Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[RandyM]

Awesome photos James: thank you. Worked on the after stack over the weekend, spent some time getting the funnel cap shape as close as possible to the drawings I have - I've always assumed it was circular but the plans show an ellipse or "slot." Still need lots of details including the supports beneath the funnel catwalk.

And yes, one of the searchlights - aside from floating in space - is also upside down: the result of a hurried mirror operation.

[chuck]

How thick is the hull material on the trumpeter 1/200 Missouri kit? What is the best reference showing correct hull shape as well as the weld seams and various apertures on the underwater hull for condensers and other water intake and exhausts?

[RandyM]

I can get you precise thickness measurements this evening - I happen to have a piece of the hull (sectioned about 1/3rd of the way from stern) just sitting around collecting dust.

It is thick - I'd guess at least 0.060 to 0.080, which is probably what you'd expect for such a large mold.

[Fliger747]

Might be a job to put all this stuff together! As far as the location of sea chests and such, the bottom void plans for several of the ships are available in the HNSA PDF files. The profiles at various hull sections do show the various longitudinal strakes, but a fairly unwieldy way of constructing this. As to the butt lapping strakes which are apparent above the waterline, James M has recently measured the longitudinal location of these. I resorted to using many many photographs. The John Haynes model aboard Missouri did a nice job of replicating the overlapping hull plating. Not sure where he obtained his data. Randy M has done a nice job correcting the aft hull profiles via 3d printing. He might be able to point you in the right direction.

Good luck. Tom

[Fliger747]

BB63 alongside Navy Fuel Pier, Manchester Washington.

Still under construction... T

My feet were in the original photo....

[RandyM]

Not quite as dramatic as Tom's photo above, but....

BB63 under construction at my house

[chuck]

Not quite as dramatic as Tom's photo above, but....

BB63 under construction at my house

It's thicker than I thought but not as thick as I feared.

[Fliger747]

I can't find pieces on a bare wood floor let alone a carpeted one. The only thing I will say is making a new piece doesn't take as long the second time. With kit pieces, argh if you lose one!

Cheers. Tom

[RandyM]

Three items have never failed me in the past, on bare OR carpeted floor:

1. vacuum cleaner
2. extension hose for same
3. panty hose pulled tight over end of hose.

[BB62vet]

RandyM wrote:

Three items have never failed me in the past, on bare OR carpeted floor:

1. vacuum cleaner
2. extension hose for same
3. panty hose pulled tight over end of hose.

No. 3 - now THAT is what I need to use with 1 & 2 No telling what I'll find!

Hank

[RandyM]

Hint for the married modeler: make sure you tell your wife/significant other what you're doing with the panty hose B E F O R E she finds them in your tool box.

[chuck]

I have a piece of vinyl faux white tile flooring under my table. Most things that fall on it stand out.

[James M]

Hey Randy.
Here's a picture of the funnel catwalk grating and it's supports. Don't know if you can replicate it or not.



James

[James M]

Here is the information on the butt straps along the hull.

Upper row:
20 straps, 15 1/5" wide, 72" tall

Lower row:
19 straps, 15 1/2" wide, 41" tall

Spacing between:
first three - 28' 6", all others - 28'

Offset of lower strap from upper strap:
96"

Here's a picture of the info:


Here is a picture of the last set of straps


James

[BB62vet]

James M (and Cliffy B):

Thanks so much for the butt strap location info. As Dick has emailed me, all 4 IOWAs are the same, so it shouldn't matter which ship you are modeling.

I will print out Monday and start laying them out!!!

This was really critical hull data and lets me move forward immediately.

The shot of the stack grating/catwalk I'm going to assume (yea, I know the drill!!) is also WISCONSIN - a lot of wire brush work/painting to be done on it. But, all in good time.

Thanks again,

Hank

[Cliffy B]

That shot of the stack is NOT Wisky as we still have our ABLs and you'll notice they are gone in that photo.

As far as I know Wisky never had her's removed at any time, even in mothballs.

[BB62vet]

Cliffy B,

Well, my mistake - it must be IOWA then, perhaps one of James M's photos. See, this is what happens when you ASSUME anything!!! The Navy spent 6 years trying to train me right - you see what happens when the civilians get hold of you???

And, more to the point, I do believe WISKY has had her stack caps painted in recent years - the stack in the photo looked pretty paint-needy.

Thanks for correcting me!!

Hank

[Cliffy B]

Our stack caps and upper works (above the O5) haven't been painted in probably 10-14 years. We're still trying to get everything below that that is accessible and viewable up close taken care of before we worry about the upper works... There's another reason ships like this have so many crew members

[James M]

The photo is of the Iowa at Suisun Bay.
She had been in mothballs for 20 years when that photo was taken. She was in serious need of a good home and some tlc.

James

[BB62vet]

I wasn't aware that WISKY had not had her upperworks painted in such a long time. IOWA, sort of explains itself being new to the museum community. NEW JERSEY is undergoing a hull paint job now, see photo:

This was sent out to the NJ Vets last week.

Hank