WIP � US Standard Type Battleship(s)

[Dan K]

Very nice boat cradles, M. Good progress..

[Angeliccypher]

As always Martin, your work is amazing to watch!

[MartinJQuinn]

Thanks gents. Appreciate the kind words.

Added some plastic strip around the outside of the vegetable locker, to represent the support beams/columns/pillars (whatever the f**k they are called). When those were done, I masked off that section and painted.

The next self-inflicted issue to rear it's ugly head was the aft end of the mesh around the vegetable locker. It got pushed backwards, probably by my fat fingers, and I'm having a bit of a time getting it to straighten up. Plus, the joy of digital photography has shown me more spots to touch up, things I didn't catch with my faulty Mk1 eyeballs.

I feel like I've been spending an inordinate amount of time on this damned vegetable locker. It's driving me bananas (which is not a vegetable, but there it is).

I also gave the deck a second burnt umber wash.

[Devin]

Looking good!

For your burnt umber touch-up spots, try taking the paint you used for the wash, let it dry to get super thick, then lightly drag that over the offending areas with a stiff and ratty brush. That may give you enough of a scratchy/streaky effect to blend in with the planking lines.

[Jeff Sharp]

I feel like I've been spending an inordinate amount of time on this damned vegetable locker. It's driving me bananas (which is not a vegetable, but there it is).

LOL! If it makes you feel better, IT LOOKS AWESOME! And, you are the first person to EVER model it correctly! It�s important that this type of attention to detail is brought to light and you nailed it!

[MartinJQuinn]

Devin - thanks for the tip. I'll have to try that.

Jeff - thanks for the comments. Much appreciated.

With the f**king vegetable locker behind me, things are starting to fall into place. Superstructure, foremast leg and struts permanently attached. Spotting top and turrets perched for effect.

Not really digging the kit supplied PE. Going to have to see if I can come up with something a little better.

[Dan K]

She looks great, M.

[MartinJQuinn]

"Not really digging the kit supplied PE. Going to have to see if I can come up with something a little better."

A quick internet search led me to some Infini USN specific photo-etch: WW2 inclined ladders and railings. Those have arrived and been painted. While I was waiting for those to arrive, I got started on the seascape the model will sit in. The seascape is foam insulation, made using the "Chris Flodberg method".

I also may or may not have gotten distracted with another build while I was waiting for the PE to arrive...

[Mr. Church]

I really like the coloured turret tops. Such a contrast to the overall dark grey.

Keep the updates coming!

[MartinJQuinn]

Oh boy...over 4 months since the last update. As I said, while waiting for the railings and inclined ladders to come, I got distracted by the 1/350 HobbyBoss Alaska (and a few other projects). She's really far along now, and I was going to ride her until she was done, but now I'm waiting on some 3D printed replacement parts, so perhaps I'll find the motivation to restart Okie.

This is how I last left Okie, back in January:

Since then, I've been in the hospital (gallbladder surgery), received and painted the PE rails/ladders, attended a bunch of model shows and had a bout with COVID. Plus there's the NY Rangers current playoff run that's been keeping me away from the bench.

I also got some new 3D printed parts, courtesy of my "dealers", to bring the mainmast platforms, boat cranes and secondary rangefinders up to the same level of detail as the forward superstructure. I also started working on the turret mounted catapult, that Rich Harden from Tom's Modelworks so graciously upscaled from this 700th scale version.

Everything is now painted - I just need to find the time and motivation to get back to her. Maybe once the playoffs are over....

[marijn van gils]

Good that you are back in good health, and at the bench again.
I hope to see some more progress soon! There can't be a game on every hour of the week...

[MartinJQuinn]

Thanks Marijn ! No game tonight - maybe I'll find some time at the workbench.

One of the "other projects" I mentioned was another Standard Battleships, the old Blue Water Navy USS California. I cleaned up and, while I had the 5L and 5D out, started painting the 3D printed parts: superstructure from Kraken Hobbies, turrets and spotting tops from Model Monkey. She'll be next up in the queue after Alaska and Oklahoma.

[MartinJQuinn]

Once the California parts were dry, I removed any masking tape and dry fit everything, to see where things stand. Definitely have some touch up work to do.

Hull and funnels: BlueWater Navy (old 2 piece WL hull)
Superstructure and small rangefinders: Kraken Hobbies
Turrets, Mk19 directors, spotting tops and aft cage mast: ModelMonkey (the cagemast is from his shapeways printed shop)

[Strategos Augustus]

Once the California parts were dry, I removed any masking tape and dry fit everything, to see where things stand. Definitely have some touch up work to do.

Hull and funnels: BlueWater Navy (old 2 piece WL hull)
Superstructure and small rangefinders: Kraken Hobbies
Turrets, Mk19 directors, spotting tops and aft cage mast: ModelMonkey (the cagemast is from his shapeways printed shop)

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That looks really slick. The California is a particular favorite of mine.

[Dan K]

That looks really slick. The California is a particular favorite of mine.

Copy those.

[MartinJQuinn]

Thanks guys. I figured "while I have the airbrush out", I'd paint as much of her as I could, while painting Oklahoma. She'll go on the back burner for now. Meanwhile, did some more work on the TMW 1/350 catapult, mounting it to the ModelMonkey turret.

Every digital photo I take reveals another spot that needs touching up....

[taskforce48]

He's back!!! Glad to see the Grand Old Ladies coming together!

Matt

[pascalemod]

California and Oakie came along nicely!

[mister me]

I like those coloured turret tops ! eyecatcher !

[MartinJQuinn]

(knock, knock) Is this thing on? (knock, knock)

It's been awhile since I posted here, almost 10 months now. Since my last post, I had rotator cuff surgery to repair a fully torn labrum on my right (dominant) shoulder, was in a sling - and unable to do anything - for 6 weeks after that, then had 3x a week PT for the balance of 2022. With working FT on top of all that (I only took 2 weeks off), I didn't have much time to build. Plus, once the sling came off, I decided to do a couple of smaller builds to get back into the swing of things during rehab. That led me to work on several submarine models, all of which are now completed, and some of which have been posted in the gallery, here, here and here (with two more in the queue).

While I had been waiting for replacement rails for Oklahoma, I got completely distracted by the 1/350 HobbyBoss Alaska that I started during the lockdowns. That build is now in the home stretch, as I'm now wrapping up the "endless touch up" phase.

While allowing the touch up to dry, and looking for something else to work on, I decided to do a little work on Okie. Here is how I last left her:

I had already painted the rails and inclined ladders some time ago, so I figured that was a good place to start, and began by adding the inclined ladder from the top of the air-defense position to the MG platform on the forward spotting top. I did have to use a small diamond file to enlarge the opening in the MG platform to get the inclined ladder to fit. When that was done, I started to add rails around the MG platform.

I also discovered that, when I had test fit the Okie into her base, I wedged her in so tightly that I can't get her out. Good thing I'm happy with how she looks.

It's not much, but it's a start. And, oh boy, do digital photos show ALL the flaws!