The Ship Model Forum

Sauragnmon wrote:Looking good, Carl. You also helped highlight places I'll have to make considerations for when I start building the Mightier Mo. I'm not sure if the stack section on the aft, between the Harpoon Tubes, is big enough for one of the VLS, but I hope to be able to fit three of them lengthwise into that section. I would have asked you for comparison, but you already sent me the two spares you had. I already have a feeling I'll have to bulk out the sides of the aft structure as well, so that the structure itself is flush with the top deck. I think the narrow side of the VLS will manage to fit between the harpoons in a raised section, and since I'm planning on using all flat mounts in that location, with the angled ones in the forward block, it should be doable I think. I'm thinking I can manage to keep the Harpoons for additional capacity as well.

Oh, here's an interesting thing - the guns, by being only 3mm too long, actually translate, in scale, to being a little over a whole five calibers longer. Just thought I'd throw that interesting little tidbit out there.

I also want to build a what-if version of Iowa class but i was thinking about a less extensive "modernisation"

128 VLS cells plus the new 5-inch/62s and of course substituting Phallanx with RAM. I want also to add an SPS-48 or SPY-1(although i cannot find the proper place for it ).

I think your build might give me some ideas.

Yeah, I'm going to look into the thought of RAM launchers, I was thinking of positioning them centerline, possibly in the position of the old turret-top bofors mounts. Being that they need no magazine access under them, I thought it might not be impossible to position them there.

Curious how you plan, exactly, to have 128 cells in your VLS mounting?

5"/62's I'm not sure about, it'd be hard to acquire them without a supplier, as they're only on the newer Burkes in plastic, as I don't think anybody's producing Flight II Ticons, which would have two of them. That's the big reason I'm using the 5/54's, mostly because they were easy enough to acquire, thanks to the wonderful help of Carl. I'm truely cursing how long it takes my LHS to get the stock in, I just called and he's still got no news from Hobbycraft with regards to the stuff I've got on order.

Thanks for the comments on Gold Rover! At the moment I have no plans to use her in a diorama due to space issues.

Iowa conversion maniacs, I am disappointed. There are no Harriers or ski jumps in your plans........


( only joking' I especially look forward to seeing the nuke powered battleship! )

Anybody can give me a link of any sites that sells PE for 1/700 ore brass turrets for scale 1/400-1/600?
Thanks.
and i hope that ur progress on ur next ship will be good
I love ur iowa!
I cant even my make 1.535 scale iowa like that O.o
Mitch

ASFC wrote:Iowa conversion maniacs, I am disappointed. There are no Harriers or ski jumps in your plans........

ASFC i never really considered the Harrier-carrier conversions really doable or practical. Although they were really interesting in theory nobody would invest a huge sum of money on 40-plus years old ships. Furthermore the Harrier-carrier conversion plans would reduce the shore bombardment capabilities of the BBs which was one of the most important reasons they were reactivated.

You missed my smilie at the end of my post then.

I agree with you, whilst they would be interesting, in reality they would reduce the Firepower of the ship. It was though a more feasibly idea than some of their other more hair-brained ideas (anyone remember the idea of Spru-cans converted to carry Harriers for sea control? ).

Yup i did miss it.

Here are a couple of photos of the designs you mentioned.

Some photos of DDG-177 i finished yesterday.

















As always any comments or questions are welcomed.

Hey the second one looks kinda cute, even if it could have done with, say, a VLS up front, and a forward-facing CIWS. Not a bad idea, in concept, even if they would have been rather limited in operations. F-35's would have made it somewhat effective in principle, though the best would have been to add a catapult to the end of the deck to allow full-weight takeoffs, or a deflector for short-run takeoffs.

