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General Ship Modeling
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FEATURE
USS Arizona
Gunny
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: July 13, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 03:28 AM UTC
MSW crew-mate David J. Salvin (djandj) sends us his second submission, a fine build story of DML's 1/700 scale USS Arizona, in this "Build Story" Feature!


Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
~Gunny
Halfyank
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Posted: Thursday, February 18, 2010 - 05:18 AM UTC
Very nice build, David. I really like your idea of using wood putty. Standard model putty, squadron, Tamiya, etc., is way too strong smelling for me to use. I'm going to have to try the wood putty. Since it's water based it shouldn't smell nearly as bad.

I'm still torn about the red turret tops. Some people I respect say they were red, other people I respect they weren't. When I next do the Arizona I'm going to have to do some soul searching before painting them red.

I've also seen controversy over the color of the blast bags. I made the old Banner kit years ago for some campaign and was told I was wrong painting them white, that they should have been black. I've seen pictures of the Arizona with white bags, and with no bags at all so I'm not sure I was wrong. I see you did them white, which looks right to me.

CaptSonghouse
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Posted: Thursday, February 18, 2010 - 08:47 AM UTC
Great work all round!

Can you imagine what David could do with the 1:144 and 1:200 Arizonas after they come out?

--Karl
djandj
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Joined: December 08, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, February 18, 2010 - 05:44 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Very nice build, David. I really like your idea of using wood putty. Standard model putty, squadron, Tamiya, etc., is way too strong smelling for me to use. I'm going to have to try the wood putty. Since it's water based it shouldn't smell nearly as bad.

I'm still torn about the red turret tops. Some people I respect say they were red, other people I respect they weren't. When I next do the Arizona I'm going to have to do some soul searching before painting them red.

I've also seen controversy over the color of the blast bags. I made the old Banner kit years ago for some campaign and was told I was wrong painting them white, that they should have been black. I've seen pictures of the Arizona with white bags, and with no bags at all so I'm not sure I was wrong. I see you did them white, which looks right to me.



Yeah - I too agonized over the coloring of the AZ, but after they changed the "official" model of the AZ at Pearl Harbor to this scheme, I figured someone else must know more than I. I actually read Adm. Kimmel's painting orders and it appears to call for AZ as I did her. The only question is the order came out very shortly before the attack. Did they have time to repaint her beforehand?

RE: the wood putty, not only does it have no smell, IT IS WATER BASED. You can "wet sand" it. I.e. you can wipe away just the putty with a wet finger or q-tip and spare all the detailing on the deck. My green putty is virtually unused since I started using Elmers putty. You can glob it into corners and other tight spots where you need to fill cracks (like between superstructure levels) and then just wipe away everything you don't need. Trust me - it will become an invaluable asset in your arsenal.

David
djandj
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California, United States
Joined: December 08, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, February 18, 2010 - 05:45 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Great work all round!

Can you imagine what David could do with the 1:144 and 1:200 Arizonas after they come out?

--Karl


Well - I'd have to build a bigger house b/c I'd have NOWHERE to keep them!. I don't work in 1/700 for my health (lol)

David
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