*COMPLETED* 1/350 USS Benson (DD-421), 1940

[MartinJQuinn]

I liked the canvas dodgers - very nice!

[Devin]

Thanks, Martin. So far I'm liking them. I think in the future it may be beneficial to paint the outer face of the rails the same color as the dodgers, but we'll see how it looks after flat coats and weathering.

I vowed to myself that with my day off due to the non-blizzard event (really, only 6 inches of snow here in Hoboken), that I'd get the mast up. Mission accomplished. I had some issues with the brass bridge wing support assemblies that required mini-strip styrene supports to make them fit, but they turned out okay.

Next up are the after searchlight tower, then the stacks, all of which are assembled and painted, just need to be detailed and attached.

[Devin]

Hit another milestone this evening: stacks erected! Now she's looking like a proper Tin Can. Just the aft searchlight tower to install then all the major components will be installed.

I worked on some of the brass that needs folding this evening. The ladders with handrails fold beautifully using a mini Hold-N-Fold. The life raft mounts are bent with a handy two-piece tool that gives perfect alignment 90-degree bends. The kit comes with these mounts for forward and aft, but the forward mounts are rarely seen in pre-war photos, so I'm going to leave them off.

The propeller guards also have their own folding tools. These are more difficult to work with, due to the flat nature of the brass. I got them folded and mostly right, but they're a little sloppy in appearance. If I don't like the look of them against the hull I'll either see if I can make new ones from scratch using round stock, or if not, I'll just leave them off. I'm past the point of putting a full days work into minor components on this build.

[Devin]

Another major milestone down: the after superstructure/searchlight tower/mast. This was a fiddly assembly to put together, and just as fiddly to affix to the ship. There are tiny, faint, raised lines on the deck where the structure is to go, but after a coat of paint and clear coat, there's not much left to aid placement. This was one of the cases where I dry fit a dozen times, and got it right every time, but the first time with glue applied it just wouldn't sit tight. I used Gator Glue to do the initial assembly to give some working time, then once that had set up a bit, I placed strategic drops of super thin superglue at points not easily visible to lock the structure into place. The next time I build something with such a placement method, I'll first glue some styrene strip to the deck inside of where the structure sits, to act as a base for attachment.

The aft mast is maybe a little taller than it should be, but it turned out fine. I was going to use the kit part, as it looks great, and there's no rigging to contend with, but the realistically thin mast was fragile and bent out of shape removing it from the sprue.

[ModelMonkey]

Superb!

[BBC_KT]

Great work!!!

[MartinJQuinn]

That's a good looking boat!

[Dan K]

Very clean.

[Devin]

Thanks guys. Yes, Dan, I'm keeping this one fairly clean, as she's full hull. I'll do some light weathering and a wash, especially for the portholes, towards the end.

[Devin]

I'm having to pull different photo etch into the mix as the Dragon set either doesn't fit where it's supposed to, or the runs are specifically for the 1942 Buchanan, and not the 1940 Benson that I'm building.

I have a set of the Alliance Model Works "WWII US Small Vessel" generic PE, which has two two and three bar railings, and three-line lifelines (you can make out the ball stanchions on this stuff!) It's very fine and I totally destroyed a few pieces before I figured out it needs a much more delicate touch than the stuff I'm used to. I like it though and will pick up more for future projects.

Also working on the boats. I could go nuts on these things, but the insides are relatively simple and devoid of detail, so I'm just doing a little highlight painting to give them some depth. One thing that confuses me is that the prop shafts are very well molded and delicate in styrene, but neither the dedicated ship PE that comes with the kit or the add-on Buchanan set have propellers for them. It'll maybe look a little odd, but I don't have any props in the spares box.

[hypno7]

I really like to follow this build, if I ever do a 1/350 scale model, I think it will have to be one of these.

