1/200 Arizona to Pennsylvania Conversion

[Mgunns]

I am enjoying this build, it has been fun and challenging to this point. I think I am past the major mods and now it is the assembly. Thanks for all who have stopped by, looked and commented.

[Chuck Bauer]

Your Arizona is a treat in person and the photos don't really do it justice. I'm guessing that that will be the same here.
I admire your patience and skills, and how it is reflected in these amazing construction details.

I've recently read this whole thread and all the supportive commentary.
In recent weeks I have come to appreciate your decisions regarding the inclusion or exclusion of the details, and how you execute the detailing you decide to include.
When this is finished, I expect it will have set the bar for USS Pennsylvania's, both in aesthetics and historical accuracy.
You are so advanced in your techniques that I don't think you need kudos from me on a regular basis. But if something is particularly interesting, I will try to make a point of speaking up in a meaningful way.

In a nutshell, Bravo!

[Mgunns]

Hi Chuck:

Thanks for your comments and compliments about my work, all duly appreciated. I am in the mundane of the build right now, so not a lot of pics to post, but once I make some measurable progress I will post some pics with the usual "erudite" commentary.

[gott_cha]

Looking forward to the Updates Mark.

[Mgunns]

Thanks Mark for stopping by and your comments: I have been spending time on the myriad of minutiae of deck fittings. I have the guns installed to include the 3" guns that were on the Pennsylvania prior to and during the attack. These came from Di Steffan and are very nicely done. The PE is a combination of Eduard and the KA/MKI set for the Arizona. I painted all the ladder wells and underside of the hatches white and fixed most of them open using the Eduard set for the braces. I painted the braces white to represent the rope that was on the stanchions.




I also fixed the vents in their proper place. These are from Steve Larsen's Pennsylvania collection and really enhance the overall appearance definitely making this a representation of Pennsylvania. I used the kit vents placed against the barbette of turret three. The Pennsylvania's were different, but I didn't feel like scratching those as I didn't feel they were that much different and make an impact on the overall appearance of the model.




Once these were fixed and set I fixed the main mast, superstructure and stack to the model. I am pleased with the way it is turning out. I have taken some short cuts as I have been working on this for over a year and I would like to see it completed. I have most of the rest of the sub assemblies finished, it is now just placing them on the model, rigging and that is about it.






I was experimenting with soda straws for the hawse flanges but just couldn't seem to get them to either fit, or look right, so I canked that idea. Once the anchors are in place it isn't real noticeable.

I will be updating once I make more progress.

Until that time.

[gott_cha]

What can I say Mark....you captured Her look.
I like how you constructed the platform under the Crane King Posts with the descending ladders, I had included that on my 1/350 but was so small it's hardly noticeable.
Like your idea about using the "white" as a underside counter shading. All the little paint details to reach a color contrast sure eat up time and make for a long haul.
The "Z" vent by Steve sure look nice don't they?
I see you included the Barrel rests "small wire" for the 5-51 casement outer walls......good catch!....oh and the forward most 3in guns that most folk don't even seem to know about.
This is really looking fine and am sure it will look fabulous placed beside Arizona in your display case when it's done.

Can hardly wait for the next progress or completion pics.

[ModelMonkey]

[BB62vet]

Mark,

Finally got into the website - don't know what was wrong earlier today. Looks Great! Nice, crisp detail on everything. I think the custom parts add a lot to the effect.

Hank

[Chuck Bauer]

Nice guns, Gunns. Seriously, it is fascinating to see those two 3" guns in there. Very noticeable in this scale.

At first I was wondering about the white hatch braces but now I get it. They must have wound ropes around the metal, I guess, and you captured that by not making the whole post white. Good job on the research and on the execution.

That bridge area is just fabulous.

(Actually it all is.)

And those low angle photos are outstanding. The ones looking up into that brilliant blue Arizona sky take one's breath away.

[Mgunns]

Thanks everyone for your comments and stopping by to scope out the build. Thanks again to Steve (Model Monkey) for providing the details to make this a Pennsylvania. The Vents do make it stand apart as well as the superstruture.

@Chuck: Yes, the stanchions had braided white rope wrapped around them. I imagine this gave a better hand hold in wet or humid conditions; I imagine too that some young Apprentice seaman assigned to the deck force was given the task under the watchful eye of a first class Petty Officer or a Chief Bosun . It added to the ship shape appearance of the ship and offered a more secure hand hold on the stanchion. They didn't go down all the way and I tried to capture that with white paint. Those little buggers are certainly a fiddly lot to put on.
On to the boats and staffs.

I am energized to focus on completion but not to rush it.

Thanks again for stopping by and your compliments.

[MartinJQuinn]

Really nice work, Mark. She looks great.

[Mgunns]

Thanks Martin for stopping by and checking out the build progress. Compliments duly appreciated.

[Mgunns]

Okay, this project has been a little over a year with about a 3 month hiatis, some set backs and is almost ready for the show case. I got the anchors and chain on. I had a spare piece of chain from the Arizona build and it was a little larger than the chain I was using for the Pennsylvania and I used it for the anchor chain "hold down" or whatever it serves.




I also managed to get the antennae lead from the fore top to the jack staff rigged. For the Union Jack, I used the kit decal, decaled it to a piece of aluminium foil from a Hershey's kiss and wrapped it around the halyard I had placed there using eyelets and EZ line.

