Official Shiver Me Timbers Ship Group Build NOV2010 - March 2012

June would be great!

 June would be good.

I'm having fits with this Banner Arizona kit but I think it''s going to look pretty good when done. Will post a few progress pics on Thurs.

Scott

Besides the photoetch parts...I'm getting a bad case of scratch builditis which is dragging this build out for me.

The kit with that darn seam down the middle and oversize portholes.

Using plastic sheet to cover the seams

The kit turret catapult...

Now the catapult from Gold Metal..

The fighting top searchlight platform.

And this is where I'm starting to go a little overboard...

Having came across some excellent photos of not only the Arizona but her sister ship the Pennsylvannia, I'm looking at adding some wiring, plumbing,  junction boxes etc so to spruce up the smaller detail aspect of the kit..

I have the Trumpeter re pop of this kit in my stash. Great idea to hide that pesky seam between the casemates with strip styrene I will have to copy that whenver I get around to building mine. Those fighting tops and the catapult look great with the PE

The strip stryene sure beats trying to do it with filler but I can't take credit for it having read of it some years ago in another website review of an Arizona build. One thing I would do over if I were to build another Arizona is to remove all those secondary 5"/51 turret mounts and install aftermarket guns. I would have done it here but I didn't find any good  reference photos until after I glued the decks together.

I surely thought the aft fighting top would be the most difficult in applying the PE but it was painless compared to aligning the 3 legs of the top to the other parts. The catapult PE was also very easy to do and it's sure a beaut to look at. An Mr. Loren Perry of Gold Metal was helpful in advising me the best way to attach the PE yardarms to the FWD fighting top which is on the next to do list here. I am using Tacky Glue to set the PE than following up with superglue, so far so good.

so gents do we have more time?

AS, I have seen some nice brass barrels for the 14" and 5" guns that are quite affordable on Ebay, so I will pay heed to your words here and get those for when I tackle my Arizona. If I can find some good plans I may even attempt a 1941/1942 Pennsylvania conversion, but that all depends on how bold I feel and how many ships I have under my belt when I have a go at her. But I am certainly enjoying watching yours take shape.

almost done.

hope to be done with her in another week.                                                                                                           

just wanted to see what the Spads and Gunfighters look like on deck.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

wow.. looking good ..!

Thank You! planing on get this done before June.

A-4's,F-8's,A-1's are coming together finaly.

almost done.

That is a really great build. If you didn't know that pic was of a model, you'd think it was the real thing.

Job well done Mardis.

EJ

Hello gents, I've only recently joined FSM computamabob pages and it's so cool to see so much great work, how do I join the group build? Would I be eligible seeing as I'm from Scotland and our shipbuilding industry has sunk without trace? I am about to start the Trumpeter Slava Class 'varyag' in 350 scale as soon as I have finished my Zvezda Protected Cruiser 'Varyag' again in 350 scale.

Regards,

Jockster

she is done. a few small things need to be added. have the board and paint and will be apply this Sat.  added a DDG to see what it will look like with both on the way to Nam together.    

ejhammer

That is a really great build. If you didn't know that pic was of a model, you'd think it was the real thing.

Job well done Mardis.

EJ

outside shot.

i'm done. she still needs small things to be added. the opening in the sea is for a DDG  that i'm working on now.

If you don't mind my asking, how long did it take to build this great model from scratch?

The reason I ask is, I am sooooo slow. I hadn't modeled in about 50 years when I re-started.

Got a Hasegawa 1/700 ESSEX to build in Jan 2008. Started the kit and found out how wrong it was for the period I wanted to build.

 Spent a lot of time doing research, and updating myself on tools, tecniques, materials, ahesives, paints, scratchbuilding etc.

 Finally started building/rebuilding Jan 2009 and am still working on the thing.

 In the meantime I've collected about 9 more carrier kits, 6 other ships and a couple aircraft kits.

 I'm 70, so at this rate of building, I'll  be about 120 years old - if I keep at it.

How do you keep motivated?

Thanks for the kind comment bEJ. well i'm be 56 in July and I always wanted this carrier in this size. i guess that what kept me going. i've doing a lot of research like you on this build and others. i guess i build them because nobody has them. Thanks for looking and keep at it. you be fine.

ohh yeah 8 months and 13 days.

I been following your build and that is truly an amazing accomplishment. Will you be entering her in any contests?

I am still puttering along on the Arizona kit which is giving me some fits.

Nice Job ,, Raider.. !