Rebuilding the fleet by mikegr - 1/700 - restoring old plastic models

[Old Collingwood]

Superb work  Mike   -  All   of it.

 

OC.

[mikegr]

For this model I recently got an extended PE set, even has gun "tube" as well as decals. 

After some washing I stripped down the model. I'm going to take my time on this. For today's work, was only the cut of the plastic and the addition of bridge windows

[mikegr]

The PE are good but they don't have instructions.

The fit the heli deck properly I had to remove the hangar. I removed the side deck pieces and worked on them. Added doors, handrails and removed moulded  life raft barrels. I will replace them with my own one. Sided pieces were joined together. Need to add boat facilities and other minor details. Main deck was painted with faded dark grey and hull sides with primer

 

[mikegr]

The helicopter deck has been fitted. A third pipe was installed on both funnel caps. Hangar reconstructed.

All major pieces have need added i only need to glue the forward bridge section

 

 

[mikegr]

One evening one piece.

I decided to work on the main mast. While assembling the PE part it came obvious that while it was detailed, the tripod was too thin, more of a 2d shape. And since Ticos have a reinforced mast like Spruance class I decided to work on the original part.

Work begun on SPS Radar. While holding the arm with tweezers and trying to attach the radar, it twisted and bended. I took another  set from my spares, but proved very delicate and broke after a slight bend. Perhaps If i could use 10 sets I could have damaged all. An attempt to glue them failled,  still looked wrecked. 

So basically I took the arm of the plastic piece and add the main radar plate on it. It was the best solution I could think after all other options have failed

[mikegr]

I decided to work on the mast. Different materials used. PE parts, plastic rods,, rails and brush hair.

After painting, time for dry fitting 

[mikegr]

after the mismatch of the rear 4 legged mast instead of tripod,  i noticed that forward mast also is not on the desired shape.

Also the room at the base of the forward mast is of a box shape not triangle as in the present model. You can see it here clearly

From all pictures i studied i saw nowhere these mods to CG 52

here in 1987 with mast

 

here is 2023 ,retaining the tripod with the triagled space behing navigation deck

i don't know maybe this refers to another ship of  the class. The fact is that if i fit the triangle part a new tripod mast must be made , the PE part should be omitted.

[mikegr]

I wanted to design and print the forward radar mast but my printer died. A replacement ordered but need to wait for a week.

In the meantime I finished the forward section. Removed embossed anchor chains and install new. Added few manifolds, boxes. Also the two machine guns forward. Weathering with light gray, decals and light weathering with darker gray. I finally installed the gun.

[mikegr]

I printed some parts with my new machine. Turned out nice.

SPG 62, Phalanx and barrel rafts

Then I installed them