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My first Commission build--USS The Sullivans 1943--built Circa June-July 2014

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  • Member since
    January 2010
My first Commission build--USS The Sullivans 1943--built Circa June-July 2014
Posted by Klik on Monday, October 13, 2014 9:38 AM

Ok, so I should've posted this a way long time ago (is it October already?!), but I've been busy.

Backstory on this build: my father heard that the local museum in Littleton, CO was putting together an exhibit of Littleton's contribution to WWII, and needed models of ships to complete the display. Each of the ships--the USS Missouri, USS Saratoga, USS The Sullivans--had Littleton residents who served aboard them (the museum curator also had requested models of a Liberty ship, a Gato-class submarine, and a PT boat for thier historical importance). I met with the curator, and he requested that I build the USS The Sullivans in its 1943 configuration, for which I was paid the cost of the build.

There are very few good pics of the 1943 configuration of The Sullivans, so some of the build was educated guesswork gleaned from grainy black and white pictures.

This model was the 1/350th Trumpeter USS The Sullivans 1943/45 kit, to which I added Eduard's photoetched US Navy railings (which weren't the exact right railings, but you can't really tell the difference). Total cost was low, for the amount of time I spent on it.

If you want to see it (along with the other fine models), and happen to be in the Denver area, check out the Littleton museum's display, which runs from July 4, 2014 to August (15th, 20th? I think), 2015.

Thanks for looking, Comments and Criticisms welcomed.

Klik

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by TD4438 on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 12:30 AM

Looks like a nice build.Pics are a bit dark.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Friday, October 17, 2014 12:28 PM

It is a nice build and that's great you built it for others to learn from.

One criticism; the rigging is really heavy and looks like sewing thread. I think the model deserves a redo, try fishing line or stretched sprue or the elastic thread EZ Line.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by Klik on Saturday, October 18, 2014 9:06 AM

Thanks for the comments.

I didn't realize the pics are that dark. Unfortunately, they're all I have ( no pics in museums). This build was nerve- raking in the extreme. I tried techniques that I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise, with a rather tight deadline ( four weeks, give or take a day).

The rigging is sewing thread, and yes, is a bit over scale, but it was all I could work with. I tried to use fishing line, but could not get it to stay taut. The thread I used was stretched taut and then painted black to retain the tautness, and it worked perfectly! The rigging is only eight short pieces.

Again, thanks for looking.

Klik

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

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