Well...I'd been planning on the Laffey...but Great Models is having a big Trumpeter sale with the North Carolina down to $75.

So...BB-55 it is.

Think I'll take this one as a slow, ongoing build. Otherwise I might go crazy.

It will take you a minimum of 2 years to make that BB up.

I strongly recommend that you set yourself up with your first choice, the Laffey. You will not be sorry.

Do both at the same time, otherwise you will be bogged down in BB modeling.

Seriously,

Bondoman,

Why 2 years??????  It took me about 6 weeks to finish my conversion to the USS Washington.  The USS Laffey is a wonderful kit, but if you love battleships, why not build one?  Afterall, the builder uses the same skills to build either; he is more likely to finish building the ship he wants in the first place.

Bill Morrison

Because you are Bill Morrison and I'm not! Certainly you are right, but Doogs is new to ship models and I've found out the hard way that big ones get really boring. Hence, do several at once.

Good advice, in my opinion. I've tried both ways during the years, and the parallell building is easier to me. I loose interest in the middle even during smaller builds, like destroyers single engine aircraft or armour, so to even think of doing something like Hasegawas Akagi or Revells old Cutty Sark as a single ongoing project would probably make me quit building completely. Been there.....

Bondoman,

I certainly meant no offense; indeed, I sincerely apologise if I gave it.  But, I learned a long time ago that it is far better to build the ship you want rather than start by building something else with the goal of working up to what you wanted in the first place.

One of the most impressive ship models I have ever seen is a 1/75 plank-on-bulkhead wooden model of HMS Victory built by a 76 year old woman who had never built a ship model in her life.  She did a remarkable job building a very complex model!  And, she had no other build in the works to divert her attention.

Once I start a model, I do not like to be distracted by another.  It becomes an obsession with me to finish that which I have started.

Again, I apologise.

Bill Morrison

Just so we're clear...I have built ships before. It's just been a long time.

Here's Tamiya's BB-62 USS New Jersey in 80s/Desert Storm getup:

And Tamiya's CVN-65 Enterprise:

I don't know precisely with the NJ, but I built the Enterprise one summer when I was probably 13 or 14. Definitely pre-high school, but I was also old enough that my attempts weren't completely laughable.

Personally, I've found that I prefer to build concurrently. It keeps me from getting bored with a subject and lets me jump from one to the other if I have to wait on paint to dry or a part to come in or something like that. I usually try to do one aircraft/one armor, but sometimes a second plane works its way in there.

Realistically there's no way I can even think about starting the North Carolina until Thanksgiving at the earliest. But I'm not really hoping to have her done until maybe next August (I have designs on entering a ship in next year's Austin show provided I don't blow it). Pretty sure I can manage that...

I know this is a late suggestion, but the old tamiya Fletcher (1:350) kit # 78012 is still a great and straightforward build. You can get comprehensive but not redundant PE sets form Eduard and TMM. kenny Loup of gator's glue sells masks for the camo schemes.

warshipguy

Bondoman,

I certainly meant no offense; indeed, I sincerely apologise if I gave it.  But, I learned a long time ago that it is far better to build the ship you want rather than start by building something else with the goal of working up to what you wanted in the first place.

One of the most impressive ship models I have ever seen is a 1/75 plank-on-bulkhead wooden model of HMS Victory built by a 76 year old woman who had never built a ship model in her life.  She did a remarkable job building a very complex model!  And, she had no other build in the works to divert her attention.

Once I start a model, I do not like to be distracted by another.  It becomes an obsession with me to finish that which I have started.

Again, I apologise.

Bill Morrison

Doogs, beautiful models and you obviously know how to manage your time resources.

I would personally build both because I see battleships as the pinnacle, along with carriers, of WW2 ship building and I probably don't have too many good ones in me.

Sometimes we let what should be objective and wise counsel be clouded by personal preferences. I'm a cruiser nut.

Bill

Doogs: Awesome, I'll be looking forward to seeing photos of her! I have a feeling you're not going to have much time to devote to your upcoming BT-7 though

ANY ship model is a good ship model, Full speed ahead!

Gamera

Doogs: Awesome, I'll be looking forward to seeing photos of her! I have a feeling you're not going to have much time to devote to your upcoming BT-7 though

Right now I'm thinking about a winter kick-off. Once the move's complete and the bench is back up and running (I'm shooting for Thanksgiving), I'll have at least six tanks waiting for paint. They'll probably be rolling off the line over the next year (though honestly I think the M4A4 might be a shelf queen for a while. That kit and I did not get along).

Then I've got an F4F-3 Wildcat I'm planning on starting in December to mark the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor/Wake Island (I'm planning on the Yellow Wings "Wake Island Wildcats" markings and depicting one of the last two operational Wakecats).

But after that. Or maybe concurrent. Just need to make sure I've got a good place to store the hull in between work sessions.

Sounds like some really cool stuff Doogs, I love Yellow Wings and am looking forward to the Wildcat. And the tanks are pretty cool too.

Went over to the Great Models website and I think you must have bought the last 'North Carolina' kit since they're listing it as out of stock. Still, I really don't need to add anything to the stash right now, nothing......

Do not lead me into temptation for I shall find it on my own...

I've got a nice kit of the IJN cruiser 'Nachi' and the I-19 (which torpeteoed (sp???) the USS NC) that I can build if I ever get back into a ship mood.

DoogsATX

Gamera:

Doogs: Awesome, I'll be looking forward to seeing photos of her! I have a feeling you're not going to have much time to devote to your upcoming BT-7 though

 

Right now I'm thinking about a winter kick-off. Once the move's complete and the bench is back up and running (I'm shooting for Thanksgiving),

Doogs, I always enjoy your web site. I have not notice the New Jersey and Enterprise before. They look beautiful to me. Really looking forward to see your next 1:350 ship. 

Yeah, the New Jersey and Big E are some of the few kits that remain from my childhood. They and the other "previous" builds don't get featured on my site (which is devoted to the experience of coming back to modeling!). But the ones that escaped firebombing and flamethrower attacks are sitting safe and neglected on some shelves at my parents' house. Had my mom grab a few pictures awhile back that you can see HERE.

Tamiya is coming out with a new, retool of the Yamato in 1/350 due in November with a bunch of upgrade parts to be released with it. Unfortunately I just got the Musashi when I was recently in Japan along with a Lion Roar upgrade kit. It will be interesting to see the response this new update kit gets.

http://www.hlj.com/product/TAMSP-04

Ken

Wow, thanks for that head's up Ken. Spectacular kit with three detail sets thrown in and 30 percent off!

A little rich for me but good gosh I'm tempted.

Edit: On second thought I expect S&H to the States will be more than I'd save though...

Details to be released this weekend on Tamiya website. http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/78025yamato/index.htm

It will have a waterline and full hull option...