Jump to content
MSW Spring Donation Drive

schooner

NRG Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    641

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by schooner

  1. schooner
    Hi Elijah, Hopefully she will fit on a shelf on a bookcase in my den - I really don't want to take up any more table top space since I'm afraid I may be approaching my wife's still undefined but undoubted ship model limit.
  2. schooner
    Foc’sle & Prop The only real gripe I have about parts from this kit is the prop. It comes on it’s own sprue and each blade has a pour ridge on it’s backside which takes over an hour of careful work with an X-Acto to remove. Once they are off the results are underwhelming - the prop right-handed vice left-handed, it is noticeably under scale and there is almost no pitch to the blades so it looks like a little pressed flower hanging on the end of the shaft. I tried cutting off the blades and reattaching them with more pitch angle but it was hard to get the spacing equal and the result was as bad as the original. I ended up springing for a set of cast brass props which look much better. I added the ground tackle, gun and ASROC. The ASROC launcher is an after-market item from Veteran Models that I already had on hand, although the kit one was quite good I’m on hold awaiting the arrival of the case and display base because I want to transfer the model to it’s permanent base before adding the main deck lifelines in order to avoid messing them up. Hopefully it will be here in the next few days.
  3. schooner
    Upper deck details The superstructure is just about done at this point. The boat davits were more complex than I thought they would be - a ton of tiny PE detail, much of it buried underneath other pieces, just about every cable and pulley is included. About all that is left to do is detail the foc’sle, fantail and flight deck nets.
  4. schooner
    I was a little surprised to see this build log awaken again from deep sleep but thanks for the kind words Brian, tomasg and especially to Tim, the old FRAM sailor.
  5. schooner
    Upper deck details At this point most of the details on the 02 level and up have been added. The pelorus’, signal lamps, “Big Eye” binoculars and the SRBOC launchers are after-market items from Veteran Models. The bridge railings and the HF antenna coupler with its "fence" aft of the FC director are scratch. Next up will be rigging the boat davits.
  6. schooner
    Helo Hanger Painting and detailing the hanger took a little longer than I had planned but at least it is done. The 2 HF whip antennas are just dry fitted on their stands which is why they look a little out of kilter, I’ll glue them in at the end of the build so they are not in the way while rigging the wire antennas. Although it’s hard for me to scratch details at this scale I couldn’t stop myself from adding a few: the UHF SATCOM antenna (although its tower was supplied - one of those head-scratchers about this kit) the binnacle for the after conn the storage boxes for the spare helicopter blades the glide slope indicator Most of the hull decals have been added at this point. The decals are good quality. I cut up the flight deck markings into sub-pieces because it seemed a bit much to try in one go.
  7. schooner
    Thanks for the looks and kind words. Canute - thanks for the tip about cleaning resin. My hobby shop guy swore by Diet Coke but it didn't do the trick - I'll remember yours
  8. schooner
    After being down for a couple of weeks due to some "kid crud" brought home by my wife the school teacher I was about ready to spray the big parts of the model but had to find a part for my air compressor but I finally got it done. It was a bit of a learning experience. The paint & primer stuck fine to the hull but on several areas of the deck and vertical surfaces it came away in sheets. Apparently all the fitting work involving sanding on the hull left enough "tooth" for the primer to adhere to but the other areas were just too slick. After some light sanding where the paint came off I tried again with better results. Wish I had known that before all of the masking but at least I do now. I'll be doing some of the painting of the details that are cast onto the superstructure and then start adding the doors and other PE. For anyone thinking about buying this kit it is a bit of a mixed bag - what they include is very detailed but obvious items are left off, kind of like it was designed by a committee with everyone doing their job right but no one making sure everything was farmed out to some one. Some bulkheads have cables cast into them, but not all, there are no firestations or hose racks included, etc. It is still the best FF kit out there but a little research and aftermarket PE and scratch building is still needed - more than should be at this price.
  9. schooner
    Photo Etch This kit has a LOT of PE. It is incredibly detailed but also very thin and will not stand up to more than one or two attempts to fold it before that junction gives way. Some of it is very tiny, including 2 sets of counter rotating propellers for the torpedo on the ship’s helo, they are less than 1mm in size. Some of it is frankly over-engineered, for example the railings on both levels of the MACK have tiny extensions at the bottom of each stanchion which are supposed to fit into corresponding tiny holes - hard enough to do in a straight run but with multiple bends in is simple impossible. I ended up filing them off and even cutting the railings into smaller sections to make them workable. The kit instructions have NO text and very few sequential “how to” drawings of how to assemble some very complicated PE assemblies so they require a lot of study before snipping the first piece. Bottom line: I recommend that you not attempt one of these Orange Hobby kits unless you have a fair amount of PE experience above and beyond mere railings. These kits are pricey and you may easily find yourself in over your head with little hope of getting replacement parts to fix mistakes. The MACK (mast & stack) Here’s an example of the PE I was referring to, these are the first 3 pcs of the air search radar antenna, 12 more will be added before it is done: Here is the completed MACK which took me about 10 hours of work over 5 days, usually in 10 minute increments so I didn’t lose focus with the tiny parts. There are just under 90 pieces, almost all of which are PE (the wood and plastic domes are scratch additions to reflect a superseded EW system whose antennas stuck around for years after the system was replaced):