As to the flight-deck conversion, I'm considering the thought of doing that with a New Jersey, since the NJ was the one they were considering the FDC with in the first place. If I do consider it in full action, I'll likely take some time and do impression-casting of additional VLS mountings for the FDC NJ. It'll have similar modifications as the Mightier Mo, but without the aft turret, some of the aft VLS, no aft director. A buddy over on the what-if board did an interesting concept of a USMC converted Mi-24V, in marine paintjob. With the missile battery and two turrets remaining, using the improved guns, the FDC Iowa would serve decently as a heavy operations support unit, and between some F-35's and Mi-24's, it would be able to put forward a small beach head group in concept. I dunno, it'd at least look interesting. I'd just need to come up with a source for the bits, really. Though the big chunk of flight deck I have from this Testors Kuznetsov could well do the job. I'm considering cannibalizing it for a modern flight deck for something else. I already robbed it of its Skywatch and Cakestand radar plates for Vladivostok.

As always, very nice work Nektarios! Since my knowledge about Japanese warships is rather limited... I was just wondering, why exactly is the landing deck sloped? Surely has to serve some purpose?

orb wrote:As always, very nice work Nektarios! Since my knowledge about Japanese warships is rather limited... I was just wondering, why exactly is the landing deck sloped? Surely has to serve some purpose?

I don t know why the landing deck is slopped. Since DDG-173 and DD-101 classes have this sloped landing deck it probably has a purpose.

You know the Japanese love to be artistic with their ships.

Nektarios wrote:

orb wrote:As always, very nice work Nektarios! Since my knowledge about Japanese warships is rather limited... I was just wondering, why exactly is the landing deck sloped? Surely has to serve some purpose?

I don t know why the landing deck is slopped. Since DDG-173 and DD-101 classes have this sloped landing deck it probably has a purpose.

Could it possibly have something ta do with keeping water off the deck? Or, possibly a slide fer the sailors ta go fer a swim.... hmmmm.....

Hippy Ed wrote:Could it possibly have something ta do with keeping water off the deck? Or, possibly a slide fer the sailors ta go fer a swim.... hmmmm.....

Now that i m thinking about it s a slide for sure.

Some photos of DDG-178 the second ship of the Atago class.

















As always questions or comments are welcome.

Looks great as usual Nektarios!!!!

pingjockey wrote:Looks great as usual Nektarios!!!!

Thank you pingjockey. I see you have many interesting ongoing builds. What is their progress so far ???

Nektarios wrote:

pingjockey wrote:Looks great as usual Nektarios!!!!

Thank you pingjockey. I see you have many interesting ongoing builds. What is their progress so far ???

Well I was focusing on my 1/350 Cushing but I ran into a problem with attaching the deck and have shelved it for a bit. I am focusing on my battle group diorama now, with all my 1/700 escorts arrayed around my 1/720 Roosevelt. Roosevelt, Ingraham, and Arleigh Burke are almost complete. I am not modifying the kits to fit a particular group, just making a generic battle group. I will post some pics of the progress to date. As for the ocean base, I am debating whether to use gel medium or Carl's method of making water using the tamiya plates.

pingjockey wrote:

Nektarios wrote: Thank you pingjockey. I see you have many interesting ongoing builds. What is their progress so far ???

Well I was focusing on my 1/350 Cushing but I ran into a problem with attaching the deck and have shelved it for a bit. I am focusing on my battle group diorama now, with all my 1/700 escorts arrayed around my 1/720 Roosevelt. Roosevelt, Ingraham, and Arleigh Burke are almost complete. I am not modifying the kits to fit a particular group, just making a generic battle group. I will post some pics of the progress to date. As for the ocean base, I am debating whether to use gel medium or Carl's method of making water using the tamiya plates.

Pingjockey,

How big will your dio be? Bigger than 11.75 x 16.5 inches? That's how big the OEPs are. If you discover a nice way to join the sheets together and hide the seam, let us know, please.

I worked on the foremast of my modern Iowa, today.

I extend the platform a little aft. The SPS-49 was going to hit the SPS-10 in front and the column on the aft of the platform. The platform also looks longer towards the aft in the photos.

I then add the brass rod structural supports to the mast platform.