¹⁄700

U.S.S. Brooklyn CL-40

"MSW Crew-mate Jeff Herne shares this excellent full build feature of a dynamite duo, the U.S.S. Brooklyn CL-40, and her Tug tender!"

Build Breakdown

KITS: 1/700 Niko Models U.S.S. Nashville, 1944, BattleFleet Models 1/700 Tugboat

PAINTS: White Ensign ColourCoats U.S. Navy 5-N Navy Blue, 5-H Haze Gray, 20-B Deck Blue, Vallejo Black

WEATHERING: Grumbacher Payne’s Gray, Black, MMP Rust, Liquitex Acrylic Gel Medium

THEATER: Central Pacific c. 1944

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate Construction, Intermediate Painting

Intro...

One of my old pals back in New Jersey once described himself as a ‘Renaissance Modeler”, meaning that he was as comfortable building a tank as he was a ship or aircraft. So I think I’ll shamelessly borrow that term when describing the direction I’ve taken with my modeling lately.

As a modeler, I’m all over the map. I’ll build just about anything as long as it interests me, and scale isn’t always a factor. My last few projects have all been on the large side, both in terms of physical size and complexity, so I thought I’d go back to my roots and try my hand at a 1/700 scale resin ship. Several subjects interested me, but it wasn’t until I spoke to Bill Gruner from Pacific Front Hobbies that I learned about a relatively new resin ship producer, Niko Models, from Poland. Bill assured me this was one of the nicest kits I’d ever build, and who am I to doubt a ship-only hobby shop owner? Bill offered to send me something to prove his point.

A few days later, a box arrived containing the Niko Models U.S.S. Nashville, a Brooklyn-class light cruiser. Careful examination verified Bill’s comments, this was a spectacular-looking kit, perfectly cast, with fine details and an extensive photo-etched brass fret.

So I cleared the bench and had at it!