Pearls for an old codger??

Hi: I've posted previously on my long term dream of building the C.S.S. Alabama and I enjoyed a few very helpful thoughts about kits and rationale about how to build this classic ship. After some rigorous research, I've concluded that a scratch built approach is the only way to go. There is a comprehensive book from 2002 on the ship with much info. and a great guide on "scatch built model building" (please forgive the absent titles/authors...I don't have the specific info).

What triggered all this interest is helping my two sons build styrene models of "Warhammer" and LOTR figures. I end up building them as their attention span is quite short! (which I'm working on!)

I don't want to be verbose so here's the thing. As a kid, tween, and teenager, I built plastic models extensively...probably the entire representation of the Luftwaffe, Japanese naval airforce and many WWII ships.

Somehow, (I don't know how it got in my possession!) I have the 1988 Revell USS Lionfish...a worthy attempt in the face of my scatch built goals. It is a "basic" kit but I wouldd like to add rigging and modify details (guns, conning tower). This site has been such a great re-introduction for me but I'm learning new terms like "photo-etched parts" and "third part detail vendors". I've been on the Lionfish site (the venerable sub is now a museum in MA) and there are brilliant pictures of details.

Does anyone have any thoughts, pearls of wisdom or critiques on how I'm approaching this?

Thanks in advance,
J.P.