Crimea_River
Marshal
A great addition to your collection. Nicely done.
1:350 Trumpeter USS Essex
- Thread starter Builder 2010
- Start date
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parsifal
Colonel
fantastic work. Can you advise the overall length and height of the model. I wanted to compare with my 1/400 heller Collossus class CVL, which is about 20 inches long overall.
Looks great so far!
- Thread starter
- #264
Builder 2010
Staff Sergeant
The model is just about 30" long, and 6" wide. It's a big one. It's interesting to see the naval architecture at work here. The Missouri, which is nothing but a mass of solid steel and draws about 32' feet of water with very little free-board compared to the Essex Class which is basically an empty box and draws 22' of water with lots and lots of ship over the water line.
Yesterday I picked up the cut Plexiglass and today built the case. While the case was setting I attempted to add some call sign signal flags. "Attempt" is the operative word here. I aborted the plan after trying to fit the first flag and didn't like how it was turning out.
I found signal flags on the Internet, imported the JPG into Corel PhotoPaint and then scale them to about 1/8" high matching the flag decals that were on my Missouri. I printed them out on white decal paper in multiple sets since I was planning on putting the same flags on both sides of the island.
I placed the decals onto aluminum foil which is what I was told to do so it would give them some body and enable you to put some furl in them.
But, as I tried to put the first flag in place on the port side signal halyards it wasn't going well. It didn't fold in the center and I was fussing with it too much. My hand was bumping into things and I was afraid that this minor detail addition could lead to big troubles, so I pulled off the flag and quit the process. Sometimes you have to know when to quit.
The Plexiglass was cut on a router so it didn't have obvious saw marks, but it did have edge chipping which didn't make me happy. I have a sanding fixture that I built to sand square edges on balsa sheeting to make wing skins on large scale RC planes. I put this to use to finish up the edges. You're supposed to sand with the length so the groove trap the solvent cement by capillary action and doesn't leak out.
You tape the box together and then run a bead of liquid acrylic solvent (Methyl Chloride and some kind of alcohol) using a squeeze bottle with a very narrow metal nozzle.
You're supposed to remove the adhesive poly wrap off all the surfaces except the one resting on the work table. I had a problem applying the solvent. The darn bottle was leaking at the screw top and every time I tipped it over to apply glue to the seams drops came out on the interior surface of the top. It was a mess. I let them dry without touching them so they're visible, but not when looking at the case from the side.
I also got leakage around the masking tape and this was much more noticeable, and made a mess. After it dried I worked with my multi-grit finishing system and got them so they're less obvious. They're still there, but don't smack you in the face.
I was very, very pleased to see that all my dimensions worked and the case both fit the base plank AND cleared all the ship's extenditures. (word?)
Unlike the Missouri case, where I used 1/8" material (a bit flimsy), I used 3/16" plexiglass and it's much sturdier. The case is good enough for what it's intended to do which is keep the model in a pristine condition. I cut the opening in the back for the LED light power cord so it can be illuminated with the cover on. Here it is all protected with the Missouri. I feel much better knowing it's under cover and I can't bump into it and break something I can't fix.
Man! Was I lucky in my sizing of the base. Another inch and it wouldn't have fit the shelving and that's the only good place to display it in the house. While I was testing the case fit in the basement, I then got worried that it was too high. It measured 11-1/2", and I got the tape and went upstairs to measure the space. It was 13" so I dodged another bullet. I set up the base and case dimensions just to fit the model, not fit the space. So it was just luck that it worked out okay. I could have made the case lower, but I was uncomfortable how close the case top came to the Missouri's radar and didn't want that to happen again. When I measured all the case dimensions the island was not yet built so I had to guess. Better to have a littlle too much clearance than not enough. You get lucky sometimes.
Yesterday I picked up the cut Plexiglass and today built the case. While the case was setting I attempted to add some call sign signal flags. "Attempt" is the operative word here. I aborted the plan after trying to fit the first flag and didn't like how it was turning out.
I found signal flags on the Internet, imported the JPG into Corel PhotoPaint and then scale them to about 1/8" high matching the flag decals that were on my Missouri. I printed them out on white decal paper in multiple sets since I was planning on putting the same flags on both sides of the island.
I placed the decals onto aluminum foil which is what I was told to do so it would give them some body and enable you to put some furl in them.
But, as I tried to put the first flag in place on the port side signal halyards it wasn't going well. It didn't fold in the center and I was fussing with it too much. My hand was bumping into things and I was afraid that this minor detail addition could lead to big troubles, so I pulled off the flag and quit the process. Sometimes you have to know when to quit.
The Plexiglass was cut on a router so it didn't have obvious saw marks, but it did have edge chipping which didn't make me happy. I have a sanding fixture that I built to sand square edges on balsa sheeting to make wing skins on large scale RC planes. I put this to use to finish up the edges. You're supposed to sand with the length so the groove trap the solvent cement by capillary action and doesn't leak out.
You tape the box together and then run a bead of liquid acrylic solvent (Methyl Chloride and some kind of alcohol) using a squeeze bottle with a very narrow metal nozzle.
You're supposed to remove the adhesive poly wrap off all the surfaces except the one resting on the work table. I had a problem applying the solvent. The darn bottle was leaking at the screw top and every time I tipped it over to apply glue to the seams drops came out on the interior surface of the top. It was a mess. I let them dry without touching them so they're visible, but not when looking at the case from the side.
I also got leakage around the masking tape and this was much more noticeable, and made a mess. After it dried I worked with my multi-grit finishing system and got them so they're less obvious. They're still there, but don't smack you in the face.
I was very, very pleased to see that all my dimensions worked and the case both fit the base plank AND cleared all the ship's extenditures. (word?)
Unlike the Missouri case, where I used 1/8" material (a bit flimsy), I used 3/16" plexiglass and it's much sturdier. The case is good enough for what it's intended to do which is keep the model in a pristine condition. I cut the opening in the back for the LED light power cord so it can be illuminated with the cover on. Here it is all protected with the Missouri. I feel much better knowing it's under cover and I can't bump into it and break something I can't fix.
Man! Was I lucky in my sizing of the base. Another inch and it wouldn't have fit the shelving and that's the only good place to display it in the house. While I was testing the case fit in the basement, I then got worried that it was too high. It measured 11-1/2", and I got the tape and went upstairs to measure the space. It was 13" so I dodged another bullet. I set up the base and case dimensions just to fit the model, not fit the space. So it was just luck that it worked out okay. I could have made the case lower, but I was uncomfortable how close the case top came to the Missouri's radar and didn't want that to happen again. When I measured all the case dimensions the island was not yet built so I had to guess. Better to have a littlle too much clearance than not enough. You get lucky sometimes.
fubar57
General
A great build to follow along with. Well done sir
- Thread starter
- #267
Builder 2010
Staff Sergeant
Thank you all. I will be a while until the next one, but have patience, there will be a next one. It will probably be one of three models, either a 1:32 Skyraider, 1:32 Corsair, or a 1:350 LHD Carrier (either Iwo Jima or Wasp). The planes are less $$$ since I won't have to invest in another elaborate showcase.
Lovely work so far!
- Thread starter
- #270
Builder 2010
Staff Sergeant
Thank you for the belated thank you!
