The Ship Model Forum

Some more progress that I've made over the weekend. More details to add of course, but it's getting there. For those in the know, do the SBROC launchers look okay, or are they too bright?







Any critiques are welcome, point out anything wrong if you see it!

Thanks everyone for looking.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Your work sure looks nice and crisp! How are you managing the painting after adding the PE? Are you using an airbrush on everything, or brush painting the deck? I'm curious, as I have started a 1/350th Wisconsin, and sure would like to duplicate your clean paintwork!

Regards from a very chilly Wisconsin,
Timothy

Thanks Timothy! I've been airbrushing all of the Haze grey and brush painting the decks and details. So far it's been working, just using thinned Model Master paints so things don't get too thick.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Brett,
the SBROC's look fine, remember if you weather the ship a little it will dull them done some, but even if you don't weather anything they still look just fine to me., I also like your crisp paint work it is looking very clean. 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 think you're right, once I get a bit of weathering on, it'll knock down the brightness.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

One more, just did one of the CIWS stations. Do any of you know (I'm sure you do) if the horizontal service beneath the gun should have a dark grey/non-skid surface?

And that random grey mark on the white of radar dome is gone now....



Thanks for looking

Brett

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Brett Matthews

A couple more from tonight. Added the stairs, platform and door from level 05 to 06 (I think that's right). I also attached the forward section of level 04 to what I've completed so far. A couple bits of PE attached there, paint to come next.

Some work done on turret 2 as well. Still need to paint the bare metal areas on the barrels, but that's for tomorrow.








Let me know if you see anything amiss. Thanks again for looking.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

More work from today. Ladder work, plus attached the painted funnel. Tomorrow's plan is to finish the second CIWS and the three gun directors (hopefully).







Touch up to do here and there, I don't like some of the deck grey and haze grey lines, so I'll clean those up in places.

Please let me know if you see something that needs to be fixed or is inaccurate!

Thanks

Brett

Edit....how'd I type gravy instead of grey???

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Brett Matthews

Brett

I am not so familiar with the small differences with NJ from Missouri (there are many). However a couple of things to check, the slightly raised deck where the iWS are located abeam the fire control tower shoul probably have steps down to the open 05 bridge area and not a closed off rail. The armored door to the upper conning tower level is slightly offset, but not too much. Also check the position of the radar cove atop the MK 38 directors, I believe it should be more closely centered fore and aft. As I indicated, check these items, they may or may not be applicable to NJ.

Looking good! Regards. Tom

Hey Tom

Thanks for the great info as always. I actually ran across one of your pictures earlier of the conning tower door. I'll have to pop it off tomorrow and move it. I'll also check the steps you mentioned, Eduard didn't have anything mentioned.

For the directors, I was going with images I'd found online....I'm not sure I follow you on what I should do when I assemble them. I'll get an image up tomorrow and hopefully you'll be able to say it's right!

Thanks again....and I haven't forgotten to cut back the overhead cover on the tower as well...I think I'll repaint it white as well. My brown color is wrong.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

The cover of a book I have on battleships has NJ on the cover, Vietnam era, and the canvas is slightly faded, not a bright white, but perhaps a little creamy, an effect you might add during weathering. I will see if I have a MK38 photo handy!

Cheers: Tom

Brett:

I don't have any really good broadside photos of the MK38 but you get the idea. Note the additional bracketing and elevation motor on the right side in the photo.

Brett,

You're doing a 1st class job on your NEW JERSEY. One item - the 16" turrets - the ladders on them are actually stainless steel - not painted. I just checked a photo of me in front of Turret 1 in Sept. 1968 and the ladders ARE silver, unpainted. Now, they may be painted in their museum ship guise, but in commission, the ladders were not. And, after checking my NEW JERSEY museum photos from 2001, they are painted black. Not in commission they weren't!!! I wonder whose brilliant idea that was!!

Anyhow, flat silver would be correct, IMHO. Perhaps one of her crew from the '80s era may have another take, but this is from my experience on board in the '68-'69 time frame.

Tom's comment on the 08 Level Conning Tower Canvas is fairly correct. The Herculite material is an off-white synthetic, not brown - and would tend to pick up the grayish color surrounding it. It would also discolor with age (ours did!).

Later,

Hank Strub

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HMS III
Mocksville, NC
BB62 vet 68-69

Builder's yard:
USS STODDARD (DD-566) 66-68 1:144, Various Lg Scale FC Directors
Finished:
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 1:200
USN Sloop/Ship PEACOCK (1813) 1:48
ROYAL CAROLINE (1748) 1:47
AVS (1768) 1:48

Got it, that shoukd be a pretty easy fix to do. Thanks!

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Brett Matthews

Thanks Hank! That should be a quick fix as well, maybe a chrome silver with the brush and done.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Hey all. I didn't get near as much as I thought done today as I would. Mostly because this guy below needed a bath, then the bathroom needed a bath after him!



One director assembled, looks pretty ugly without paint. I'm trying to round up something for the center of the dish as it looks odd right now.



Otherwise, I played around with the Mk 38, moved it to be more centered on the mounts as Tom suggested. (and now with the picture so large, I see a seam I need to remove!)



Also repainted the awning on the conning tower and gave it some slight weathering.



Let me know what you think and if you see something that could be changed. Hope everyone had a good weekend modeling.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Brett,

Awning looks better now!! One other things I noticed (and not your doing!) - the Main Battery FC Rangefinder at the top (Mk. 13 radar housing) is molded with 3 vertical ribs - this is NOT correct. See photos:


The actual photo is NEW JERSEY in 1950 - her FC radar has not changed since then - same units forward & aft.

If you can, remove the radar housing and file/sand off those 3 ribs and you'll be correct on that.

Hope this is helpful,

Hank

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HMS III
Mocksville, NC
BB62 vet 68-69

Builder's yard:
USS STODDARD (DD-566) 66-68 1:144, Various Lg Scale FC Directors
Finished:
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 1:200
USN Sloop/Ship PEACOCK (1813) 1:48
ROYAL CAROLINE (1748) 1:47
AVS (1768) 1:48

Great work..and your golden retriever is a beautiful animal. We had one for 14 years, but we had to put him down last year...and it nearly killed me. I'll admit, I cried like a baby...and have been broken-hearted over it ever since. Its amazing what a big piece of your heart they can occupy and what fine family members they are, isn't it? Good ole Larrydog, may he rest in peace.

I will be watching your progress with much interest Brett...it's looking excellent so far!!
Regards -Tim

Awesome, thanks for the info Hank. That should be easy to remove those lines and smooth it out. Plus, now I can correct the aft rangefinder before I even assemble it.

Brett

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Brett Matthews

Thanks Tim, Chester is a great dog. He'll hopefully be around and a happy dog for a long time to go.

Appreciate the comments

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Brett Matthews