Arleigh Burke......complete for now.

cj95 wrote:

Okay I have just completed my first ever 1/700 ship model, and am ready for you guys to tear it to shreds. Overall the project was fun, although bending atnd attaching the railings gave me fits.  Not sure how to do it without having the rails coming out crumpled. Some of the colors are not 100% accurate such as the orange lifeboats.......but I just wanted a spot of color.  Speaking of which ....how the heck do you paint lifepreservers like I see on some models........jeez they are small. Okay critique away and dont spare my feelings.  Ive got a $100.00 USS Texas waiting in the wings and I want to learn before I tackle that.  Maybe I should do another cheap kit first?

Looks pretty good for a first attempt.

Let me point out a couple of items which will knock this model out of a competition right away.

Look at the mast & yardarms on your head-on shot.    On a Burke they should be parallel with the deck.  That one which twists down on one side would not pass judging.   On most ships the masts are square and vertical to the deck and the masts are parallel to the decks.   Try to kep them square & vertical

Second, is that a rigging strand which bows inward?   There isn't a symetrical line on the opposite side.   Try for symetry in your build. 

Third is a lack similar level of completion overall.  You added railings to the forward half, but didn't add them to the upper decks or the level above the flight deck nor add nets around the flight deck.  In this instance the missing items stood out like a sore thumb because you added some, but not all.  Try for consistency in your build.

Adding PE railings isn't really difficult.  Instead of trying to do the entire ship side with one piece of rail, just because you have one that length,  break it into logical runs -- 2 - 3 inches (5 - 7 cm).   Break at bulkheads, gun tubs, other rail runs, etc.   Tack the rail in place with white glue, then go back and cement in place firmly with some CA.  The white glue allows you the time to adjust the position - yet cleans up with water.

Which Texas is your next build, the Samek resin kit?  It is a very nice kit -- but with the multiple superstructure levels requiring railings you may want to practice your PE work for consistency. 

Just some thoughts ...

A very credible first effort - about how my 1/700 Victory ship turned out as my first attempt after a 30+ year absence from the hobby.

To echo a few things Ed said, and yeah, I did the same thing with the Victory ship - if you put PE railings on part of the ship, you really need to do the whole ship because it does look a little "off" otherwise. Even though sometimes it can seem like the demon from hell, photoetch really is what turns an otherwise ordinary-looking model into something that will make onlookers go, Wowwwwww. It takes practice to master it, and patience and, yes, sometimes a little luck. Using a slower setting "gel" superglue can help too, giving you up to 30 seconds to fix an oopsie instead of instant bonding.

As far as painting really tiny things, get some top quality 15/0 red sable brushes, use just a small drop of paint, and control your breathing while applying said paint.

Again - good first effort! Let's see some more of it soon.

Well put all of you, and I appreciate the thoughts.

 I debated putting railing around the flight deck, but did not have any of the fence-type available.

 Again when I get better decals I may add some, but I agree thats a major goof.

Symetry would be nice in my rigging, but for now Im happy to have things stuck in place....LOL

The USS Texas is indeed the SAMEK kit, an d I think you convinved me htat more practice would be advisable before tackling such an expensive project.

Overall I enjoyed it, and it was a welcome break form tanks and airplanes........willdefinately do more in  the  future.

P.S.  Any hints on bending railings without one of the expensive rigs....or point me to an article on the subject?

cj95 wrote:

P.S.  Any hints on bending railings without one of the expensive rigs....or point me to an article on the subject?

Get a pair of draftsman's dividers for measuring.   They are much like a compass for drawing circles, but have a pair of points instead of a pencil lead.    It also has a thumbwheel for adjusting the spread of the legs.   Use this tool to measure off the distance to cut and bend.  They are an office supply store or artist supply store item.

Next get two single-edged razor blades and a piece of tile (4x4 inches).  Hardware store items.

Place your piece of measured/pre-cut rail on the tile.   Measure where the BEND  (edit: oops should be bend - not cut) should go with the dividers.  Lay one of the blades flat on the place where the bend should go.  The blade should be perpendicular to the rail for a square bend.   Holding the rail down with one razor blade, slide the other under the rail so that the 2 blades now face one another (i.e. edge-to-edge with the railing between them).   Lift the underneath blade in a hinge motion, keeping the edge on the tile.  Stop at your desired angle of bend.  

This is the principle of the Hold-n-Fold or Etchmate tools.  They are not necessary, but are useful to speed up your work and obtain accurate tight folds, especially where you need to make multiple folds (boxes, radar arrays,etc.).  If you learn the thought process behind folding with razors you will be able to transfer that knowledge to a tool such as a Hold-n-Fold or Etchmate easier. 

For forming circles use the shanks of drills.   Go one or two sizes smaller to allow for some spring-back.  Hold two similarly-sized drill shanks together on your tile with the rail between them.  Roll the drills on the tiles to cause the rail to bend around the drill shank. 

