1ST Battle Wagon Tamiya 1/350 Mo.

Ok Steel, coming from the wingey things department, we'll let ya' slide this time, but you gotta learn something...they're ships, not boats...ships carry boats, boats don't carry ships!! Calling the Mo' a boat would make any respectable Navy man (or woman) flip their lid. We love to point that out to the swabbies!!

So anyway...there's a few options...get Kalmbach's 'Building Ship Models' by Mike Ashey, it has everything you need to know.

I would strongly recommend not doing a camo scheme on your first go-round, especially with something as big as Missouri. Your only option for the Missouri is Measure 22, which is Navy Blue on the hull, and Haze Gray on the upper works. Deck colors for any WW2 measure is 20-B Deck Blue, but if you do a camo pattern, she had 5-O Ocean Gray on her decks as well. If you're determined to do the camo scheme, email me, and I'll send you a copy of the original design sheet for her pattern, along with FS numbers for the colors. The camo patterns weren't random as some people think, so there's not much room for artistic license, especially with a ship as well known as the Missouri. Missouri's sister, NJ, wore Measure 21 paint, overall Navy Blue, and the model can be built as a late war NJ with some minor work. That's an option for an 'easy' paint scheme.

Here's New Jersey in Ms. 21 and Wisconsin in Measure 22, respectively, just to give you an idea of how she'd look:




As for photoetch, without a doubt, Gold Medal Models has the premier set for the Missouri. If you *really* want to go overboard, L'Arsenal has resin 40mm and 20mm guns that are equisite. They also do MK 37 Fire control directors (those things that look like gun turrets on pedestals).

I've built enough of these ships (last count, 18 Iowas, 10 WW2 versions and 8 post war versions) so don't hesitate to drop me an email...

Regards,

Jeff Herne

'steel,
I agree with Jeff. I wouldn't recommend an elaborate camo scheme if this is your first time out.

But...

If you're game, I'll tell you how I painted my CV-31 Bonnehomme Richard. This is by no means canon as to how to do this and I'm sure there is an easier way...

First, I painted the entire hull the color you see most of. In CV-31's case, it was the Navy Blue. Let it dry thoroughly ( a few days).
Take the picture you have of the camo scheme and blow it up to the same size as the model. Lay some tape down on a self healing cutting mat.
Using rubber cement, adhere the blow up to the tape, let it dry, then cut out the sections by color and apply them to the appropriate places on the model. I used my airbrush to apply the paint. Let it dry thoroughly (a few days).
Repeat the process for the other colors.
Touch up paint where necessary.
Weather as needed...

Somethings to watch out for...

Good low tack tape. I used the blue painters tape.
Make sure the model is washed to remove oil and dirt and release or the tape will pull the paint off. Also, try to get a good seal on the tape without burnishing the tape down too hard or the paint will come up.
It's important to cut the tape away from the model so you don't cut the plastic ( sorry, you probably already know that!!!).

Big Mo' is on my shelf awaiting photetched and references. Among my other projects, I'm working on the New Jersey (1986) as well.

Good luck and I hope this helped you out.

Thanks, that is exactly what I did for the hull!!! Luck has smiled on me. Now how do you paint the towers?? What color do you paint the floors and ceilngs of the walk ways? Thanks for the reply. Ron

Hey Ron, good advice here.

Bit o' Navy life info about calling the Mo a boat........

The crew of the Big Mo may call her a boat. When we were assinged to a ship, we refferred to our ship as "The Boat", all subs are "boats", all large ships were "tubs", and smaller ships and auxillaries were "buckets". Ships that stayed in port for a time or were laid up may be referred to as a "barge" or "lead barge" if she had to much draught for the anchorage.

I know, kinda funny calling an aircraft carrier a boat, but that's Navy slang for ya that was allowed only among a crew. Now if were were talking among civies or lubbers, then we would call her a ship so not to confuse the non-naval company about he difference between boats and ships, and also to show respect towards the Navy.

Just thought I'd add that.
Scott

I used the same method for the superstructure. It was a bit more tedious but it worked. As for the walkways, on certain WW2 paint schemes, the horizontal surfaces were the dark blue color. On the underside, I used the medium gray, hand painted very carefully on the photoetched catwalks. There was a lot of touch up in this process!! John

In the case of a Measure 31-33 scheme, the 'book' (Ships-2) stated that countershading with white could be used, but I've rarely seen it applied. Typically, whatever color of paint is on that section of the ship, everything gets painted that color with the exception of 20mm and 40mm barrels. If a camo demarcation line split a turret, then the turret was two colors, and the lines were consistent with the rest of the ship.

For horizontal surfaces, catwalks, decks, tops of turrets, you painted 20-B Deck Blue. Here's a pic of Iowa to show what I mean...look at the turret tops, but notice that the barrels of the 16in guns are not painted deck blue on the upper halves. Her deck has not been stained at this point, as this was her commissioning ceremony. Jeff

QUOTE: Originally posted by scottrc When we were assinged to a ship, we refferred to our ship as "The Boat", all subs are "boats", all large ships were "tubs", and smaller ships and auxillaries were "buckets". Ships that stayed in port for a time or were laid up may be referred to as a "barge" or "lead barge" if she had to much draught for the anchorage.

haha I was gonna post the same thing... glad I read through... when I was on a ship it was 'the boat' ,all other vessels in our task force were ships unless referred to as you described... basically on any warship only the crew can refer to her as the "boat"

wow and I thoght airplane guys were touchy!! ; ) Really, thanks for all the help. Im gonna have a go at it and not do the pe aftermarket stuff this time. Just to get my feet wet....a little Navy lingo there. What I really want to do is the North Carolina as she is moored about 2hrs from my home and I have been on her many times since I was a little boy. I m gonna make a trip soon and take a ton of pics. Im sure they could help answer some of my questions on this project. If any of you guys would like pics let me know and I can email or maybe burn a cd and ship it to you. I plan on taking a LOT. And to the VETS who served and are helping me with my verbage, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.Thanks again for responding. This is a great forum. Ron