to do on a regular basis...
I never read that book by the way. Is it any good?

Cheers,

Marijn

[marijn van gils]

Meanwhile, I got the island parts fixed to the hull, and seams filled and painted. Rigging and flags were mostly done before this, with only the cables between funnel and bridge added afterwards.
Yay, it is starting to look like a carrier!

















Cheers,

Marijn

[Stefano Salesi]

aha! i see it! i see it! that's a painting imperfetcion! that's a painting imperfection! that's a painting imperfec....

oh, it was a scratch on my pc monitor, nevermind!

beautiful and flawless as ever, Marijn.

IMHO, one of the most amazing weathring ever seen on a ship.

[Rui Matos]

Excellent (I can not recall a better word to explain the joy of your work Marijn)


Keep on doing a GREAT job!
Cheers

Rui

[hypno7]

This is extremely beautiful stuff Marijn. I hope to achieve this standard of painting one day.

[Goodwood]

Award-winning stuff in the making here! Take that diorama to the Internationals and you'd definitely place...

[marijn van gils]

Many thanks everyone!

Don't worry Stefano, there are plenty of painting imperfections on this model, and even more construction imperfections. I'm just good at hiding them!

Cheers,

Marijn

[Daniele]

Mr Van gils you are very modest , you are one of the best historic figures modelers in Europe and as i can see you are great also in ship matters
I remember very well your "best of show " in Saint vincent the 1/35 "A hurried descent" a very original subject .
i cant wait to se update on this new project of yours .

[Quincy]

Simply incredible!





Bob Pink.

[blacman]

I must say it again: fantastics job !
painting you have done is very realistic. I love it

Greg

[PetrolGator]

The skill on display here has me at a loss for words.

[marijn van gils]

Many thanks everyone, you are too kind!

Daniele, I think you are talking about this one (1/35, scratchbuilt):


I have to admit, it is also still one of my favourites.

Lexington and Morris are my first plastic or resin models since 2004 (when I finished my last AFV diorama), and my first ship models since I was 14 or so. I have always been a diorama modeller though, so I like to tell compelling stories with my models, whatever the subject matter. I must say that I am nowadays growing very fond of the ship theme and the small scales very much! For my next project(s), I am only thinking about ships at the moment... Still a lot of stories to tell, and a lot of (technical) challenges to meet, and a lot to learn, which all keep me motivated.

Cheers,

Marijn

[Goodwood]

That is pretty awesome, Marijn! I take it that's an observation balloon crew bailing out of their craft in the face of an air attack?

If I suggested this before, I beg your pardon, but a diorama of USS Laffey DD-724 under kamikaze attack...with the first plane that hit about to crash into the wildly-maneuvering destroyer.

[marijn van gils]

That is pretty awesome, Marijn! I take it that's an observation balloon crew bailing out of their craft in the face of an air attack?

Thanks! Yes it is indeed. I found the idea that men were brave/crazy enough to get in such a balloon, knowing they were likely to get attacked and then would have to use those primitive parachutes very interesting, and I tried to portray the most dramatic moment. It shows how far people can be driven by the circumstances (of war)...

If I suggested this before, I beg your pardon, but a diorama of USS Laffey DD-724 under kamikaze attack...with the first plane that hit about to crash into the wildly-maneuvering destroyer.

That sounds like a great idea! At this close quarters, the plane can easily be included in the dio. I think I might prefer 1/350 for this subject.
Keep the idea's coming!

Cheers,

Marijn