Hey all,

I've been having problems trying to scratch build winches for my USS Montrose but no joy yet, may have to suffer with the molded ones.

@Gordon: very interesting project you have decided on. It will be very impressive when finished. I will follow it with great interest.

Thanks for sharing

My happy little VC family.....
Finally manage to find a few of the Verlinden sets.

Grumpy,

Looks like your one guy sitting down isn't very happy with things.....

Of course he's not. They aren't going anywhere because the pole's too short.

That is just Grumpy back in the 60's

I guess it is time to post my Huey D slick. It's been done for a while, it is just that right after I finished it, I jumped into a T 34/85 and had no sooner completed that then I jumpd into this 350 scale North Carolina. I learned a long time ago when you post completion at an early stage, you frequently get forgotten and have to go back and prove you did the work to get the award. So I'll snap a couple of pix and post them shortly. The guys in my club liked it so I hope ya'll do too. It is just OOB. Well I did add a few brass hatch latches on the engine covers, but they are pretty close to invisable in photography.

Would you be happy knowing that it was just another bowl of rice for supper again?

Huey.... photo shop the two, and you'll really see why he's unhappy.

An interesting observation, is that the one sitting figure came with the small sampan set, the other is the separate set, and at first glance look the same, but on closer observation, one has a mustache and small beard, the other doesn't. Also, I didn't get the straw hats in the one set, and will have make some.

I decided to replace the grumpy guys head- one grumpy guy is enough.
Used a Hornet Asian head, looks a little like Buddha, and a little over fed, so a little work to make he look a little drawn, some hair etc coming up.
I like the surprised look, maybe he's just amazed at the Huey on the horizon coming on, as the others look and point!



Lucky me, enough time to slip this update on the old post.

Put a little hair on him, and carved the cheeks a little.

This is coming along nice Dave your mods to the figure lookg good, it will be interesting to see how you handle the water maybe i can learn something.

Dave,
Outstanding work on your figures. Please keep the pics coming so we can watch the developement of this project. I too am interested in your method for the water. Thanks.....................Bruce

Hey all,

I haven't post much in this campiagn but I have been working on and off on my USS Montrose. The kit is from the 70's so there are areas of the kit that needs quite a bit of attention...mainly the winches and the booms, which on a ship like this means a large part of the build. I got the PE set from GMM and it's a great help (doors and railings). This is were I'm at right now....





As you can see I have a long way to go but it's a fun build and I'm learning as I go.

Hi Frank

Your USS Montrose is turning out good... have you thought of a water base for it?
Just a thought

Skipper

Frank,
What PE set are you using on your Montrose?
Thanks,
Rick

She's looking very good Frank.

Did you see this web site? http://www.ussmontrose.com/

Rick & Gator,

I'm using the GMM 1/400 Naval Ship PE set, it's not a perfect thing but it comes close and it gives me the things I can't scratch build(doors, railings, and ladders). I've been to that site quite often great reading, I found that site awhile ago and that gave me the itch to do a build of her.

Wow, you guys have been busy! Great work and inspiring.
I have an appointment booked with the dining table later this week, hope to get some more of my kit done then.
Cheers
Dus

Skipper,

I don't think I'll do a water base. The kit doesn't have props or screws but I'll build it as a full hull with out those items(I think its a full hull....maybe a little missing).

Hey all,

I have a quick question. On the USS Montrose there is a gun mount on the bow(front) it looks like a quad 40 bofors but I'm not sure. Does any one know off hand?

I would go for a double boffors 40mm
Although from the 40's this photos shows it well:
http://www.ussmontrose.com/images/wwii36.jpg

At this odd scale I would suggest modifying or scratchbuilt one - give it a try!
Keep up the good work!!!!
Skipper

Note: IMHO, if you have done so much extra work on this model, and since the model shows it's age (that's why the hull is like that - box scale model, intended for playing) I would place it on a water environment - but this is just me

EDIT: Well, they are quad 40mm http://www.ussmontrose.com/images/catholic_church_mt_41.jpg
the advice is still the same: modifying or scratchbuilt one

skipper,

You may talk me in to it....I will give it some serious thought. It's a good thing that MSW has a great how to section. Thanks for the pics of the quads.

Hey all,

Another question for all of you. What type of radar did the USS Montrose have? It looks to me that they have attenna(bad spelling) on both mast, are they both radar?

During the Vietnam period, fwd was a really standard SPS-10 surface search, aft was an old SPS-6C air search.

Here's a good photo of sister ship Talledega, showing the two radar antennas.

Rick

Hi Rick

Those radar screens are easily scratchbuilt:
1- using thin wire make the shape of it
2 - with very fine mesh (plastic or metal - the latest usualy has better quality and thinner) superglue it to the wire shape.
3 - cut the excess
4 - add details as needed (radar emission brace, and other structural reinforcements, mainly in the SPS-6C radar)

For point 1, cut a card to the shape needed and "force" the wire to it
You'll see, it's easy! The biggest difficulty is in our heads! (and I know what I am talking about - just see my current project [scratchbuilt 1/700 Bay Class Frigate])

Hope this helps,
Skipper

Rick,skipper,

Thanks for the picture rick that will help me out a great deal. Skipper thanks for the advive.....but the GMM PE set I got came with some radar screens, they look pretty close. Might have to do a little adjusting.

OK. Here is my campaign entry. A 35 scale UH 1D. Kit by Panda (now by Dragon) pretty much OOB just added a couple of brass hinges on the engine covers. Model is unweathered as I havaen't figured out what I'm going to do with it yet.