Digital Navy - USS Arizona - 1/100

[gorwing]

Wow...

It takes a lot of heart, patience, time and efforts to build this masterpiece, something that I don't have, except a little patience.:smile:

I really have learned a lot from this build, especially the handrail tutorials. Thanks a lot.

Great attention and refinement to those tiny details make this build really outstanding. :thumb:

 

[eibwarrior]

On to the splinter shields!

Thanks for the very kind comments gorwing. Sometimes I have to just get up and walk away from her. Patience has it's limits. This has become an 11-month project and then some to come, so I'm getting modelers' fatigue at times. But onward we go.

I've started and finished the splinter shields on the port side. These went quick. Very easy to construct. Adding the small exterior ribs is really the most time consuming part of this. They look good. I will flip and go to the starboard side tonight.

I've take an overall shot in here since I've added the cranes and shields. I've not done a backup shot in a while.

At the bottom of this entry, I've made my last shot of the boat cranes. I added a lot of detail from the last shots. I added a single-line handrail that runs up the boom and added the cables/block-hooks. I found a nice shot of the Pennsylvania (sister ship to the Arizona) that really shows these fine boom details that need to be scratch built to render accurately. You can see the two photos side-by-side for comparison.

After I finish the starboard side shields, it's on to the 5" deck guns that sit behind them. Parts galore! wall1

 

[dansls1]

Still coming along very nicely!

 

[NYC Irish]

Class act well done...Keep on adding and do not get dissillusioned with it

John John

 

[Gregory Shoda]

The bridge & crane area photos are beautiful. Great work!

 

[eibwarrior]

Starboard Side Shields & 5"/25s

Starboard side shields are now finished. Now I can get on with the business of building 5"/25s. These are the standard duty dual purpose 5" guns of that era. Good for AA and sea targets alike.

Here's some shots of the parts involved. As you can see, lots of little bits to cut out and assemble. They do make a handsome little model when finished. Two down, six to go...:mrgreen:

 

[MCL_RDG]

I'm inclined to think if I were to open a hatch and run in- I could trip over the lip of the hatchway, skin my shin and get a nice bruise on my knee.

 

[barry]

still watching just run out of superlatives ................ a bigger picture of the gun would be nice though !

 

[B-Manic]

I agree with Barry & want bigger gun picture(s). It looks great!

 

[eibwarrior]

Thanks guys.

No problem. I'm going to take this opportunity to enlarge that last photo... It's a bit blurry at this size. I'll take some more shots tonight and try better lighting with cropping.

In the meantime an update. I've almost finished the other two 5"/25s on the starboard side. Quite a lot goes into them with the seats, hand wheels etc. They're fun but complex to build. Each gun has about 25-30 parts.

I've attached a good photo of what these guns look like in the flesh. The attached photos is from USS New Mexico.

 

[eibwarrior]

Still more 5"/25s

You want more pictures, you got 'em. :thumb:

Here's some close ups the best I could do with my amateur photo skills. I've now finished all four mounts on the starboard side, so I've flipped to do the port side now.

I failed to mention earlier that I used some aluminum tube (1/16" diameter) as a former for the 5" barrel. This worked well as it did with the 5"/51s that I did in the shelter deck. I love the fact that you actually have a metallic looking muzzle at the end.

 

[barry]

Thanks Elb.......................looks great

 

[B-Manic]

Thanks for the close-ups. Very nice builds. They must have been a bit of a challenge, well worth the effort though.

cheers
~Douglas

 

[birder]

Wow, thanks for such a wonderful build thread, have been enjoying this, and although no shipbuilding myself I have enjoyed Barry's and Carl's ships. This is a wonderful build and inspiration for us builders! The extra size is fitting, as with Barry's Tarawa as it adds to the majesty and mystique of these great ships.

 

[eibwarrior]

Thanks everyone...

It has been a great experience, and now I'm nearing the end. I'm working on the port side 5"/25s today and I have two complete, only two more to go. I'll upload pictures tomorrow.

Once I nail these down, I'm going to move to killing some white spots on the fantail. Then comes the big guns!!!!

 

[redhorse]

This is very nice, I'm looking forward to seeing the rigging! That's always a difficult thing for me, and I bet I'll learn some good techniques here.

 

[eibwarrior]

Port side 5"/25s finished

There we go. All finished with the 5" on the Port side. That was tough but rewarding. A week's worth of naval gun building sign1

Here's a shot of what they look like.

On to vents, platforms, inclined ladders around the #3 turret. Once I have these small details in place I can then start the barbette for the #3 gun. Then the turrets themselves.

 

[NYC Irish]

ohhh the talent

Well done

John John

 

[eibwarrior]

Details, Details...

Thanks John.

I've been working on deckhouses, vents, vacant gun platforms, stairs and handrails in the Turret 3 area. I'm going to clean a lot of this little stuff up around the #3 barbette. Then I'm going to build and place the #3 barbette.

At that point I'll feel comfortable starting the No. 2 and No. 3 turrets!

bounce7

 

[barry]

quite incredible