Frank, very nice work indeed.

Björn, great work so far. I wait til the end to put the railings on my ships. But I tend to be a little heavy handed while I build, so this is best for me.

Kenny

Thanks, Kenny and Frank, for the advice. Being an occassional klutz, I'll wait with the outer railing 'til later. I've started working on the bridge instead!

Cheers! // PolarBear

Frank, Steve Backer has a good drawing posted over at SteelNavy of the vessel, side and top view, that shows some funnel detail that you may find useful...see the image here...and btw, your build is looking great!

NICE start on the build, Björn, and you're definitely on the right track to success!

As far as planning ahead, yes, is a big factor, my friend, in all modeling, and especially in the ship building process, mate...the best thing to remember is to study the instructions well, and before you do steps 2 and 3, think about steps 4, 5, and 6, to make sure that they make sense in sequence, if you know what I mean...instruction manuals are not always put together by ship modelers!

But so far, it looks as if you're doing just that...I personally build and paint as I go with most builds, building as much of the added superstructures complete with any PE additions, and painting them up as you go along before adding to the deck assembly...from the looks of your build thus far, mate, you're first ship model is going to be a beauty, keep it up!

Cheers,
~Gunny

Thanks for your advice, Gunny!

I'm trying out all sorts of techniques here, since I meet new challanges all the time! Right now, I'm trying to figure out where all the railing should go. Most pictures that I found on the internet är aereal photographs, that do not reveal a whole lot of detail. Below, you'll see that I've dry-fitted the decks (there seem to be a lot of decks on this cruiser...). Before gluing it all together, I'd love to find out where I should add railings! If anyone knows a good reference page, don't hesitate to post!


Layer upon layer... just like a birthday cake!

I'll be adding a dark wash on the details of the bridge. I think Trumpeter's details are quite crisp, so ínstead of adding PE ladders this time, I'll try to highlight them with a wash and some dry-brushing. I thought I'd darken the windows of the bridge, and add a drop or two of future to make them appear as glass. I just noticed that there are tiny decals for the life savers! I just have to try those out!

The decals seem to perform quite well (I haven't over-coated them yet).


One big question! As I am going to build a diorama, I wonder if there are any good links/tutorials for a newbie on how to make water etc? Anything in particular that I should think about when planning a diorama already at this stage? The trumpeter kit has a "waterline" hull as well as a full hull. I wan't to place this lady in cold Baltic surrondings, albeit rather calm seas. How do you guys go about in order to obtain a realistic diorama setting?

Oh, and I want to add some Soviet sailors. Are there any "fat" sailors in 1/700, or is PE the only choice? If so, any idea how to beef them up a little (perhaps adding some layers of future on each side)? Or perhaps that is not neccesary in this tiny scale?

Cheers! // PolarBear

Looking good Bjorn, as far as the water effect, there's countless ways to replicate water, I've had success with using a mixture of fine grained sand and white glue, layering it around the completed model and then painting the dried sand with layers of blue and green and yellow oil paints and then once cured, applying layers of gloss coat to give it the needed reflection. As far as the two dimensional PE figures, your idea of thickening them is good, you might want to try CA glue on either side, see how that works.

Here's one shot of my finished water.

Frank

Some additional work on my cruiser.

I started with the stacks, removing the moulded on plastic details and adding the PE ladders. The PE funnel tops replace the plastic parts but require the edge, so a good deal of care was used to remove the internal plastic. The PE replacements cannot be bent into shape as is, sections must be removed.









Next up will be painting and masking of the deck followed by the raised walkway and the bridge.

Frank

Wow Frank, that is some excellent work on those stacks. It does give one some ideas, thanks for the clue.

That's some hot action on those stacks, Frank. From one PE slave to another, good work!

How could I have missed this????

Well Frank, its good to see that you have managed to solve a problem with flying colors! Those stack grills look spot on!
And also thanks for the tip (nice to have left the straight PE edge, giving alignment to the part and glue area!)

Björn,
You can give a coat of CA glue on the 1/700 figurines. I have done it and it gives some depth to the figurines
You can see the end result here

As for making water, apart from Peter Fulgoney's water color paper (that I also have used in the above dio, and in other calm sea/harbour situation) you can see the following features, from different members, using different techniques, but with good results. It's a question of your choice:
- Mike Tayor's Making Rough Water

- Rui Matos Wet Your Ships!

- Kenny Loup's Making a Water Base, step by step

Hope this helps and keep up the good work (to all!)


Rui

Thanks a milion for the tech tips, guys! I truly love the effect of your water, Frank! Nice models too,btw! Which ships are they? And nice photo (I read your article on model photography with much interest)!!!

Thanks for all the useful links, Rui. I find some of the effects quite amazing!!

I also found this great article at the IPMSStockholm site! Well worth a look!

I don't know which method I'll choose. I'll probably do a little experimenting with different techniques to see which one will suit me the best! I've done a little experimenting with water once before, albeit in a different scale.




I'm very impressed with your progress, Frank!! Keep it up!! When I finish the Kirov, I just might go Russian pre-dreadnought myself!

Cheers! // PolarBear

Hi Guys,

First, a little tip regarding water effects. This incredible diorama was posted at another site!!

Maybe, this is old news to you, but I was highly impressed by the result!
Edit: I just noticed that there is an entire feature article about the builder, Guido Hopp, right here at Model Shipwright!

One day, I'm going to try and build a torpedo boat diorama with this technique (the key word here is "try")! Too bad I missed the "military small boat campaign"...

Personally, I'm back at building aircraft! I needed a Saab SH 37 Viggen in 1/700 to my Kirov diorama. Not many of those on the market! What is a poor Swede to do?

