Link:
http://www.shapeways.com/shops/Model_Monkey
It is available in 1/700 and 1/350 scales now and will be in 1/200, 1/192, 1/128 and 1/96 scales shortly. Just go to the site above and click on the scale you are interested in on the left side of the page.
- overall dimensions precisely scaled from US Navy O.P.1112 (2nd Rev.) "Gun Mount and Turret Catalog" drawings dated 15 January 1945
- accurately shaped armored rangefinder hoods
- four crew access doors and 172 hex-head exterior bolts properly positioned, sized and correctly placed according to photos of the actual turrets
- separate trunnion, slotted for your favorite brass barrels (barrels not included) to allow you to position the guns to any realistic elevation from -5 degrees to +40 degress just like the real turret
The US Navy installed three 8"/55 caliber Triple Turrets on the following heavy cruisers of World War II fame:
USS Northampton CA-26
USS Chester CA-27
USS Lousiville CA-28
USS Chicago CA-29
USS Houston CA-30
USS Augusta CA-31
USS Portland CA-33
USS Indianapolis CA-35
These turrets are not suitable for USS New Orleans CA-32 or USS Astoria CA-34. They had a different kind of triple turret.
A combination set of Twin and Triple 8"/55 cal. turrets for USS Pensacola CA-24 and USS Salt Lake City CA-25 is available separately. Those two ships had two Twin Turrets and two Triple Turrets.
These 250-ton Triple Turrets carried three Mk.9 guns each, later upgraded to Mk.14 guns. Please use your favorite brass barrels or your kit's parts.
The set is available in both "Frosted Ultra Detail" and "Frosted Extreme Detail" acrylic plastics. Both are printed in the same acrylic plastic using the same $70k printer but at a different resolution. Ultra is the more economical option of the two and is printed in layers 29 microns thick. Extreme is printed in layers just 16 microns thick producing the best detail possible but is more costly because it takes nearly twice as long to print nearly twice as many layers (time = money).
Some part cleanup will be necessary. The 3D printing process uses a waxy substance to support certain part features. Although the parts are cleaned by Shapeways, some waxy residue may remain. It can be safely removed with water and a mild aqueous detergent like "Simple Green" using an old, soft toothbrush, Q-tips or pipe cleaners. Customers report that "Bestine" and "Goo Gone" also work well.
During the printing process, liquid resin is cured by ultraviolet light. Microscopic bits of resin may remain uncured. Let your parts sit in direct sunlight for a few hours to fully cure the resin.
Water-based acrylic paints meant for plastics is strongly recommended. Other paints, especially enamels, may not cure on Frosted Detail 3D-printed plastics.
� Model Monkey Book and Hobby. This 3D-printed item may not be copied or recast.
