Model Monkey Sneak Peeks

bioshock73 · Post by **bioshock73** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:43 am

If only I could find an accurate number of twin 20mm's on the Pennsylvania in '45. I know turrets 2 and 3 had 3 each.

Aop Aur · Post by **Aop Aur** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 1:50 am

Very impressive indeed! I wonder how many headaches you get creating such complex parts!

Have you tried the new Fusion 360 software?

Aop

medicmike · Post by **medicmike** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 1:16 pm

WOW! I love seeing all your stuff as you roll it out. Here is an off-the-wall question. Do you sell the 1/350 Hood blast bags separately or only as part of the entire turret assembly?

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 5:34 am

Thanks so much , fellas!

Mike, PM sent.

Aop, yes, Fusion 360 is a superb program. I hope to to shift most design work to that program this summer (too many "legacy" designs in other software to do it now).

Thanks again!

Daytona675R · Post by **Daytona675R** » Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:47 am

Steve, most impressed by the Pennsy superstructure, really! Just a question - will the 1/700 version be released as a one-piece structure as well? I'm asking just because I'm a bit concerned about being able to paint such a complex structure, if it does...

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Sat Apr 14, 2018 6:26 am

Hi David,

Thanks for the compliments!

I hope to be able to offer the 1/700 superstructure in parts. The final configuration depends on printing requirements.

The 1/350 superstructure had to be offered fully assembled mostly because of its size, and offered only in Frosted Ultra Detail (FUD). By separating it into decks and laying the decks out for printing, the array of parts became too big for the printer.

Even fully assembled (smaller "footprint"), it is so big that it exceeds the printing requirements for Frosted Extreme Detail (FXD) therefore can't be offered in that material. The other advantage in designing it fully assembled is that fewer parts keeps the price down; Shapeways charges a fee for each part since each part gets cleaned by hand at the factory (more parts = more labor = higher price).

Since the 1/700 superstructure is smaller (1/8th the size of the 1/350 superstructure in volume), it will be far less costly to print, and at the same time more likely to be able to meet FXD requirements. I hope to be able to separate it into 3 or 4 parts for easy painting yet still meet requirements for FXD, a better material for smaller objects, and keep the price reasonable.

With this design's complex geometry, even in 1/700 scale, an airbrush will probably be the best painting technique due to the exposed internal fighting top. The fighting top is essentially open on the bottom and there is a lot of structure inside that is visible but would be really difficult to access and paint with a brush in any scale. See:

I'll know more when I begin to re-scale the design for 1/700 and upload it to Shapeways for analysis. [edit: Done! 1/700 forward superstructure is available in separate pieces.]

Thanks again!

Daytona675R · Post by **Daytona675R** » Sun Apr 15, 2018 2:15 am

Steve, thank you very much for the response, you are doing an amazing job!

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Sun Jul 08, 2018 5:30 pm

Thank you, David! And yes, per your request, in 1/700 scale the Pennsylvania forward superstructure is available in separate parts for easier cleaning and painting.

In other news, I am finishing up a few different projects. One of them is a 6"/53 cal. twin-gun turret for Omaha class cruisers. Here's the design at about 90% complete with details matching those of USS Detroit CL-8's turrets' wartime appearance. The turret will be made available in several popular scales including 1/700 and 1/350. Due to its fineness, the rooftop tank piping will only be available in 1/96 scale.

gtbred · Post by **gtbred** » Mon Jul 09, 2018 7:43 pm

Damn Steve that is some great work!

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:50 pm

Thanks so much! Semper Fi!

The 6"53 cal. Mk.16 turret design is complete. First availability is 1/96 scale. Link: http://shpws.me/Quud

Daytona675R · Post by **Daytona675R** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 11:50 am

ModelMonkey wrote:Thank you, David! And yes, per your request, in 1/700 scale the Pennsylvania forward superstructure is available in separate parts for easier cleaning and painting...

I know, Steve, I ordered it immediately when you realeased it in May, along with other stuff. And I absolutely love it. Thank you, sir! Looking forward to the new items!

taskforce48 · Post by **taskforce48** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:07 pm

So what�s the scoop with the hot water heater?

it appears almost always on the aft turret but it�s absent in some shots of the forward turret?
Fantastic looking design, when I ever get around to my ISW Detroit, a set of these will be sorely needed.

Keep up the great work Steve!!

Matt

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:12 pm

Thanks, guys!

No, no, it's either a flux capacitor or Kamikaze repellent tank. Photos indicate that this large tank appears on wartime ships. Photos of the ships from the 1920s show two much smaller tanks straddling the turret roof. I will leave it to the experts to declare its purpose and when the two smaller tanks were replaced with the single, centerline, large tank.

1/350 is ready! Link: http://shpws.me/QuBN

As always, nameplates with decorative nautical rope border made in real metal (brass, bronze, silver or gold-plated), or inexpensive acrylic for easy painting, of any ship of the class can be designed for your model.

SeanF · Post by **SeanF** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:27 pm

ModelMonkey wrote:Thanks, guys!

No, no, it's either a flux capacitor or Kamikaze repellent tank.

