USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 by Hank - FINISHED - Trumpeter - 1:200 - PLASTIC

[Hank]

Well, last night I got the putty work done & sanded on the bow joint and got the shaft housings installed, but have to putty/sand them when I return to my shop in early Jan. 14.

 

Photos don't show a whole lot, but that's where we're at right now!

 

Hank

[Hank]

Having purchased the Pontos Detail Up Set without Deck for the 1:200 Trumpeter MISSOURI last week - I received it today - WOW!!! There is SO MUCH to this set.

First - the machined parts are bagged separately (gun barrels, bitts, mast parts, antenna, etc.) and the 16" barrels are really so much better than the Trumpeter Upgrade that Trumpy should remove that set from the market - it ain't worth a crap in comparison. All the barrels were included as stated in the instructions. (Other modelers have stated that they did not receive the correct numbers of 20mm/40mm barrels).

There is a separate bag of resin cast parts - bloomers for the 16" and 5"/38 guns and other parts. I'll have to compare these to the kit supplied bloomers and use whichever is more realistic. They are both comparable, I think.

Then there are the various sheets of brass etched parts - more, much more than I will be using on my build (67-69 NEW JERSEY). I guess the more unusual aspect of this set is the very nice colored instruction sheets (7 sheets - doubled sided) that would make an Egyptian hieroglyphics researcher jump with joy . I guess that since hiring an English translator to actually come up with Printed Instructions (to accompany the photos) is out of the question, this is the next best thing.

OK, criticism aside, the parts themselves, seem to be very well etched and detailed. I will, however, compare them with the PE included in the kit and use the better of the two. In some fashion, I don't see at this point why Pontos chose to redo everything that Trumpeter included in the kit, but I'll go through this with a fine tooth comb once I get back to my shop in early January. I will note one other item - the waterways - while this set does include them, they are not what I would consider as totally correct. They are one dimensional and to my way of looking at this detail they should be at LEAST a brass angle with its short leg being inside as the very edge butting up to the teak decking. I may have to explore this a bit more before I make a yea or nay on it.

One thing I do like about this set is the rung hole patterns for the correct placement of hand rungs on the stern of the ship as well as elsewhere on the superstructure. I'm not sure if they include enough to put them in the proper locations at the stern as were on NJ in the late '60s, but I'm sure there's a workaround if not.

So, my initial assessment is that this Detail Up Set is probably a big plus for the model - whether it's worth the retail price may be up to the modeler to decide.

[normanh]

Hank - with Pontos duplicating the Trumpy PE it maybe a blessing in disguise as I found the Trumpy PE to be as soft as putty and pretty much useless on a number of parts. I have yet to try the Pontos PE on my Dreadnought but I hope its like the White Ensign PE.

 

Norman

Edited December 28, 2013 by normanh

[Hank]

Norman,

 

Thanks for the reply. I know you mentioned this in one of our pm's a while ago. It's ironic that the Pontos PE also "seems" rather flimsy but I can't compare 'til I get back to the shop where the model resides. Pontos has done a really great job in all the areas that they provide parts for - actually in some way of thinking they may have overdone it - the complete brass top for the 16" turret is, well, necessary? While the underside of the turrets are spectacularly detailed in brass which is a big plus!

 

The kit parts + Pontos Details on the 40mm & 20mm guns  is the most detailed modeling I've seen on anything yet! I won't be using these, but installed into one of the super detailed tubs, they would look above museum quality IMHO. I may keep one of each aside for assembly and possible display for my own use. (I have another modeler interested in the balance of those mounts and assemblies)

 

One item that I may use the majority of the kit parts on is the aircraft crane on the fantail. I don't know at this point whether it was (on NEW JERSEY) replaced in the '50's or simply reinforced with triangular gussets between all the support tubing, but both the kit plastic and Pontos PE cranes will NOT be correct on my build without modification. I plan to use the plastic crane (due to it's being molded as round tubing which is more realistic than 1 dimentional PE brass) with added scratch gussets and the PE from Pontos for the extra detailing of pulleys and other parts. I will also add new scratchblt. red night lights that were added to the crane in '67. The Pontos PE for the crane operator console and so forth are really spectacular in their detail.

 

I could go on and on but you get the picture - this will be a long term project, to say the least.

 

Hank

[Hank]

It's been a while since I've updated this build, but I've not been twiddling my thumbs. I'm sort of in a holding pattern on hullwork, waiting to see what some other modelers building this kit  (The Ship Model forum) will do regarding some discrepancies in the molding of the hull. So, with many other facets of the build to address, I've turned my attention to the superstructure and masts.

