Classic Warship's 1/350 scale model

Below are pics of the construction stages of the model.
Testor's Model Master Acryl paint used throughout.
Dark Ghost Grey, Gunship Grey, Light Grey, Dark Tan, Flat and Semi-Gloss Black, Flat and Gloss White,
and finished off with Semi-Gloss Clear.
The only mixing was Dark Tan and Light Grey for the teak deck.

 

 This and the following 14,  pictures were taken with an 8mm camcorder

See the small cutout  in the
bridge for the forward
fire control tower platform.

 

The two masts

    
   

The hull gap is apparent in
this photo

Gun tubs and railing
around 3" FC towers installed.

I repainted the turret
tops gunship gray. Looks better!

  

 

Port side platforms and ladders

STB side platforms and ladders

The two 3"50 mounts and the crane installed. One of the 3"50 fire directors is not installed on the starboard side yet.

 

All 5" mounts and 3" turrets installed

The superstructure, masts, and painted .005 fly fishing tippet line used for rigging

When I was on the Salem from 1956 to 1958, the #1-3"50 mount had been removed (storm damaged too often). They built a small wall to enclose the open back end of the #1 tub, made a canvas liner, and used the empty tub as a small bathing pool!  

The two fire directors behind the #1 3 mount were also gone. I put them all back on for the model (then took them off)

The #1 3"50 fire directors on the foc'sle.
Note: I removed them after these photos were taken as they looked clunky, but left the
#1 3" 50 mount rather than having an empty tub. See the banner pic at the top of this page.

Later...

Antennas on the bridge

Antennas on the stack and rear Fire Director platform

The Captain's Gig and Crew Launch

The Whaleboats, davits, and Saluting guns

 

Decals on the bow

Decal on the #2 8" turret

Decals on the stern

A work in progress

I didn't like the old Sikorsky single rotor HO3S-1 "Dragonfly" resin helicopter as supplied in the kit.
Besides, I only saw the twin rotor Piasecki HUP-2 helicopters during the cruise, so I decided to scratch build one. 

Sikorsky HO3S-1 "Dragonfly"

Piasecki HUP-2 "Retriever"

At 1/350 scale, the 32' long HUP-2 helicopter would be about 1-1/8" long.
I reduced a drawing of a HUP-2 to 1-1/8" and printed it out. Then I pasted the printout on a piece of 1/4" acrylic sheet left over from the display case I built (below) and cut around it with a bench top scroll saw.

This was my first attempt at cutting out the pattern on the scroll saw.  I screwed it up on the base by cutting too far into the pattern. I wanted to make a grey helo, but I shouldn't have used the grey helo drawing as a pattern because it was too faint on the white background, especially after handling it for a while.


This was the original size of the drawing before reducing it to 1-1/8"

 At 1-1/8" (print size,
 not screen size)


The uncut acrylic portion is still on the nose when I quit on it.

For the second try, I used the blue helo drawing. There was more contrast between the helo and background.


At 1-1/8" (print size, not screen size)

The shape was finished off with miniature metal files, silicon carbide nail files, and #600 silicon carbide automotive wet or dry sandpaper. The whole thing was then burnished on my jeans-covered leg to polish up the canopy and side windows.  

Here is the body after painting. No masking was done. It was outline painted around the windows with a #1 Lowe-Cornell artist's brush and then finished off with a wider brush.

At this scale, the canopy framework is almost impossible to render with a brush or tape. I pondered over what to use for a while and then came up with an idea to use the same .005 fly fishing tippet line used for the rigging. I pre-painted it grey, taped a good length of it to the dorsal, ran it down over and below the canopy to the belly and taped the other end there. I then painted over the canopy and the fishing line frame with a coat of "Future" (a clear acrylic floor finish) which acted like a glue for the fishing line frame.


I liked using the acrylic since it eliminated the need to add a clear canopy piece to any other body material. Besides, you can look through the side windows now.
The rotor wings are going to be made from PE sprue, and the landing gear struts from music wire. I'll figure something out for the wheels. 

 
All this for a tiny model.

 

I built this acrylic display case for the model.  It's not a real professional job, but it came out pretty good for a first try working with acrylic sheet. The case size is 6" x 6" x 28", and the 5 pieces were cut from a 24" x 36" 1/4" thick acrylic sheet bought at Home Depot (my Lowes only carried 1/8" thick sheets, and they bend too easily).  The acrylic was cut on a table saw, and except for the bottom edges of the case, all cuts were at 45º. The joints were glued with GE clear silicon sealant for Lexan and other plastic.
The base is 1" x 7" x 29" cut from a solid oak 1" x 8" x 48" board bought at Lowes, and has a 45º sawn chamfer on the edges. The base was then rabbeted around the top edges to inset the acrylic case.  

 I intend to add some simulated water to the display, but that will be for a later date. Right now, I'll just admire the oak.

 More building tips on the Review page here.

 


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