Chih Who? WIP.....The Finer Details....9/18

Billyboy

I'd say they've got that right- looks like it should be planked. I was thinking more of charthouse roofs and things like that.

Will

I'd say they've got that right- looks like it should be planked. I was thinking more of charthouse roofs and things like that.

Will

Here is a scan from the instrucions on the offending part. As you can see, it has a machingun platfrom attached to the rear of it and Bronco has me putting rails on it (which I guess doesn't necessarily mean that its right).

Jester75

 

This kit in particular has the roof with molded planking. Are you guys suggesting to go ahead and paint it maybe an off shade of white?? I'm building it in a pre-war setting fitted with guns that were taken of for the batttle.

If there's planking moulded, then I suppose they must have some evidence to suggest it was a planked deck! If however there's no way of the crew gaining access to it, and indeed we're talking about a light deck structure, I would be surprised if it would be planked like that. If you went down the route of painting it white- then it would have been covered in canvas, so in this scale no planking would be visible.

I wonder whether plans for this ship, or one of her near 'sisters' exist in the UK. I'll try to dig around.

Will

Working some more on the deck to try and tone down the base and achieve more of a worn/faded color, I set to work with some artists oils. Using a blend of paynes gray/white/burnt umber in a ratio that I couldnt even begin to guess, I brushed the oils on over the whole deck. Then came back with a wide flat brush with clean thinner on it , almost dry, and began to work the concoction into the paint. It lightened it up quite a bit and I am feeling much better about the deck color now. Thoughts???

Very nice pic!! There is a thread over on modelwarships with this link about this ship. I use the built in translator in IE but there are some great picture links at the bottom of the page. Even some recent color pics of one of the life preservers from the ship that give a good idea about the yellow used.

This kit in particular has the roof with molded planking. Are you guys suggesting to go ahead and paint it maybe an off shade of white?? I'm building it in a pre-war setting fitted with guns that were taken of for the batttle.

Billyboy

After reading this thread, I've just ordered one of these kits. It looks a real gem.

After reading this thread, I've just ordered one of these kits. It looks a real gem.

There's a good photo of an 'Elswick' class cruiser here that might be of some use:

http://www.tomorrows-history.com/images/content/NE/NE0500240001.jpg

It was usual practice in Britain to cover charthouse roofs (and the like) with painted canvas. If no one walked on it, it would be unusual to leave it planked! The lead-based paint used started out white, but became off-white/grey very quickly- within weeks.

Will

Well kit color instructions are notorious for being wrong. Unless that roof was wood decking, it would have been canvas or metal, and probably painted. I always tend to think that surfaces that are canvas, and other fabric stuff like boat covers and "blast bags" get painted a common color on account of a "for canvas" paint in the locker.

I spent the evening going through Wright's book and there's no answer, but the best clues would be "what would the British do".

Who knows?

It looks like she had a machine gun on a stand at the extreme peak and stern as well.

The Battle of the Yalu River makes a good read in Wright's book. Unlike Tsushima and Jutland in later years, the idea of torpedo boat screens, and certainly destroyer screens had not been developed, so the ships went at each other with 8" and 12" guns at 6000 yards or so.

I can't wait for my battleship.

Thanks for chiming in Manny and Bondo.

Yeah, I agree the deck color is still too bright. Going to go over it with something a bit lighter and try to blend them both in and tone it down to more of a worn color.

Not sure about the roof of the deckhouse. Just really going by the paint guide on it as I dont know a whole lot about these ships.

Citadel??

Wow a model being built. I like that. Here are my comments:

The red looks really good.

Make sure when you use black, it's gray. Yours looks good. I like the Pollyscale colors "Steam Power Black" and "Engine Black". Got a big stash.

I'm not so sure about the deck. It's pretty yellow. It looks like a good base but you will be working from dark to light. A good weathered deck color is good old USN Light Gull Gray.

I would think that deck house in the middle would not be deck tan on top. More probably paint. Who knows what color, I would guess black.

I would/ will replace those bridge supports with much lighter gage stuff.

Last, your model shows what is so instructive about this era.You've set up the Citadel.

Looking good---I think that deck color is pretty good---a wash should make it pop and tone it down a bit...

mfsob

It doesn't have to have a lot of guns on it to make you a ship modeler.

And I for one am glad it doesn't have all those tedious flak/AA guns, hehe.

Hey Vance, good to have some of Manny's Minions tagging along!!

Moving right along, I began the task of masking off for the white on the upper parts of the hull and sprayed it followed by masking of the lower hull and spraying it with a mix of about 80/20 Tamiya Red/Red Brown. I like the shade. Then went ahead and painted the decks with another custom mix of Tamiya paint. It was done with about a 60/40 mix of Desert Sand/White. I like it better than my previous deck colors but not sure I'm sold on it yet. Here are the pics......

