USS Wyoming (BB32)

[apfelzra69]

The Chinese 3D-printed 1/350 USS Wyoming and USS Arkansas are now available (through our favorite online auction site) in both original configurations (two cage masts) and, at least for the Wyoming, a 1927 configuration with torpedo blisters, cage foremast and short tripod mainmast. Full hull and waterline versions are available, but I would advise purchasing a segmented hull version (with separate forward and rear hull sections that fit very nicely together, all 3D-printed, lightweight and easy to manipulate). I made the mistake of ordering the non-segmented version of the 1927 full hull Wyoming -- the upper and lower (e.g., below waterline) hull sections are in traditional solid cast cream-colored resin and they do not align well, especially near the bow, which necessitates considerable puttying, sculpting and sanding. These kits are made by SSGlobal, and the 3D-printed parts are all in orange resin, well-cast and relatively easy to cut out of their printing cages. These are among this company's more recent releases, and have improved (but without text) assembly instructions, though the photos are still bicolor photocopies and too small. The six turrets have built-in blast bags, and all 12-in. main and 5-in. broadside guns are supplied as brass barrels (the two topside 5-in. and eight 3-in. guns are supplied as one piece each, nicely 3D-printed). No photoetch is included, so the modeler will need to obtain his own aftermarket railings and ladders.

[FFG-7]

except there is supposed to be 8 docking keels on that model not 6.

[apfelzra69]

Where would the other two be located?

[FFG-7]

outboard of the 2 long docking keels & it appears but not certain because of the angle of the picture that the bilge keels are to low.
BB-32 USS Wyoming Booklet of General Plans (19XX) https://archive.org/details/bb32bogp19x ... 3/mode/2up
AG-17 USS Wyoming Booklet of General Plans (1945) https://archive.org/details/ag17bogp1945
BB-33 USS Arkansas Booklet of General Plans (1944) https://archive.org/details/bb33bogp1944

[apfelzra69]

Thank you for the references (especially https://catalog.archives.gov/id/158704859), FFG-7. Based on the whole hull starboard view, the outboard short bilge keels of my resin model are, indeed, too low, and in profile should not extend below the existing flat keel (which they now do). This diagram depicts the ship prior to installation of torpedo blisters (1927), but I will assume that the docking and bilge keels would be the same. Now I'll need to remove the existing resin bilge keels, smooth the hull and install new ones, roughly the same size, made from Evergreen plastic strips, slightly above where the old ones were. The two long docking keels missing from the resin hull entirely will be a bit more of an effort; they extend about from the aft end of the barbette of turret No. 5 to the forward end of the barbette of turret No. 2 (looking perpendicularly downward toward the keel). I'll use longer Evergreen strips (0.5 x 3.2 mm) for these and curve them upward and taper them at the ends.

[FFG-7]

the bilge keels would be on a downward 45 degree angle on the curve where the side of the hull meets the bottom of the hull.
do you have a link to that ebay seller so I can maybe contact them about that model?

[apfelzra69]

Thanks for the advice on bilge keel placement. I doubt that the manufacturer/seller would want, or do much with, your advice on improving the accuracy of the lower hull; these foreign 3D-printed companies seem to be more interested in providing models of interesting and otherwise unavailable subjects that will look good once painted and assembled, rather than an emphasis on historical accuracy. The online posting for this model is:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/386921378612?i ... BMuMedzZdk

[FFG-7]

I've been in contact with several 3d manufacturers including ssmodels which I gave them advice, links & drawings & even helped to correct some models with them.

[apfelzra69]

Wow, that's impressive. Do you know which of their models have benefited from your advice, or may benefit in a future release?