Building a Imai/ Monogram 1/120 USS United States,,, great fun

Gene,

It's looking great!  Gene, are those plastic shrouds & ratlines?

Jim, 

Did you include the Revell half hull Constitution on a plaque?

Both,

I just tripped over an article on the USS Constitution Museum's website about the history behind all of her figureheads and billet heads.  It seems that there is a common misconception about the Revell 1/196 (or faux 1/146) kit.  I have read from many people here that argue that the model depicts the ship as she appeared in the 1820s because of the Andrew Jackson figurehead.  However, the first AJ figurehead was not installed until late in her 1833 refit.  That figurehead, as we all probably know, was decapitated above the mouth early 1834,  It was replaced by a different one shortly thereafter with AJ in a different pose.  The ship kept this figurehead until 1874. The Revell kit includes the second AJ.  Check out the history on the museum's website.  It is fascinating, even including details of each refit.

Bill 

Coming along great Gene, its such a clean and pleasing looking model.  

Yes Bill, like George W. I cannot tell a lie. I used the kit shrouds because  they looked so good & I wanted to see how they looked on the ship. They installed real nice & fit perfectly. They also set the masts correctlyside to side. The backstays set the fore & aft.

    I sprayed them flat black before I put them on, masking the glueing points. I always brush paint my shrouds I make after they are installed. I noticed Len Roberto used the kit shrouds on his Connie on FSM. It was real nice.I used the kit shrouds on the big Black Swan I built & I really couldn't tell the difference because they were so good.

   These are a little heavy, but I am happy with them. When I get all the sails on it will be hard to tell.

warshipguy

Gene,

It's looking great!  Gene, are those plastic shrouds & ratlines?

Jim, 

Did you include the Revell half hull Constitution on a plaque?

Both,

I just tripped over an article on the USS Constitution Museum's website about the history behind all of her figureheads and billet heads.  It seems that there is a common misconception about the Revell 1/196 (or faux 1/146) kit.  I have read from many people here that argue that the model depicts the ship as she appeared in the 1820s because of the Andrew Jackson figurehead.  However, the first AJ figurehead was not installed until late in her 1833 refit.  That figurehead, as we all probably know, was decapitated above the mouth early 1834,  It was replaced by a different one shortly thereafter with AJ in a different pose.  The ship kept this figurehead until 1874. The Revell kit includes the second AJ.  Check out the history on the museum's website.  It is fascinating, even including details of each refit.

Bill 

 

     Bill,

      I never considered the Wall plaques as Model ships, more "Art Decorations".  They are not on my list.  The Constitution Plaque is supposedly a pantographed-down copy of the big kit but I have not done research except to note the Wall Plaque depicts the Port side, the gun carriages are molded into the deck like the 1/196 kit, and when assembled, the "ship" is a bit wider than a 1/2 hull since the yards project just a bit to the Starboard side, I would expect the kit is probably difficult to rig.The Plaque is listed as 18" long which is real close to the 1/196 kit.

        Thanks for the reminder to go visit the Constitution Museums Web site. That History review will come handy. Between the different figureheads and various number of gallery windows, gun port covers, not to mention different rigs and hull color, it can be a confusing task to positively choose the corrections for a specific timeframe.  Although the Hull model is terrific for 1812, (you just have to believe), it's kind of a BEST 2 OUT OF 3 when reviewing the paintings.

     The USF United States seems even more difficult to pin down.  I like Genes Color for the hull stripe and the added raised quarter deck (I almost said poop!). It shows the ship to be the United States.    

Gene, 

     Kit shrouds have some good qualities. They are measured right and they keep the plastic masts straight. My experience is very limited though. Two years ago I experimented with scraping  down rat lines to make them thinner. For the shrouds I filed them rounder, put some "texture"on them and I was going to paint accordingly but I broke too many rat lines and shrouds. My experimental Kit Shrouds did look much better but I wonder if my time spent was worth it.  I tossed 'em since my glued repairs were too noticable.  Yours look fine. Good idea masking off where the glue will go. 

