1:200 USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 68-69 (Trumpeter MISSOURI kit)

[BB62vet]

Brett,

Thanks - I really appreciate the support! If I had it to do over again, I might have added one more foldable section with which to actually mate the framework to the conning tower. I didn't as it wasn't part of the real structure. Sometimes a bit of necessary fudging might be advisable for sanity's sake !

[Fliger747]

Indeed, attaching small structures in a model can be significantly more difficult than the original! Hard to send in the 1:200 welders!

Came out well despite the intervening adventures!

Cheers: Tom

[BB62vet]

Thanks, Tom!!! Yea, those 1:200 welders keep getting lost in the interior.....maybe time for muster call!!!

[tko24]

Thanks, Tom!!! Yea, those 1:200 welders keep getting lost in the interior.....maybe time for muster call!!!

Your Vietnam New Jersey is a masterpiece! Unfortunately my 1/200 1956 Wisconsin came to a screeching halt just as I was finally starting on it after I got my cancer diagnosis this past October. I got too sick to work on it after my radiation and chemo started. I'm a few months out from my treatments and starting to feel a little better and a little bit stronger, but just had a recent setback. Hopefully I can get back to it sometime soon. I'm very grateful for the work and research that you, Steve Larsen and Rick put in getting that 1/200 quadruped mainmast done for me. I feel bad that it took time away from the projects you all have going.

[BB62vet]

Tom,

No problem, that research isn't going anywhere! I hope you'll get back to model building and the '56 Wisky will see new life?

Thanks for the kind remarks. I hope to finally finish this fall. Deck items & odds & ends at this point.

Later,

Hank

[Thomas E. Johnson]

Really freaking awesome build!!!

[BB62vet]

Thomas,

Thanks so much for the remark - always good to know others find this interesting!!!

[Channell]

Got myself caught up on your build Hank and wow is she an incredible beauty! Your planning, modifications and long-haul patience have really paid off!

[BB62vet]

Jason,

Thanks so much!!! Haven't heard from you lately, but then, we too are in a busy state trying to ready a house to get moved into this fall and my forum time is virtually nil. Much going on - will be glad once things are ready and in progress, then DONE!!! Back to having a bit of free time, etc.

The model is close, but still working on it each night.

Later,

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Till ya seal it in a case (locked) and forget where the key is, it will never be done... It's how the builder always looks at a model as opposed to everyone else. That said, good thing the original constructors weren't model builders. That said, didn't keep the Navy from tinkering with it for 50 years!

Enjoy the new digs! Tom

[BB62vet]

NEW JERSEY shifted colors yesterday morning and has been re-assigned a new homeport - from Selma, NC to Mocksville, NC. She arrived yesterday afternoon and is awaiting mooring instructions from the dockmaster.

Here is a photo of her prior to leaving the builder's yard:

Once I have figured out how to post photos to the 'completed' gallery I will post more photos of the finished model and this build will be considered to be COMPLETED. 7 years and lots of time, research, and effort to build this model. As I am retiring the first week in April, this comes within my time forecast, so All's Well That Ends Well!

[ModelMonkey]

Brilliant, Hank!!

[Fliger747]

Congratulations Hank! It's been seven years already? How time flies! Considering the plethora of change orders enacted from the original "kit", a reasonable amount of time!

Looks elegant sitting on the dry-docking blocks!

Cheers: Tom

[Dan K]

Just beautiful.

[Guest]

Great job Hank! She looks fantastic.

[steinerman]

Gorgeous!! What a beautiful ship! She looks great. If I might ask, who built your case?

[BB62vet]

All respondents:

Thanks for the kind remarks! Much appreciated. Just loaded the model into CaddyWagon for transport to the get-together in G-boro tomorrow. I will get more useful shots of the model then where it's a bit more accessable than my garage!!!

Larry S. - the acrylic upper case was fabed to my size specs. by Specialty Plastics, Fabrication Inc., Hamilton, OH (ttps://www.casesforcollectibles.com/acrylicboxes.html) - it wasn't cheap and shipping was also rather steep - they freight delivery by semi (yea, total overkill, but it is what it is!). The base was cut & size by another forum member who posted his USS IOWA build last year - Scott Wigginton, from Salisbury, NC (not far from me). The raised base allows the case to slip over the top level and works out very well.

Hank

[Thomas E. Johnson]

Congratulations!!!

[Fliger747]

A great achievement! Ship models often take longer to complete than the real thing! Perhaps at only slightly reduced cost, but maybe a similar proportion of the overall budget.

[BB62vet]

Thanks Tom & Thomas!!!

I plan to post photos in the Gallery - it's just that the photos I currently have available simply "don't cut it" and I'm hoping to get one of my friends, nearby to help out in the next weekend or so to take some useable photos of NJ - then I'll add it to the Gallery website.

It's now occupying a space in the garage (under plastic cover) next to my huge PEACOCK model waiting for a better locale'!!

Hank