1/350 USS Indianapolis CA-35 (Academy) COMPLETE

In addition to your really fine model work, your photography is darned nice. This is a great thread!

I looked into this movie, as it seems like maybe one too many about the subject at first blush.

It's actually an interesting premise.

Please forgive a recitation of information already on line, but it was a new story to me.

In 1997 a young man by the name of Hunter Scott became interested in the story after seeing Jaws.

He probably saw the TV movie as well at that point.

For a National History Day (imagine that) project he researched the incident, and interviewed 150 survivors. No doubt in some part because of his broad contact with them, and his unbiased viewpoint he became convinced that the Captain was innocent of the charges he was convicted of, namely putting the ship at risk through his own actions, and testified with them before Congress advocating McVay's exoneration. As a result, a Congressional Resolution was passed, signed by President Clinton in 2000, clearing the Captain.

A book was written about it, Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis by Pete Nelson. Scott wrote the forward.

That book is the basis of the movie. I plan to see it.

Separately it's always been my understanding that, Quints statement to the contrary, most all of the fatalities after the sinking were a result of exposure and injuries from the attack, after 100 hours in the water.

You've got to put the sub assy's in a LOCKED glass case to keep them out of harms way til needed.  

Fabulous work.  Thought the air was a little blue east of me the past few days

Ya'll ready for this? The forward mast, radars, and various radio antennas. A tidy nights work if I say so myself.

By the way, It's lying on tissue paper.

jtilley

Let's reserve judgment until the movie moves beyond a gleam in Mr. Downey's eye.

I agree. Hollywood absolutely does not impress me with their "Based on a true story" garbage. However, I keep hoping in vain that someone will recount a factual story. I guess the truth is just not as exciting. 

Here's tonight's progress,

The stacks are done, and it may not look like much but this equates to 2 nights work. The second set of pictures show the PE instructions along with the kits instructions. The 2 small boxes in the upper left are the kits instructions on the left for the mast and gunnery radar, and the 1 1/2  pages on the right are the PE instructions for the same steps.

It's pretty clear that the PR person who wrote that press release knew nothing about the story. Unfortunately quite a few PR people are like that.

Let's reserve judgment until the movie moves beyond a gleam in Mr. Downey's eye.

Quite a few years ago there was a TV movie about the subject. Stacy Keach played Captain McVay, and Richard Thomas was in it. As I remember, it didn't cover the captain's suicide. Much of it was shot on board the battleship Alabama, I believe. And I think I remember the "survivors" being picked up by a Grumman Albatross.

Later: a little googling turned up a little info on that TV movie. It was called "Mission of the Shark," and first aired in 1991. It's been released on video - though I wouldn't particularly recommend it.

TB,

I was showing my wife last night, that what is just a little blow up square in the assembly drawings to show the bridge mast and range radar, I believe, takes 1 1/2 pages on the PE instructions. I think all that's left of the original kit is the mast and yard arm. Everything else is PE. The PE instructions (Eduard) show everything in red to be removed. Half of the mast is in red!

I think I'll go back to the guns for sanity.

Just kidding, I'm going to soldier on and do my absolute best. I want to be proud of this build.

By the way. I saw in my internet searching, that they are working on the Indianapolis story produced by Robert Downy Jr 

 Indianapolis movie

The write up is kinda confusing as it said the Indy was commanded by Spruance, then later in the article it says Capt. McVay. Spruance never commanded the Indy, but he may have been McVay's commander. Oh well, I guess it dose't matter. I would be interested to see that movie though.

Hey ;

    I am so glad you decided to join the rest of us to continue doing things that totally " toast the ole optical orbs ". Methinks thou art doing a capitol job matey ! When'll the bridge be done so's I kin take me rightful place there ? AAAAAARGH !  Oops wrong ship ! He! He! Darned Great Job !

Boy, I can see why the PE sets for ships cost so much now. It's not so much the manufacturing and materials, it's the time it took to measure and engineer ALL those wee little parts. I was working on the smoke stacks this weekend (I did't get much time between a grandson's birthday, showing the house and family issues) and the grate along the top of the stacks have 13 triangular braces. I could barely see them through my optivisor, let alone pick them up with my tweezers and just dip the edge onto a drop of glue. I don't know if anyone will ever notice all the tiny work I'm putting into this thing, but it should add to the the overall look. I will post pics of those insane smoke stacks when I complete them. Maybe tonight before bed.

In the end, my wife, you guys on the forum and I will know the extent to which I'm going. Ya'll just don't have to hear my string of curses like my wife does.

I also looked, in vane, for a base that would be suitable for the ocean scene. I could't find any long enough to do the "water" justice. Oh well, I will have to make one myself, which shouldn't be too hard. It will just be heaver than I would like. Some plywood and molding for the sides, and I think I have it. I'll start working on that soon and take some pics of that progress as well.

Thanks Groot,

Here's some superstructure work. I'm planning on working the bridge and masts this weekend. Looks like I'm starting to make a dent in the PE sheets. 

I've been playing that game with a 1/350 U-Boat.  Short connection points + soft plastic = lots of broken delicate parts.

Your gunmounts look pretty solid to me.  I certainly can't tell where they broke.

