USS Missouri by Koppalakki - FINISHED - Tamiya - 1/350 - PLASTIC - 1991 configuration with Pontos detail set

[Koppalakki]

Hi!

 

After a break I'm back to ship modeling, and this time I'll share the build here aswell!

 

So my next project is the Uss Missouri as she appeared on her last tour in the Operation desert storm.

 

My first form of business is with the hull!

 

Firstly all the details were removed from the hull. After this thorough sanding to get rid of the all the parting lines and minor damages.

 

Then the hull plates were masked and sprayed with Mr surfacer 500.

This is by no means 100% correct so bare that in mind!

 

Some other details were done with some masking tape on the top belts.

After this Mr surfacer 1200 on top to check how it would look like.

 

 

And closer look of the effect.

 

 

Still waiting for the pontos set to arrive, then I'll continue to add the rest of the remaining drain pipes etc. details before continuing to the decks.

[Old Collingwood]

Very interesting build,  I may need to pinch someones seat.......but the usual lot will be along soon so I will pinch one from them (they wont mind)

 

OC.

[cog]

Move your FA OC, I need a front row seat  

 

Nice beginning Koppalakki. 

[RGL]

Ah, the sensi is in the house, excellent. 

[Canute]

Four's in. Gotta have a Yank in here.

[Jack12477]

Two Yanks !  Move over Sensi I need to sit, getting too old to stand 

[Koppalakki]

Calm down gentleman! Form an orderly line and be seated, plenty of room for everyone!

 

So I got woke up by delivery guy bringing me goodies!

 

To help me align all the details I used masking tape to show where the boot topping would end.

 

Then the details were added.

 

 

I used gators white glue to get them on. It allows time for positioning and gives a bit more mass to the thin PE parts.

 

Next some holes were drilled with 0.5mm and 0.4mm bits. The 0.4mm ones were then filled with 0.4mm styrene rod.

 

 

Also the flight deck netting location holes drilled aswell. Pontos provides a nice jig for that and is easy to get them all aligned and in proper places.

Dry fitted the net, fits perfectly!

 

 

The bow deck was first cleaned of all the details then glued down. After leveling it with sanding paper some more medium CA into the seam and sanded clean.

 

 

And some overall photos.

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Koppalakki

[Tigerdvr]

Following along, wallet at general quarters

[popeye the sailor]

looks like a sweet project..........nice start on the hull   I'll sit next to the seat pincher and join in on the fun!  

[Koppalakki]

And work must go on!

 

Last details on the hull in place and aft deck glued down. Primer on the hull.

 

 

Deck fit was decent on the seams, just normal clean up procedure. Some locator holes filled and all the details removed.

PE decks glued in place.

 

 

The old tubs for the bofors in the aft had horrible seams and they didn't meet the rest of the hull at all.

Liberal application of medium CA and a lot of sanding and voila! Rest of the PE details added.

 

 

 

Before I get the middle deck in place there's a lot of detail removal and PE part joining on the superstructure that I need to finish.

It looks like I need to finish the aft and middle part of the superstructure but the bridge area can be done in it's own sub assembly so I can eliminate all the seams.

 

[cog]

Although I am enjoying your work tremendously, still a question gnaws:

You have taken care of the hull, with regards to the hull plating, now that you have sprayed the hull, I can't see anything left of that effort. What has been the goal of that execise? I thought the plating would be visible, whilst now it looks like a plain painted hull ...

[Koppalakki]

Don't worry the plating is still there, it's just the angle of light that masks them on those photos. And it's really faint, so when the painting is finished a light wash will bring it out a bit more, but it's point is to stay subtle.

[cog]

Thank you for the explanation, I just want to learn ...

[Koppalakki]

No worries! I'm always happy to answer!

 

I only use a mobile phone to take photos. I have 2 LED lights to help me but the quality isn't always the best even though I try my best!

[popeye the sailor]

very nice....the aft section is seamless!   really nice.  

[Tigerdvr]

Enjoying your log. You refer to using medium CA on the stern gun tubs. Are using the CA

like a filler? If so, I'm assuming it doesn't attack the plastic. Just up dating my brain about

the current plastic/PE/CA items available. It's been a long time since I did

a major plastic build but the battleship models available now are tempting.

Thanks Kopp

Cheers, Harley

Edited July 12, 2018 by tigerdvr
word change

[Koppalakki]

Hey Harley!

 

Yes I'm using the CA as a filler! I use a brand called ZAP which comes in 3 types. Thin , medium and heavy.

I have preferred CA over puttys etc. for a good couple of years. I think it's just easier to use. It's easy to apply, dries really fast and makes a hard/strong enough surface to even scribe on afterwards. Also easy to sand! And no, it doesn't hurt the plastic! I think the brand is made exactly modelling in mind.

[Koppalakki]

Some progress on the middle deck piece.

 

I used a combination of CA and Gator grip white glue on the various PE parts. Gator was used to glue the PE plates on. Then some CA on the edges that needed to be blended into the plastic. Still more detailing to go on but no further structures are needed before I can attach this to the rest of the hull. All the other pieces can be finished separately in their own sub assemblies.

