The Ship Model Forum

Hello everyone,

I'm new here as a poster but have been lurking for a while now. The Trumpeter Iowa is my second work since a 45 year vacation from model building. I did the Revel Iowa when I was a kid, but the quality and size today is no comparison.

I guess the above qualifies myself as a newbie in the advanced world. My last attempt was the Tamaya Missouri 1945 as I had found an older kit. I did use the Eduard PE set and it was challenging to say the least. Made pleanty of mistakes that I can see. Most people think it great, but I know better. That said I did learn a lot about PE as the Eduard was very delicate, I think if you look at it wrong it desentigrates. Anyway as I degress....

So here I am now, working on the Iowa with the Pontos kit. The blue deck was out of stock so I have the natural. I researched and read a lot her and based on that I am seriously considering her as commissioned. I could go later in 1945, but would not have the closed bridge so I guess we will do 1943. The dazzle does not scare me, heck it would probably be easier to paint. But I'm afraid all the detail and PE would not be noticed. I have pictures she was commissioned with holly stoned decks and not sure when they were painted blue. So I'm going with measure 22 and plain decks.

I've jumped in with the PE and almost have the turrets completed and waiting on paint to finish assembly. I have completed on of the Bofors and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Also did one of the 20s and that was no fun, but learned and now feel I have a plan of attack on those. I think I'm going to do this as a top down and save the mast attachment for last as I can be clumsy. I've read the hull is not correct, and frankly that's a battle I'm not willing to tackle.

I'm committed to finishing this as the wife would be on my case if I did not finish. I also have read where many have not finished the thread they started, but I have set my mind not to do that. I'm inspired by many of the people here, especially Hank. Might I say he is doing an awesome job, maybe someday I will be fortunate enough to see it. I guess I've taken enough space running my mouth. Now it's time to get some pictures and post them as I need to be in the mood to breakout the camera, download, edit and finally upload. I'm leaning on posting them on my server and using a link then I would have Hi res pictures.

Thanks for having me and constructive criticism is always welcome. Look forward to being around here for a while.

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Scott

Salisbury, NC
USS Iowa BB61 1943 post refit
1:200 Trumpeter w/ Pontos detail up with deck
USS Missouri BB63 1945 1:350

In planning T2-SE-A2 tanker AO-82

Well alright! welcome to the fun.

Looking forward to your build; I have the same project (Iowa +Pontos) in limbo myself.

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-Jason Channell

Current Project: 1/200 Bismarck

Welcome to the Forum:

Looking forward to your build and following along.

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Mark
Master Gunnery Sergeant USMC (Ret.)
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

On the bench:

1/200 USS Enterprise, CV-6

Jumping in with both feet!

Good luck! I'll be watching intently..and welcome!

Howdy Scott! Welcome to the land of the monster boats.

She's a big sucker, ain't she? Kinda intimidating at first glance. Then when you get the Pontos kit and take a gander at all that brass and wonder "OMG! What did I let myself in for?" Did you get the second detail up kit - with the brass screws and the Veterans Quad Bofors? If you're following my build thread on the Missouri, you know I just finished all of my AA guns and am just now starting in on the fun stuff. Let me tell ya, those 20 mm Orlikons are a major pain in the ass.

Anyway, I just wanted to say I'm glad you're here and I really think it's great that another person has decided to tackle one of these beasts. I encourage you to read the entire IOWA thread and to follow the WIP threads of the rest of us who are building big battle wagons. And please, keep us informed of your progress. We learn by watching others develop new ideas and methods.

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Larry Steiner


Completed: 1:200 USS Missouri (Monster Mo)
Next project: Definitely NOT another big ship!!

First, to everyone thanks for the welcome.

Larry, yup it's big. I knew before I ordered the length, but was still surprised at the actual dimensions. I have read a good bit of the Iowa thread, all of yours and Hank's. I did not purchase the advanced kit, was considering but, after evaluating the parts and cost factor,decided not to. I did build one of the Bofors, and while the advanced look great, did not feel there was enough difference to warrant the additional costs.

I have been pouring over Iowa class pictures and now have a good idea of where to locate the 20mm magazine tensioners ( Pontos parts 131 and 132 ). Can't remember if I saw them on your turret 2, but 2 would be outside the tub on the sides and the 3rd on the back outside the tub centered between the baskets. There is a picture on page 83 of Sumrall's book. Of course Pontos said they went on tubs but........ we know about that. I did see you put the grab rungs inside on Bofors tub on turret 3, how in the heck did you drill that without breaking bits. I drilled from outside and had a heck of a time hitting the holes even with a combination of bi- focals and the optivisor. Hmmmmm, maybe I need to add my magnifying light in the equation. Anyway I said the heck with them as I'll be the only one who knows they are not there. I should have my turrets ready for paint in a day or so and will post pictures.

