Trumpeter 1:700 Saratoga-Done

Don, What colors did you use on your bases? I do like them I made base's with smooth water for some Iron Clads I built.

Don, you really got me fired up & I have 3 1/700 carriers coming, the Midway 3 & Jim ,nino, sent me a Revell 1/480 Yorktown. I had wriiten about a 16 year old friend of mine who joined the navy right after Pearl harbor & was on the Yorktown at Midway. He made it thru the war fine,. He was my brothers friend too.

    Keep the pictures coming & your island looks great. Looking forward to no rigging.                 Gene

the Baron

 

 

Don Stauffer

For a break to regain my sanity after working on the bitty parts, I am working on the base.  The kit includes a very nice vacuformed sea base.  I painted it and mounted it in a wood frame.

I temporarily sat the hull/deck into it to see what it would look like.

Looks pretty good to me.  Leaves a big gap along side which I will have to fill with something when I permanently attach ship, but that should be pretty easy.

 

 

 

I'm going to use artist's acrylic gel to fill the gaps on mine.  It'll also adhere the model to the base.

That base is a really nice feature of a pretty nice kit!

 

That is my plan also.  The thickness of acrylic gel will allow me to scupt that fill a bit to continue the wave shapes.

Don Stauffer

For a break to regain my sanity after working on the bitty parts, I am working on the base.  The kit includes a very nice vacuformed sea base.  I painted it and mounted it in a wood frame.

I temporarily sat the hull/deck into it to see what it would look like.

Looks pretty good to me.  Leaves a big gap along side which I will have to fill with something when I permanently attach ship, but that should be pretty easy.

I'm going to use artist's acrylic gel to fill the gaps on mine.  It'll also adhere the model to the base.

That base is a really nice feature of a pretty nice kit!

Nino

 

 

Don Stauffer

I've started my Trumpeter 1:700 CV3 Saratoga.  This is the pre-war ship, and will be done in the pre-war livery, 8 inch guns and all.  I have the Eduard PE set.

Got the flight deck ready for painting, nets cut away and elevators glued in place (making it with elevators up.

...

Also, I would like to try to add the arrester cables, but have been unable to find either a picture or drawing to show those.  Anyone have ideas on that?

 

 

 

 

RE: Arrestor cables.  Here are a few pre-war pics from some WEB sites showing the Deck in pretty good detail.  I have nothing on the specifics of the cables.

 

Some Nets too:

 

 

  Tracy White has some of the best Pics. Perhaps he will notice my attempt to add some info and Add in some of his collection.

Don, I will email you some interesting links of Pre-War Deck color.

     Jim.

 Edit:

  Forgot to add an interesting Link.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/with/4821875011/

 

 

Thanks again, Jim.  Great photos!

Don Stauffer

I've started my Trumpeter 1:700 CV3 Saratoga.  This is the pre-war ship, and will be done in the pre-war livery, 8 inch guns and all.  I have the Eduard PE set.

Got the flight deck ready for painting, nets cut away and elevators glued in place (making it with elevators up.

...

Also, I would like to try to add the arrester cables, but have been unable to find either a picture or drawing to show those.  Anyone have ideas on that?

 

RE: Arrestor cables.  Here are a few pre-war pics from some WEB sites showing the Deck in pretty good detail.  I have nothing on the specifics of the cables.

Some Nets too:

  Tracy White has some of the best Pics. Perhaps he will notice my attempt to add some info and Add in some of his collection.

Don, I will email you some interesting links of Pre-War Deck color.

     Jim.

 Edit:

  Forgot to add an interesting Link.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/with/4821875011/

[quote user="Don Stauffer]

Working on the superstructure, but it sure is going slow.

 The levels are so tiny.  The upper ones are like 5/16 x 5/15 x 1/8.  And lots of parts for each level.  Most are five pieces- four walls and an upper deck level.  Unfortunately the molding is not accurate enough, and visible cracks remain where the walls each meet.  This means filling and filing!  With assemblies that small it is hard to get even a micro file in to do the work without scraping something else (sanding would be even worse).  I don't see why they have to make these levels with so many pieces.  Seems to me with modern slide mold technology they could do it in one or two pieces (maybe a one piece slab for the walls representing the level with a separate upper deck piece, or even a one piece structure.  Pieces like searchlights are really tiny!

