1944 Group Build

Oh Man Clemens, They still haven't found your box of goodies yet?

No, they didn't. And I sure ain't glad about that! At least they are working on the problem... Let's hope they solve it soon. I can't continue work on my 190s without the goodies (well I could build them without goodies, but that's not how I like to do things...)

Allen - the Typhoon looks great, hard to believe it is a 1/72 model. Like you I'm coming back into the hobby, I am trying to do at least one new skill each model. Being in the GB does encourage me, and I have a deadline to work to. Might make more than 3 models this year...

CMK - the North Carolina camo is wild. And it would send me round the bend. The detail (and time) is most impressive 

Jamie, the faded OD looks super. That B-17 has been a great build.

Jorge the 190 is going really well, I don't think you have anything to beat yourself up about.

And Joe, as my 'cat has come along, I can't say I have been as subtle as you on the panel lines - see below...

One of the things I noticed on this kit: scaled up, it looked like there were small AT guns in the wings rather than .50's 

So I superglued some sprue in to get them back to size:

Also got annoyed by the size of the trim tab actuators, added leading edge landing light, reshaped the drop tanks and reduced the size of the seam running around their middle. Drilled holes for the belly formation? lights, splitting open the main seam, more filling and sanding.

Now have done the priming and panel line preshading (more or less - I can't hold the model in one hand and spray neatly with the other - I really could use a third hand) The experiment this time was to see if a bit of colour in the preshading would translate to a less monochrome effect in the finished product - the 2 tone Atlantic scheme.

We shall see theory go into practice at the next post.

Thanks, lostagain.  That's some fancy paintwork there--the pre-shading!

Photos of USS North Carolina's main deck, painted.  I also started the second-level deck by painting the forward 40mm position in 5-L Light Gray.  The edges of the deck will be visible, so they'll also have to be masked off and painted to match the camouflage pattern, before I do the deck itself.

Nothing's glued in and permanent yet.  Just test fitting the pieces.  The deck took a little more attention to get it to fit into the hull.  Haven't got around to the brush touch-ups yet.

I see that Trumpeter's engineering leaves the bow lifted up.  Good thing this'll sit in water.

Lostagain: Good looking stuff you have done there. I'm liking the "thinking outside the box" attitude you have going on there with the pre shading. I'm certainly paying attention to how that comes out. I'm in the same court with you when it comes to trying to paint straight lines using two hands. Mine come out looking like I had a seizure while operating an etch-a-sketch.lol. I just fashioned a jig out of PVC pipe fittings that will hold my aircraft upright so that I can hold the airbrush with both hands to hopefully maintain better control. I will be trying that rig out on my next project. Keep up the fine work.

CMK: Nothing but more astonishing work coming from your end that's for sure. Your paint work is coming out awesome. The bow in your bow is certainly a bummer but it will certainly be unnoticeable in a water base. Which, by the way, I'm quite excited to see how you create your base. I've never tried that but I'm ready to learn.

Thanks, Joe.  I haven't done any permanent "water" for the ships, but I made a temporary photo set up with aluminum foil.  Found the directions on the web somewhere.  

Nice bit of pre shading there lost, very colourful.

Looking great check.

Okay all,

Here is the first photos of the USS Missouri that I am building. I still have to do some touch-ups on the hull and I hope I got the camo right. This model has more flash than a camera. A lot of clean up on some of the smaller parts. If I had to do it again I think I would rethink on how I would build this kit. Oh by the way If I have not said it before this is my first ship build.

Checkmateking, Your masking tips helped a great deal. That is going in my memory for future builds like this.

I have seen some outstanding work on all of your builds. maybe one day I will have the skill set to do that kind of work. I am learning so much here. Thanks all.

Doug

Nice start Doug.

Thank you Bish. Now to get the deck and superstructures done. That is going to take some time. I may have messed up tho. I built the structures with all the decks on them so masking will be a problem. Learn and learn some more.

Doug

Jsmyth

Thank you all for the great Comments.

 

Well here it is. The first group build is now done. I'm glad to finish this build. Its been a love-hate relationship on this one. I didn't think that the end would ever come. I hope you all have enjoyed my first group build. And here it is.

I found this website while doimg research. 

Chow-hound Factoid - Sometime after the 15th mission, a flak splinter or machine gun bullet penetrated the nose, right where the dog's (Pluto) stomach had been painted. Starcer (Who chose Pluto riding the bomb motif) painted a Purple Heart medal beside the shiny new flak patch.  

This is also the story of the downing of the Chow Hound  on August 8, 1944 in a french farmers field.

http://www.91stbombgroup.com/crewphotos/chowhound.html

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/aircrew-08081944.htm

It tells the story alot better than I can.

Great work

Looks pretty good to me Ken!

Thanks, Bish!  Always good to hear nice words from you.

