The Ship Model Forum

These are the final A/C product with decals....





SH-60's





MCH-101's







CH-53's

I do want to mentioned that I ADDED those mirror extensions on the MCH-101 and CH-53's from scrap PE of....Again....Artist Hobby 'Ibuki' upgrade ( these are in fact the step ladders for the F-35B's for That kit, trimmed, drilled a couple of holes in the helos, bent the "mirrored" part, and colored with MM Chrome Silver {{ My BEST Silver }} ).


Also, I want to mention the rotors for the helos are PE Except the Merlins....I used the kits plastic rotors, but the SH-60's....You Guessed it.... ArtHob. But the CH-53's are from the PE set that I Bought But RARELY used Aoshima (sp?) PE set for Hyuga, because their rails have "post" attachment instead of the "lower rail" attachment to the model. (Think of rails, say three-bar, with the lower bar being removed...and you have the posts....YECK {sorry Aoshima}). But I did use Aoshima CH-53 folded rotors, and it Does have folded rotors for the Merlin...but Again Aoshima, only gives Folded Rotors....{sorry Aoshima}.

M

Wow those helos look awesome, As I type Im finishing up some SH-60K's. I'll be referring to your post as reference when I paint mine up.

'shipclambake' let me know!! I would be More-than-Happy to tell you colors and PE options if needed....How's your missile defense ship (JMSDF) going?? I saw you going one direction then it looked like you shifted the top-side structures around....what are you using for the radar domes (plastic or putty)??

M

mmaresm I appreciate the gesture I'll be looking for that info eventually... The missile defense ship is, ok I took down the mast because I wasn't happy the overall look of it. I tried some rigging on the mast as well so its on temporary hiatus. I built a USS Gabrielle Giffords LC-10 and built some SH-60K's in the meantime lol, The radomes were made from Crayola Air-Dry clay.

Heres the link to the latest photos of the JMSDF Missile Ship. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Dy6h1oKsYtyvVFQi6.


I probably asked before do you hand paint or airbrush your ships, Eventually Im looking to set up an airbrush station someday.

Arrggggghhhh!! Those Lights!! Still a little sketchy....so I haven't attached the FD....Just....Let!

But the decals for the FD came out just Great, but I'll let you guys be the judge. I'll let you know that I did paint, lightly in white ( I have always seen white decals place on a dark surface.....and they don't come out well ), and then place the decals after a Glosscoat, then Decal Sol, and decals added, after that Decal Set.

If you noticed that After I laid down the Decal Set....you can see the tie downs in the shadows. So I used a straight pin to poke holes into the tie downs. I also going to try to show the JS Hyuga in two (2) different time frames, so the helos might not be glued down.....still deciding.





These photos show Hyuga in her earlier deployment (although by ~2007, JMSDF were switching out CH-53 --> MCM-101)





These photos show Hyuga during a deployment in SoCal in the mid-2010.

M

Hey 'shipclambake' I Thought you used that 'Model Majic' clay.....your Air-dry clay, I just wasn't Too sure. I used Model Majic before, when I taught several Afterschool Science programs for the past several years.....but I do want to point out, that...at least Model Majic, tends to crack after awhile. Have you experience that Or is your Air-dry clay something different??

RIGGING!! that is one thing that I want to learn also..........bought myself different types of 'rigging lines' from fine thread to make flies for fishing, ModelKarsten (sp), some other stuff, and stretched sprue ideas. I even bought some PE to attach the rigging....its the BigBlueBoy rigging loops that you attach to masts.....I going to Test-it-out on some spare 3D printed resin trees, shoot I might even make a video on the different techniques.

As far as Your question I hand paint my A/C, there was only one (1) time that I sprayed my A/C......those JMSDF F-35's from my Ibuki build, because I was unsure of the color or a substitute color similar to what they referenced in Ibuki instructions. As far as the ships I have been using the Tamiya 'special' spray color. BUT, I did find out that the 'special' Tamiya spray for JMSDF FD is the same ( Just a TaD, darker ) as Model Master Engine Grey...........too bad that My favorite paint is not available anymore.........so what paint brand do you use...are you a acrylic or enamel painter??

I do have a airbrush, but until I build other 'things' ( planes, tanks, fictional/non-fictional space craft ) that don't require 'Special' colors of paint, then I will use my Model Masters . I still contemplating to continue ship-building, build JS Osumi, airplanes, or even F-16XL. But I do know that my next carrier will be the Chinese carriers. As-a-matter I do have three (3) of them, one of them I use for Metallizers-type paints and the other for a little enamel painting for those unique colors not found as an acrylic.

M

Ive never heard of Model Majic clay before today glad I avoided it based on the cracking. I used Crayola Air Dry Clay and it been several months since Ive made the radomes and no cracking so far.

Rigging for me is an experiment, Like you I think I have just about every suggest thread for rigging from EZ Line, Infini, VEEVUS and UNI-Caenis. I wont consider stretched sprue because its too much work for me. I like those BigBlueBoy PE rigging loops that sounds like a game changer for rigging hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I'd like to see that video when you put it up.

