SS Stephen Hopkins by schooner - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcrafters - Liberty Ship

[schooner]

Thanks for the link Nic.

Just out of curiosity, is BlueJacket looking at using 3-D printing for any parts? I know the upfront costs can be eye-watering.

[MrBlueJacket]

Yes, we have kept a close eye on 3-D printing. From a kit production standpoint, it is prohibitively expensive for not much gain.

 

However, for the modeler, it is practical. For example, if you want to get nice marine figures in 1/192 scale, shapeways has you covered. Look here:

 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/55GX8HF2S/1-192-us-navy-dungaree-set-1?optionId=61093772&li=marketplace

 

And here's one in place on the USS Kidd.

[schooner]

Final Cargo Rigging

 

The booms on Hatch nr5 are configured in what was known as a “Wing and Wing’ rig, another variation on the Yard and Stay rig used on hatches 3 & 4. The Wing & Wing had the ends of both booms over the side of the ship, allowing cargo to be worked on both sides simultaneously. One feature of it is that the are no inboard guys - the ends of the booms are just lashed together for support.

I still have to trim some tag end and add some rope coils. Next up will be the lifelines and PE railings.

Edited August 10, 2019 by schooner

[schooner]

Lifelines and PE Railings

 

 

The kit supplied PE railings were too thick for me so I used some 1/192 railings from Tom’s Modelworks which I find very easy to work with. The lifeline around the fantail gun platform is brass and thread.

 

Next up will be the radio antennas and flags.

[schooner]

Radio Antennas and Flags

 

 

I found a 48-star flag and the house flag for the Luckenbach Steamship Co online and copied them to my graphics program, adjusted their size, copied them and flipped one copy, backed each half together and printed them out.

In order to get the paper to hold furls I used a trick I found on some modeling site. I cut a piece of aluminum foil slightly smaller than one half of the flag. I glued it in place using rubber cement because white glue has too much water in it and it will make the printer ink run. I then placed a length of halyard rope along the fold point, folded the flags and glued them together, once again using rubber cement. The furls were made by folding the paper around a pin, alternating directions.

 

The antennas are made from some metallic thread provided in the kit, it simulates bare wire nicely.  Both antennas run between the main and mizzen masts and are connected to the coupler tower on the flying bridge. The insulators near the ends of the antennas are just small blobs of white glue built up over several repetitions.

 

The last thing left to add is the guns and then the big job comes - cleaning and dusting the model prior to casing it.

[ESF]

A terrific build, loaded with wonderful details and craftsmanship.  Congratulations.

 

Steve

[schooner]

Thanks Steve,but this can't hold a light to your Vance build.

It amazes me that while they share the same hull the addition of all that superstructure makes the Vance look at least twice as big as a standard Liberty

[schooner]

Well, she's done. Thank you to all who have followed along, made suggestions and contributed ideas. 

Hopefully I'll be back soon with a lobster boat build that I don't think has appeared here before.

 

Edited August 22, 2019 by schooner

[Landlubber Mike]

Very nice!  That looks like a fantastic kit.  Great to see subjects other than 18th century British warships with dozens of cannons  

[schooner]

Thanks Mike,

It IS a fantastic kit, so good that I was able to spend my time doing what I like, which is detailing, instead of having to "fix the kit"!

 

[cog]

She turned out real spiffy, I like the way the rigging turned out on the masts and cranes, a lot of additional details too. A very informative build, thanks for sharing

[Ian B]

great topic, something slightly different   weldone ...

[schooner]

Thanks for the kind words Ian and Cog, I had a lot of fun with this one, hated to see it come to an end.

[lmagna]

Great job on a unique subject Mike.

 

You have truly made a model to be proud of. Hopefully it is located in a place where it can be admired by all.

[jep1210]

I got here from your Alfred build....saw it in your list of past builds...this is another BJ kit I've always liked. 

 

[schooner]

I don't hesitate to recommend this kit if you are interested. It's big enough to detail but its relatively short height means you don't need a piece of furniture to case it. You can put on as much or as little rigging as you want but all of it is easier than sailing ship rigging. Overall a very enjoyable build.

[jep1210]

Well I finally finished got caught up on your build, the finished product came out fantastic. All the rigging looks great.

 

[schooner]

Thanks!