  10. schooner
    I'll be using Orange Hobby's USS Robert E. Peary 1/350 resin kit to build a model of my first ship, USS Kirk (FF-1087), a Knox - class frigate I served on 1979-81. The kit comes with a boatload of PE ( more about that in the next post), a few machined metal parts and resin for the bulk of the model. The decal sheet has the name and hull #'s only for the Peary so I will use GMM decals. There are 4 main resin pieces; upper and lower hull (in case you want to build a waterline model), the MACK (mast and stack structure), and the helo hanger. I was not real happy with the fit of the upper and lower hull, given the price of this kit. I had to remove the moulding plugs from the upper hull but I left on the lower ones to provide more strength. There were several areas where the lower hull was too wide or too narrow. I built up the narrow areas with strip plastic and then used Bondo's glazing putty where needed. It took a lot of sanding and several iterations of priming, puttying and sanding before things were shipshape. I forgot to take a photo before I started removing the "hurricane" bow bulwarks which were added to KIRK after my time onboard. You can still see some residual parts of it - it was very easy to remove with an X-acto knife. I'll be assembling the MACK next, because as you will see it is the most complicated part of the build, and since the chances of getting replacement parts from a Chinese company are slim, it is also the most risky so if I end up having to trash the build at least I will find it out before investing a lot of time on the simpler parts.
  11. schooner
    Wow! That is one of the smoothest and most uniform paint jobs I've seen on any naval model. Well done!
  12. schooner
    Thanks Mark, Yes I was surprised with the differences, the cast-on detail, the detailed instructions, the amount of PE and even the weight (the old model feels like it is solid metal). My next build will be a kit from the same manufacturer of a Knox class frigate I served on then it will be back to sawdust and splinters.
  13. schooner
    Finished Product Being used to wood kits that take me 1-2 years to complete this was a very quick build. I’m pleased with how it turned out although resin & plastic kits don’t really float my boat, I prefer actually making things rather than just “gluein n’ paintin.” For this build I was after the end result more than the process, I wanted a model of a ship I served on 30+ years ago to replace one from a different manufacturer (White Ensign Models) from about 10 years ago which is shown in the last pix.
  14. schooner
    After adding the decals it was time to finally add the “wings”. Several deck details have been added (the tiny windshield wipers were a real treat.) About 75% done at this point.
  15. schooner
    Thanks Greg, except for some of the PE this is actually a fairly easy build so far, good practice/training for the larger resin kit up next. Tim
  16. schooner
    Airbrushing haze gray on the hull and vertical surfaces went well, then it was a matter of painting the cast on details. I found that a sharpened toothpick worked the best for that. I'm still amazed at the attention to detail that Orange Hobby included, as an example the blue cylinders on the deck next to the fire stations are the 5 gallon cans of AFFF fire fighting foam. One error in the kit plans it that they call for painting the underbody and foils haze gray also. They were actually left bare aluminum, although the hulls began to pick up a splotchy brown oxidizing coating even while under construction in the Boeing assembly hanger. Once they hit salt water the oxidation really took off leaving the hulls and foils blotchy brown which I have tried to reproduce with several coats of thinned rust enamel, hitting it with the brush bristle ends while still wet. Next step will be to spray the hull with clear laquer so that the decals will have a good base to adhere to.
  17. schooner
    After priming I added some PE details (which I really could/should have added before priming), mainly WT doors and hatches. The kit’s can be placed either in the open or closed position, as I have shown in the below pix. I know open doors can add depth to a model but since I will be showing this hydrofoil in the “flying” (foils lowered) condition where everything was buttoned up tight I will close them all up prior to painting. The Harpoon missile containers went together well, a mix of PE and solid brass The mast and MK92 antenna base was not as much fun, more like trying to do origami with chopsticks. I need to amend what I said earlier about the directions. The diagrams are very clear and are adequate for figuring out 90% of the PE folds but for really complex pieces like these a few sequential folding diagrams would have been a big help. Fortunately having a spare kit saved me when one assembly broke from too many attempts to fold it. I finally tried out the airbrush putting on the deck gray. I’ve got a lot to learn still but the finish is a lot smoother than what I usually get with a brush.
  18. schooner
    Thanks for they tip Ken. The tape came off the primer with no problem - the real test will be after I put the tape over paint, hopefully that will be OK since I think the greatest chance of problems is the primer to resin bond. BTW I have enjoyed your Choctaw build, not sure I'll every try a paper build but I have seen some amazing examples.
  19. schooner