     Jim.

 Edit:  I added a few things on my earlier post of Constitution kits.

Gene,

They do look good except for one omission to my eye. That is that they terminate at the lubbers hole in the top platform. They do not loop over the mast above the platform.  Believe me that I intend no criticism of your work, only a comment on that missing detail.

Bill

Bill, Thanks & I don't take anything anyone says as bad. I'm just happy to have people look at it & give advice, you most of all. There are so many smart & kind guys on this site & thats what makes it so good.

   I don't like to stay on a model too long anymore & that is why I use something like the kit shrouds. I won't use any of the bad ones tho. In fact I have only used 2. The USS U S & the Black Swan. The Swan was the best ever kit shrouds & the kit castings were about the best ever.

Jim, as I said before your list is the most comprehensive one I know of & easy to use. When I want to build a certain model, it is nice to be  able to look at a list & se what is available & who makes it. 

    I have seen other lists & they are hard to use mostly. I find ebay as the best by far of all places to find a certain kit.

Bill, if your Susquehanna is the same as mine the shroud casting is made of some type of flexable material & it is all wrinkled up. You probably won't use them, but if you do I cut all the pieces out & marked them & put the completely flat part with the ratlines between 2 pieces of 1x4 about 12" long & heated (optional) them & clamped the 1x4's together tightly & let them set. I will leave them like that for as long as it takes to flatten them.

    This might be useless info, but someone might use it.

Gene,

The kit just arrived yesterday.  I haven't looked through it in detail yet but will do so later today. I agree with you about the overall quality of the Imai molds!  Also, I haven't decided yet whether or not to get that Constitution model. I see that it is still listed.

Bill

Bill, I would get it. After building this one, they are really fun. Even OOB they make a pretty model & you could do the shroud rig shrouds. In that scale ,they really look good & with the shroud master to impart his shroud wisdom you would have a winner.

     How do you like that little bit of self praise.

   Rig shrouds on my Golden Hind. I could use thicker shroud lines & thinner  ratlines. I will next time.

Gene, 

     No model activity for me this week- I'm not home. I ventured down to Virginia yesterday for the 1st day of Spring.  We have 2 inches of snow so far this morning.   I thought ahead and brought some Star Wars snap together kits for the Grandkids, once playing in the snow gets boring. 

    How's your rigging coming along?  I would like to know if the plastic masts are okay with some strain on them and if you need to rework it as you do the backstays.  Maybe only glue after things look tight?   I'm looking to discover your step-by-step technique.

  Your Hull color on your Golden Hind seems to match the mix I came up with for a Revell 20" Mayflower.  I will send you some more pictures of that Mayflower with the warped hull.  The repair is slowly progressing.

  Bill,

      Get the Monogram kit. I am convinced the IMAI mould of the Consitution represents the 1930's reconstruction. The Monogram 1/120 Consitution version looks just like the Imai except for the rigging thread and instructions. You can easily make it into the USF United States.   Best point, the kit is closer to 1/150. It should look perfect next to a Heller Napoleon or anyhing of 1/150 scale.

   I think my "used" Monogram Constitution kit was missing the "String". You never know what you get with a "Used" kit.  I have been stiffed half the Cannons in a 1/80 Chebec (although I believe that was a known manufacturing glitch), but I got two models in one box for several other purchases. That makes it somewhat exciing since it works both ways. 

   I would say Hold off on buying a 1/150 Monogram/Revell 1-piece hull Constitution kit. It looks nice but is 1/230ish and does not match in scale to other kits other than being close to some Lindberg Pirate ships. When I compared it to Pics of the actual Constitution, the resemblence misses due to miniscule tumblehome.

    Have fun.   I am on the way out to shovel snow.

     Jim.