 

The last two weeks I've been working on the Foremast/Radar Suite and the following photo show it's current status. With the exception of the main mast pole (Pontos part) everything else is scratch made. The brass comes from both the Pontos and kit PE sets. I'm about 75% finished and will post new photos when complete.

 

I'm waiting on a couple deliveries of parts, tools, and radar set drawings in order to build the surface and air search antennae and then will put the railings around each of the platforms, add ladders, whip antenna, waveguild trays. The uppermost radar platform will be added once the others below are complete.

 

This is has been a very tedious process to say the least...as you can see from the photo, the PE is very delicate and I have a couple areas that need straightening out with needle nosed pliers in order to unbend  them.

 

I'm using a combination of the kit plastic with the Pontos Detail Set PE in order to achieve the best results on this.

 

Hank

[mtaylor]

There's a lot of good looking fiddly bits there, Hank.  Keep up the good work.

[Hank]

Mark,

 

Yea, the fiddly bits are what take so long to make - and there will be more before it's over.

 

Hank

[bcso7]

Wanting to see this for sure.

[Hank]

As of last night, I finally have the Foremast/Radars pretty much completed. Additional details such as waveguide, elec. cabling, other support legs, etc. will be added at installation. Also, touch up painting and handrail "fine tuning" will also be done at that time.
 



 

These parts were all scratchbuilt from sheet styrene, kit & Pontos PE & brass, other brass rods, and styrene rod. Modifications to the upper conning tower (shown in photos) will be next for additions on either side for the ECM houses and antennae.

 

Hank

[Hank]

Well, the mainmast after leg assembly and rado antenna platform & antenna are now complete - until the superstructure is in place, these parts will be stored.

 

 

I will now begin working on the upper conning tower modifications for the ECM houses & antenna.

 

Hank

[Hank]

Last night's construction involved modifications to the 011 Level Platform and additions of ECM equipment rooms to the upper conning tower:

 

Tonight I'll continue with the stbd side ECM room bulkheads, cleaning up and rounding edges, and further addition of equipment. Note hand rung holes on forward face of tower - I used my Tamiya Handy Drill w/0.3mm bit - worked very well, indeed!

 

Hank

[popeye the sailor]

man......these large scale kits are popping up all over the place!     very nice start on the build Hank.......lots of tiny bits to drive a person mad     the use of P.E. and the detail one can achieve is astounding!  I'd be pleased to follow along and watch you build this one......I used to do the smaller kits when I was young 

[Kevin]

lovely progress, i will continue to watch you build her

[Hank]

Popeye, Kevin -

 

Thanks so much for the nice comments!! Always appreciated - and glad to have you both aboard. This will be a long term project, no way around that fact.

 

Hank

[popeye the sailor]

with your eye for detail.......I don't mind.  just glad that I caught it at the beginning

[dgbot]

I am glad you are posting again I missed your work

David B

[Hank]

Popeye, David -

 

Thanks for the kind remarks. I post when I have something worthwhile - some evenings I can work all evening but the results are incomplete (such as right now!) so I wait until I have something worthwhile to show the forum.

 

Hope to have further work on the conning tower early next week - made progess last night, but not enough to get out the camera!

 

Hank

[Hank]

Last night saw further results on the upper conning tower modifications for the ECM equipment rooms and external ducts, etc. The following photos, while rough in nature, show the additions:





Tonight I will assemble the modified stbd steam whistle platform & horn (using the Pontos PE parts). This platform will be shortened and lowered as modified in 1967-68. Also, I hope to get the FC rangefinder base modified with the SATcom antenna addition (scratchbuilt) and all PE parts. I have found that working topside down is more logical so you have less chance to forget to add something that should have been put in place first. This also applies to adding back various pipes & conduits that were modified from the kit supplied conning tower. Once again, the mast and FC base are only sitting in place temporarily at this point. The white angled plastic part in the center of the 011 Level Platform is the antenna base for the 35' whip antenna (to be added later).

You don't realize how much time it takes to make all the alterations to the kit parts in addition to creating other parts from scratch until you start working on this stuff. My next set of photos should look a lot more "presentable" once railings, paint, and so forth are applied.

 

Hank

[WackoWolf]

Beautiful work Hank. Keep the pictures coming.

[Hank]

Joe,

 

Thanks very much. They'll look much better when the painter shows up!

 

Hank

[mtaylor]

You said "rough in nature".... ahem... nah.... Looks great!!!  Bring on that painter.