Feedback will be welcomed!!! Thanks for tuning in......

It doesn't have to have a lot of guns on it to make you a ship modeler.

carsanab

I heard that you can change out the smoke stack with an aftermarket chapstick tube???

Did somebody page me?? Don't worry Jester, I'm here to lurk & build this one vicariously through you. I'm no shipbuilder, but this one is so unique I'm very tempted.

Trying to break your previous record with the Tirpitz on how long it will take you to build this MOJO?

Thanks bondo, the way this one is shaping up I am definitely going to have to pick up the battleship. I have seen it in the box and it has some very unique features!!

Got all the main parts primed last night. Letting them cure for the day and then going to apply the other two hull colors tonight as she is being painted in the pre-war scheme.

Manstein's revenge

 

cerberusjf:

 

I bought this kit as well after Mansitein's recommendation and it is really nice.  I hadn't realised how small it was though!  I'm really glad I got it

 

Good decision...if you like the Crusier get the one of the two Battleships as well, just as nice but bigger and has different coolness features...

 

...anyone who claims to be a ship modeler who doesn't buy one of these is really NOT a ship modeler...just sayin'...

 

...except the MOJO is back ordered. That may be because I went wood with the deck, seemed like a good model to do so. I'm still looking for little linoleum tables, flourescent lights and take out menus for the mess, and if that offends anyone I am truly sorry.

Those cast dragons look really great. Real gold leaf would be very nice, and is an easy skill to learn.

cerberusjf

I bought this kit as well after Mansitein's recommendation and it is really nice.  I hadn't realised how small it was though!  I'm really glad I got it

...anyone who claims to be a ship modeler who doesn't buy one of these is really NOT a ship modeler...just sayin'...

I bought this kit as well after Mansitein's recommendation and it is really nice.  I hadn't realised how small it was though!  I'm really glad I got it

Looking clean and sharp. My Ting Yuen is backordered from Freetime, but my copy of the Wright book arrived and I'm sitting down to read the 1894 section first.

Hull is now glued together. Went together flawlessly!! Very precise fit. Installed the propellor shafts and guides. Will install the props at a later time. Paint came in extremely quick from Spruebrothers, they are fast to the East Coast for sure!! A little more work on the hull, and she will be ready for some paint!

Yes Manny, I will eventually glue the hull together. Waiting to decide how I'm going to mount it on a base and also how I'm going to reinforce the masts. The locator pins for them are quite small.

In the mean time, I've been working on the forward gun battery. The detail is amaing. The platform has detailed open ammo hatches in the decking with ammo molded in them. The kit comes with pe covers for all the ammunitions lockers with the option of opening or closing them individually. There are 2 winches that mount on the back which havent been added yet.

Jester75

Thanks Manny, I'll see if I can find that title.....

Just cleaning up some more parts and test fitting. Would very much like to replace the masts with some kind of brass as the plastic is soft and very very weak. I dont think they can handle any rigging without bending and warping.

 

The lifeboats are incredible. The weaving in the bow and stern of the boat is injection molded and has holes in it. Hopefull some paint soon...

 

 

Thanks Manny, I'll see if I can find that title.....

Just cleaning up some more parts and test fitting. Would very much like to replace the masts with some kind of brass as the plastic is soft and very very weak. I dont think they can handle any rigging without bending and warping.

The lifeboats are incredible. The weaving in the bow and stern of the boat is injection molded and has holes in it. Hopefull some paint soon...

Jester75

Any good suggested reading on either of those engagements???

 

Any good suggested reading on either of those engagements???

tigerman

 

bondoman:

 

I bought the Wright book (let's hope). So I'm in with one of the two-stack armored cruisers. Of course if I can find one under a different flag, just to widen the research, but at the least the Chin 'en at Tsushima.

Edit: Yes, that's it. She was in the Third Squadron, Fifth Division at the Battle of the Japan Sea (Tsushima). Nuff said- she will join my Navy as a companion to the Mikasa.

Why is this important to me? Because this was the only decisive battleship engagement by steel navies.

 

 

Jutland? Okay, perhaps it wasn't decisive, but it did end the Kaiser's dreams of ruling the North Sea with his pet the High Seas Fleet once and for all. They were never relevant again, with the exception of the U-boat.

The over riding theme of the battle, and it's a good one, is that it was fought at extreme range for the time, the intership communication caused more problems than it solved, and that destroyers; about 100 total involved in the battle, light cruisers and battlecruisers did all the devil's work.So back to the Yalu, broadside guns, and engagement at less than 5000 yards,

carsanab

I heard that you can change out the smoke stack with an aftermarket chapstick tube???

You heard wrong.

I heard that you can change out the smoke stack with an aftermarket chapstick tube???