The Ship Model Forum

Hey everyone

I'm really new to this forum as a member, long time lurker. I primarily have built aircraft and sci fi (Star Trek) models, so this is my first big part with naval modeling.

I've had the New Jersey for about 4 years now, waiting to be built. In that time I had picked up Eduards photoetch set for it, replacement turned brass barrels from B&D Barrels as well as Pontos Models scale wood deck. Pontos has released a full upgrade set since, which probably includes even more than what I've already purchased, sadly. Good thing I have the Missouri in the stash as well to blow cash on later

Please please please, if you see that I've added something wrong or am using the wrong colors, whatever, point it out so that I can fix it. I have no problem with critiquing something that I can fix!

Thanks!

Brett Matthews

To start, I began removing the ladders from the turret #2



After that, attachment began.









I started next on the barrels....well, one so far. I removed the plastic barrel and drilled out the blast bag to accept the new brass barrel.



And here's where we ended for the day. I will be working on improving the seal between the blast bag and barrel, since it should be flush and no gap. That's for the next work session.



Fast forward another year and a half to last night and here's here I'm at.

PE Assembly




Superstructure coming together




Upper level painted haze grey along with decks painted. Actual progress!

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Brett Matthews

Welcome to the site Brett...you will love it here..you will get all the help you can possibly use, from some real knowledgable people..your work is looking good..keep your updates coming! Doug B

Looks good! I do see a couple of minor things that could be fixed at this stage: the decking right behind the flag bridge on the 03 level has been plated over with a additional splinter protection to protect the electronics and combat areas below; the area right fwd of the flag bridge fwd windows is not decked over but hollow, with a shielding effect to the large vents located behind. Though he is building an earlier version from Vietnam Era you might check out Hank Strub's build in 1:200. He served on the ship and can answer many questions.

Regards. Tom

Thanks for the reply, exactly the info I was looking for. Hopefully I understood you correctly. I had to go find plans for the New Jery since I didn't know deck numbering.....

Are these the two area's you mentioned?



I'll check out the other build you mentioned as well, I'm sure there's a great deal of info there.

Thanks again

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Yes hollow fwd and plated, probably. Missouri is, will try to post a couple of photos for you.

Tom

You can see where the plating ends. The deck and top of the wood are equal, about the thickness equal to that of the wood was added.

On the 01 level you can see this vent shield which is open top and bottom.

Tom

Checking my fwd stack photos the stack coming rail only has a top rail. I don't think my ship has this correct! I would check current NJ photos on this as every ship has variations.

Cheers: T

Thanks for both replies. I checked photos and you're absolutely correct on the rails for the forward (and aft) stack. I'll cut out the extras and also work on the other two locations you mentioned. Thanks for your help!.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

It is mildly hilarious that I keep noticing things in my photos researching for others, and finding that I didn't get right. So a ship legitimately 98% complete keeps getting further for completion!

A lot of good info and discussion over on the Calling all ship fans Iowa thread!

Tom

Brett:

This is my project in 1:192. Always something to add or correct!

Looking fwd to see yours progress.

Regards: Tom

Very good looking ship you're building. That's pretty funny on the 98% bit and finding other things to add

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Here's where I'm at as of today. I haven't finished the funnel, as I've removing part of the railings, so that's not on yet. Painted all the parts here, painted the deck, railings etc. Trying to figure out how I could add the viewing slits on the front of the tower, sometime today.







I'm glad that these pictures are much bigger than the actual parts. They don't hold up as well on the detail parts!

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Your progress looks very good.
Looking forward to your next update.

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Gordon


"Then there was one patched-up carrier...."
Vice Admiral Thomas A. Kinkaid

The quality of the PE you are using looks very good. I have been using Tom's PE and though it has a nice scale to it for ladders and rails, it is far too soft.

A comment about the barrels for the 16" rifles. the muzzles appear to be tapered inward? Perhaps a very minor fill and drill might be in order. Mine aren't nearly so fancy, being made of several overlapping tubes and a bot of filler tapered with sandpaper in a drill motor. All looking very good, photos always make things look worse than the really are!

Problem with my last 1% is I have a lot of photographs of the ship, hundreds, and everytime I see a bulkhead there is something to add such as a loudspeaker, work light, external cabling, brackets and wh0 knows what. It does add a convincing clutter!

Check the extent of the awning over the 08 conning station, the one on Missouri dos not extend beyond the bulwark. Yours is foil?

Regards: Tom

Hey Tom

The PE is all Eduard's stuff, not too bad. The only problem I've had is that they notch where rails bend, which makes the PE very thin and can snap apart pretty easily. My starboard CIWS railing isn't looking so hot due to this. Hopefully port side turns out better.

I'll check out the barrels and see about drilling them if they are tapered.

I keep seeing more and more details that are lacking in the Tamiya kit....makes me wonder how much I can add in 1/350 scale as well haha

The awning is just the Tamiya kit part, it does look a bit low from the front, so it might have slipped while the glue was setting, but I do know it extends past the bulwark, ever so slightly.

Thanks again for the help!

Brett

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Brett Matthews

It is interesting that many modelers group by scale! There are a number of folks on this site building variations of the 1:200 Trumpeter BB61 class. Perhaps this is because scale does specifically affect the level of detail one can add. For the kit builders Choice of aftermarket items can make a big difference, in smaller scales scratch and going beyond the available addons becomes more difficult. The size and expense of the 1:200 kits makes them a very serious project, serious enough that several have gone to great lengths to correct major hull inaccuracies, something probably not as noticeable in the smaller ships.

Keep up the great work and be sure to check out the Iowa section on the CASF area, great info there.

Cheers: Tom

Hey Tom

Yeah, I figured starting with a 1/350 scale was a good compromise between size vs. too small for extra details. I'm not sure how those that model 1/700 scale ships are attaching photo etch parts, these one's are tiny enough! A 1/200 New Jersey would get a frown from the wife if I brought that up

Thanks for the comments, I've been digging through the Iowa thread for the past year.....at least now I've been using it for good use!

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Here's my most recent updates, which aren't as much as I'd like to have accomplished. However, with winter having skipped Utah this year and 65 degree weekends, I've been outside a lot with the dogs and doing yard work!

Back to the ship though...

Working on more and more rails before I begin to attach details.....you can see broken rails, which have since been repaired



Repaired.....I'll fill the gap between the rail and post as well



High tech hold downs while gluing the rail



Next might be Haze grey and deck painting, then to attach detail parts.....moving along, moving along.



Thanks everyone for any comments or suggestions!

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Brett,
Very nice work there, PE looks really clean. Keep up the great work and looking forward to more progress on this build.

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Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Thanks Jim, I appreciate the comments

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Brett Matthews