Well, no wonder they quit using them... as relatively "fast" as Scout Cruisers are, they certainly couldn't make it to the 88 mph required for the thing to activate! (I guess that would be 76.5 knots... or would a full 88 knots be required for it to activate on the ocean, I wonder? Ah, maybe that's what tripped them up!

)

- Sean F.

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Wed Jul 11, 2018 7:03 pm

Hehe, thanks, Sean!

Another design nearing completion may be of interest to Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress fans. Here's a set of highly detailed, 1/48 scale flaps for the classic Monogram and Revell kits (admit it, you built as least one). The design is about 90% complete. This set will include just 4 parts for easy cleaning, painting and assembly (2 flaps and 2 flap bays with actuator rods integral to the bays in the correct position for lowered flaps). It is intended as an attractive alternative for those who have difficulty with photo-etch.

This is an original design, not a 3D-printed copy of any resin or photo-etch set.

Boxart: Scalemates.com

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Wed Jul 11, 2018 7:46 pm

DavidP wrote:who says it is hot water as most likely is a compressed air tank.

From what I've read the tank was part of a fire sprinkler system. The large tank was probably a pressurized water tank and the small twin (pipe size) ones were probably part of the distribution system to the sprinkler heads. The details would be interesting since I know of no other gun mount with an external system like this. Is it possible that the construction of the large tank used much heavier plate for "shrapnel" protection? Photos show riveting that suggests a very robust design. The system is evident on all ships of the class prior to WW II as seen in Warship Pictorial 6.

Captain Morgan · Post by **Captain Morgan** » Thu Jul 12, 2018 5:09 pm

Steve wrote:
DavidP wrote:who says it is hot water as most likely is a compressed air tank.
From what I've read the tank was part of a fire sprinkler system. The large tank was probably a pressurized water tank and the small twin (pipe size) ones were probably part of the distribution system to the sprinkler heads. The details would be interesting since I know of no other gun mount with an external system like this. Is it possible that the construction of the large tank used much heavier plate for "shrapnel" protection? Photos show riveting that suggests a very robust design. The system is evident on all ships of the class prior to WW II as seen in Warship Pictorial 6.

This is what I thought it was and would make sense. Sprinkler or deluge systems require relatively high volume pumps and pressure to work successfully. A gravity drain system would make sense in the timeframe of the Omaha class�s design since high volume electric centrifugal pumps weren�t plentiful at the time, and fire mains designed in the era were not very robust as demonstrated on Akagi at Midway.

Captain Morgan · Post by **Captain Morgan** » Thu Jul 12, 2018 5:21 pm

ModelMonkey wrote:Hi David,

Thanks for the compliments!

I hope to be able to offer the 1/700 superstructure in parts. The final configuration depends on printing requirements.

The 1/350 superstructure had to be offered fully assembled mostly because of its size, and offered only in Frosted Ultra Detail (FUD). By separating it into decks and laying the decks out for printing, the array of parts became too big for the printer.

Even fully assembled (smaller "footprint"), it is so big that it exceeds the printing requirements for Frosted Extreme Detail (FXD) therefore can't be offered in that material. The other advantage in designing it fully assembled is that fewer parts keeps the price down; Shapeways charges a fee for each part since each part gets cleaned by hand at the factory (more parts = more labor = higher price).

Since the 1/700 superstructure is smaller (1/8th the size of the 1/350 superstructure in volume), it will be far less costly to print, and at the same time more likely to be able to meet FXD requirements. I hope to be able to separate it into 3 or 4 parts for easy painting yet still meet requirements for FXD, a better material for smaller objects, and keep the price reasonable.

With this design's complex geometry, even in 1/700 scale, an airbrush will probably be the best painting technique due to the exposed internal fighting top. The fighting top is essentially open on the bottom and there is a lot of structure inside that is visible but would be really difficult to access and paint with a brush in any scale. See:

Model Monkey 1-350 Pennsylvania Superstructure 1945 forward e.jpg
I'll know more when I begin to re-scale the design for 1/700 and upload it to Shapeways for analysis. [edit: Done! 1/700 forward superstructure is available in separate pieces.]

Thanks again!

I�ve been looking at your 1/350 West Virginia superstructure and was wondering if you can do it in 1/700 since I have an old Classics Warships kit i want to build. I�ve ordered the MK19 directors in 1/700 for my Houston and West Virginia. I also want to get fighting tops if they�re available. I found your products to be great so far. Please keep it up. Even if it will dent my wallet.

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:42 pm

Thanks so much, fellas!

Regarding re-scaling the 1/350 BB-48 superstructure to 1/700 scale, I hope to be able to do that in the foreseeable future (perhaps August?). There are some technical challenges with the existing design's geometry that make it resistant to re-scaling but it will come.

For 1/700 fighting tops, 3D Modelparts offers a very nice set in 1/700 and cage masts, too.

Tops: http://www.3dmodelparts.com/1-700-fight ... -colorado/
Masts: http://www.3dmodelparts.com/1-700-cage- ... ttleships/

Hope this is all good news!

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:21 pm

Later this month, I hope to release a cockpit for the classic Revell 1/32 scale Bristol Beaufighter. Here are some renderings of the design at 75% complete.