As I mentioned earlier - tack your railing in place with white glue.  I used Aleene's Tacky Glue from the craft store.  It grabs yet allows a chance to reposition.   Put a pinhead sized drop on each end and every 1/2 inch along the part.  Mistakes can be cleaned up with water.   Once the white glue dries go back with some thin CA and cement the railing firmly in place.    A coat of flat will kill the shine and blend everthing together.

Another hint/observation -- about your bridge windows.   You have a black line painted where there should be individual panes.  Cut a piece of ladder stock (you may need 1:350 scale for size) and cement it over the black paint line.   You will now have square window frames/panes instead of an irregular black line

You can get by without spending the $$$$ for one of the PE folding stands. Like Ed, I use two SINGLE-EDGE razor blades, and patience.

You can get a good set of dividers at most office supply super stores, and some come in a kit with various small protractors and rulers, all of which you will eventually find a use for.

Every model is a learning experience. Every one will be a little bit better. Some day you will look back on this kit and laugh at all your screw ups and trials and mistakes. Just keep on modeling!

I like the model. 1/700 is a great for ships.

I like the paint specially the deck area. I haven't found a single color that closely matches deck gray, but you are close, and I like it.

The model is just not accurate. That is not your fault it's the manufacturers lack of attention to detail.

I had the same problems you had with the decals with the Dragon model I last built. Plus the red deck line for the 5'' is way to thick regardless. In reality it's a 3'' line with a 21/2'' letter stencil

You did a great job on the VLS. But the CIWS is just huge on the model

The rigging that goes from the mast to the FWD end of the ship is for ceremonial and holidays decorations. It's where we hang our signal pennants for change of command and so on, if you decide to use that make it go aft as well and don't hang them from the SPS 67.( that thing its quite expensive J )

I don't believe is so bad that you dint put a netting system on the aft end of the ship. See we have to lower them down when ever we have flight ops so, I believe that you can greatly improve on the model if you practice and place them horizontally around the flight deck area and hoist the H flag for helo ops !

 The one thing I cant stand is the shape of the smoke stacks they are just not close to the actual thing at all. They should at least be shorter and have less of that flower shape on the top. Paint them Jet exhaust gray and also paint the vents on the sides. (Not back, but a darker gray but, lighter than the deck a wash will do).

Your harpoon launchers are great looking and aiming in the correct configuration. (People often miss that detail).

Did your model come with the torpedo launcher tubes? If you have them add them. It will make it up to date. Port and STBD.

You see those two octagon shapes on eider side of the CIWS. They are radars and they are never ever ever painted over so they always look pail in comparison to the rest of the ship. Once again a wash will do (light gray, lighter than the hall but not as light as the VLS)

The radar on the weather deck above the bridge. Paint them gaze gray.

You have a good model and the thing is that you can improve on it I like it a lot. Is too bad that the decals fell apart.

Take your time you have a great start.!

smnhnd wrote:

I like the model. 1/700 is a great for ships. I like the paint specially the deck area. I haven't found a single color that closely matches deck gray, but you are close, and I like it. The model is just not accurate. That is not your fault it's the manufacturers lack of attention to detail. I had the same problems you had with the decals with the Dragon model I last built. Plus the red deck line for the 5'' is way to thick regardless. In reality it's a 3'' line with a 21/2'' letter stencil You did a great job on the VLS. But the CIWS is just huge on the model The rigging that goes from the mast to the FWD end of the ship is for ceremonial and holidays decorations. It's where we hang our signal pennants for change of command and so on, if you decide to use that make it go aft as well and don't hang them from the SPS 67.( that thing its quite expensive J ) I don't believe is so bad that you dint put a netting system on the aft end of the ship. See we have to lower them down when ever we have flight ops so, I believe that you can greatly improve on the model if you practice and place them horizontally around the flight deck area and hoist the H flag for helo ops !  The one thing I cant stand is the shape of the smoke stacks they are just not close to the actual thing at all. They should at least be shorter and have less of that flower shape on the top. Paint them Jet exhaust gray and also paint the vents on the sides. (Not back, but a darker gray but, lighter than the deck a wash will do). Your harpoon launchers are great looking and aiming in the correct configuration. (People often miss that detail). Did your model come with the torpedo launcher tubes? If you have them add them. It will make it up to date. Port and STBD. You see those two octagon shapes on eider side of the CIWS. They are radars and they are never ever ever painted over so they always look pail in comparison to the rest of the ship. Once again a wash will do (light gray, lighter than the hall but not as light as the VLS) The radar on the weather deck above the bridge. Paint them gaze gray.   You have a good model and the thing is that you can improve on it I like it a lot. Is too bad that the decals fell apart. Take your time you have a great start.!