I mean do you hand paint your ships that would be pretty interesting to spray paint 1/700 aircraft but I guess you could do it in a pinch lol. I haven't really painted much except several JMSDF YT58 Tugboats and I used Tamiya's XF20 acrylic paint. I did paint my MV-22 Ospreys also with XF20 when I get my next batch of MV-22's this week may switch that up.

I like the MV-22 coming in for a landing I may have to steal that ideal from you lol.


Looking forward to using my airbrush when the set up is complete, I still need a paint booth and a compressor plus Im still doing research to boot.

'shipclambake', sorry for confusing you....was in the middle of watching baseball while answering questions. But as of painting 1/700 A/C, I hand-paint them, I even had my daughter help me with a couple of kits, once. As far as painting the ship.....no I spray those, the hull, upper hull, the FD for A/C carriers with a little touch up here-and-there will I use a brush like hose reels, antennae, windows, small fittings around the ship.

As far as painting planes of 1/72 or 1/48 scale tanks, larger 1/350 ships, then I Will use an airbrush, but I will be using that airbrush outside. I don't have the equipment that you seem to have.......I like to get a paint booth. So I do it the old fashion way; newspaper, old magazines.

Hope this clarifies you question.

M

Thanks for the clarification mmaresm hey, what paints do you use for the deck and the hull of your JMSDF ships. While you're at it please tell me the color combo for the helicopters too thanks.

Sure...."shipey"!

First the Large CH-53 is: Top - Gloss White from Tamiya X-2; Bottom - Lt Ghost Gray from Model Master, both hand-painted, but I would spray a short-shot of "primer" to paint ANY helo ( or for that matter those FD tugs ). I did this while I was spraying the hull and said, "Why, not", IT Worked, the white came out very white.

As far as the MCH-101: "Prime the helos"...and Just reverse colors......except that the Top - Dark Ghost Gray from Model Master, Then paint white bottom.

For the SH-60's: Top - Dark Ghost Gray; Bottom - Lt Ghost Gray, no "primer". Don't Worry if the colors are a bit overlapping....at THIS Scale, not EVEN noticeable ( you can Almost get away with just painting Lt Ghost Gray ). As an Added bonus...the torpedoes for these helos were painted Exhaust Gray with an Orange nose....both from Model Masters.

Except for the initial shot of "primer" {( which "Shipey" was the same color as the hull for this model )}, just hand paint the tops and bottoms and small detail. As for the windows.....once the paint all dries for the helos, I Do Spray a Glosscoat on them, then I white-glue the bottom of the helo onto a wooden toothpick and place onto a spare piece of foamboard. (just make sure the white glue is dry...give it a day)
After the Glosscoat dries....depends on temp and weather, I like nice sunny, dry, little windy days ( or if the weather doesn't cooperate, bring in the foamboard and keep it in a dry room {watch the smell}).....THEN I add the decals. Once they are all on....give another shot of Glosscoat, this will help if you want to weather those helos [ exhaust areas..the horizontal tail 'looks dirty' for those -60's ]. I experimented with AK Interactive "Wash for Grey Decks" (take a look at my Ospreys).
As all of that is done...... then the windows are last! Windows are hard!! How do you want to display your A/C, in a overcast day, a bright day, inside the hanger????!!1 This drives, I guess MANY Modelers mad.....so I combined it for the helos this time. If you look at the MCH-101 I painted those overhead & landing windows Black, because they look like you are looking thru the interior, the side windows Oiled Steel - MM, while the Front windsheild is Chrome Silver -MM ( THIS SILVER IS MY BEST "SHINY" SILVER ), as for the sides windows in the fuselage, just black. ALL windows painted with a sharpen wooded toothpick AND magnifier!

For JMSDF ships I went with the recommended Tamiya paints that I used with my Ibuki build, since I had the can....might as well keep this color for ALL JMSDF ships. Hull - TS-32 Haze Grey; FD - TS-48; JMSDF A/C (F-35B's) AS-27....all of these are sprays, which Will get a bit expensive. So when I was painting the elevator on JS Hyuga, I pulled-up some paint (didn't prime) and I HAVE SO Many different 'grays', I experimented with my MM paints.
I found out that 'Engine Gray' is a good match for the FD, so I'll try this on a FD and use my airbrush, 'Neurtal Gray' doesn't match up TOO well for the Tamiya spray, but if you are spot-painting (small deck stuff, netting, rails, fixing errors, etc.) it'll work .

So...to Sum-UP.....Gloss White-Tamiya for helos depending on top/bottom. Dark Ghost Grey top, Lt Ghost Grey bottom--both from MM. A dark silver (Exhaust Silver), Chrome Silver for side windows, wind shield respectfully--both from MM. Prime if using white...Glosscoat before/after decal placement. I did NOT use my Micro Sol/Set for the decals....Glosscoat will seal them! For the ship....TS-32 for vertical surfaces/hull. TS-48 for FD, and AS-27 for A/C (planes), substitute Model Master - Engine Gray for FD , Neutral Gray for hull .

