USS Essex by RGL - FINISHED - Trumpeter - 1/350 - PLASTIC - as she appeared in February 1944

[RGL]

So I’ve scratch built from spares an arrestor gear station. I think it’s probably as much as is warranted given it’s not really visible with the naked eye. 

[Javlin]

Insane and a Nice Touch!

[RGL]

Wasn’t good enough so re did it. 16 pieces all up as there is one for the barriers and one for the arrestor cables. Fuel next. 

[RGL]

Gasoline station , there are 8 of these spread around the catwalks 

[RGL]

Now, a question to the gallery, there are a series of pipes running alongside and down the hull. I don’t know if they are water or fuel?

[Landrotten Highlander]

I am guessing, but it appears to me that the pipes go from the galleries and down into the ship at the point of joining the pipes.  The pipe on the left of the picture appears to have a slope of approx 3-5 degrees, which is the slope recommended for draining.  So I would gues that these pipes are used to capture rain water, thus increasing the water availability for say personal grooming during long voyages?

[RGL]

I’d say they’d use condensers for that given the large crew. I was wondering if they were seawater pump lines for fire fighting equipment at the deck level. 

[RGL]

There is very little detail on the catwalks details, mainly from crashes. 

[oneslim]

Greg,

 

They are Aviation fuel lines. They would be pumped out and filled with CO2 when general quarters was sounded.  

 

Hope this helps,

 

BobW

[RGL]

Thanks Bob, it makes sense as they are obviously armoured in places. 

[RGL]

Port side catwalks. I’ve added details like microphone boxes and speakers, with controls for the arrestor cables, fire hydrants and gasoline stations to be added later after painted off ship. I’ll probably do the gasoline pipes on this side next before moving to starboard as they have some somewhat “complex” radio towers which I need to figure out how to sling outboard. These is a LOT of detail to go yet. 

Edited December 12, 2019 by RGL

[CDW]

Really nice details Greg.

Duty on the catwalks while aircraft are landing would suck!

[RGL]

Thanks, now the hull is together it’s fun again, The level of detail is somewhat limited by how much reference I can find. 

[SigEp Ziggy]

Greg, your build is truly remarkable, it is hard to believe it is not 1/200! 

[popeye the sailor]

6 hours ago, RGL said:

The level of detail is somewhat limited by how much reference I can find. 

that's the problem with some projects.  but we all know that your microscope dials in more than most    with what your adding right now.......it's the most impressive model I've seen!

[RGL]

Now, after much consultation I believe the next bit is gasoline lines. The kit gives a half baked attempt at them, so a little bit of plumbing work ....

Edited December 12, 2019 by RGL

[yvesvidal]

Beautiful. These details are adding to the realism of your model.

 

Yves

[RGL]

Easy compared to what you’re doing old boy! 

[RGL]

Starboard side aft radio array, the Pontos stuff is lovely but does not factor in that they need to be lowered for flight ops. Not overly accurate but a small piece of plastic under lets it sit properly. 

Also these photos from life magazine show them down as well as a shot of the Essex fully loaded

[RGL]

Finally finishing the catwalk structures. Every platform has individual gussets beneath. Whilst there are lots of ladders and other details such as floater baskets to be added to them, these are now  good enough to stick on the sides of the flight deck. My intention is to prime them first to look for glaring errors then paint them off model so as I can add as much detail as possible then, as the deck will of course be a nightmare to stick on so I don’t want to have to do it with all this tiny fragile stuff. 

[lmagna]

WOW, the photo etch on this kit seems to be a gift that keeps on giving. I think I would be totally cross eyed by now! It almost seems amazing that you are able to keep track of it all.

Edited December 14, 2019 by lmagna

[RGL]

Its pretty easy to lose track, the temptation is to do it all then paint but you just forget bits which you can't get to, especially ladders, plus forward planning for weathering.

[RGL]

Floater net baskets, there are 54 on the ship that I can count, I’ve cut and bent 60 plus the two separate support arms. My back hurts, my eyes hurt. ready for glue but I’m off for a drink. 
 

 

[lmagna]

Looks like a bad place to get a bout of sneezing! 

Dumb question I suppose, but do you intend to fill them with float nets as well?

 

Enjoy your drink. I think I would be well through half a six pack by now!

[RGL]

I need to figure out how to make them 

[lmagna]

Here are a couple of possibilities out of several:

https://freetimehobbies.com/1-350-white-ensign-photo-etch-us-stowed-floater-nets/

https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/p/WEM+1350+US+Stowed+Floater+Nets+PE+35110/5179/#.XfbNbOhKi1Q

 

But it might be just as well to put some glue globs onto lengths of thread, or wire and when dry paint, cut, and stuff into the baskets. But even empty, that many baskets will be impressive.

[RGL]

I was thinking of crimping some thin brass Wire, or maybe some me thin thread thickened with white glue. There are 54 to fill up. 

Edited December 16, 2019 by RGL

[lmagna]

The crimping wire may be the fastest, (Other than buying something commercial) Possibly you could just make a top layer rather than fill the whole basket? 54 is A LOT of nets!

[Tigerdvr]

As part of my USS Kidd project I looked into a number of commercial items available to load the floater net baskets. The commercial items were all PE thusly very thin and required some creativity to make the basket look loaded. None of them worked for me even though I only had seven baskets to fill. Pictures of the real baskets show the gear was usually a lot of different stuff without much uniform distribution.  I just cut up some plastic rod of what appeared to visually simulate the basket's contents, painted some items slightly different colors, and loaded the baskets. I don't know if that would satisfy your well known desire for accuracy, but from a normal viewing distance, I'm happy with the overall impression.

Your idea of crimping wire is certainly worth a try IMHO.

Great work on the Essex.

Harley

[RGL]

Do a few examples of the real thing