Aftermarket stuff for 1/200 USS Missouri - UPDATE

[sweetwater@uci.net]

OK,

Should be receiving the Missouri kit next Wednesday!

Got the Trumpeter upgrades, (barrels, screws, anchors) and have ordered the Pontos Teak Decks.

Does anyone know exactly WHAT is in the Pontos "Super Deluxe" upgrade sets? Seems pretty "pricey" for an upgrade/detail set at over two hundred bucks....

Should I "bite the bullet" and go ahead and add the Pontos set (less the decks already on order)???

Any info deeply appreciated.... Sweetwater Jack

[sweetwater@uci.net]

ANYONE ???

OK, Disregard.... SWJ

[Timmy C]

There's a post by them over here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=154309&start=0#p603885

Your original post was made before they had released any photos, so no one could really answer you asides from suggesting that you look at their other sets.

[sweetwater@uci.net]

Thanks Timmy, much obliged! Sweetwater Jack

Went to the other thread.....The photos are fantastic!! Full set ordered! SWJ

[BB62vet]

I also ordered the Trumpy Upgrade kit with the model. I haven't opened it, but to be honest, it doesn't look or feel like much of anything. I'm thinking it's mostly pot metal and the 16" barreLs (when compared with actual photos/plans) do not look that correct. I actually think the kit plastic is closer to the real thing.

Purchasing the Pontos Detail Set w/o deck is still under consideration. I'm assuming the machined brass 16" barrels are closer to spec. than what is in the Trumpy set.

I may inquire of Free Time Hobbies about a return on the Trumpy set and a refund.

Hank

[sweetwater@uci.net]

I also ordered the Trumpy Upgrade kit with the model. I haven't opened it, but to be honest, it doesn't look or feel like much of anything. I'm thinking it's mostly pot metal and the 16" barreLs (when compared with actual photos/plans) do not look that correct. I actually think the kit plastic is closer to the real thing.

Purchasing the Pontos Detail Set w/o deck is still under consideration. I'm assuming the machined brass 16" barrels are closer to spec. than what is in the Trumpy set".

I received the Pontos upgrade the other day.... WOW! The 16" brass barrels are MUCH better than the Trumpy upgrade.. and look a lot closer to spec. The counter-bores are much deeper for one thing (though if you intend to put the tampions into the muzzles that won't matter). I am going to be VERY VERY busy for a few months (as soon as the snow melts and my shop warms up) I was hesitant about plunking down the money for the Pontos set, (I'm 75 and on a semi-fixed income) but it was worth every penny. The turned brass items are exquisite.

[BB62vet]

I returned the Trumpy Upgrade Set a couple days ago-unopened, etc. My opinion is - don't waste your money. I've ordered the basic Pontos Detail Up set w/o deck since the deck won't work with my 67-69 era build. From the photos posted from Pontos their set looks to be a real fine addition to the basic kit.

I hope Trumpeter has "eyes" on this forum and realizes that their detail set is D.O.A.

Hank

[BB62vet]

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

First off - 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 s##*!!! in comparison. All the barrels were included as stated in the instructions.

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.

Hank

[stevegallacci]

Having started using both the kit and PONTOS details, I'd have to say that the duplication of the kit parts in the aftermarket was a good thing. The Trumpeter photo etch looks okay, but to actually use it is tricky as it is both thin and soft. The PONTOS brass is a bit stiffer, so is less likely to wad up during a difficult installation or get badly distorted by incautious handling later. I'll likely use the kit brass only in some sheltered small reaches and cannibalize some bit for the specific changes for the Spring of '43 Iowa.

[sweetwater@uci.net]

Note of caution regarding the deck veneers. I blew it!! While installing the O-1 and O-2 level decks I peeled up the wrong one in one instance and instead of placing it back on the plastic backing sheet, being careful not to overlap any of the others, I simply turned the backing plastic sheet over and eased it down on the "back" side... BIG MISTAKE!!
It appears that the surfaces of the backing sheet are NOT the same, although they feel alike to the touch.. Could NOT remove that section of decking again! It is adhered as though super-glued in place. Removal with scalpel would convert it to tiny wood scraps!
Ordered a second set of decks !!,,,, Dumb, dumb, dumb.....

[BB62vet]

Yea, I've started to find out how tricky this PE stuff really is - last night while working on the A/C Crane, I broke off one side of a bracket that goes over kit plastic while bending. I was able to glue it in place ok, but that cautioned me about how fragile these PE parts really are.

My crane is a hybrid of the kit plastic and Pontos PE since it was modified over the years and neither a Pontos PE crane or Kit crane is completley correct as is.

Hank

[Jon]

Note of caution regarding the deck veneers. I blew it!! While installing the O-1 and O-2 level decks I peeled up the wrong one in one instance and instead of placing it back on the plastic backing sheet, being careful not to overlap any of the others, I simply turned the backing plastic sheet over and eased it down on the "back" side... BIG MISTAKE!!
It appears that the surfaces of the backing sheet are NOT the same, although they feel alike to the touch.. Could NOT remove that section of decking again! It is adhered as though super-glued in place. Removal with scalpel would convert it to tiny wood scraps!
Ordered a second set of decks !!,,,, Dumb, dumb, dumb.....

I would lightly sand down the plastic backing that won't come off till you produce a surface you could superglue to the deck.

Mistake taking the wrong piece off, can happen. Putting on the wrong side of the backing, could totally see that happenning, that's not dumb.

[bigredva]

Does this set include the appropriate dry-transfers etc. to convert Mighty Mo into the Wisconsin?