Trumpeter 1/350 U.S.S. San Francisco CA-38 - Finished

Hi Mike, yeah those PE guns will drive a guy nuts! I can't do but just a few per daymyself, in fact that's why I stoped on the Fletcher for now. Those tiny 20 mm Oerlikon's are hard.

Looks good!!

Pawel

Hello Mike!

Thanks for posting that WIP. Your PE work looks really good!

I'd like to encourage you to try to redo those prop guards. Once I have made similar guards for my 1:300 paper model of the USS Belleau Woods. I mean they can be built from scratch easily, what you need is some fine wire. Then the trick to attaching them is to drill holes in the hull, matching the wire diameter. This way you can get a nice clean and strong attachment points, even without glue at all.

Here's how my ship turned out:

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

 

Steve,

I spoke on the phone to my cousin in Greymouth, NZ a couple of hours ago and forgot to ask her about the weather. Weather.com shows she's got about a week of rainy/showery weather ahead with daytime high temps around the mid 60's (F) or 16° or 17° C. I guess I can't conclude anything about similarities weather-wise between Australia and New Zealand except they're both upside down .

Modelcrazy,

Thanks for the empathy. I know my PE work is not the greatest but, from a reasonable distance it will look passable.

I have another step that I've created for myself that will also test my patience - since I'm substituting the GMM PE depth charge racks for the kit parts, I have to create some depth charges to put in them. I ordered (and received today) some 3/64" (1.2mm) evergreen styrene rod which I've cut up and painted. Tomorrow while I watch the ice forming on the steep inclined alleyway where my garage apron is located, I'll be glad to be housebound for a day or two until the rains come on Monday (Tuesday in your world). I may actually get a few of the depth charges installed in each rack.

Revenant

 

 

Pawel

... 1:300 paper model of the USS Belleau Woods...

 

 

 

 

...is that the Princeton???

 

 

Hello Manny!

Like I wrote, it's USS Belleau Woods. the next ship in the Independence Class after the Princeton.

Have a nice day

Paweł

Today I worked on the 20mm (got four more done, four more to go) and part of the rear superstructure (not sure what it's called). I also attempted to put together the PE Mark 3 radar. In the picture I'm posting of that radar I did see the out of kilter brace and I've straightened it out as best I could - no picture of that yet. I spent way more time on it than I thought I might. I hope it looks better than the plastic kit part. All ready for more deck blue (20B) airbrushing. That'll be tomorrow.

THat is some nice work you have done so far my Friend.....Cheers mark

Thanks Mark.

Some painting and a bit more progress on the aft island/hangar. Started adding the PE yards to the fore and mainmasts. Up to steps 13, 14, and 15 of 25. Need to go back to add some parts to both sides of the hull in step 4 that I left off for fear that I'd break them off while handling the model.

Well, I finished up the aft hanger/superstructure today. Some touch-up work needs to be done but I'm satified with it.

Mike, I like the idea of rigging prior to instalation, I going to try that. 

MC,

There's still a bit more rigging once the main foreward and aft structures are in place but I thought it would be easier to work on it as a separate unit rather than when it was in place on deck.  My modus operandi is to do it the easiest way I can imagine - which doesn't always work out for the best but in this case I see no problems.

A little more progress:

Hello Mike!

It's starting to look really neat! Good luck with your build and have a nice day!

Paweł

Another update.

I'm 99% done with the forward superstructure. I still have some snipping, touch up painting, and some other minor things to do that I always notice in my close up photography. But, I'm satisfied so far.

Onward and upward.

Looking great Mike,

I hate trying to snip off the ends of the rigging. That's where I screw thing up.

Mike,

 I was wondering your impression of this Dragon kit. How is the fit of the deck/superstructure. Since it is a pretty new kit I would guess very little flash but are there alot of mould seams to scrape off?

MC,

I was having similar issues with Rigging using streched Sprue. I had been unable to get it consistently thin and cutting it close to the Yard on the mast was impossible. However, I am getting  better on my 4th model, a 1/700 Arliegh Burke after reading Jim Baumann's method at http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=37536

     Jim M.

