The Ship Model Forum

Looks great so far!!
I would not worry about that turn of the bilge.
It looks different in every photo I see.
It depends on where the photographer is standing too.

Every time I have built this model I have learned more and more about the ship.
It has a huge learning curve and you really do have to decide what to include
and what to leave off just like any artwork.

For the larger portion of the "Jellypopper" deck I have a bunch of 1/8" Plexiglas which should work very well, just not decided as yet how to do the tapering down portion. Should be able to set up a jig in the drill press to drill the grid of shallow holes for all the aircraft tie downs. At the break in slope there is a drain grill/expansion joint, possibly too small at this scale.

Cheers: Tom

Looking great so far! You said 'initially intended for RC', will you make it RC or not?
In any case she's pretty handsome. A turn in the bilge is as Luky said, not a real issue. It's always subject to perception as long as you don't have the exact frame plan as well as shell expansion plan. Without the latter 2, you're always somewhere in a guess/estimation area. If it looks "natural", it's most likely close to correct!
Details on top of the hull look nice as well.
What's wrong with the props? You said you weren't happy about them...

Not sure about the RC, Not convinced that a lot of the small detail would survive field handling. The props are flat brass plates silver soldered to a nicely turned hub, but just that, flat brass plates without curvature. I don't remember where I got the these, but am fortunate to have them at least. Last substantial additions to the hull will be the heli deck and the bulwarks for the port n stbd boat davits. Davits last as once they are added it will become difficult to work on the hull.

I also have to track down the location of the various external drain pipes and waste water pipes for the period in question, these seem to have varied a bit. Probably not going to add the hundred or so padeyes in the bow section flare, though the much larger John Haynes model on display on Missouri does have them. Possible I guess....

Cheers: T

Progress photos from Sunday April 7th 2013.
Click on the photo for a larger image.

Coming along nicely! Working today on the Helicopter Deck, the level portion from 1/16 plexiglas with the tiedowns holes marked off and drilled on the drill press. It was not practical to make the sloped portion of this material is it is of styrene, shimmed at several points underneath to achieve a smooth slope. Also drilled on the drill press. A photo of one of her sisters fantail on the fans thread helped locate the tiedowns hole locations.

Cheers. T

Heli Deck, not yet attached and needing just a bit more feathering at the fwd end. But you get the idea.

Looks very good Fliger747!

I agree she looks very good Fliger747!. one comment thou. it looks like the port props would rotate opposite of each other, is that correct? I thought they would be the same or is it the camera and my old eyes playing tricks on me. Greg

I suspect that you are correct, I had had these props for some 25 years and hadn't looked at the handedness. Will need to check some drydock photos, but expect they should be all the same rotation wise!

T

Checked the refs and the outboards are both wrong handed.... Another good reason to find new props!

T

Luky:

Before you get to it, a photo of the bulwarks at the midships boat davits. Note how they have some tumblehome and flare at the top. These might be easier to do in wood than plastic, though thinking of metal as well.

Cheers: T

The prop situation is rather hilarious, after a close inspection of all of them, they are pairs, the four and five blade props each having a left and a right. The photo that I have of New Jersey in drydock shows the starboard two props being right handed,easy enough to do, however I haven't found a photo of the port side as yet to see if they are also right handed (turning clockwise). Harbor Models seems to have some nice ones in four and five blades, in the proper 1.1" diameter for an equally hansom price.

T

One side turns opposite to the other: http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/01621a.jpg

Thanks Timmy: I just found a NJ drydock photo from straight astern which confirms what you say. Counter clockwise port, clockwise stbd. I re arranged the props to match that configuration.

Cheers: T

USS Missouri scratch build. Modern configuration. Lucky
Photos from Friday April 12th 2013.

I also drilled holes to mount the model on the display base.
I have a plan to attach the superstructure with two screws if possible,
so that in the future it could be easily worked on.

Lucky, looking good! Is that a red primer on there? You might double check the angle of the outboard shafts, was at most 2 degrees? The HSNA Iowa drawings available on line as a PDF show this fairly well with the below decks plans indicating the shaft alleys. Not at home for a couple of weeks so away from my references.

Most recently I started on the Boat Davits mid ships. Made them out of 1/16 plexiglas, though wood would be at least as good. I don't have any good photos of the Radar, but that is still down the road a ways. With Summer coming eventually in Alaska many outside adventures so the ship may experience a hiatus. I should start on the case to keep the dust off of it. At worst I have the shipping box I made for it when I brought it up as baggage from Seattle years ago and shipped it and Alaska back and forth anchorage fairbanks several times.

Keep up the good work! T

I have checked the angle of the shafts many times. I also have a 1:700 scale model to use for some comparison. I have photos too. The shafts are the right length,they are the right distance from the inboard props.

OK....I checked again, I was wrong somehow.
Thanks for catching that. I am not sure why I thought it was correct.

I took it all apart.
Re did it all.
Now I need to smooth it all out and repaint.

One of the nice things about wood, a forgiving medium! Hobbled over to a hobby shop not too far from where I am staying to get some paint and some such, had a nice 1;200 Bismark on display, probably done up from the Trumpy kit. Always have liked scratch building. I ended up using one of my various laser levels to position the shafts, and still had to move one!

Will look very impressive when you get the prime and paint on!

Cheers: Tom

I am working on the hull painting.
Paint,sand ...Paint sand,....paint,sand....

Click on the photo for a larger image.