Hi guys, David from Czech Rep. here.
When I was 12 or so, I started to read books about the naval warfare in the WWII and I became an enthusiastic modeller...you know, what I mean. Just glue all the damned things together in one day, somehow paint the result next day...wow, I have an amazing Bismarck! Does it actually float when I put it into an aquarium? Yes, it does! Will it sink when I apply a little pressure? Yesssss, it will! Onto Yamato now! But it was certainly fun...
20 years later.Hm, I am really interested whether I am able to build something with little more quality than my childhood creations. But I am...scared. Hell, if I won't start now, I will not ever. So, here I am.
The ships I always liked the most, were the post-Pearl Harbor upgraded/rebuilt US Navy battleships, mainly Tennessee, California and West Virginia. The iconic image of USS Tennesse bombarding Okinawa, the compact pyramidal structure bristling with huge amount of guns, platforms, radars and antennas...just BADASS. Hey, Trumpeter released 1/700 USS Tennessee, 1944! Awesome, I will have my own "Rebel Ship"! So I started with the "Big T". It went really good but after some time I deliberately decided to stop the work and to mothball the current progress. The main reason was the daunting MEAS32 camouflage scheme. I just didn't want to screw my favourite battleship until I get used to some modelling techniques. In the meantime, I bought USS California (1945) and USS West Virginia (1944). But I didn't started with either of them. WeeVee was out of the question because of the MEAS32. USS California was the hot candidate but in the meantime I decided - if I am supposed to get used to more than basic stuff, I have to go big time. Photo etching, metal barrels, trying wooden decks and so on. And since no 1/700 14''/50 metal barrels are available yet, I had to start with the kit that has all the mentioned. This brought me to the rest of the Colorado class. And since USS Colorado is again in the MEAS32, here we go. Hello, my name is USS Maryland, status as after the summer 1945 refit.
Components of the intended build:
- 1/700 USS Maryland (1945) kit; Trumpeter #5770
- Wooden deck; Artwox #20151
- Brass USN 16''/45 Mark 1 Barrels; Master #SM-700-040
- Brass USN 5''/38 Mark 12 Barrels; Master #SM-350-017
- Photo etched WWII USN Radars; White Ensign Models #789
- Photo etched 40mm Bofors AA guns; Eduard #99037 - edit: replaced by the resin Quadruple 40-mm Bofors Autocannons (no shields) + Twin 40-mm Bofors Autocannons; 3D Model Parts #U706 + #U704 - Photo etched 20mm Oerlikon AA guns; Eduard #99035 - edit: replaced by the resin Twin 20-mm Oerlikon Cannons - Tripod Mount; 3D Model Parts #U703- Photo etched USN Ship Doors and Windows; Eduard #99041
- Photo etched USN Railing; Eduard #99005 - edit: changed for the 3 bar rails; Tom's Modelworks #704- Photo etched USN Ladders; Eduard #99038
- Photo etched USN Extra Ladders; Eduard #99060
Edit (included during the build):
- Resin 5''/38 Gun Turrets (Reduced Scale); 3D Model Parts #U711
- Photo etched US Naval Radars (because of better shaped Mark 12+Mark 22 and Mark 8 radars); Tom's Modelworks #706
- Photo etched 40mm mounts (just for railings and one shield); Tom's Modelworks #740
- Photo etched Cage Mast Details (for detailing the yardarms and foremast supporting structures); Tom's Modelworks #775
- Photo etched USN Cable Reels; Eduard #99047
You probably have read all the reviews of the kit, it is not my intention to go through all the details. Just the main findings. The kit is very nice in my opinion. The main deficiencies are too wide anti-torpedo blisters and not particularly well shaped front sides of the 5'' turrets. But I decided to live with these. Minor deficiencies are related to the radar equipment. The kit has the Mark 3 fire control radar on the top of the front mast and the Mark 8 FCR on the top of the aft superstructure (instead of the newly installed Mark 13). But as I plan to replace the plastic radars by the WEM photo etched, it is of no concern. Final little mistakes are related to 40mm Bofors guns. They are all shielded in the kit but according to photos, only the bow installation actually was. Moreover, two 4x40mm sets are supposed to be installed on the forward superstructure. In the reality, 2x40mm should be there. Again, the photo etched AA weaponry will be used, no concern about this.
The provided pictures illustrate the current status:
- Dry fitting of the main modules was completed. Virtually nothing is glued together (especially the front superstructure) just for the purpose of painting. Small components as searchlights, hovering platforms, ladders etc. are not yet present, they will be installed after the painting.
- 10 pieces of unshielded 4x40mm, 2 pieces of unshielded 2x40mm and 1 piece of shielded 4x40mm shielded Bofors were completed
- 20 pieces of twin 20mm Oerlikons were completed. I have to figure out how to create the one experimental quadruple 20mm Oerlikon
- AA weaponry is not cemented, just placed for the purpose of the pictures
- Plastic 16''/45 barrels were replaced by the brass ones
- Everything mentioned except the AA weaponry was primed (just for the purpose of getting used to work with airbrush). The results are particularly good, at least for myself
Steps for the immediate future
- I decided to replace the already installed brass 16''/45 guns by the variant without blastbags. Double work but who cares. I like them more.
- The photo-etched doors will replace the original ones and will be installed where they are not present and should be
- Replacement of the original plastic 5''/38 barrels by the brass ones
- Replacement of the original plastic radars by the photo-etched ones (yes, I will get rid of the Mark 3 FCR on the top of the front mast)
- The parts affected by the above mentioned actions will be re-primed
After that
- The rest, no particular plan yet
Edit: Corrected ID of the kit (5770 instead of 5570)
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So...I did not have to wait, I did not have to start the Washington... It's rather ridiculous. Never mind.
