1/700 USS Monssen DD-436

[hypno7]

Thanks Marijn! I will try to paint the camouflage on the superstructure with a normal brush, following your technique you shared.

Small update. Have any of you experienced being very happy after a paint session, laying the thinnest coats you can handle, just to relize hours later that one of the blotches on the camo is not in the correct place? Even after checking and rechecking the masks? Well it happened to me, and after obsessing about it for a while, I retouched it.

Comments, criticisms and guidance welcome!

[moomoon]

Looking very nice so far, masts radars and paint are "tip-top"

[hypno7]

Thank you moomoon!

I tried to paint the camouflage with normal brush. After experimenting with paint thickness, I found that 1:1 ratio white spirit and WEM colourcoats work for me (I actally use the same ratio for airbrushing). It flows just right and dries slowly. I am also experimenting with oil paint weathering, following several build log tips here.

And this is how it looks together.

Comments, criticisms and guidance always welcome!

[Cliffy B]

Keep it up!!!

[Gordon Bjorklund]

I like what you are doing to this little build. The Ms12mod camouflage pattern on the hull is terrific and the hand painted camo on the upper parts is also inspiring.
Looking forward to your next update.

[hypno7]

Thanks Cliffy B and Gordon!

I am still retouching some of the camo, the oils I used "stained" the haze gray on some parts too much.

[MartinJQuinn]

If it wasn't for the bottle of paint, I'd think this was 350th scale. Very impressive work!

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Hypno
Very impressive work, love the camo paint work, question for you though, when doing your camo pattern have you tried frisket film? you can draw on it and cut it with an knife, I've used it several times in the past doing camo patterns on battleships, carriers and yes on destroyers. It saves a lot of frustration on the taping of a camo pattern, but all in all you have pulled off one hell of a job.

[marijn van gils]

Great job!
The camo looks very good, and the level of detail is excellent.
Only one suggestion: maybe on the next project, you can keep the basecolours a bit lighter? That way, you have more room for the weathering to have effect, especially in this small scale.
But it's just a suggestion for the next model, since this would be near impossible to modify on this model and it looks great anyway.

Cheers,

Marijn

[hypno7]

Thank you gentlement for the comments!

-Martin: well, I have an extra large Model Master paint bottle.

-Jim: I have never tried that material, but I always wondered seeing the rolls of it at the art store. What I do is use the Tamiya masking tape. I first print out the camouflage schema to scale and then put the tape on it. Depending on the definition of the printout, I redraw it over the tape with a fine marker. Then cut it out with a new blade moving the blade and the paper, thats the only way I could get smooth round shapes. Then carefully remove the shapes tape from the paper. I will definetly give the frisket film a try next time.

-Marijn: I also have the feeling that the weathering "stained" and darkened the paint underneath too much, specially the 5 inch gun mounts. It is one of my first attempts at it. I tried to clean it up more but thats the most it will go... now it is working like one of those "filters". I am retouching some parts, but I think it will stay like that. I have been reading about "scale color" but I have yet to try that. The 5-O still looks ok, its the 5-H that got too dark. Thank you for the observation, I still have lots to learn. (please keep the suggestions coming! that is the only way I learn and try new things)

[hypno7]

Hi everyone!

Long time no updates. I have been busy building a wingy thing in 1/72 just to do something different. It took me a while and the "rigging" was a good practice.

But on to the Monssen, I have been adding all the small details and now it is ready to rig. I have been trying out techniques in weathering (mainly oils) with this small model. It should be ready soon (maybe even to present at some modeling show)

Comments, criticisms and guidance welcome!

[Rick E Davis]

I like it. The first 24 BENSON-GLEAVES class units had some interesting configurations that don't get modeled often. You have done a wonderful "MOD" to an off-the-shelf kit.

[hypno7]

Thank you for your kind comments Rick. I have been studying the CASF thread for the Benson/Gleaves class, specially your posts. I wanted to build this model out of the box, but I got distracted . I know that my model has some errors (I have doubts about the depth charge launchers and other bits), but I plan on building more of this class.

[Gordon Bjorklund]

I like it too! I have enjoyed following along with your build and looking forward to more progress pictures.
I do have one question for you.
The midships deck edge bulwark on your build, is it a kit part or a pe part?
It's extended back to the front of the aft
deck house. The ones supplied in the 1/350 kits are shorter.

[hypno7]

Thank you Gordon! That is a PE part from the Flyhawk kit for the USS Monssen. I also had some doubts, but I saw a CAD drawing by Timothy Dike that shows the Monssen as having them longer. I used the longer ones without further research as this was supposed to be a quick build...

[Cadman]

Very nice work. Please submit it to the regular gallery as well.

[hypno7]

Will do! Thank you for the comment. I am just trying to learn some photography basics, and then I will submit it.

[marijn van gils]

Very nice!
It looks very clean and detailed, belieing its' scale. I wouldn't mind some more detail shots, I'm sure the model can take it.
Do the whaleboats come with the canvas covers in the kit, or is it also PE?

Cheers,

Marijn

[hypno7]

Thanks Marijn! I will take more detailed pictures when it is done. (Too many shiny spots now ). The canvas covers are the plastic ones that come with the kit. I just thinned them down from the inside as they where too thick.

[Angeliccypher]

Hypno, I am still amazed with what you can do in that scale. This is turning our every bit as good as your fabulous Hornet.