Newbie needs help!! Please

Welcome to the wonderful world of ship modeling!  It need not be so frightening!

A good place to start would be the Kalmback books by Mike Ashey on ship modeling. He discusses approaches to all of your questions.  There is also an article in a recent FSM (either NOV, DEC, or JAN) about camouflage masking and painting for ship models.  These references should answer most of your questions.

Good luck!

Bill Morrison

I was just looking at the Tom's Modelworks PE set for Baltimore Class Crusiers.  I can feel my AMS kicking in already.  Good thing I already build a/c under a 6x9 magnifier.  I'll check the FSM's as a start.  I seem to remember a battleship on the cover of one of the recent issues.

Hi Don

I have a second copy of the Ashey book that you can have (if I can find it in the model room).  I'll bring it to the Christmas party at the Culver's if you will be there.  Else, I'll bring it to the next IPMS meeting.

Building & painting in subassemblies is a good choice.  

Gator makes a mask for the dazzle pattern on the Baltimore.   Or you can use a printed camouflage diagram - print to the correct sixe for the scale.  The method I've used is to paint the lightest color then add the light color mask patches as overlays.  The Gator masks are self stick vinyl.  The printed masks can be tacked in place with a lue-stick.   Apply the mid-tone and mask that.  Then apply the darkest tone.  Strip masks & touch up.

If you choose to add PE, paint that on the fret then cut out & bend.  Tack it down with some white glue (Aleene's Tacky Glue or Gator Grip), then finish with some CA when that is dry.  Hand paint touchup nicks & cracks in the brass.   Then shoot a final coat of flat to kill the shine of the CA & blend everythig together.

Ed 

Thanks Ed.  That would be very helpful.  I hope you and yours have a great holiday.  I figured that it wouldn't be too different than painting Splinter camo on Luftwaffe a/c.  It's just the added complexity of the 3rd dimension.  ON a/c the camo rests on what is essentially a 2-D surface.  All these ship patterns have the third dimension taking paint but still looking 2-D when viewed from the side.  Light to dark would be my first choice as well but I'll take any advice I can get.

Have you received a map to the X-mas party yet?