    Since this will be my first time using an airbrush I’ll lay out my general painting plan in the hopes that those who actually know what they are doing will jump in and let me know where I’m off base. 1) Remove the mold release agent from the resin. I know this is an absolute “gotta do” if I want any hope of getting the paint to adhere to the resin, particularly where it is under masking tape. I’ve used warm soapy water before with no problems but my hobby shop guy recommended soaking the parts in Diet Coke overnight (he emphasized not regular Coke or Coke One). So I did that and then rinsed them in water and let them air dry. Although I would not take the chance of skipping this step I must say that the parts in this kit did not gave the greasy, dusty feel of resin parts from other kits so it might not be necessary. (Done) 2) Assemble the hull and deck. spray with primer (Tamiya’s Fine Surface Primer from a rattlecan) to check for gaps, putty where needed and respray with primer. Let cure for 48 hours (Done) 3) Place some strips of Tamiya masking tape along the hull, leave them for a few hours and then remove to see if the primer is adhering OK. 4) Airbrush the decks with the “dark” gray (it will actually be only slightly darker than the Haze Gray vertical surfaces, given the scale effect) and let the paint cure for 48 hours. I’ll be using Model Master acrylics, thinned with a few drops of Future. 5) Mask the decks with Micro Mask, a liquid masking film that is brushed on. After painting it can be peeled up or removed with a wet Q-tip. This model is so small that trying to cut and apply tape would be a nightmare but if this brush-on stuff doesn't work I'll have to do it. 6) Airbrush Haze gray on the hull, vertical surfaces and sub-assemblies. 7) Airbrush clear gloss on the hull to provide a good surface for the decals 8) Apply the decals 9) Airbrush everything with Future (nee Pledge) to protect the paint and decals 10) After the last details are added airbrush the entire model with clear flat to eliminate gloss.
  20. schooner
    Good to hear since I bought Tamiya's Fine Surface Primer I should be in good shape,. That's a neat trick with the straw and rattle can, I've sprayed paint on paper and used that for brush touch-ups but your idea sounds better for both kinds. Thanks!
  21. schooner
    Thanks for the tip Bob. I already soaked all the resin overnight in Diet Coke (my hobby shop owner's suggestion, I was going to bring that up in my next post). This kit has 2 things going for it that may make spraying easier; there was none of that greasy powder residue from the mold release agent like I have found on other kits (not saying it does not need to be pre-cleaned) and there is subtle texture on the surface of the resin, not as smooth as plastic, hopefully that will help the paint adhere without having to rough it up with steel wool or sandpaper (this is such a small kit it would be tough to reach a lot of places anyway). I'll use my extra kit as a test bed for priming, spraying, and masking prior to attempting it on the "real" build.
  22. schooner
    Hi Slog, she will be 4 1/2" (11.5 cm) when done
  23. schooner
    Orange Hobby 1/350 scale resin kit of USS Pegasus (PHM-1) I’m going to use this kit to learn how to use an airbrush and also to figure out how to handle this “new” style of resin kit (I’ll explain what I mean by that in a bit) prior to attempting to build a larger (and more expensive) model of a Knox-class Frigate by the same manufacturer. One mistake that I have already made but that will help me with the many more to come is that when I ordered the kit (along with several other items from an online store) I somehow ordered two of them. I was going to send one back for a refund but given its rather modest price I decided to keep it as a ready spares locker in case I really goon up the airbrush paint job or break/lose an important part. Kit contents: Everything fragile comes well-wrapped in bubble wrap. The main hull is different from what I have seen in other resin kits in that it is very similar to plastic kits where there are 2 hull halves, the stern plate and the deck/superstructure. Most resin kits I have seen have all the above as one solid piece, or maybe with the hull in an upper and lower section so that it can be displayed full-hull or waterline. The smaller resin pieces are on pour legs and are remarkably well done with almost no flash. I said earlier that I consider this as a “new” style of resin kit, by that I mean the differences between this and earlier, older kits from other manufacturers are very noticeable, and welcome: Unlike the older, domestic kits I am used to this one has virtually NO pits or voids along thin edges and the flash is minimal and easily removed. The edges of the hull are very fine and fragile, as you can see in this pix I broke of a little from the forward edge of the bottom (port side) piece, fortunately I can fix that with a piece of strip plastic sanded to shape. The cast-on detail is amazingly fine, so fine you have to be careful when cleaning up the pieces not to remove something that is supposed to be there. I almost removed 2 bumps about the size of a small grain of sand before I realized they were the hinges where the quarterdeck awning frame would have been attached. There is a lot of forethought and planning in how the pieces fit together with locations clearly evident and long pieces have locating pins and beveled edges for a great fit. The directions are almost free of text (being from a Chinese company that is probably no loss) but the diagrams are numerous, detailed and exceptionally clear. All the parts (including the PE) are numbered and, as far as I can tell at this point, they are all included on the directions (something that doesn’t always happen with the hieroglyphs that pass for directions from some other manufacturers). The brass PE is extensive for such a small model. It is very thin with fine detail but I doubt it will hold up to multiple attempts to fold it so I’m going to try to get it right the first time. I’m going to assemble the main hull assembly and then discuss my plan for painting in the next post.
  24. schooner
    Thanks for all the kind words guys
  25. schooner
    OK, assuming my first attempt at using an airbrush is not a complete disaster...

