The Ship Model Forum

Today's MK.56 update for those of you modeling a Vietnam-era warship. It should be done tomorrow (Friday). Just a few more fiddly bits, doo-flickies, and thingamajigs to add. The handrails and hand-grips will be unprintable so it will be up to the modeler whether to add those details.

I hope these will be a help to you building New Jersey, Intrepid, Yorktown, Lexington, Salem, etc.

Tom,

Your ALASKA is really sharp!! In spite of it's Graveyard Wash paint job. I know you are chomping at the bit to get "certain items" in place - they will add so much more.

Steve,

Wow, again! You've captured it, my friend - As for the railings, grab bars, etc. I think I have enough of those on the Pontos PE set to cover all that.

Next to tomorrow night's dinner of Katz Deli Pastrami Sandwiches, seeing the final version is a contest as to which I drool for more (and YES, you can order them for local shipping!!!).

Hank

The directors look super! The only issue I can see model wise is simulating the windows, black shiny paint? Should be a great detail point!

To answer Steve's question about the paint, will be measure 22. First attempt at obtaining the Snyder & Shorts chips was unsuccessful so trying the snail mail method.

Cheers: Tom

Tom, I think Ms. 22 is a great choice. Can't wait to see her with some blues and red oxide to go with the gray. Your Alaska is an absolutely beautiful model.

The directors are done and are now available on Shapeways. Here's the link:
http://www.shapeways.com/shops/Model_Monkey

I decided to design them as a three-part kit: the director mount, the base stand, and the radar dish. That way the modeler can choose to have it rotated to any position and set the radar dish to any realistic elevation. There are slight, circular indents in the director mount to receive the radar in the correct position.

I hope they please! The design was requested by Hank (BB62vet) who provided many resources to make this item a reality.

Steve,

Well done, fellow Vet!!! Those look GREAT!! I'm going to visit Shapeways in just a bit. I think the 3 part idea was something earlier this week that I had also given thought to - so, I'm glad you came up with it as well. It gives separation to make sure the painting is done all the way around.

I think this will add SO-O-O much to the model. As a side note, NEW JERSEY usually had the other 2 pair (2 loc'd on the fwd side of the after Main Battery Tower, and the two loc'd just fwd of each of the side Mk. 37 FCD's) covered, as they were not used. However, I will depict them all visible, as I do have a photo of them w/o covers in at least one photo. The two amidships (between the stacks) were the two re-activated Mk. 56 during her 67-69 service.

Once again, thanks - we'll need to get together again!

Hank

Okay everyone, time for an update. I have been wrapping up the details on the bow/f'ocsle area of my Arizona. The vent modifications were pretty much in line with Jeff Sharp's Arizona build with the exception of the bell shaped vent located forward. I couldn't find anything conclusive that they removed this vent entirely. Bear in mind the vent can be removed(as in heavy seas), shortened, or rotated. I shortened mine and rotated it aft. I installed 3D printed stud anchor chain from The Floating Drydock. I highly recommend these chains. The chain plate is WEM addition, though some more work is required to place some trim work with the wood decking. I'll tackle this when I get the chain-stoppers installed if I can get them. I've decided just to move on to the superstructure for now. Here are some overall pictures of the area in question.

I added some details to the capstans. I installed brakes and PE(Eduard) parts

I also installed the paravanes. I used Askold/North Star paravanes on this model. I've seen these babies on their site and decided to try them out. One word was WOW! One gets four paravanes(I used three) for the battleship versions. These are resin/PE construction with very small parts. The resin "body" is very detailed. Practice holding your breath before assembling these! Pictures assembled, no paint; then installed on #2 barbette...

The last highpoint I'll mention is the forward chock. While I was checking out something totally unrelated in some Arizona photos, I rembered my quick visit to the USS Texas down in LaPort, Texas. I remembered seeing some unusual chocks on the bow and wondered if it was unique to the Texas, or if other ships had it as well. As it turns out the Arizona had them as well..Here's the USS Texas picture:

That's pretty much it for now. I have yet to resolve the chain stopper install and the hawse hole covers. The anchor hawse hole were covered by a netting, but Eduard provides PE grating which is a more permanent fixture. The search is on for the netting...to the fabric store I go..

Brilliant work!

Those unusual chocks, could they be related to paravane deployment and operation?

ModelMonkey wrote:Brilliant work!

Those unusual chocks, could they be related to paravane deployment and operation?

I'm not sure. Didn't consider that. I'd have to dig up a paravane rigging plan somewhere!

Hi Randy:

Great stuff!!! The unusual chocks on the bow are quite the discovery. What did you use to fabricate them? The focsl area really looks the business and the paravanes,I have to get some of those. Pretty cool stuff all in all.

Thanks to both of you! Mark I used a mixture of the original chocks; cut one end turned and elevated it with plastic strip, the other end was from the sprue from the kit (the little tabs you cut off certain parts). Glued all together and then shaped..

I was scoping out my CD from Floating Drydock, and I can see those chocks on real early pictures of the AZ post commisioning, so they must have been there from day one.
You are certainly making good progress on this. I did nothing on mine. Worked and hung out with my son, so it wasn't a "Lost Weekend".
The wildcat brakes really enhance that area and I like what you did with the vent. I think I will do same.

Interesting chocks, appears one could run both fore and aft mooring lines as well as spring lines. I wonder if a similar chock is at the stern?

At some point some of our BB61 class builders considered adding the plate lines. In the scratch section there is a guy building a minesweeper using paper packaging tape, with the advantage that apparently it will form around compound curves. Worth a look!

Cheers. Tom

"Interesting chocks, appears one could run both fore and aft mooring lines as well as spring lines. I wonder if a similar chock is at the stern?"

-----No, nothing like these on the stern/Q-deck..

Regarding the Mk.56 Directors, Shapeways tells me that the small antenna on the radar dish won't survive handling and shipping, although it is printable. I may have to remove it from the design and leave that detail to the modeler to make and install.

I have thickened the antenna a bit to 0.7mm in diameter as requested by Shapeways in the hopes that Shapeways will give it a try.

ModelMonkey wrote:Regarding the Mk.56 Directors, Shapeways tells me that the small antenna on the radar dish won't survive handling and shipping, although it is printable. I may have to remove it from the design and leave that detail to the modeler to make and install.

I have thickened the antenna a bit to 0.7mm in diameter as requested by Shapeways in the hopes that Shapeways will give it a try.

I'd pay a little extra for shipping just so they could tape the part somehow to a piece of card stock...

While we were on the subject of chocks, here's a picture of a roller chock; still up near the bow, but further aft. There are two of them on the Texas, none on the Arizona.