Warning: Guinness high on paint fumes...

[Guinness]

After a long layoff from modeling, I picked up this kit today:

http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/ships/cl/cl-53/700-dr/dragon-review.html

It came with a decent set of photo-etched brass parts, which I've never worked with before. Will post pictures as I make progress.

Any tips (Jef?) would be greatly appreciated. My long-long-long term goal is to develop enough skills, etc. to try scratch building something one day.

[maddox]

Still a nice hobby.  I hope you have succes with this build.

But I would prefer the 1/144 scale.

[Tanthalas]

Looks fun, last ship I atempted to build was USS Iowa when I was like 16

[Sachmle]

I've built a small scale (don't know what it was) waterline Arizona once as well as a complete hull Iowa at one point in time.

[Guinness]

I spent a long time trying to decide between this kit and a slightly more expensive 1/350 USS Gearing kit. I'd rather work at 1/350 (or bigger), but I've got space constraints. I've only got a few sq. feet to store finished models. So I figured I'd take a hack at 1/700 first and see if I could do it well and enjoy it.

1/144 would be... interesting. I definitely don't have anywhere to stow 4 foot long models at the moment.

[Tanthalas]

I wonder if anyone has a USS Wyoming, Odds are I would proly have to scratch build that I supose.

[Sachmle]

I spent a long time trying to decide between this kit and a slightly more expensive 1/350 USS Gearing kit. I'd rather work at 1/350 (or bigger), but I've got space constraints. I've only got a few sq. feet to store finished models. So I figured I'd take a hack at 1/700 first and see if I could do it well and enjoy it.

1/144 would be... interesting. I definitely don't have anywhere to stow 4 foot long models at the moment.

Um..outside? Buy some tarps..you live in Georgia..it's not like it snows...often. ;)

I'm sure your neighbors won't mind..as long as it looks cool.

[Guinness]

They'd have to be watertight the way its been raining here. They might float away otherwise.

Here's a question though:

Measure 13 or Measure 12(mod):

http://www.shipcamouflage.com/measure_13.htm
http://www.shipcamouflage.com/measure_12_modified.htm

Atlanta was commissioned in Measure 13, but was lost while wearing Measure 12(mod). Measure 13 would be less work. I could just spraypaint it mostly... Measure 13 would look cooler.

[Sachmle]

Probably depends on the kit. Does it have the misc parts for "Upgrades" or is it the "Design/Launch" ship or the "Late War" ship?

[Guinness]

It's got sufficient parts to do any Atlanta class cruiser at really any point in the war. It's got a nameplate for a base for Atlanta, and decals for any of the first four of the class. It includes 4 quad 1.1" AA mounts in photo-etch, and 40mm mounts in plastic. It also includes two complete sprus of weapons from the manufacturer's 1/700 Essex class, so there's ample 20mm, etc. There's also more or less every radar fit this ship carried available in plastic and/or photoetch. It's a nice set.

I'm leaning toward the early war appearance because I do want to make it Atlanta and not one of her sisters, and I want to try to use those 1.1" PE parts. This also means a few less light AA mounts to fiddle with for a cleaner look, I think.

Atlanta wore Measure 13 from commissioning until early 1942 before her crew painted over it with Measure 12(mod), so really either would be appropriate. All the photos I've found of her so far are in Measure 13, I'm hoping to find at least one of her in Measure 12(mod), but if not there are pictures of her sisters in that scheme. Measure 12(mod) was generally crew applied and the "blotch" pattern was non-standardized, so in a way it doesn't really matter.

[Jefgte]

Cool Guinness   ;)

I have San Diego 1/700WL

Good choice - have fun time  :D  :D  :D


Jef  ;)

[Logi]

I have 1/400 King George V and 1/350 Arizona :D

Have a  fun time building it!

I think I have a 1/700 Cassin from the same company....

EDIT: Ah, nope... It was the Arizona 1/700 that came with it that was from Dragon, the Cassin was from Midship

[TexanCowboy]

I have a 1/1000 Iowa....late-war. Putting 110 .79'' machine guns on kills your arms and fingers!

[Guinness]

Already decided I need a bunch of sets of better tweezers, a set of "extra hands" and a better magnifying glass. Back to the hobby shop this weekend!

I also discovered that Atlanta was wearing a strange paint scheme at Guadalcanal, thanks to the good folks at the ship model forum in this thread: http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=23563&sid=b7b9700a1af8cdf671c3ca38469aaca4

She had her hull painted in seablue with no speckling while in drydock after Midway, but her uppers were apparently still in measure 12(mod) speckles. Different! I'm actually pretty excited about that.

Looks like this kit needs a little modding, including trimming off a bit of errantly long belt and hacking at the improvised open bridge a bit. Hope I'm up to it! :)

I saw a 1/350 scale Konig class BB. If I get through this set without a divorce, I strongly suspect one of those may be next. After working at 1/700 I bet 1/350 feels easy.

[Carthaginian]

I have a 1:700 Hasegawa Alabama lying about, unfortunately, the instruction sheet is missing. One day I'd like to finish it (the 'basic assembly' is done), but painting it is such a daunting task that I can't bring myself to finish it.

Maybe one day I'll work up the guts.