1/144 Scale USS STODDARD (DD-566) - Kitbash, Revell FLETCHER

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Vis a vis the bridge canopies, making a to fit an existing sacrifices you decide to print, I suggest making paper trial pieces, which when you get all the size and angles perfect, you can measure and design an accurate piece. I have had to produce numerous pieces for the APA and LSM to fit an existing location. Either method could produce an adequate result. For the side canvas covers one might be able to engineer in a little sag?

Good luck with everything! Tom

[BB62vet]

Tom,

Yes, once the bridge & Pilot House are one unit, I'll do the paper doll design for the bridge canopies. Good suggestion, by the way!!

For the last week or so, Tom & I have been in cahoots regarding the 3D design of a 26' Motor Whaleboat. My design was a complete disaster while his turned out to be really good. What is it with these Alaskan pilots turned modelbuilders????

So, he sent me a copy of his design and I've done a bit of detail tweaking on it, adding a few details and such:

So, tonight my 2nd edition (the first was a disformed, ree-tard boat) - once again it boiled down to the supports and how you arrange them to get a successful print. After severely flogging the design superintendent , I limped and crawled back to the house for supper After redoing the printing file, I came out with a very successful print of the boat:

While still suffering from the self-administered thrashing earlier , I am glad that this one printed correctly. Now, to rescale the length/width which needs a slight adjustment sizewise - also make a small alteration to the foc'sle and I think it will be ready for the paint shop!

Also did a bit of additions to the Pilot House/Nav Bridge in the way of 12" searchlights - another of Tom & my collaborations. So, I may have a photo or two to share soon.

[dhenning]

I have been enjoying all of the posts and am amazed at the work that you all are creating, but one question...what happens to the pieces that did not turn out? Can you melt them down in some manner and reuse the resin or is it all just an expensive lesson?

Keep up the good work and posts!
Dave

[BB62vet]

I have been enjoying all of the posts and am amazed at the work that you all are creating, but one question...what happens to the pieces that did not turn out? Can you melt them down in some manner and reuse the resin or is it all just an expensive lesson?
Keep up the good work and posts!
Dave

Dave,
Thanks so much - nice to know that others are enjoying & possibly learning from my mistakes !!!

As for the rejects, mistakes, deformed, etc. - well, the circular file on the deck usually is the recipient of those items. I have a large collection of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. editions that I'm hanging on to for the moment ('til I run out of space!!!). The really bad ones get Deep 6'd immediately. To my knowledge, there isn't any salvage of these items. Live & learn, etc. I've bought 3 jugs of resin in 9 months and have only used one. I currently have 1 jug each of two different resins. Each ran around $35-$50 incl. shipping - so, it's not all THAT expensive to print. As Tom & I are finding out - it usually takes 2-3 prints to get a decent part that is scaled right and has no abnormalities, etc.

Here is an additional photo of the 26' MWB that was my 2nd printing today. It's a gnat's ass within the correct length/width and I only have a couple of design mods to make and the 3rd edition should be right on.

I also found out the kit boats are not to scale - they are both a bit too big. So, with the added details and correct size, I think I'll use mine instead!!

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Don't start measuring the hull and whatnot or we may be in danger of moving you to the scratch built section!

Cheers: Tom

[BB62vet]

Hank:
Don't start measuring the hull and whatnot or we may be in danger of moving you to the scratch built section!
Cheers: Tom

- No chance of that!!!!

Tom & I have been working on the design/printing of the 26' MWB and newer 26' Mk.5 Fiberglass hulled boat & canopy. Since he's more adept (actually, I haven't got a clue!!!) at the hull design, I've been taking his basic hull and adding details, etc. and also designing the canopy. So, at this point we're pretty much through the boat and I'm working on getting a successful print of the last version of my Mk. 5 canopy -

The design (as I believe I explained in an earlier post) is based on what we had aboard STODDARD 1966-68 and photos of ISHERWOOD 1968. I have printed successful versions of the canopy that will fit the 26' MWB, but tonight's print of the canopy had some issues. Once again, I was forced to flog the night crew and sent them home w/o Gedunk privilege's. That'll teach 'em!!!!

I've now got 5 good prints of the boats and these two are the ones I'll use for STODDARD:

As I've invested in 3D printed boat davits, I am thinking of designing 3D boat falls for both boats - these will be rather short so shouldn't be a great deal of work to design these to fit properly. The kit davits include a single block at the end of the davit and the boats are mounted almost directly to this. I may review some of my photos for the "actual" position of the boats as we carried them in the '60s.

The 26' MWB has been sprayed with deck gray and tomorrow I'll remove all the supports and clean up the hull exterior and prepare for painting. The Mk. 5's interior will also be sprayed (probably white) and then the deck & details painted before removing all the supports, etc.

[Fliger747]

Very nice Hank! Be interesting to see how the canopies come out!

Regards! Tom

[Iceman 29]

Very nice work of your team!

I have one created for my T2 tanker as well, but I'm on vacation at the moment.

[BB62vet]

Tom,

Thanks! I'll be working on the canopy mods today - another possible wet day here, so not a lot of outside activities.

Pascal,

Thanks, also!! Yes - the collaboration effort is working fairly well - we all bring different knowledge sets to the table and that helps produce a useful product in the end.