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Scott

Salisbury, NC
USS Iowa BB61 1943 post refit
1:200 Trumpeter w/ Pontos detail up with deck
USS Missouri BB63 1945 1:350

In planning T2-SE-A2 tanker AO-82

Scott

I gave up trying to drill the .3mm holes in the turret gun tubs. Good thing they give you a spare tub to practice on.

I ended up cutting up a spare ladder or two into 3 or 4 rung pieces and gluing them to the three places inside of the tubs.
They are not grab irons but they look fine.

Pontos Missouri instructions are missing a few steps and even some of the items on the PE sheets aren't any where in the instructions.

The brace with the open doorway in it between the main flag boxes and the foremast for example, part # 292 and it has a flange on it I made from Evergreen.

Lloyd

Scott

Here is that brace I mentioned. I realize you are building the Iowa not the Missouri but it's the same on both.

Lloyd

http://imgur.com/a/28KlG

Hey Scott. Does this help?

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Larry Steiner


Completed: 1:200 USS Missouri (Monster Mo)
Next project: Definitely NOT another big ship!!

Thanks Lloyd. Believe it or not the brace you mentioned is in the Pontos Iowa instructions! One would think the Missouri and Iowa would be the same pictures to a point. I do thank ya for the pictures, nice job your doing or did.

I will say the more I look at pictures of the oeriklons the more I feel that lump of bent PE looks funky to me on the front of the shield. The magazine looks ok, but the other piece on the side and top also looks bulky and out of place. At any rate, omiting those items would make life building and painting much easier. On the crank wheel I glued it to the other piece before removing from the sprue. I just slid a piece of wax paper underneath. I guess tonight I may make one this way paint and compare. I may assemble the barrel and the magazine and then paint gunmetal the other pieces grey and then assemble.

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Scott

Salisbury, NC
USS Iowa BB61 1943 post refit
1:200 Trumpeter w/ Pontos detail up with deck
USS Missouri BB63 1945 1:350

In planning T2-SE-A2 tanker AO-82

Yeah Larry thanks! Some pictures I've seen had them outside. In the grand scheme of things most would never know what they were and whether they were correct or not.

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Scott

Salisbury, NC
USS Iowa BB61 1943 post refit
1:200 Trumpeter w/ Pontos detail up with deck
USS Missouri BB63 1945 1:350

In planning T2-SE-A2 tanker AO-82

Here is a picture of the tensioning frame onboard the Iowa.

http://navsource.org/archives/01/061/016135.jpg

Scott

I posted some pictures of my completed Missouri I just finished on the "Completed Models" page. First try at a large scale ship and only took just over 3 years with the Pontos update set and the Veteran Models 40mm mounts.

I have a second Mo started as the Wisconsin but seem to have lost my motivation....don't know if I'll ever finish past the hull which is only partly complete.

Lloyd

Hey Scott, you asked about the boot top marking on the CASF Iowa class board.

Here is the info from the BuShips drawings:
It's from Lee Upshaw of The Scale Shipyard.
Read it carefully as the dimension are stated from designed waterline, not actual dimensions of the boot top.

Hi:
The boot top on the Iowa class battleships is indeed wider at the bow then it is at the stern.
I just pulled the Draft Marks and Boot Topping drawings for BB-61 class out of my files here. This drawing is signed off on 8-18-1941 with revisions to Jun-6-1944.

The boot top is specified as Design waterline at 34'-9 1/4" with the boot topping at the bow being 5'-6 1/2 below this line and 17" above this lone for a total of 6'-11 1/2" in width top to bottom.
At the stern it is 12 1/2" below this line and 17" above the design W.L. for a total of 29 1/2" width top to bottom.

The above data is for BB-61 & BB-62
For BB-63 through BB-66 the top of the boot top was to be at 38' 2 1/4" which would put the design W.L at 36'-9 1/4" as the boot top is typically 17" above D.W.L. on battleships. The data for BB-63 -66 was added on Jul-29-1943

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W.L. Upshaw
The Scale Shipyard

World's Largest Supplier of Large Scale Warship Hulls and Fittings
http://www.scaleshipyard.com

Well, welcome aboard and than you for having us. I think you'll find us a merry band of pranksters.

My hat is off to you for tackling this monster as your second project after a 45 year hiatus. I'm a returnee to the hobby myself after about a 35 year lay off to deal with life and other trivial matters. I'll be following your thread with great interest. I've been debating taking on the 1/200 Hornet, but I keep running up against the prospects of the cost, particularly when you add in all the obligatory after market and the dedication of so much time to one project. I have visions of this costly project sitting on my self of doom, half finished, and laughing at me every time I sit down at my hobby desk.

By all means, please keep us posted on your project. I know there are several other WIP threads going on this kit, so it you run into issues there should be a lot of support for you here. And please, don't forget to favor us with pictures of her as she comes along.