And thanks for the kind words, too, Doug.  I really appreciate them.

I think your Mighty Mo looks fantastic.  You did a great job on the camouflage and painting.  I've got a 1/700 Tamiya Missouri in my closet, so I've gathered some research material and was planning on doing her up in Measure 32 (all four of the Iowa's can be built in different camouflage measures).  Anyway, the pattern you applied looks exactly right.  Well done!

I'm particularly impressed with how well you managed the boot stripe.  It looks completely right and in place, and that couldn't have been easy to do.  

It's a great start!

Sounds like the decks and superstructure might give you a problem.  I paint the vertical colors first, then mask and paint the decks--although sometimes it's better to paint the decks first.  It depends on the part configuration.  

You might try using small pieces of masking, cut into little squares and applied in sort of overlapping patches--rather than larger pieces of masking.  But no matter what you do, masking will be time-consuming and sometimes tedious.

But if I'm in the right mood, it can actually be relaxing!

Congratulations on your success!

Its well deserved Check. And I know Nomad will get all the assistance he needs, and I know the rest of us cane pic up some ideas. I am yet to build my first ship since getting back to the hobby, so its nice to get some tips.

Thanks Bish, I know that I have got some great advice here from CMK and others. I was not sure on how the camo pattern would turn out but I am happy with it. I did find one place that I am going to have to mask and repaint. just a small place so it should not be a problem.

CMK, if it was not for your advice I would have screwed up the paint job big time. Your masking tip really helped me. Thank you so much. I might try a 1/700 ship in the future. Got to get thru this one first and see if I have any hair left. (LOL). I thought I was going to have a problem on masking the superstructure on that I had one of the decks placed. Well, The deck fell off in my hand so now I can mask.

On the deck pattern to me it looks like 5-O and BK are the colors but in the photo I looks like 5-L and 5-O. I am saying they are 5-O and BK. Correct me if I am wrong.

Doug

Terrific paint work Doug. Looking really good so far. I gotta tell ya, between you and CMK, you guys have got me strongly considering a ship build should there be a 1945 GB.

Doug, I think the official Navy specs called for Deck Blue (20-B), then the pattern was painted with 5-O.  If you enlarge the diagram and look closely near the bow, just in front of the #1 16-inch turret, you will see it says "20-B" for the darker color.

And thanks again for the kind words.  

JOE RIX

Terrific paint work Doug. Looking really good so far. I gotta tell ya, between you and CMK, you guys have got me strongly considering a ship build should there be a 1945 GB.

Thanks Joe,

CMK has really helped me get this build going. I was lost on what to do when he started his build and that was what I needed to get started. I think it would be a great Idea on a group build but make it in the 1944 era because of the camo schemes.Or make it 1944 to 1945.

It will take me till after the 3rd of next month to get another ship and this one will be the USS Arizona by Revell. I hope that that one will have a lot less flash on it. The USS Missouri kit had a lot of flash in so many places it was impossible to get it all.

CMK,

I do not have deck blue. Hobby Lobby does not carry it. All I have in the way of blue is Vallejo Dark Blue. I do not know if this will work or can I mix another color with it to get close. by the way your deck masking rocks. I'm still trying to figure out how I am going to get started with the masking.

I think I am going to get all the vertical structures done and then start masking the deck.

I am starting to really like this build. It has given me the chance to explore new ideas and learn some great tips and tricks in painting and general construction. Thanks to everyone here for all the help with the builds that I have done. This is one great group of people.

Doug

Lostagain: The preshading looks very nice! I'm very interested in how all those different colors affect the paint that goes on top of it all.

CMK: The work you're foing there is simply jaw-dropping! I wish I had your patience and masking skills!

Doug: You pulled that camo off perfectly! Even more impressive considering this is your first ship model!

Thanks, Clemens and Doug.  The masking is really an exercise in patience and perseverance!  One thing I was considering is maybe switching to Tamiya's masking tape.  I haven't used it.  Is it really thin and flexible?

The problem with hardware-store type masking tape is that it doesn't want to take and hold sharp corners real well--because of its thickness, I'm guessing.  It takes a lot of brush touch-up where the tape doesn't stick well into and around corners.  So I thought maybe if the Tamiya stuff is thinner and more pliable, it might work better around gun tubs and deck fittings.

Anyone had any experience with it?

Doug:  20-B Deck Blue is a dark blue, but it tends definitely toward the grayish side of blue.  It's a fairly dark bluish gray or grayish blue.  On the model of BB-55, in real life, it appears even darker than 5-O Ocean Gray.  You could maybe find a paint chip on the web and try to mix your own from Vallejo.  

In fact, here's a link to a color photo showing the top of the gun turrets on an Iowa class battleship.