Vacation ........what's a V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ?????? - LOL!!! THAT would be nice.....

Enjoy.....!

[BB62vet]

Today's printing went well - I now have 3 useable canopies (2 - full size, 1 - 95%) - I'll pick the one that fits the best and go with that one. Here's a picture of the latest version:

As it's rainy today, I'll more than likely do a bit of painting on the boats while the canopies UV cure. Once everything is painted and assembled, the boats will be done. Extras go in the parts locker for future use (?).

I've still got many parts to design/finish design, etc. so nothing lagging in the modeling arena.

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Anticipating Seeing these (down the road) hanging in their davits, port and starboard on Stoddard. Few modelers will know or be able to create the exact correct boats for their ship!

Regards: Tom

[Willie]

Howdy Hank and all,

Great to see the excellent progress. To improve these whaleboats other than with PE will be difficult, so good I find them. I can see lots of sanding ahead, but this will be the last of your problem, I presume.

It would be a good idea if you could put all the sub-assemblies together and make a couple of overall pics, so that we can see what the whole lot looks like.

Nice going in NC, and best regards from this side,

Willie.

[BB62vet]

Tom, Willie -

Thanks so much for the comments!! Always appreciated. Began painting boat interiors this week - work a bit slow due to ongoing family medical appointments and other "summertime" attentions. I would like to get two boats completed and then put aside for later - then, begin working on the hull oil canning. I'll try to get some updated photos soon.

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Since I have never tried it, the oil canning seems a little like a Winter knitting project. When I made the first version of the LCVP's by hand it seemed insurmountable, but steady progress and persistence accomplished the goal. At least the Oil canning is restricted mostly to bow and stern above the waterline.

Cheers: Tom

[BB62vet]

Tom,

Hopefully, I will be getting started on the "oil canning" shortly. I've now got more than enough boats (26' MWB & Mk. 5 Fiberglass Gig) completed and tied up in the boat yard, waiting to be assigned.

In the interim, while Tom has been pursuing design & printing of parts for his scratch LSM, I went ahead and found a Revell 1/144 LSM kit online and purchased it - this will be an on going side project - converting it to an LSM(R). I am closely following John MacKay's build of his LSM(R)-198 in which he converted the same kit. The main difference is that I will be designing in 3D CAD and printing all the necessary parts for this build rather than totally going scratchbuilt mode. There will be some, but only bare minimum (replacement decking, etc.). I have already printed a few of Tom's creations for his LSM (with minor modifications, of course ) in 1/144 scale. At the current time I already have quite a warehouse full of parts: 20mm single mount, 40mm single mount, Stern anchor winch, 20mm R/S boxes, new stern hand grabs, Mk. 30 & Mk. 36 rocket launchers (currently in design/printing) - so, things are happening, Dudes! I haven't decided on a build log yet - perhaps once I've decided on WHICH LSM(R) this will represent.

Back to STODDARD - I hope to begin the stern oil canning this week. I've got the grid laid out so it's just a matter of sitting there and doing it. Always the procrastinator, I will say that I'm doing repairs on the shop portable a/c unit and it is currently out of service while I go back/forth online with the manufacturer about doing a troubleshoot/checkout/cleaning procedure. So, it's been rather warm in the shop and thus, limited work time.

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Just think back to passing ammo out of the magazine off Vietnam while under fire, the comparison as to temperature, space and the threat of things falling out of the sky makes whatever conditions in the shop seem pretty "peachy".

The job you have done with the boats is really quite spectacular!

Regards: Tom

[BB62vet]

Tom,

Well, actually I was (passing ammo) the day we got hit off North Vietnam in the river inlet. Had that shell landed a split second later and the Old Hankster would have been in Davy Jones' Locker Post Haste!!!! I think it was somewhat cooler that day than I've been experiencing in the shop....hmmm.....

Thanks for the kind remarks regarding the boats - yes, our efforts seemed to finally pay off, so to speak - I guess I'll have to figure out a 12' Wherry for the LSM/R, right? I'm not too impressed with the kit offering.

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

I'll post a "Wherry wherry little boat" on drop box for you to fiddle with. Perhaps you can find more info on these little war canoes than I was able to come up with.

Tom

[BB62vet]

Tom,

Thanks - Wherry, oh wherry did the little dog go? I hear his bark but know not wherry!!!

OK, so I've done a bit of hull work - beginning the oil canning. I laid out the grid on the stern about a long time ago and finally got it "O-C'd" tonight -

After I lay out the grid on both after quarters, I'll then begin sanding the stern to remove the grid lines and obvious debris - I have not done any O-C work below the waterline - I'll only do that if it actually shows that in a couple drydock photos I have of STODDARD when she was in Subic Bay, PI and later Sasebo, JN (1967-68). It looks rather crude at this point, but one things for sure - the hull indentations are not uniform, so that's what I'm aiming for! Tomorrow things will start to look better.

Hank

[BB62vet]

is that the vertical hull seam I see on the stern of the model?

After careful analysis it's SNOT TRUE ....it's SNOT TRUE

What you DO see is the remnants of the black marking pen that I laid my grid out with...and before sanding, smoothing, etc......like this matters at this point

Now, ask me a really RELEVANT question about the build....