Scratchbuilding CVE-60 / DE-133 in 1/96 1944

[johndon]

I've got one word for you Bill:

SUPERB

John

[Dave Wooley]

Bill one word MAGNIFICENT
Dave Wooley

[Bill Waldorf]

Ok.....Lets take a look at some details around the ship..........

Port side stern depth charge rack. The racks are p/e brass, while the depth charges are cast metal. These racks are somewhat tedious to bend and assemble. It would be helpful to have experience with complecated p/e parts such as this. They are not for the novice. Other details visible are the smoke generators and the ready boxes. A black wash will be used later to pick up details on the parts.

Another view a bit further away. Note the stb. side rack is empty, to show the detail of the rack itself. Davits in front of the racks are cast metal. They were used for manual loading of the racks, a time consuming and labor intensive operation.

Stern rails from stb. side here. Most of the deck fittings are cast metal. Hatches and scuttles are scratchbuilt.

Good view of the 26' MWB here. Davits are cast metal. Note the practice loading machine just in front of the stack. Other details include a watch desk, cane fenders and draped firehose. Inclined ladder is p/e brass. I did some simple rigging here. I made the liferafts from cast resin.

Stb. side view here showing the torpedo crane. I've had this laying around the shop forever. Its a cast metal part from HR Products. Finally found a use for it. Note the scratchbuilt floater net baskets. The tube sticking up just to the right of the basket is the emergency exhaust pipe. Just to the right of that is a davit and the torpedo truck, sort of a metal dolly with wheels. It is in it's stowed position. Another small scratchbuilt item. Gun director is cast metal as well as the compass.

Midships 20MM location here. Guns are cast metal while the other parts are p/e brass. Just behind the stack is a vent, then a spare barrel box, then two ready service lockers. I cast the w/t doors from resin and added the handreel, an HO freightcar brakewheel. Note the perforated deck on the fwd. 20MM mounts.

Same location from portside. Note the torpedo tube set-up. These are individual cast resin pieces. I decided to display them open. The nose of the torpedos are visible here, made from shaped wooden dowel. The base is scratchbuilt. The item on top of the tubes is the director. Other details on the tubes were added by me.

Overhead view here.

40MM twin here. Cast metal with p/e details. Note the spare barrel locker, scratchbuilt. Compass is between the gun director and the 40MM tub.

Overhead view of the 40MM and torpedo tube locations. Note the small box by the mast. This is the fuse locker.

Moving forward, heres the upper 3" 50 mount and the fwd. 20MM mounts. Note the hedgehog launcher. The item above the center porthole on the front of the bridge structure is a loudspeaker. Porthole detail is p/e brass. Again note the perforated deck.

The lower 3" 50 mount. All the lockers are scratchbuilt using styrene wrapped balsa blocks. Better view of the hedgehogs here too, cast metal piece. The gun is also cast metal.

One more look at the forward 3" 50 mounts from portside.

Good shot of the aft 3" 50 mount, and the port and stb. K-Guns and depth charge storage racks. Storage racks are p/e brass, K-Guns are cast metal. Here the depth charges in the racks are styrene tube with end caps glued on. Note all the depth charge arbors stowed for the K-Guns. These are also cast metal with p/e brass details. Note another loudspeaker on the gun tub.

Another view here. Cable reels are brass p/e and styrene tube, with thread to simulate cable. Hatches are scratchbuilt.

Overhead view. Note how the storage racks are staggered.

The SC and SL radars. The SC is p/e brass, the SL is scratchbuilt. Note the fighting lights on the mast. Fabricated from small styrene shapes. Both masts are shaped wooden dowel, with styrene and brass details.

Finally the bridge area. Lots of stuff here. Sky-lookouts, range finder, target designator,pelorus, and other items all cast metal. The front wall of the bridge was made from spare parts I had. Windscreen is clear plastic with striping tape for framework. Large searchlights are cast metal, I added a clear plastic lens. Small platform on the front of the bridge is the rangelight.

One final view here. Note the Captains chair.......Gotta have that! Cast metal.

Well, there she is, DE-133. Back to the CVE now and the big push for completion. Many thanks to JR Haynes, Bluejacket Shipcrafters, and Tom's Modelworks for the quality parts and service. Hope you all enjoy.......Stay Tuned....
I Continue On...................

[JIM BAUMANN]

Very clean and sharp!

the sky lookout positions look very nice indeed!#

Watching the CV now!



Jim Baumann

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Bill any pictures of the CVE?
Dave Wooley

[Bill Waldorf]

Hi Bill any pictures of the CVE?
Dave Wooley

Hello Dave, No new photos of the CVE as yet. Next step on that ship will be all the underdeck bracing and the Island assembly. Stay Tuned.......

