The Ship Model Forum

Chuck Bauer wrote:Hey Martin,
There is some OUTSTANDING work going on here.
I thought it was 1/350 until I went back to the beginning and looked at some of the pages.

You "eyeballing" of the photos is totally successful in determining dimensions and proportions.
The Force is with you. Trust The Force.

Thanks Chuck! There is a 700 AZ in there too, but lately I've been focusing on the OK

DavidP wrote:when a friend brings computer related stuff for me to work on, he also brings me a 3 piece mild chicken dinner with fries, a biscuit & ice tea from Popeyes.

Clearly you have better friends than I do.

Dan K wrote:As you should. My august presence alone should suffice.

Why do you think all you get is a hot dog?

Why do you think all you get is a hot dog?

Huh. And to think I thought it was because you were cheap.

Limited time at the workbench, due to the aforementioned new job/long commute, but I managed to make "some" progress.

I finished tweaks on the spotting tops (added a handmade anemometer to the top of the forward one) and managed to get the catapult on top of turret 3 almost done. Just have to make a few tweaks on the catapult and figure out where the last two PE platforms go, then it's onto the spray booth for all these parts (finger crossed). Meanwhile, everytime I think the damn Alaska is almost done, I take step backwards. I replaced the following kit parts with 3D printed versions, as all of the kit parts were grossly under-scale, and poorly detailed: anchors (Model Monkey), 20mm (MicroMaster) and 40mm (Black Cat) guns. All these parts need to be painted and detailed before installation. As I move along, I've been switching back and forth between these two builds, which is, of course, prolonging each of them.

Hmmm. I'll have to look at that more closely. Thanks.

While David rightly points out the rangefinder is incorrect, I've decided to leave it as is.

I also discovered I had the catapult platform placement incorrect, thanks to some feedback I got (I always appreciate good feedback!). Anyway, after using debonder on platform, I removed it and reinstalled it in the correct position. Turret 3 is now done, and awaits a repaint. In other news, I ordered a set of Model Monkey's 1/350 cage masts from Shapeways, in their new "Gray Fine Detail Plastic". I wanted to compare them to the cage masts made from the earlier white, frosted, material. Unfortunately, they came broken. Fortunately, Shapeways customer support is on the ball, and a replacement set is being printed. The weather is supposed to be dry in my locale tomorrow. Hoping to get some Father's Day time at the spray booth, and move things along.

Nice work Martin! Good to see you back at it.

Just a quick note, the rangefinders for our USS Nevada and USS Oklahoma turrets have been updated in 1/350 and 1/700 scales for correct length and improved detail.

Great work, Martin!

This beauty, the 700 Arizona casement deck, by Model Monkey, showed up today. Simply gorgeous!

All railings and inclined ladders have been added to the forward superstructure. Time to do some touch up work before moving on.

Looks great!

Matt

Agreed.

Thanks gents.

Touch up has begun. Must stay awake to do mor.....

Hmmm....I'll give that a look when I get to that area. I will admit I was using the kit supplied holes for the mainmast supports as a guide, "assuming" the person who made the master got it right.

The progress looks very good an clean Martin!

Because of this thread I will have to revisit my Arizona and Pennsylvania kits from Dragon that I have...

After touching up the bridge (I'm sure I'll find spots I missed later), I hit a bit of a milestone in this build, and permanently attached the forward spotting top to the forward superstructure. I'll go back and see what touch up works needs to be done once it's fully dry. After that, I'll decide what's my next move. Meanwhile, Alaska has been given a flat coat, and is now that much closer to the finish line. I'll "probably" focus more on Alaska at this point, seeing as she's further along, and I'd like to get her done.

Very nice looking!

MartinJQuinn wrote:I'll "probably" focus more on Alaska at this point,

Well as excited as I am to see the Oklahoma done, the Alaska is one of the most beautiful ships ever... so I guess I won't be too broken hearted to see her done

Matt

Martin,
Another little detail for you to consider. When Oklahoma went through her last refit at the end of 1940, she was installed with the large MK19 directors on the sides of her superstructure. These were so large that they interfered with the foretop yardarm lines that went down to the flag locker on the signal bridge. Because of this, the yardarms on the foretop had to be repositioned to the forward part of the foretop as seen in this picture.

But isn't the flag locker at the rear of the bridge?

If yes, then I don't see how the lines could possibly run clear of the directors if the yardarms are even more forward than previously.

Is it possible that the yardarms are angled back?

Dan K wrote:But isn't the flag locker at the rear of the bridge? ...

Unlike sistership Nevada, the flags lockers on Oklahoma were on the sides of the signal platform.

Nevada's lockers were mounted aft, with truss-like yardarms on the fighting top raked aft like those on Arizona and Pennsylvania.

Jeff Sharp wrote:Another little detail for you to consider. When Oklahoma went through her last refit at the end of 1940, she was installed with the large MK19 directors on the sides of her superstructure. These were so large that they interfered with the foretop yardarm lines that went down to the flag locker on the signal bridge. Because of this, the yardarms on the foretop had to be repositioned to the forward part of the foretop as seen in this picture.

Well, f**k me. Dude - where were you like 2 pages ago, when I was putting these together?

What is the term for when you stare at something and still don't see the forest for the trees? Some kind of "blindness". I've been starting at these photos for so long, yet missed the fact the yardarm had been moved forward.

Now that the spotting top is permanently attached to the top of the forward superstructure, it is what it is. Too much risk of causing major damage trying to fix this.

But I do appreciate you pointing it out. I do try to get things as "right" as possible.