[popeye the sailor]

agreed Mark........rough......MY EYE!   looks great Hank.   I can hardly tell there's any mating joints in the assembly    very nice

[Hank]

Mark, Popeye,

 

Thanks for the comments. I hope to post later this week w/almost complete conning tower photos. Got a lot done last night, The PE on this kit is extensive (bought the detail up set from Pontos) and it takes diligence, patience, and TIME to get in place properly.

 

Hank

[popeye the sailor]

I have a friend who is doing a 1:350 of the I.J.N. 'Kongo".........the P.E.  for this kit is astounding as well.   I have not had the privilege of working with P.E. yet.........strange,  because I do have a bending tool.   I'm seeing so much of it.......it's giving me a case of envy    it's a far cry from what I used to build when I was younger.......kits have really come a long way.  but they had to though,  to keep up with interests of the modeler

[patrickmil]

That ship is impressive! Your work on it so far is equally impressive. Are you going to be tackling the 1/200 Hornet next?

[Hank]

Update – 03/28/14

Well, Murphy’s Law bit me on the *** big-time Wednesday night. Somehow I managed to topple the superstructure & foremast from the model to the floor and the damage to the foremast is almost non-repairable (see photos from earlier post). The superstructure only had a minor injury overall and that’s been repaired. It will require some touchup painting, but that was going to take place anyway a couple nights from now.

Bottom line, I’ve started to build a NEW Foremast. Rather than repair the existing one, I’ve decided to go from scratch once again. Only, this time the platforms will be made from brass bar, rod, and PE, and rather than solid styrene, will incorporate PE grating which is closer to the actual masts than my solid styrene plastic ones were.

So, I’ve already soldered together the framework of the lowest platform and have sized and cut the upper and lower masts from brass tube. These will be drilled for the various support legs rather than depend on cryo to hold everything together.

I do not have PE grating that is large enough for the entire platform, but will have to make the platforms out of various pieces and cut to size. Since there is grating available for the WWII inflatable raft baskets which won’t be used on the model (both kit PE and Pontos Detail Up Set), I have enough to complete the 3 platforms I need. I hope to be able to salvage the various radars on the damaged mast rather than making all of those again. I've got an order in for 1/32" sq. brass bar that should be here next weekend.

Tonight’s photos show the 1st platform frame w/the lower and upper masts in place. It looks nasty now, but when painted I think will be better the 2nd time around. I’ve also taken time to ensure that the support legs are as close as possible to the actual mast – something many photos I have for reference are still hard to decipher since very few photos are close ups from different angles of the mast. One most helpful is actually one I took in 1969 looking up at the mast from the port 03 level. This photo shows the various platfoms on the mast and their grating, as well as positions of the yardarm and it’s components.

 

One other note regarding the hull of the 1:200 Trumpeter kit - another modeler has done a 3D solid model comparison (using Solidworks) of the kit hull superimposed at the same frame locations as recorded in drawings of the IOWA class offered by Floating Drydock (can't recall the draftsman of these plans). The differences in the two patterns are noticeable, but in my opinion not to the extent that I would be willing to chop off the lower stern of the kit hull up to Turret #3 in order to correct these distortions. I plan to go ahead and build the model with the kit hull intact. I have some other ideas about how to display the model so that any "smarty pants" viewing it will realize what's going on and keep their opinions to themselves. I have too much $$ tied up in this project to try and mess something up further rather than just moving ahead with caution.

 

Further - I have determined that the Light Gull Gray (Testors) that I was planning on using for the Haze Gray is not correct. I have tested and will incorporate Testors Light Ghost Gray as the Haze Gray paint for this model. It will also give me an opportunity to learn how to use my 12 year old "new" Badger airbrush outfit for the first time. Ghost Gray is not available in spray can.

 

Hank

 

[augie]

Sorry about the mishap.  And good luck with the 'new' airbrush!

[egkb]

Sorry to hear about the Accident Hank, such a lot of work too.. but the new one will be so much stronger that you'll wish you had done it that way in the beginning (that's my take on these modelling accidents anyhoo.. else it would be me, a big sledgehammer, and the offending piece     then happy face and a very flat ex-offending piece  )

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

[Hank]

Augie, Eamonn,
 
Thanks for the support, etc - I have not yet begun to airbrush (no pun intended to our Grand Admiral Jones )!

 

Hank

[Force9]

It is a sure sign from the Goddess of Model Ships that she wanted you to include a more detailed foremast and platform than the one represented in your first effort...  Looks like you'll be even more satisfied with the result once all is said and done!

 

Evan