First I made a print of a profile that had been scaled down to the right size (the aviation experts among you may notice that the profile depicts an SF 37, not the maritime SH 37...). The Viggen is 2.34 cm in 1/700.

This was actually only a test to see if the results that I wanted could be accomplished with the method that I wanted to apply. A used a piece of sprue, some thin plastic card and a tad of putty filler.

And then some detail painting! The roundels are a bit over-sized, but I can live with that! Even if this individual was only intended as a test object, I'm quite happy with the result. Who knows, maybe I'll keep it?
:-)

The belly will need some rails and reconaissance pods etc. And then a wash, of course. And definitely a little more detailing...

Cheers! // PolarBear!

Looks good Bjorn,

That is an insane paint job! The only thing I can see which might improve the Viggen are the leading edges, try taking a flexy file and see if you can thin them out to a sharp edge, from the photos, it seems a bit thick.

great work, Bjorn

Frank

You're absolutely right, Frank! It doesn't show to the naked eye, but it is quite noticable on the close-up pictures! Thanks!

Cheers // PolarBear

Geez, I haven't posted in so long! I'm still alive, though. Anyways, during the break from the Kongo before the big painting hullabaloo (pictures up within a week), I got down to business on the Nachi. This is the special edition version with full hull, stand, and some nice PE.

I didn't want to go crazy on this build with a million aftermarket items and super detailing. So for once I played it cool and tried to keep it fairly simple. Still, I couldn't resist adding hull lines for some extra visual interest by using .4mm tape (my process is a reverse of what guys like Jeff Lin does).




Gun barrels were replaced with brass by good old Fukuya.




Everything has been primed. Here is about 75% of the ship dry fit together and sitting on the stand.



Back to the Kongo before I finish the Nachi!

Nice work, Dade. Jeez, you build 'em quick (and good!)! Where do you find the time?

I signed up for this campaign but haven't seen the inside of my hobby room since late September (sigh).

Hi Dade!

It's so good to see some models from the stash being built! Mine is still in the box
I have found the .4mm tape trick a very good one! And the hull really needs it, since there's no detail whatsoever...
Also a little question: I have dry fit the hull parts and it seemed to me that some sanding would be needed... How did it fit your hull?

Keep up


Rui

Great job guys! As soon as I can finish my I-400 I'll get back to my Hood.


Kenny

Great work, Dade! I like the effect you created with the tape. I'm sure that is going to come in handy some day!

Personally, I'm already getting prepared for the holiday season. Consequently, I've built myself a christmas tree!


Nah, just kiddin'. It's the funnel of the Kirov!

(Oups! Better straighten out that tiny mast!)

There's soo much to learn when you are new to ship building! But it sure is fun! And now that I've started playing with the PE, it's going to be tough to stop me. - There's gonna be lots of rails!


Cheers! // PolarBear

Nice Xmas tree Björn
Looking good your Kirov!

For the railings, cut small lengths and glue them in place, move forward and repeat until done.
Also try placing them from top to bottom so that the done areas are away of big fingers

Keep up,
Rui

Good work guys,

Dade, nice touch with the hull tape details. Bjorn, it looks like you've already mastered ship P.E.

Frank

Hey guys, thanks as always for the kind words.

Martin, nah, I'm pretty slow, really. I've been fiddling with this build for the past few weeks off and on. There's about two weeks between the picture of the tape and the primer ones.


Rui, yes, the fit is not very good in some spots. This kit is really summed up with lots of dry fitting. The problem spots are:

Above waterline hull to the bottom is not a tight fit- will require some putty.

The forward funnel base is a little too big where it goes under the superstructure and will need work.

The upper levels of the superstructure have some gaps that will need to be filled.

The hole in the structure for the rear center leg of the aft tripod to go into is not big enough. It will have to be opened up more.

There is a PE platform gantry not dry fitted in the pictures. It goes directly in front of the aft funnel and is surrounded by a walkway on both sides. A small walkway piece goes between to the gantry sides. It will have to be filed down or the gantries will be too far apart. Even then, the fit inside of the outer walkways is too tight, so the inner walkway walls will have to be filed down some to fit around the gantries. This spot will require a lot of experimenting.

There is a forward platform on PE gantries also. Care must be taken to modify these to fit as well.


This is a nice kit overall, but extreme care will have to be given with lots of testing. Even though it's a recent Hasegawa kit, it doesn't go together as perfectly as it looks like it should... if that makes sense...

I will say that the PE is very good... surprisingly so. The metal is a nice thickness, firm, but easy to work with. With the exception of the aforementioned PE gantries, everything is sized very well also. The railings are the kind I most prefer (and also the rarest type): stanchions with feet. What this means is that instead of railings with one long gutter, or with only stanchions- these are mostly only stanchions, but with small feet every few stanchions or so that must be bent up at a 90 degree angle, thereby providing a larger place to glue and giving added strength and stability to the entire rail (and looking more accurate than the gutter type).

Hmm, maybe I better put this information into a feature article when this build is done...

I have uploaded 4 pictures of my Trumpeter 1/700 USS ASTORIA (CA 34) in the finished models section as my entry for the Cruisers of the 20th Century Campaign. Rich

Photos:












Good job Rich!


Rui

Friday afternoon! I don't know exactly how many parts it took to make this mainmast tower (a whole lot, I assure you!!!), but it's going to be nice with a whiskey right now!


Big christmas tree and small christmas tree. It sure is different to build boats!

Now - I'm trying to figure out how the Kirov was rigged. Anyone has a clue!?

Cheers! // PolarBear