USS Thetis Bay 1944 by RGL - FINISHED - Hasegawa - 1/350 - PLASTIC

[RGL]

So my next big build for 2022 will be the USS Thetis Bay with a full work up. I found this image on the internets and wondered if I could replicate this point in time, a bunch of worn out aircraft being retuned to the US for overhauls. 
 

Thetis bay was Casablanca class carrier and full plans and colour schemes are all available online free of charge. I will of course add them to this log with references. 

[RGL]

The kit is quality as far as I can see, as usual there is a very expensive Hasegawa upgrade PE and Deck set, a nice Flyhawk upgrade set, and a full poster of the Gambier Bay (good story behind her, I also have the AOTS of her) and a painting and rigging guide. No one that I have found has built this renditions and it’s interesting.

There is only one item on the deck I can’t identify but I have bought tractors, jeeps, Hellcats and Catalinas and had a Grumman Duck 3D printed for her. 

 

I intend on spending the rest out the year planning the build before flying anything. 

Edited December 26, 2021 by RGL

[RGL]

Courtesy of Reddit 

[Old Collingwood]

"Eye - eye"     the man is on a new quest into  Brilliant land   - deffo in  for this as I am all your Superb builds.

 

OC.

[RGL]

Open source Reference from here: 

 

https://www.hnsa.org/manuals-documents/booklets-of-general-plans-online/

 

 

cve90.pdf

[Landlubber Mike]

Hi Greg, I saw the title and was thinking to myself, "didn't know Hasegawa made that kit??"  Come to find out you're converting the Gambier Bay, very cool! Those pictures with the Ducks and Catalinas look like they would make for a really sweet model.

 

I have the same kit in the stash with a bunch of the same upgrades.  If you're looking for plane upgrade sets, Infini makes a USN aircraft details set (I think the one I have is IMP-35036R1).  

 

With the Hasegawa and Flyhawk sets, are you thinking the Infini USN radar set is still necessary?

[RGL]

I truely don’t know yet! There are 18 hellcats and I don’t think Infini makes upgrades for them. I now have three sets of radars for her so I’ll use the most detailed. As they were all cookie cutters I just have to change the name! 

[Canute]

Will be another great build, Greg.

 

I seem to remember Gambier Bay was sunk off Leyte. Launched her birds to harass the Northern pincer. Ziggy Sprague's task group flagship? Read "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" .

[RGL]

Yes I’ve read it, great story 

[RGL]

Hull joined up, comes together very nicely, I’ve put the fuel lines on the side of the ship, 

[RGL]

Lower gantries, the PE is supposed to sit on top of the plastic, so I’ve retained the sponsons and cut away the rest of the plastic. No such luck with the ones that run along the flight deck and nowhere as near as good as a Pontos set. 

[RGL]

The focsle painted and covered. 

deck added 

[RGL]

I need to move onto the dazzle pattern soon. Thing is, the colours (from the chart above) are different to the kit plans as well as the masks and dazzle design are different between the Gambier bay and Thetis Bay 

[RGL]

A full day cutting out the flight deck gantries and adding what limited PE there is. I won’t add the railings for nets until painted but lots of super detailing to go. 
 

apparently the fueling plans and barrier controls and catapault controls were the same as the Essex carriers

[Old Collingwood]

Wonder what the levers are  for  - Arrester Wires?

 

OC.

[RGL]

Yes 

[RGL]

These gantries are very very busy, lots of Details to add, fuel, fire and other stuff. 

Edited January 4, 2022 by RGL

[RGL]

Added a bit more detail, added fuel hoses and folded up fire hoses from offcut PE 

[RGL]

All 4 parts of the gantries detailed up. Lots of railings etc to go but for ease of painting and weathering I’ll leave them open for now. 

[Old Collingwood]

Splendid work Greg  - those gantries  look superb mate.

 

OC.

[Harvey Golden]

On 1/1/2022 at 8:53 PM, RGL said:

I need to move onto the dazzle pattern soon. Thing is, the colours (from the chart above) are different to the kit plans as well as the masks and dazzle design are different between the Gambier bay and Thetis Bay 

 

 

 

Not sure if this is of any help: (Sourced from https://www.shipcamouflage.com/usn_cve.htm)  They also show the Gambier Bay's scheme.  (The ocean gray on the model's color chart looks a little dark.)

[RGL]

Yes, they contradict each other. 

[RGL]

So for safety I painted and masked up the lower hull, gantries have been glued on, there are support trusses  and some other stuff that I’ll glue on it tomorrow. 

[Old Collingwood]

31 minutes ago, RGL said:

So for safety I painted and masked up the lower hull, gantries have been glued on, there are support trusses  and some other stuff that I’ll glue on it tomorrow. 

What was your clean method  for gluing - so you did not get too much glue seepage?

 

OC.

[RGL]

I apply it with a sliver of offcut brass 

[RGL]

Ready for paint, the bridge done. Bloody hard work, I used the best parts of the Flyhawk and Hasegawa PE sets and swapped out three different radar sets for  Infini radars 

[RGL]

The bridge plugs right in very nicely, I’ll paint it separately 

[Old Collingwood]

That looks so nice Greg  - so shows it off.

 

OC.

[RGL]

Thanks, the Hasegawa PE give you an option for a cover on the bridge that was unique to the Gambier bay or for all other types that Flyhawk doesn’t. Essentially the Hasegawa set is very limited but nicer with tighter tolerances. The Infini radar comes with turned brass pedestals and is hands down nicer. Both Flyhawk and Hasegawa continue with manufacturers making disjointed and confusing instructions which means using three sets took me three days and I’m still confused. 

[Old Collingwood]

5 minutes ago, RGL said:

Thanks, the Hasegawa PE give you an option for a cover on the bridge that was unique to the Gambier bay or for all other types that Flyhawk doesn’t. Essentially the Hasegawa set is very limited but nicer with tighter tolerances. The Infini radar comes with turned brass pedestals and is hands down nicer. Both Flyhawk and Hasegawa continue with manufacturers making disjointed and confusing instructions which means using three sets took me three days and I’m still confused. 

"Mix and match"   then   the instructions  are always the worst part   for all of us  I thin,    same when  you have seperate  PE sheets and main manual to read  - but somehow we get there.

 

OC.