Hope this Helps!! Sorry for the LONG Winded description of What "I" do for those A/C & helos!

M

GREAT NEWS!!

JS Hyuga is finished....with the small exception of placing hose reels, life rings, maybe a little weathering.....the decals are ALL Placed, small weapons are in position, ALL vertical-lifts are Done! I will place photos soon.....I'm just a bit tired. Stand-by!

M

So let me show off the FD, a lot more work, because of the time line I want to display JS Hyuga. I have two (2) different time lines going on this ship, the good news is that Hyuga didn't change that much from what she is to be depicted in the model kit to what she was doing running around with US Marines here in SoCal ( I wished I could have seen that ). So from a previous photo.....





To setting this up.....









Just want to NOTE....if you look at this image above, you'll see the forward portion of Hyuga's FD landing pad was painted, I did this so when I place the kits 'white' decals they don't dim out and you can see that in the landing pad aft of the painted one. I also punched out the tie-downs of the FD on the white decals using a straight pin, this can be accomplished if you use the Micro Set (after the Micro Sol). Shining an overhead light (that I have) you can barely make out those tie-downs.

As mentioned......JUST A few small things to place on Hyuga, but 98% of the kit is finished. Here are just a Few of the photos....











Just a couple of teasers before the video I would like to present to All of You on YouTube.

M

I just want to give a SHOUT OUT, for the US Marines practicing and evaluating their MV-22 Osprey with JMSDF ships in Operation Dawn Blitz 2013 which is what I wanted to display JS Hyuga is an after-though. But with a several DDH 'Hyuga's' out there, and maybe a couple of them with Ospreys, the decision of making My Hyuga with Ospreys and during night operations ( which i don't think the US Marines did during that exercise....they could, but no info ), brought this idea to the fore-front. VMM-161 are the ones participating in this Exercise, they have flown MANY missions using their vert-lift aircraft, including their Ospreys....Semper Fi, MARINES!!! And thanks....from a Navy Vet, for saving my "As(k)" a few times in bars!!!









M

A very cool, innovative build. Well done!

Nice job mmaresm and thanks for your detailed response to my questions its much more than I expected.

'Dan K' thanks, it was due to seeing people with lit hangers, but I wanted to do something a bit different. And, seeing Ospreys flying around with that formation glow around their rotors.....I just felt, "...Yeah, I can do that!!"

'shipclambake' I glad that you got more than you can handle!! But, getting back to your JMSDF Missile Defense ship........how bout a tower for your radar system, kinda-like HMS Daring-class??

Just finishing the final touches, small stuff, hose reels, life rings, and ANOTHER First.....placing a partial crew on the FD...MayBe removable????

Here is my video on YT for anybody who has an account, or just comment here. [youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReT2hjTFUxY[/youtube]

M

Im working on the mast now actually lol, Im going to add some faux yardarms and straighten her out a bit. Wow a crew for your ship thats a neat touch, hey you mentioned some BigBlueBoy PE or something for rigging what are they?

WOW!!! "Little People"!!!

Started assembly of crew members on the FD.....And MAN................for those of My Fellow Modelers...How Do You DO IT??!!

I, kinda figured out two (2) ways, maybe, of installing PE figures on a ship: 1) Cut them out Individually and glue them, 2) Cut figures Partially from the FEET, turn Them Up and glue them.

I started to cutting individually which I think is good, if you want different poses near each other....






But, I think that if you want straight ranks, maybe you can do #2....


These 'little people' that I'm pointing to with a toothpick, plan on cutting six (6) crew members.


I cut on the fret where the feet are attached on the fret, where the toothpick lies around them.


Here I stand the crew on their heads, their 'feet' look like they have flippers on as if they were scuba diving.


Then those "flippers" were turned 90 degree, by using tweezers!!


Then I attached a "deck" for those "flippers' to stand on, to give them a bit of structural steadiness.


Here you can see the ranks of 'crew members', all I need to do is Cut above their heads.






I THINK that this is how to do it....I was able to make three (3) small sets, Whata think??!!

Granted cutting them by #2 Method does make more Sense...because cutting them individually you tend to.... loose some men (at least they were the officers!! ). And if you noticed the last two (2) images I did add a few (Good Men) back on the stand. NOTE: I do want to mention that those "flippers" I tend to point it away from the detail you want to present, as with the first image, if anything....I would re-paint that 'deck' stand. NOTE 2: Also, if you are going to position arms/legs....USE a Toothpick, DON'T Use tweezers!!. ( a sharpen, pointed toothpick )

WOW!!! "Little People!!"

M

Wow those little guys are pretty cool, I often thought if I fail at PE or rigging I may try some of those little guys Great job.