Well, I am nearly done with the United States & it is a pretty model & even the rear added deck has turned out looking good. I am happy with it even using the kit shrouds & kit sails. I did a lot of work on the sails. I first mixed a dirty white & when I used it , it was too white & I mixed another that was not dirty enough. I had already put the sails on & all sewed up. When they were all done I mixed a thin raw umber & used my fine airbrush & sprayed them on the boat & it helped a lot. In the pictures they still look whiter than they are. 

   I have a bunch of pictures that I finnally got on thanks to my grandson. I have been using him as my computer adviser since he was about 8. I will start another post for the pictures.

  Here is my United States.

More on next post.

I seperate the pictures because I often loose a long post & I am a slow typist & hate to repeat. It reall has been a fun build except I do get tired of rigging & always leave some undone, because my 87 year old fingers have a hard time. Sure enjoy this site with all you guys.     Gene

sorry gene , none of your pic's came through for me , just a circle with a line through it 

Livit ;

 There are at least I believe 16 books in the series . Captain Aubry and Dr Maturin are indeed an Odd Couple in this series  .A long hard friendship bonded by hardship and faith in each other's abilities .and took private letters of Marquis from the powers that be for special missions near the end . The H.M.S. Surprise was " Paid Out" and Captain Aubry bought her . This enables the " Surprises " to do a lot that regular Navy only could wonder about .Aubry did not mistreat his crews and this came back in a loyalty that was almost unbelievable .

    " Master and Commander " As a movie was a mess as far as I was concerned . Crowe made an Acceptable Captain Aubry .That is all . The story was mixed up with at least two more in parts and pieces . The Public never understood the relationship between Aubry and Maturin and Killick etc .

 Of course after the phony heroics in the " Pirates of the Caribbean " Gotta love that "Cap'n Jack Sparrow ". But sorry it wasn't that simple .Good fun . But  I would definitely go for a Good rendition of one of O'Brian's stories from that series .T.B. 

TB, I would like to read all those books.  I did enjoy Master and Commander, probably would not of enjoyed as much if I had truly known the real story line. I do like a lot of footage that shows rigging, gun crews etc...I can only imagine just how brutal it must of been to be on the gundeck during a battle. Maybe if Hollywierd had followed the story line better or done a series, it would of done much better in the box office...Lets hope next movie if it is done, does a better job of it.  

Gene I also cannot see the pics....  Dale

 I wanted to see if these pictures come thru now. I will post a few & see. Please let me know.   Gene

 The first ones I posted all came thru on my computer, that is why I didn't know.

beautiful as alway's gene .

Steve, they did come thru ok? If so I will do the rest & thanks for the nice words.

chrystal clear mate , what happened first time around ?

 Steve I have always listed thru Google Photos, but this tme something went wrong & my grandson got them thru but they weren't listed as an album. I don't know what that means. here are some more. Got to try again on another post.

That got them all.

As soon as I finish this & a few things on my Alabama, I will start on Imai's Spanish Galleon. I have wanted to build that for a long time. I have been trying to figure how to do all the colored work on the hull sides. Red, Yellow & blue. 

  I have also lost the bids on 3 Foredom flex shaft drills. one by a dollar. I have had mine for over 50 years & it still works fine. I have had trouble finding brush's for the motor, but I have some coming from Foredom that are supposed to work. 

    The darn thing is like me, because it's too old to get parts for.

Does anyone have one of the cheaper flex shaft motor drills? Are they any good. I figure my next one doesn't have to last another 50 years.

hate to tell you this gene , but the last lot didn't come through .

Steve , Thanks. I will try 2 more & see. Please let me know.

Somehow I have 4 albums of this same set of pictures & only one will print. They all show up as fine on my computer?????

3 more from a different album.

I hope that does it. Computers mystfy me.

ej, thanks, but it Aint so nice when you have to learn everything from your 8 year old grandson. He's 16 now & is a whole lot smarter, but both his parents have Phd's. Real good kid.