Very beautiful and clean work, I really like how the anti-skid blends with the hull color, you can just tell they are there

[Devin]

Past two evenings have been spent on the small boats. I got them painted easily enough. Turns out the 1.5mm wide masking tape that I have is exactly the right width to line up with the lowest part of the gunnels, set it parallel to the keel, and presto, instant mask for spraying the lower hull black.

The PE boat cradles for the two boats that sit next to the practice loader are a nightmare. I dropped them, couldn't get them to stay on the boats (because they're simple v shapes, no where near correct for the curved lower hull). I finally came up with a solution of first mounting them to strip styrene as a base, which after another hour of cursing and dropping (I couldn't get ANYTHING to work right last night) I finally got them glued on, primed, and painted the lower part the deck gray.

[Gordon Bjorklund]

Devin,
I have four props you can have for your ship's boats if you still need some. They are from GMM B/Gleaves PE sets.

[Devin]

Gordon,

Thanks for the offer. I'm not sure I'd be able to get hold of them on time, though. I have to have this thing done a week from tonight. I can live with them as is for now, but if once I'm done they bother me and I can still get in to add the props, I'll take you up on the offer. Thanks!

-Devin

[Gordon Bjorklund]

Devin,

I still have your address, so I'll put them n the mail tomorrow morning and there's a real good chance that you will have them on Wednesday.

[Devin]

Gordon,

Thanks very much. Between those and the hull red you sent, I'll have to put your name on a special dedication plaque on the finished build!

I'll hold off on mounting the boats until the very last thing. I got the blast bags on the 5" turrets painted last night, so tonight I can finish their assembly and mount them. After that I THINK I'm ready to look at the main deck railings and glossing the hull for draft markings, hull numbers, and an initial wash.

-Devin

[Devin]

The weekend of the big push. Actually, I should say the Saturday of the big push. I have a social obligation tomorrow that requires me to spend the bulk of the day at brunch and then at Barcade for a friend's birthday.

I figure if I can get everything up to and including gloss coating done today, then I can start with the decals and washes tomorrow evening when I get home. This build is due for a IPMS club group build next Friday, so not a lot of time. I'm thinking the base as-is, painted black, maybe sleeve the screws with some plastic tube, hopefully get to the rigging, but if not, then I'll have her as done as I can for Friday, then I'll have another month or so once I return from Costa Rica at the end of the month to do her up on a proper base and finish the last minute things.

A photo of her as she sits now. I got the blast bags painted on the 5" turrets, I'm ready to mount the open 5" turrets, then I THINK I can do the main deck railing. The list in the photo is by no means complete, nor is it in any semblance of an order.

[Devin]

Well, I didn't get her completely finished for the club meeting on Friday. Things at work have taken a turn and I've been busy with that and preparing for a trip to warm WARM Costa Rica this coming Tuesday. Also, it's just too damn cold to work on much of anything lately, all I feel like doing is kicking back with a drink and a book or a movie.

I've got the anchor chains installed, the .50 calibers built, and the life rafts painted. I installed the main deck railings with the netting. These worked really well up forward, but not so well back aft. I ended up cutting them, using the life raft mounts as a natural break. I'll fill in the gaps with extra life line later.

I may get some work done tomorrow, but I'm not sure. This may be the last update for 2 weeks.

[David Sandifer]

Hi, Devin

What a great work-in-progress you've shared with us! Every morning I hope ther's a new post about your work.

I'm looking forward to your approach to the boat-handling equipment on the after deckhouse. Part MA31 seems inadequate and begs for some scratchbuilding.

Regards, David

[Devin]

David,

Ah yes, that's the main problem I'm dealing with right now. I'm honestly thinking of wimping out and just not putting them in. You're correct in that the PE supplied part just doesn't cut it; it isn't even really a part, just a PE "Spru" in my opinion. I haven't found any after market sets that have those cranes, either.

I recently returned from a nice long warm stay in Costa Rica, and got back to the workbench last night. I've mounted 4 of the 6 .50 cal mounts. I'm at the point now where I need to gloss coat and start washing and weathering, so I can then move on to rigging. Hopefully some updates to post this weekend.

-Devin