About us

Modelshipworld - Advancing Ship Modeling through Research

SSL Secured

Your security is important for us so this Website is SSL-Secured

NRG Mailing Address

Nautical Research Guild
237 South Lincoln Street
Westmont IL, 60559-1917

Model Ship World ® and the MSW logo are Registered Trademarks, and belong to the Nautical Research Guild (United States Patent and Trademark Office: No. 6,929,264 & No. 6,929,274, registered Dec. 20, 2022)

Helpful Links

About the NRG

If you enjoy building ship models that are historically accurate as well as beautiful, then The Nautical Research Guild (NRG) is just right for you.

The Guild is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to “Advance Ship Modeling Through Research”. We provide support to our members in their efforts to raise the quality of their model ships.

The Nautical Research Guild has published our world-renowned quarterly magazine, The Nautical Research Journal, since 1955. The pages of the Journal are full of articles by accomplished ship modelers who show you how they create those exquisite details on their models, and by maritime historians who show you the correct details to build. The Journal is available in both print and digital editions. Go to the NRG web site (www.thenrg.org) to download a complimentary digital copy of the Journal. The NRG also publishes plan sets, books and compilations of back issues of the Journal and the former Ships in Scale and Model Ship Builder magazines.

Our Emblem ®

Modelshipworld - Advancing Ship Modeling through Research

Nautical Research Guild ® and the NRG logo are Registered Trademarks, and belong to the Nautical Research Guild (United States Patent and Trademark Office: No. 6,999,236 & No. 6,999,237, registered March 14, 2023)

×
×
  • Create New...