Bob M.

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Give me a fast ship, for I would like to get out of harm's way!

OK, it's been awhile since I posted progress. Pictures to follow as I have setup a place to put pictures. They will be Hi RES so you will be able to details and oh yes some heavy glue in spots. Speaking of glue , I ordered some of the Henkel loctite 401. We will see how it works, I know Kim at Pontos likes it.

Started putting portholes open and closed in areas. Tried several ways to handle them and decided a wax pencil was the best. What I found was Crayon colored pencils fit the bill. A whopping $5.00 or so for 40 of them. They work awesome so far. I am using the white now, works on PE say less than 1/4". The bigger it gets the harder you need to push to pickup the piece, and it leaves no residue behind


Another neat trick I tried is gluing a short piece of 1mm square to the base of the 20mm mounts. I can hold them in the vise and work and gives me a handle while painting.



The PE on the funnels is fun to say the least. All the 738 rungs were a pain at first after breaking three .3mm bits. Then in a moment of brilliance I tried one in my dremal tool flex shaft and it works great and using my 8" magnifying light helps see when drilling. So here is my forward funnel and base. Not perfect but for only my 2nd attempt at PE I'm mildly pleased. Nobody else will know but me, this I know from experience.

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Scott

Salisbury, NC
USS Iowa BB61 1943 post refit
1:200 Trumpeter w/ Pontos detail up with deck
USS Missouri BB63 1945 1:350

In planning T2-SE-A2 tanker AO-82

Nice work on the funnel Scott56.

I'll keep watching your build along with Larry's and any other 1/200 Iowa class builds.
Hopefully they can sustain me until I can get my own up and running again.

If you want I'll do internet research for pics of the ship where you might have questions on the detail.
At least while I have the time being away from my own build.

PH

OK, Finished Turret 3. I used the Pontos parts 751 and 752 for the gun director. Looks better than the Trumpy PE.


I did not order the advanced kit as I thought I'd try to use the parts in the regular kit for the Quads. Though there is some cutting and filing, they are not too bad as I can now knock one out in about 30 minutes. Actually when finished I can't tell a big difference than the Veteran's Quads. I am really pleased with the results. I did leave off part 756 and 757 as they were a pain and really no big difference IMO. Anyway here are some pics.



As I stated this is going to be a top down. I do have a question though. Anyone have an idea of the extra parts supplied by Pontos? I'd like to use as much as I can since I paid for the parts. I have figured out porthole stuff, fire hoses and load brackets for the 20mm so far. Any help is appreciated.

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Scott

Salisbury, NC
USS Iowa BB61 1943 post refit
1:200 Trumpeter w/ Pontos detail up with deck
USS Missouri BB63 1945 1:350

In planning T2-SE-A2 tanker AO-82

Scott,

There is no list of extra parts on any of the 3rd party PE sets. You just have to inventory them yourself. Some of the very small parts have extras, some don't. They are expensive enough as is; adding an ENGLISH version of a parts list I'm sure would for the most part be impossible. Accept it the way it is

By the way, your model is coming along nicely

Hank

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HMS III
Mocksville, NC
BB62 vet 68-69

Builder's yard:
USS STODDARD (DD-566) 66-68 1:144, Various Lg Scale FC Directors
Finished:
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 1:200
USN Sloop/Ship PEACOCK (1813) 1:48
ROYAL CAROLINE (1748) 1:47
AVS (1768) 1:48

Guess I have been busy, I guess that's the advantage of being semi retired. Anyway, I finished up the rear funnel and the Pontos mast assy was somewhat of a pain but I managed to get it.

I had a tad too much glue in spots, but it does not seem to show. I'm still not real happy with my PE skills yet but for my second attempt, I guess I'm not doing too bad. I found some of my soldering picks and have ground one down like a dentist pick which seems to be working much better.


Drilled the hull for mounting with rivet nuts I had laying around. These are slick, but pricey if you were to use it for models only as the tool is around 75.00 and the rivets are around .25 which is fairly cheap. Picked up a shelf board and cut it down for temporary use until I build case. At least I have a way to hold it in place while scribing then time for deck and painting. I am not going to correct the hull this go around as I want to pick my battles. I have enough challenges with this and the PE.

I did not buy the advanced PE set so I am now looking for screws I would like brass so I could weather them to look more like bronze.

I have finished the SK radar and the MK38 main gun directors which are awaiting paint, the first was a bear, the second not so bad, thanks to Pontos fantastic directions.

Anyway, until the next installment. Yes I will finish this thing and keep posting my progress.

_________________
Scott

Salisbury, NC
USS Iowa BB61 1943 post refit
1:200 Trumpeter w/ Pontos detail up with deck
USS Missouri BB63 1945 1:350

In planning T2-SE-A2 tanker AO-82