Yeah Mach71 that does look sharp!!! 

Thanks!

I've masked the boat and put a few drops of Micro-mask on the periscopes and snorkel.

When the micro mask is dry I'll hit it with some camo grey. Hopefully the mask will come off easily. I've not had good luch with it in the past. 

Micro Mask sounds like an good and easy idea

White glue works well too.

When masking the whole model to spray something like that I tend to just stick the model in a plastic shopping bag and cut a small slit to stick the portion I want to paint out of it. 

Would save you a bunch of tape and doesn't have the issues of peeling up the paint.  

Or poke a hole in a piece of aluminum foil.

Thanks!

The bag or aluminum foil would have worked well.

The Micro mask just diapeared. I could not find it after the paint dried.

I went with the old school of a micro brush and flat black.

Modelcrazy- please revise the roster to add Revell 1/540 CVB-41 USS Midway full hull conversion.

The heavy lifting for Frankenship is complete. The Forrestal lower hull worked well, esp. in the middle sections. I did build up a new stern, and had to splice styrene into some of the bigger gaps.

A trick I've learned for filling gaps with styrene. Let's say you have a gap that's more or less 0.020". Rather than try to fish a 0.020" strip into it, take a scrap of 0.020" sheet styrene and force it in edgewise. Do it an inch or so at a time. Flood with solvent cement. When dry, trim off the extra and sand it down to be flush.

Bill

GMorrison

Modelcrazy- please revise the roster to add Revell 1/540 CVB-41 USS Midway full hull conversion.

Ooops, sorry about that GM, done 

Awesome job on that hull. I like the filling on the stern. Good idea about the scap styrine gap filler.

FINISHED!  Can't tell you how ecstatic I am over this one because I think the image I was trying to capture is really representative of the cruise. Here is the USS Vandegrift as fitted out in 1995. I've weathered her for an active cruise doing missile system tests as shown here (Wikimedia Commons):

And my representation:

I plugged the original hole for the rudder and offset it like the real thing. The prop is aluminum color on the drydock photos I have so recreated that look here. Yes, I found the prop on my workbench!

Testors clear canopy/window glue used across the board.

Stunning job, the detail is awesome the PE gives it the right touch.

Absolutely beautiful build. Well deserved congrats.  Send pics for online/mag gallery.

Hey Mongoose, that is really really nice work. I love the details you added depicting movement, from the hovering helicopter, the opening doors, to the missile frozen in time. That is really impressive work. You nailed it, sir! Congrats!

Really good modeling...

The missile launch is well done.

The helo is nicely done.

But I would suggest one or the other.

Otherwise, it's a wonderful model.

Crown, GH, Bakster thanks a bunch! Appreciate the props. 

GMorrison

Really good modeling...

The missile launch is well done.

The helo is nicely done.

But I would suggest one or the other.

Otherwise, it's a wonderful model.

 

yeah, I might have gotten carried away. Probably not realistic, i was especially thinking the man-doors wouldn’t be half open with the missile scenario but that ship already sailed lol, so i left it. I didn’t glue the rod in for the helo. Maybe I should consider staging it from the base instead? Open to ideas.

Great job!!!!

Plugging away on the Fletcher.

Superstructure sides for the main deck and the shafts are installed. 

I need to fill some seams before I install the upper deck. 

Mongoose,

Outstanding job!

The rigging and PE really make it pop. I love the missile and helo, although I have to echo GM on that. I do not believe they would be launching while performing air operations but your exicution of the scene is excelent . I agree that you should send it into FSM for the gallery.

It will be a pleasure to see you build another either in the American or British GB's, or the German comming next August.

Captian, I present you with the Navy Achievement ribbon

Defination of acheivement: a thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage, or skill.

Please grab your badge and ribbon, if you want, and display them proudly.

Straycat, I can't get over the size of that thing.

All subassembly work is done. Like a jigsaw puzzle, I thought it'd be fun to position them for a photograph. There are several items not on the model simply because they'd be too difficult to pose. None of the superstructure is glued down, nor decking or the waterline spacer.

From here I will glue the deck, then the waterline piece. After that I'll move towards PE.

Looks fantastic Bakster

Really moving  loving along mate . Looks great .

Wanted to ask , how did you cut the brass tubing for your guns , without pinching the tubing

modelcrazy

Looks fantastic Bakster

 

Thanks Admiral! 

modelcrazy

It will be a pleasure to see you build another ...  or the German coming next

Combrig resin full hull.

This would suggest a promotion to Vizeadmiral, nein?

steve5

Really moving  loving along mate . Looks great .

Wanted to ask , how did you cut the brass tubing for your guns , without pinching the tubing

 

To your question, I used a Dremel cut off wheel like shown below. It cuts through tubing in no time. You are left with a burr, but that is easily filed and then sanded flat. I eventually figured out that if I slowly rotate the tubing using my fingers whilst I cut, I can get a much cleaner edge. In short, less cleanup. 

It’s a handy bit to have when working with metal. (Wear eye protection) 

Forgot to post the image to my post. It is now added.

modelcrazy

Straycat, I can't get over the size of that thing.

 

Yeah, I’m sure I’m under the two square feet rule on my workbench. 

Thinking I may have to move it to the kitchen table. 

Mongoose: She looks amazing!!! Great job there!!! WOW!!!

And great work all you other guys too!!! 

Bakster

To your question, I used a Dremel cut off wheel like shown below. It cuts through tubing in no time. You are left with a burr, but that is easily filed and then sanded flat. I eventually figured out that if I slowly rotate the tubing using my fingers whilst I cut, I can get a much cleaner edge. In short, less cleanup. 

It’s a handy bit to have when working with metal. (Wear eye protection) 

 

It's also a good (really the only) way to cut off stranded stainless steel aircraft cable.

Bill

In between coats of primer curing, I started work on topside details.

The 5" guns at first seemed to be detailed and look "busy", but closer examination shows that in typical 1960's model fashion; Revell added a lot of made up detail, like those rivets on the roof.

Also the weird draft shapes on the sides and the casting block under the barrel.

Basically I just cleaned it all off. The things look kind of simple now, but they should.

I also clipped off and reattached the barrels at an upward angle, as they normally would be.