 

[cog]

Steep learning curve ...

[Koppalakki]

More details added on the middle part. At this point I decided to glue it in. I started gluing the aft section first. Let it dry firmly!
After this I moved about 4 cm at a time joining the deck with the hull using Tamiyas extra thin glue. I tried to kept them as level as I could so sanding would be easier.After curing seams were sanded and all the mistakes filled with CA and sanded away.

 

 

The boat area has a "shield" on the decks edge that needed to be seamless. Carefull restoration and done!

 

 

And some shot of the bow area with some primer to check the seams.

 

 

For some reason the Pontos set doesn't provide the right boom on the aft part so I scratch build one for both sides.

 

 

Next step to add some deck details and then it's off to painting the hull which will be a big undertaking aswell!

[Koppalakki]

Another day spent!

 

Finished and primed the DCG Antenna. Thought this was gonna be an easy small build

The damn thing almost had 100 pieces! Aligning everything was a PITA! I used gator grip glue to help me with drying time when aligning.

The hardest part was that the support beams have little plates that go inside them which then attaches to the main beams. You also need to align those small plates even with the deck so they sit in well. So you can use the deck as help, but glue them only into the beams and not the deck! Then have them stay on when you take the antenna base off the deck so you can fit the beams in! Phew! Not super happy how it turned up but it took the whole day to assemble so I guess we have to do!

 

After the basic construction of the Pontos set some extra details were added. Lights, loud speakers, wiring and some ladders and steps. I initally thought about going HAM and doing the ladders like they really are (individual grab handles) but the ones I had were a tad too big and didn't look good at all. So I just used 1/700 PE ladders to keep them fine.

 

It's a bit dull looking with only primer for now.

 

[cog]

You could have used two tones of primer, would have made it vastly more interesting ...

 

Ah, well ... it's what one would call dull ... when I look at what I've done in PE, and this dull, I might even say absolutely boaring, straight forward antenna ... I'd choose the easy way out, definitely, my stiff ramrod of a tripod. No surprises there ...

 

Which primer do you use, it looks quite dark

Edited July 14, 2018 by cog

[Koppalakki]

Some more action on the aft section.

 

More details added. Also the small wooden part on the stern, usually I leave the decks for last but it's a small section so I try some masking see how it works out!

 

 

Number 2 turret construction finished. Straight forward using the Pontos set. A lot of clean up needed on the tamiya parts (yes it's a pretty old kit).

Almost all the parts had parting lines running in the middle. Nothing little scraping action with a blade would not fix!

Also care was taken removing the seam between the PE top plate and the rest of plastic turret. After curing medium CA once again on top of the seam and yadda yadda some sandin and ta daa!

 

 

And turret number 1 completly painted and finished! The usual pre/post shading with Tamiyas and oils and pigments for weathering.

Metal parts with Alclad.

 

 

Then need to finish what's left on the hull so I can start a massive paint operation on the weekend!

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

they look really good  

[Tigerdvr]

The main battery is really looking good (JMHO). Great pictures too. It would be interesting to

occasionally have a ruler alongside the piece being photographed.

 

Cheers, Harley

[cog]

thanks for your answer. Your weathering is hardly visible, but nevertheless realistic, more so than if done to heavily

[Koppalakki]

37 minutes ago, tigerdvr said:

The main battery is really looking good (JMHO). Great pictures too. It would be interesting to

occasionally have a ruler alongside the piece being photographed.

 

Cheers, Harley

Hey, I'll see what I can do with that ruler in the next set of photos!

 

34 minutes ago, cog said:

thanks for your answer. Your weathering is hardly visible, but nevertheless realistic, more so than if done to heavily

Well, in my opinion less is better! That doesn't mean clean look, but in this scale I think being subtle is still the key even though throwing everything and the kitchen sink at it! Doing a lot of layers but keeping everything light. I can also post some comparisons vs just a gray primer on the turret so it's pretty obvious how much all those little subtle details bring it more to "life".

 

Though in this case the ship looked to be in pretty neat condition. It just came from a refit and it looks like the crew kept her in good condition on the final cruise.

So not much any heavy weathering will be present in the end.

[lmagna]

3 hours ago, Koppalakki said:

It just came from a refit and it looks like the crew kept her in good condition

I agree

At this time in their lives these ships were almost as much showboat as warship. They were in many ways the pride of the US Navy as the last surviving battleships in the world. Crewmen were begging to serve on them, kind of like how the British felt about the Hood in the 30s. You will probably never see a picture of one of the Iowa's where they don't look pristine in their later deployments and refits except when the Iowa had a gun blow up in 1989.

Edited July 17, 2018 by lmagna

[Koppalakki]

Did some testing with the deck. I applied some oils thinner with white spirit. Then some light sanding here and there to get a bit of toned down worn look.

 

 

And comparison for untreated one.

 

 

Here's my main source of inspiration for the deck.

 

 

And some basic paint on the turret 2.

 

 

And for scale!

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

very nice job on the turrets........what color grays are you using?