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

That looks fantastic sir!  

Mike - your detail work is pretty darn good! I struggled like heck with my 1:350 scale PE parts. I succeeded in bending in every shape but the right one! Job well done, sir

GM, Engine_95, and Robert,

Thanks guys.

It's always a challenge for me to bend the PE correctly and, even with the use of my little "BUG" (from the Small Shop), I still manage to mangle some of the tiny brass parts. However, I now have a slightly better idea of how competent I am in that regard and don't really pull my few hairs out of my head about a mistake here or there . It's all good fun.

GM, I'm not sure what you meant about the "J O'B"? You have to forgive my lack of military/naval terminology if that's what it is. I'm sorry your model died. You're right, I think it's one of the best looking US warships - period.

Engine_95,

From the time I was born until I was 29, Manhattan was my home. I guess the closest I ever got to your station was when I visited The Cloisters. I lived at 1356 Madison Ave. which is between 95th & 96th streets. In 1972 I moved to southern California where I resided for 38 years. I've now been in Oregon for the last 6 years and love this state!

My hat's off to you and those firefighters who serve every day.

Mike- I meant the Jeremiah O'Brien.

Engine_95. Thank you for your service to your City and our country. Never know when I'll be in a highrise in any state in the country and it's good to know that there's a well trained FD in the area.

I design the really tall ones for a living, it's become a matter of the greatest importance to get people in and back out of them safely.

Bill

No, no gents . . . I'm just a regular old smokeater with a suburban department way down south.  Box 8087 was the first alarm assignment at 1 WTC.  I've had that as my sig line since it happened because we're all brothers.  And I will never forget that day.

Bill, I want to thank you for prioritizing the safety of the men and women working in the buildings you design.  You make the task that we've sworn to uphold that much easier.  

To "regular old smokeater" - We all, I'm sure, thank all of you wherever you fight fires for your service.

GM, I should have figured that out . Since I gave it away I've not thought about it much.

After my next build (It'll be 1/48 aircraft - not sure which one yet) I'll build another of my 1/350 ships - among the cruiser Varyag, the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, the IJN battleship Mikasa, or the USS battleship New York - BB-34, I'm certainly not sure yet. Any thoughts on those 1/350 kits?

Nice PE work!  I'm actually in the middle of the same build.  Whose PE are you using?  I have the White Ensign set, and there's actually a glitch in their crane jib; one of the frames is missing structure at one end. Luckily I was able to adapt, improvise and overcome.  Also, what size chain did you use on the focsle?

Outstanding PE work!  I'm actually in the middle of the same build.  Whose PE are you using?  I have the White Ensign set, and there's actually a glitch in their crane jib; one of the frames is missing structure at one end. Luckily I was able to adapt, improvise and overcome.  Also, what size chain did you use on the focsle?

John,

Thanks for the compliment on the PE. I used GMM (Gold Medal Models) PE. I usually end up buying their stuff since I've had pretty good luck with it in the few 1/350 ships I've built. I've also used WEM PE but only when I've read that it covers an area or parts that the GMM doesn't. I normally would use it as a supplement to GMM if my budget allowed. 

As to the chain, I can't recall exactly the LPI I used for the actual anchor chain but I believe it was 17 lpi. (links per inch). The anchor chain stop was 42 lpi chain that I had left over from my build of the 1/96 Cutty Sark where I used it in the rigging.

Best of luck with your model. I think it's a great kit with near zero problems except for the joining of the two hull halves if you're going to do a full hull display. There I had to do a lot more sanding, filing and filling than I had expected.

P.S. I did think of one more "problem". That's where I should have added some additional styrene to build up the join between the battle lookout (part D-1) and the fire control top (part D-14) because I'd used aftermarket guns on the battle lookout which were slightly crushed by the fire control top. The kit provided guns (parts C-15 & C-16) would probably fit OK.

Mike - I appreciate your help. I built a lot when I was a teenager, but much has changed in modeling since then.  I didn't have the time to concentrate on the hobby for many years, and really just got back into it a few years ago. I switch off between ships and aircraft. My first ship using PE was completed in 2014: USS Normandy, of which I'm a proud Plank Owner.

Your anchor chains and stoppers look good, scale-wise, in your photos, and the "math" seems pretty accurate, too. And I agree 100% on the hull issue; that seems to be a problem with all Trumpeter kits.  I don't know what the split between full hull and waterline display modelers is, but I'd prefer a one-piece hull, with port and starboard hull halves as a second choice (with a scribe line for the waterline option). 

I used a mix of kit parts and PE for the 20mm and 1.1" guns - I'm not a fan of PE-thin barrels and going whole-hog with after-market on every kit isn't possible - and just completed some modifications to the 36' utility boats, to make them look more like a World War II era craft.

John

I just picked up a Tamiya Kagero DD. It has a separate top and bottom. There's a nice feature- the upper hull is two halves, a seam down the middle of the stern. But at the bow, one half includes the prow complete and a section of hull on the other side. I think the seam is an actual hull seam.

GM, That's an interesting way to make it. Looks like an interesting kit.

The only IJN ship kit I have right now is the Hasegawa "Battle of the Japan Sea" 1/350 Mikasa. I've some (wood deck and Lion Roar PE) aftermarket plus Hasegawa's "Detail up" set. It'll certainly be a long project. Maybe if I still am breathing after it's built I'll get another IJN kit .

I like that hull concept a lot. Hopefully other manufacturers will pick up on it, or something similar.

Once I finish my San Francisco, if I don't swing over to an aircraft, I've got Trumpeter's England, which I plan to complete as the Haynes from the Enemy Below, and the Olympia. I've been putting that build off until I get better with rigging.

Mike,

I really like what you have done so far on the SF. Please keep the WIP coming.

Steve

Steve,

That's all there is from me, LOL! I posted the final pictures on page 2 of this thread. If it seems unfinished to you that's probably due to my less than meticulous build skills.

Perhaps I could have done some weathering which I'm not yet comfortable trying but I thought she ended up OK for me.

BTW, How's the Catalan coming along?

Sorry Mike, I'm trying to play catch up and obviously not doing too well! 

I just reread the entire thread and I have to say, I am mighty impressed with the PE work you did! I also have this kit in the stash with the GMM PE and Artwork deck, although I was thinking of backdating it a bit so I can paint the observation planes with yellow wings. I also bought the Veteran Model 5" ers and the Model Master 20mm. I am not so sure if I'll go that route now for a number of reasons. 

The Catalan ship is pretty much dead in the water so to speak as am I.

Anyway, it is a beautiful build my friend. You can definitely be proud of this one.

Steve

Steve,

Don't worry my friend, I half read many threads and make comments that show it from time to time.

I'm sorry about your Catalan, I was certain you were going to create another model that I could ogle and wish to build half as well.

I hope that when you said "..as am I." after using the phrase "dead in the water" you simply meant that you're at a temporary stand still. I very much miss watching your builds in whatever thread you post. I think your idea of backdating the 'Frisco is a good one. From my books (Warship Pictorial USS San Francisco and New Orleans Class Cruisers) it doesn't look like you'd need to modify much. However you might have to pretend that the SOC-3 Seagulls are Vought O3U-3 Corsairs if you shoot for April 1935 through April 1936 so just avoid that time period . I think the white paint (I can't really tell the color in the B&W photos) looks great on the ship and she was wearing it up through at least some of 1939.

Up until 1941 I believe she was painted #5 Standard Navy Grey. Decks natural.

GM,

I have no doubt that you're correct. I just couldn't tell what shade of gray she was or whether or not it might be an "off white" based on the picture in one of my books. I certainly could have looked up more information on that but was just too lazy.