[/quote]

  Don, I heard form Warshipguy who asked me to relay that Steve L., Model Monkey, makes a terrific replacement island. (Bill is not able to log in again)

Might be worth it.  Especially is something goes wrong with the finicky Trumpeter part...

https://www.shapeways.com/product/FA8RHKHAF/1-700-uss-saratoga-cv-3-island-1936-1940

   Nino

You should turn the hull around. She and her sister were originally designed to be able to sail backwards for stern launches....

Looking very good.

For a break to regain my sanity after working on the bitty parts, I am working on the base.  The kit includes a very nice vacuformed sea base.  I painted it and mounted it in a wood frame.

I temporarily sat the hull/deck into it to see what it would look like.

Looks pretty good to me.  Leaves a big gap along side which I will have to fill with something when I permanently attach ship, but that should be pretty easy.

Working on the superstructure, but it sure is going slow.

The levels are so tiny.  The upper ones are like 5/16 x 5/15 x 1/8.  And lots of parts for each level.  Most are five pieces- four walls and an upper deck level.  Unfortunately the molding is not accurate enough, and visible cracks remain where the walls each meet.  This means filling and filing!  With assemblies that small it is hard to get even a micro file in to do the work without scraping something else (sanding would be even worse).  I don't see why they have to make these levels with so many pieces.  Seems to me with modern slide mold technology they could do it in one or two pieces (maybe a one piece slab for the walls representing the level with a seperate upper deck piece, or even a one piece structure.  Pieces like searchlights are really tiny!

It would not surprise me if there's a correct CV-8 island available in 3D print.

I used Gator masks for the 1/350 Hornet camouflage and they worked great. I would guess they are available in 1/700. 

Gene - 

IIRC Enterprise and Yorktown were pretty close in final build as they came off the ways.  Hornet had a different island structure from what I have seen and understand.  Have always looked at her as a kind of 3/4 sister to the first pair in the class. 

Don, I got an Academy Enterprise in 1/700, following your lead. I wanted a hull. Bill says he has 3 Academy Ent. & will build the  Hornet, Yorktown & Ent. If I can handle the 1/700 scale I would like to do that.

       My brother saw 3 of the Carriers get hit with kamakazi's. The Franklin was one I think. I think that was at Okinawa.

I suppose this is too fine a detail at 1/700, but I remeber the nets were originally intended to be set vertical while the ship was not operating it's aircraft, as a wind barrier for the light biplanes of the era in which she was designed. The bottom half or so was canvas strips, the upper half net. But I also think they were painted whatever color the ship was.

GMorrison

 

 

Don Stauffer

 Also, holding off on all PE like railings and those safety nets on sides of the flight deck.  The latter will be butt glued to intersection of deck and hull, and I suspect that joint will be very fragile.

 

 

 

At about a 15 deg. upward angle.

 

The last sentence in your above is by a very experienced modeler. Any way you can turn the attachment points on the PE into tiny pins?

 

Hey, that is a great idea.  I'll try that when I am cutting the nets out.  BTW, the PE stuff is all stainless.  I personally prefer brass.  I wonder how well most primers work on stainless.  Adhesion seems okay so far.  Lucky coincidence, the primer I am using (Rustoleum) is a very, very close match for the ghost gray I am using.  That should minimize clogging fine nets and stuff.

Don Stauffer

 Also, holding off on all PE like railings and those safety nets on sides of the flight deck.  The latter will be butt glued to intersection of deck and hull, and I suspect that joint will be very fragile.

The last sentence in your above is by a very experienced modeler. Any way you can turn the attachment points on the PE into tiny pins?

Got the hull painted, and the deck almost painted, except for gray on the bow and stern ramps.  Boy, decaling that deck was a lot of work, with those very thin and narrow lines!