[Richard J OMalley]

Hi Bill
Very impressive modeling . Hope you meet your deadline on this project .

[les]

As always, another great build. You and Ron are always setting a good standard for the rest of us. You with static models and Ron with RC.

[Bill Waldorf]

Hello again all With DE-133 mostly completed, it is back to work on CVE-60. I have completed all the gun tubs, platforms and catwalks along the edges of the flightdeck. The Island and tower assembly are finished except for radars and some other details. All underdeck bracing has also been added. I am on a serious deadline with this project, slated for delivery to Chicago by the second week of Nov. Wish me luck......I'll need it. I won't caption each photo as I normally do, rather a quick tour of the progress of the build. Take a look.......

Now on to final paintwork on the CVE. She is done in Measure 32 / Design 4A. See drawing below.....

A tricky color scheme! Stay tuned, more to come........I continue on

[Capit�o Norbert]

Hello Bill your habilities in aircraft carrier buildings is outstanding.
increasing best quality each year or model you do
very very good job
good luck

[johndon]

Not sure what else to say...

John

[russclark]

bill what can one say that has not been said before,you are a truly great scatch builder. .it was your work on the indiana that got me thinking about scratch building.thanks for all the detailed posts on all the building processes

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Bill great to see you up dating your build. Wow what can I say the workmanship is stunning? It never ceases to surprise me just how much fine detail there is in a CVE. The detail work in and around the island and under the deck is superb . Will you be laying the deck as per the Santee? Once again Bill really impressive work. Best of luck for your target date of November I'm certain all will go well
Dave Wooley

[Bill Waldorf]

Hi Bill great to see you up dating your build. Wow what can I say the workmanship is stunning? It never ceases to surprise me just how much fine detail there is in a CVE. The detail work in and around the island and under the deck is superb . Will you be laying the deck as per the Santee? Once again Bill really impressive work. Best of luck for your target date of November I'm certain all will go well
Dave Wooley

Hello Dave, Yes, basically the same flightdeck layout as santee. I sure got a lot to do yet. Your hanger build is amazing.....

[JIM BAUMANN]

I keep my fingers crossed for you -keep trucking!!


Excellent and crisp work as ever!

JB

[Neptune]

great work Bill,

It's one of these models where it will be a shame to actually paint that deck. The wood looks really nice and sharply finished. Your styrene work is amazing as well, those holes in the frames below the deck are a real difficulty for most builders (including me), but you did an excellent job! Thanks for a keeping us updated!

[Bill Waldorf]

Hello again all Now that most of the construction on the CVE has been finished, I am ready to finish paint the ship. USS Guadalcanal was painted in Measure 32, Design 4a. This was another one of those '"dazzle" schemes. Used as a course, speed, and ID deception to submarines. There are several MS 32 designs. 4a incorporates straight geometric lines as well as shaded demarcations between the various colors. There are four colors,5-N,5-L,5-H and 5-P. I'll be using WEM Colourcoats enamels for the job. All areas are airbrushed with the exception of the decks which are brushed. The deck color is 20B. I mixed a one to one ratio of Tamiya German Grey and Light Grey for those. Lets take a look.......

Here is a drawing of how MS32/4a would appear. In researching this, I found that the stb. side of the pattern matches close to actual photos of the ship. The port side is a different matter. It is quite a bit different than the drawing. This leads me to believe that the drawing is a general guideline, rather than followed exactly.

Here is CVE-60 in January of 1945, anchored at Mayport NAS here in Florida. Compare this photo with the drawing. You'll see it's fairly close.

This is the replica. The pattern is rather involved and takes some time to do, as one color needs to dry before adding the next. The WEM paints dry much slower than acrylics. I would rather airbrush enamels anyway, as acrylics can be difficult. I started by painting the whole ship in 5-L, adding the next color in turn. I did the 5-N last, because of the shading, and it is the darkest color.

The carrier again, June 4, 1944, alongside U-505. Note the pattern here is quite different than the drawing.

Heres another portside view.

And again, the replica. I think this is pretty close. Can't really see the pattern that well in the photos. Also, being black and white and very old, it's difficult to distinguish colors. A best guess scenario on my part.

Here are some shots of the Stb.side.

Now, port side.....

Next, some views of the Island assy.....

Radars yet to be added,as well as searchlights and other small details.

Finally, a stern view.

Well, there you have it, MS32 / 4a. On to planking and finishing the flightdeck.........Stay tuned......More to come.....I continue on..........................

[JIM BAUMANN]

RAZOR sharp!

So much work!

JB

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Bill my friend I stand back in amazement at you camouflage work .knife sharp on one edge , subtly blending into the hull on the other .That is quite artistic.
Dave Wooley

[Richard J OMalley]

I second that .