These would be deck blue 20-B.

pwencycl.kgbudge.com/.../Iowa_class__bowfromtower_full.jpg

Testors started a line of US Navy paint, and it may be available in acrylic.  I think it's called "Weather Deck Blue."  A "weather deck" was any deck exposed to the weather and elements, I understand.

I use WEM's Colourcoats, an enamel, exclusively, so I've never tried mixing anything.

Sorry I can't be more help in this area, but I've not had to develop any experience in mixing stuff.  I'm sure what you come up with will work out fine, because the deck blue probably weathered and faded a lot.  In fact, on the photo in the link, there doesn't look like there's much paint left on the wooden deck.

 Good luck with the next phase of your build!

So what I gather is the tops of the big guns are deck blue except where the 5-O is noted and all the upper decks are deck blue?

I got the Taymia paint numbers for deck blue and used them to mix the red, green and blue and I think I got real close. I will take photos later as I messed up the masking of the rear deck. Not a problem to fix at all just some re-painting.

I like the Taymia tape. It has worked real well for me and have not had any problems at all. I need to get some more as I am out right now so regular masking tape is what I got.

Doug

Nomad53

So what I gather is the tops of the big guns are deck blue except where the 5-O is noted and all the upper decks are deck blue?

Yes.  Where the diagram indicates that parts of the turret tops are 5-O, they should be painted in Ocean Gray.  But the decks aren't all deck blue.  Where 5-O is noted for the decks, all horizontal surfaces within the 5-O demarcation should be painted in Ocean Gray.  It looks like there are four areas where this should happen--at the stern, at the bow, starboard aft near and ahead of the third 16 inch gun, and a small area on the portside amidship.

Here's a link to another build of Missouri over at model warships.  You can see the 5-O pattern on the decks.

http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=76709

I got the Taymia paint numbers for deck blue and used them to mix the red, green and blue and I think I got real close. I will take photos later as I messed up the masking of the rear deck. Not a problem to fix at all just some re-painting.

Yup, know how that goes.  Painted BB-55's three main turrets today, and my masking was less than successful.  Will have to wait till the paint dries, then try it again.

I like the Taymia tape. It has worked real well for me and have not had any problems at all. I need to get some more as I am out right now so regular masking tape is what I got.

Well, I think I'll give Tamiya a try.  Part of the reason for the mask failure today, I think, was that painter's masking tape is too thick to conform and shape around details like life rafts, which were molded on the turret sides.  I got far too much overspray.

CMK, Saaay whaaaaat!! You have yet to try Tamiya tape? Sorry about the rather rash knee jerk reaction there. It simply caught me aback that with your prolific masking that you had yet to apply Tamiya tape to your world. The stuff is really fantastic. Switching from blue painters tape to Tamiya tape will be something akin to trading your Yugo in for a Porsche. It is thinner and as such it is easier to cut and manipulate. If cute into thin strips it can be used for rather tight curves. It is a bit less tacky and thus rarely effects paint in a negative way either by leaving residue or lifting paint. It is not as subject to bleed also. Yes, CMK, it will alter your model building completely, change how you view life, impact your very core and very possibly lift you into a fourth dimension. LOL. Okay, that might be a tad dramatic but you will absolutely love the stuff.

Thanks, Joe.  I love a good drama.  Checked it out at amazon.  Will include it with my next order.

Glad I could help sell you on the tape. Now, could I interest you in a used car.....lol.

Doug and CMK,

Looking at the great work on those big boys makes me happy that my choice for my first ship is a liner - black, white and wood, what could possibly go wrong?

OK the great preshading experiment went in both directions. I did the gloss white for the undersides, took time building up the coverage as it isn't very opaque. The effect was okay, a little splotchy, but I figured that would be toned down by subsequent treatments.

So far so good, I masked up for the dark gull grey. The grey is very opaque and I ended up chasing myself trying to get panel fading incorporated in too. As I wasn't able to pick out the difference in colour very well, sprayed more paint and kept chasing and too quickly there was no sign of the preshading left. On top of that, and the panels weren't well defined.

One good thing, I tried out blue tack sausages for demarcation of the grey, and was happy with the soft edge achieved - so not all was lost! Now to work out a strategy for recovering the situation...

I have also learnt to upgrade the lighting in the shed (airbrush station) as the colours look a lot different between inside and out in the sun.

Coming along nicely there lost.

JOE RIX

Glad I could help sell you on the tape. Now, could I interest you in a used car.....lol.

1.  Are you getting a kick-back? 

2.  I'm happy with my Mustang.  

3.  Thanks anyway.  

Nice work, lostagain!  That worked out very nice!

checkmateking02

JOE RIX

Glad I could help sell you on the tape. Now, could I interest you in a used car.....lol.

1.  Are you getting a kick-back? 

2.  I'm happy with my Mustang.  

3.  Thanks anyway.