Hi all - Starting ( or continuing? ) a new build here.
I started this kit years ago when it was just released.
It got shelved but wanting to try my hand at a seascape has renewed my interest after watching a few “ how to” videos.
I could certainly use some advice on a few things such as painting sequences, when and how to install and paint PE railings, etc .
Thanks in advance for any help.
Cheers RT
I can’t remember- likely one of the model suppliers.
I deal with Scale Hobbyists, Sprue Brothers and Squadron - also Casemate Publishers so likely one of them. I think if you google Warship Pictorials you may find it .
My club mates build from the centerline inside out and from the bottom up. Prepainting along way and attaching most railing and rigging/lines last.
With what you have so far, I would paint the hull, deck and structure the base colors and maybe hull scheme if complicated. I would at least prime the base and maybe your sea color. Fix the hull to base and work from this stationary position. Prepaint the pe before attaching with adhesive of your choice.
Made a start on the base . Ground swell done with coarse disk in 4” grinder then gone over by hand with 220 . Texture done with stippled acrylic medium then primed with Tamiya fine white surface primer rattle can . Two coats acrylic polyurethane brushed on then airbrushed Tamiya Blue lightened with a touch of yellow.
Deck furniture, K guns , smoke generators and ground tackle installed on hull . Photo etch watertight doors from Gold Medal set installed on lower deck houses . All primed with Tamiya Fine Grey surface primer from rattle can. Hull mounted on wooden plinth for working and shot with custom mix 5N Navy Blue for Measure 21 camouflage. Mix for Tamiya’s acrylic paint found on the internet.
I should have known better and not installed the davits for the K guns - already broke two . I will replace them at the end with photo etch ones from set .
Hull and houses painted in Measure 21 .
Non skid walkways decals and hull numbers applied.
Houses/ gun director installed.
Ran out of primer for the stacks - should have it this week . After stacks are installed I guess the next step will be mounting ship to base .
Progress on the hull - stacks and torpedo launcher installed and the first bits of photo etch added .
I think that takes care of most of the bits that require the hull on its side for installation and so the ship has now become permanently attached to the base.
Much work yet to do on the wake .
.. I thought armor guys had it bad building tracks
These are all done with kit parts - 7 pieces each , 4 of which are photo etch. I have left the PE ring sights off for now . Next time I will go for 3 D prints and save my eyes and sanity.
Search light platform..
.and the 26’ motor whaleboats …
My dad built these during WWII in the small boat shop at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. He said the cypress planking was so green that you had to wear a raincoat when feeding the material into the surface planer and that some were rotted before leaving the paint shop. I can’t imagine how much they opened up hanging on davits in the hot Pacific sun. But there was a war on ..
Nearly done- some odds and ends to install, touch up and rigging. I think I may keep the rigging to the standing parts and perhaps a flag halyard on the mizzen to fly the Stars and Stripes . Debating on using the Dragon supplied crew or finding some 3D printed figures.
This has been a very enjoyable build in spite of the challenges presented by micro parts , photo etch and CA glue - not my favorite thing.
All in all a beautiful kit from Dragon. I have purchased one of their Gearing class kits which I hope to convert into a Sumner class by sectioning the hull . Three Sumner tin can sailors in my family - my father in law was on the USS Maddox and my Uncle Robert on the USS Mansfield, both in WWII. My brother in law on the USS Laffey in the sixties .
Rigging done - waiting on 3D printed figures. Need to add flagstaff at stern and straighten staff at bow that keeps getting knocked over. Also will dust over flags to tone them down a bit .
Si