I did not put the ships boats in their positions, as they will be multi-color.  Also, holding off on all PE like railings and those safety nets on sides of the flight deck.  The latter will be butt glued to intersection of deck and hull, and I suspect that joint will be very fragile.

hi Don,

Great to see another carrier build log.  I will be following.

Scott

Model Monkey

Squadron published a really interesting and photo-filled book of Saratoga by David Doyle in their Squardon at Sea series.  Highly recommended.

 

It is out of print but you can find them on Amazon.  Link: https://www.amazon.com/USS-Saratoga-Squadron-At-Sea/dp/089747712X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=saratoga+david+doyle&qid=1560684869&s=gateway&sr=8-1

 

Disclaimer: I have no association with Squadron or Mr. Doyle other than as a satisfied customer.

 

Thanks, Steve

Squadron published a really interesting and photo-filled book of Saratoga by David Doyle in their Squardon at Sea series.  Highly recommended.

It is out of print but you can find them on Amazon.  Link: https://www.amazon.com/USS-Saratoga-Squadron-At-Sea/dp/089747712X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=saratoga+david+doyle&qid=1560684869&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Disclaimer: I have no association with Squadron or Mr. Doyle other than as a satisfied customer.

GMorrison

There's a good but small picture of her "recovering her planes off Maui 1932" or something like that on Navsource. You'll see the number and location of the arrestor cables.

That class of ships originally was designed to operate aircraft off of either end, and there were cables amidships. By the early thirties, a more conventional cable set up at the stern was used.

A rule of thumb for the open 5" guns is that the gun itself is painted the color of the verticals around it. The base plate is the color of the deck it is placed on.

 

 

GMorrison

There's a good but small picture of her "recovering her planes off Maui 1932" or something like that on Navsource. You'll see the number and location of the arrestor cables.

That class of ships originally was designed to operate aircraft off of either end, and there were cables amidships. By the early thirties, a more conventional cable set up at the stern was used.

A rule of thumb for the open 5" guns is that the gun itself is painted the color of the verticals around it. The base plate is the color of the deck it is placed on.

 

 

Thanks.  Any chance you have a link to the picture?  I also have a movie that shows a brief shot of her in the Panama canal, but it is from a below the flight deck aspect.  Great movie- Task Force.

There's a good but small picture of her "recovering her planes off Maui 1932" or something like that on Navsource. You'll see the number and location of the arrestor cables.

That class of ships originally was designed to operate aircraft off of either end, and there were cables amidships. By the early thirties, a more conventional cable set up at the stern was used.

A rule of thumb for the open 5" guns is that the gun itself is painted the color of the verticals around it. The base plate is the color of the deck it is placed on.

Com'on Don get going on the Saratga. You got me interested now & I asked Jim about a Yorktown CV5 kit in 1/700. I wanted it because a kid i was in the 6th or 7th grade with was 15 or 16 & as soon as Pearl Harbor happened he joined the navy & was on the Yorktown when it went down.

                      He was pretty old for that grade ,but was a great boy. He got off ok & finished the war ok. I asked my brother what Eddie said about the sinking & my brother said he probably thought it was swim call. They ran around together after the war. I missed WW2 by about 3 years,but everyone I knew nearly was in it.

 Lets have pictures.

That will be very interesting,looking forward to it.

gene1

Don, after your last small Victory model I am anxious to see everything you build, especially small ships.  Have you ever done anything on the 1911 Marmon Wasp. That Victory was beautiful.

 

I intend to do the Wasp next year.  This year is my Year of the Ship. I have set aside a set of 1:16 wheels for the Wasp, but will need to make some wheel covers for them too.

I'll follow this with interest, Don!  I've got this kit, too, but haven't started it yet.  It looks nice, out of the box.

I don't have any color references, either, only black-and-white.  The colors are pretty basic, though.  I think I've got all White Ensign Models colors for my pre-war US Navy builds.

Don, after your last small Victory model I am anxious to see everything you build, especially small ships.  Have you ever done anything on the 1911 Marmon Wasp. That Victory was beautiful.