MC,

Thanks.

Yeh, I just used my toenail clippers to snip the excess line above the yard - unfortunately I also nipped off a little plastic thingy that was so small I didn't notice it at first. I'd glue it back but I'm afraid it's lost - at least for the moment. I don't think it'll take away from the overall effect though.

I also tightened the forward line below the battle lookout.

Jim,

It's a Trumpeter kit. I'd say, with the little 1/350 experience I've had, that it's at the same level as the Dragon 1/350 USS Buchanan which was a very, very nice kit. I've used a lot of the GMM PE on both this kit and the Buchanan and I feel it adds to the look of the finished model (in spite of my clumsy, far from perfect techniques ). As to flash, none. Some sink marks but mostly in places that are going to be hidden. The superstructures fit on the deck perfectly.

The main problem I had with this kit is the hull. It's a two piece - top and bottom. The kit comes with a flat section as the waterline bottom should you wish to build it that way. I am building this kit (as you can see) with full hull and found it difficult to line up the top and bottom sections of the hull. I ended up doing way, way more sanding, filing, filling and repainting than I expected. Such is life in the modeling world .

I hope this info helps.

Hello Mike!

That superstructure looks really good! Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

OK, I'm finally done. I worked several hours this morning getting a few things attached (leadman platforms; accommodation ladder; finishing the rigging; touch up paint, etc.) and while doing so managed to knock off several parts, unrig a few lines, and break the stand which I stepped on while trying to photograph the finished model.

On the whole I like the final product. It's very sloppy compared to most of those who post on this site but, what the heck, I feel like I represent those who, although not super competent modelers, still enjoy the hobby and are pleased with the end result.

 I issued forth a multitude of expletives to none but me in my frustration and anxiety when I was breaking off parts, ripping off rigging and stepping on the stand, I need to go work out at the gym. When I get back home, after I've showered and eaten a late lunch, I'll work on posting some pictures.

know where your coming from mike , LOL , can't wait to see the pic's .

Steve,

LOL, it's not an uncommon occurance for me - the expletives .. while I'm breaking off parts!

As promised, here are the final pictures:

It was a really enjoyable project and she'll keep my other 1/350 ships company on my bookcase.

With the way she wanted to fight you at times, and all the re-dos you went through, she came out great.  Congrats on the nice addition.  One of these days will break open the Dragon kit I have of the Benson class Laffey, but not just yet......

For all your problems it really looks great Mike! Too bad you broke the stand but making a nice one out of wood would look classy anyway.

Thanks guys. 

I managed to salvage the stand - after all it's just on my bookshelvles. I'll do a classier, wood and brass stand for one of my remaining 1/350 ships - maybe USS New York.

Great job Mike! I've been following quietly and taking notes on the problems you encountered for my own build. She's a special ship for me, had a grandfather serve on her from '42 to '45.  I don't have much experience with shipbuilding so I've bookmarked your build for reference. Thanks for sharing your work.

Thank you Denny.

With the exception of the hull halves I'd say most problems I encountered were either of my own making or my lack of skill at this hobby. The kit is really nice and the GMM PE really does add some realistic touches - at least in someone's hands who can work well with PE - see fermis's thread here:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/7/t/173422.aspx

I'm going to work on a 1/48 scale aircraft kit next so no more tearing my hair out (oops, not much of that left either ) over the tiny 1/350 PE.

really nice work mike , I'll have to have a go at one of these one day , been busy doing tanks lately .

I've got a couple of 1:350's and I'll be proud if any of them turn out as nice.

Very nice job. It's a beautiful ship, Treaty Cruiser with those elegant raked stacks.

I fully agree with you about the Trumpeter detail of splitting the hull. It's really annoying. I thought I had it solved on my CA-38 until I finished her and took photos. Little step at the bow

And on the J O'B it was too low- maybe they worked from a photo of her now, empty.

THAT one had to be made truly invisible.

Side note: mine just died, didn't survive a move. I'm in the process of salvaging the 1.1s, 20s and 5" for my next build.

I really like the way your ship came out, Mike.