Groot

I finished all 6 Quad Bofors tonight. I have several duel and single to make still. I think I'm going to take a break from guns for a little bit and work on some superstructure tomorrow night. There's plenty of PE for that as well.

I know all the barrels don't look perfect, however some of the muzzles were broken off when removing them from the tree. I found out the hard way, they are very brittle and very hard to reattach. If anyone builds this kit in the future, be aware of this.

For some reason I want to say the barrels were grey and the ribbed part black rubber.  If you google "WWII bofors gun" and look at the images you can find photos with both standard grey or a gunmetal looking barrel.  The ribbed part is definitely black.

MC, I'll definitely check out that site when I can, I always though shipboard smoke can from the stacks.  Fascinating!

Groot

If I remember correctly, the actual barrel tube of the Bofors gun was dull, unpainted brass. Maybe somebody more knowledgeable can correct me on that point - or dig up a color photo.

Yeah, I forgot to square them off before taking the pics, It was getting late and I still wanted to post the pics. I will probably try to drill out the barrels if possible (obviously just enough to see a hole).  I will likely finish the other 5 quads and the 8" turrets, then work on some superstructure for a break.

Thanks for the color advice, That keeps me from having to do research on B&W photos.

Sometimes you just wanna throw in the towel on repetitive gun construction.

Plenty of other things to do, come back to it.

When you go to finish paint it, the whole thing except for the flexible seals should be gray.

Any chance to square off the ends of the barrels?

This is going to be a superdetailed model/

OK, I may have been a little too ambitious with the amount I could do in an evening. This AA gun took me 2 hours, and I have 5 more to complete. I also have numerous other guns to complete.
I broke off the muzzles of 2 guns and they are almost impossible to reattach.
Does anyone know how Academy's customer service is?

You looking at seats, sites, ammo racks, elevation cranks, and tracks

RobGroot4

MC,

 I think the barrel racks may be depth charges, though I've not heard of cruisers carrying them they kinda look like them.  They appear too short to be torpedo tubes.

Groot

Check this out Groot. Stickpusher thought he remembered what they were and found this wed page. Learn something new every day.

"They are indeed smoke generators. Look at this page and scroll down. I know that my memory was not playing tricks on me"

http://www.bosamar.com/pages/bosc14

wjbwjb29

Im building the 1/700 Indy and working with the PE is a challenge

Here's tonight progress. I built up some life rafts, watertight doors and installed the PE to the #2 turret.
Tomorrow night I think I'm going to build up the AA guns and finish turret #1 and #3. Wait till you see the AA guns. I'm going crosseyed. Thank goodness for the Optivisor.
 
Steve

Im building the 1/700 Indy and working with the PE is a challenge

Bill

Groot,

I thought they may be depth charges as well, but after a search, DC racks look more like rails that 50 gal barrels can roll on. Stickpusher believes they may be smoke canisters. I can't find any photographic evidence either way. Not yet anyway. Things like this are a mission to me. I won't stop until I find an answer.

Nice work on those little details.

MC,

 I think the barrel racks may be depth charges, though I've not heard of cruisers carrying them they kinda look like them.  They appear too short to be torpedo tubes.

Groot

OK here's crazy man's update for tonight. 
The life boats, davits, aft gun tubs, and whatever those barrel racks are?? (maybe someone else knows, I never have) were completed tonight. The instructions call out for me to install the davits and life boats now. Are they nuts? They would break off and get lost if I looked at them wrong, let alone the whole building and painting process. Duh.
Check out the life boat propellers. I believe they are the smallest I have to fiddle with on this PE set. A whole lot of good they did in the end though.

Steve

Yikes! I have to use the microscope at work to see these ladders to bend the 4 little tabs. There are several more to do, along with the 20mm gun sights.

Unbelievable. This may take a while.

I finally received the PE from Australia today, so I can get back on the Indy.

I am very impressed with the kit so far. I can't wait to get the PE in (I broke down and bought some) to see which parts need to be kept and which need to be tossed. I'm a little hesitant to continue until I get then. The guns and such are pretty safe, but I can't be for certain.

Good Luck on the house.

The look  of the build is outstanding so far.  Those huge 20mm s will, no doubt, be a treat.

Well, we had our open house today. There were some interested parties. We'll see. Good news, I have the garage set up and the temperature was 63 today, so after our open house, I did a little work on the Indy.
I sprayed the Deck Grey 20, which is supposed to be equivalent to Vallejo's German Grey. I was convinced that it was WAY too dark.

However, I did a search and found a picture of the Indianapolis model at the Indiana War Museum. Now I'm happy with the color.
 
Next, I'll start on the superstructure. Come on PE. I figure I have maybe another week or two waiting for it to arrive from Australia.

I decided to build the 20 mm AA guns first. I have 32 more to build.
 

Steve

I have the hull together and the deck on. Tonight I'll spray the deck color, according to the 1945 Measure 22 stats "Apply Deck Gray (20) to decks and other horizontal surfaces exposed to weather.". 
I am pleased with the look and the fit of the kit so far. It has been outstanding. 

 Steve

Edit. the kit is longer that I had expected. You see it pictured on a TV tray.

Ship camouflage 1941 - 1945