I used the Eduard Chain Brakes and fahioned some trip styrene to simulate the band that would stop the runaway capstan.



Those are some fiddly things to assemble and place.

I also managed to get the National Ensign on the Ensign staff using the same method.


Moving along: I wasn't happy with the Radar array once it was on the ship. It was leaning back and just didn't look right.
I didn't have any good photo's of it on the Pennsylvania but after viewing Jeff Sharp's latest post on his diorama, I noticed that the radars on the ships were perpendicular to the deck, so I adjusted mine accordingly.

[url=http://s942.photobucket.com/user/ptbarnum101/media/Pennsylvania/Miscellaneous/DSC02893.jpg.html]




I am much happier with it now than before. It looks "official."

I then went on to the Paravanes. I got the North Star Paravane set, the same one I used on my Arizona build with less than stellar results. I am sure in the hands of a younger and more capable modeler, they would outstanding, but I found them to be fiddly and more trouble than they were worth, that being written, I used them. Pennsylvania's paravanes were stowed upright sans the tail fin assembly, so I did that.

The image below is of Pennsylvania in 1935, the paravanes are stowed upright on the barbette for turret #2. Later photo's also show a paravane on a skid like aparatus lying on the deck.



This is at Mare Island in 1942:



Other photo's show the Paravanes in other positions on the deck, so I chose to stage mine facing forward.




I used the North Star paravanes for the barbette. I had modified two of the kit paravanes using the AK/MKI Set with some PE for the paravanes, and liked the way they looked, I used some scrap PE and rod for the floats, (an Idea I borrowed from Chuck Bauer) and placed them on a skid. I had some extra kit supplied Kingfisher Trolley's, so I put those to use as the paravane skid. For chain I used chain from the Eduard Chain Railing set, which I wasn't going to use for it's intended purpose. It may not be exact, but it represents a skid and I think it looks better than having the paravane lying on the deck.

I also started to put on the chain railings. I really like the AK/MKI chain railings, they are spaced properly and made for the Arizona kit. They certainly did their research and the fit is very good. I also added the ladder from the main deck to the 02 level and the railings at that level as well as railings around the aft gun tub.







That's it for tonight folks. I should be wrapping this up soon.

Just for fun, Chuck Bauer played with some of my Arizona Photo's with the following results, I think they look pretty cool.

[BB62vet]

Mark,

She really looks good!! Very impressive indeed. I think you've really achieved the ship as she appeared in Dec. '41. All the added detail is, of course, very convincing.

I think Chuck did a great job with his photos on your ARIZONA - maybe this is what we all need to do to hide the mistakes and blemishes !

Hank

[hondaman117]

That's quite an update Mark! You've made a lot of progress since your last post, she's looking really good.

I like the MK1 railings, I wonder if it's possible to get them separate from the rest of the kit? I wouldn't mind using those if I can't get the Eduard ones to play nice.

Any thoughts on what your next project will be once Pennsy is complete?


Keep up the good work, then end is in sight.

[Mgunns]

Mark,

She really looks good!! Very impressive indeed. I think you've really achieved the ship as she appeared in Dec. '41. All the added detail is, of course, very convincing.

I think Chuck did a great job with his photos on your ARIZONA - maybe this is what we all need to do to hide the mistakes and blemishes !

Hank

Mistakes and blemishes? Where? Yes, I think the Pennsy Project turned out pretty good. I am happy with it so far, maybe the photo's will hide more mistakes and blemishes. Funny, how you never see them until the photo and by then most times it is too late to repair or the motivation just isn't there. Thanks for stopping by and checking it out.

[Mgunns]

That's quite an update Mark! You've made a lot of progress since your last post, she's looking really good.

I like the MK1 railings, I wonder if it's possible to get them separate from the rest of the kit? I wouldn't mind using those if I can't get the Eduard ones to play nice.

Any thoughts on what your next project will be once Pennsy is complete?


Keep up the good work, then end is in sight.

Hi Nelson:

Thanks for checking it out and your comments, duly appreciated. Sadly, MKI sells it only as a kit, so the deck is part and parcel of the set. I am in the final throes and look forward to putting it in the case. I am not sure what I am going to do. I am thinking something very simple straight out of the box.

[Jeff Sharp]

Mark,
This is so friggin' cool! Congratulations! She is looking spectacular! One of a kind. I guarantee there has never been a more accurate model of Pennsy ever built. Something to be very proud of.
Jeff

[Mgunns]

Hi Jeff:

Thanks so much for scoping out the build and your favorable comments, duly appreciated.

[Mgunns]

Okay folks: I am calling this project finished. Started in January 2016 in Wisconsin, finished on 17 March 2017 in Arizona. It was a challenge and tested my scratchbuilding skills. I took the photos in the morning to capture the rising sun.

Special thanks to Chuck Bauer for ideas and encouragement, Steve "Model Monkey" Larsen for the 3D printed materials unique the Pennsylvania, Hank Strub for his drawings and materials, "Gottcha" for materials, Randy "tegunn" for ideas and encouragement, Hondaman 117, and Jeff Sharp for his comments and motivation and to the members of the Forum who stopped by to look and comment.
Enjoy.




















Thanks for stopping by