Hi, after a visit to the U-505 exhibit in Chicago last week, I got to thinking about building the USS Guadalcanal that captured her. She's a Casablanca-class ship like Hasegawa's USS Gambier Bay, so the basic kit is available. But the wood deck and the decals all look specific to the GB. Any suggestions on converting to Guadalcanal?

You can purchase the TLai carrier number font and print your own decals as one option.

Thanks, Tracy, but stupid question: what do you print them ON?

You can buy decal material to print them on. Have never used it myself, but from what I have seen they do look really well when all done.

Check in the material section at your LHS, or at any good internet dealer.

Thanks, Jim.

Anyone build this kit? There are a bunch of competing AM PE sets, too.

I do not think anyone here has posted a build, not sure about on the other sites. If you plan to tackle it be sure to do a blog here.

Funny you mentioned the U-505 visit. Every time I was at Science and Industry it was closed. I did get to walk around the outside of her.

She's inside now with "restored" colors (no Schiffbodenfarbe bottom, but what do I know?). The tour inside was sold out, but I've been in several coffins, don't really need to see another. I had the old Revell model when I was a kid, and all these times in Chi-Town I never got to the museum.

I love all of the museums in Chicago. Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, Shed Aquarium, Science and Industry, Art, all of them.

Plus they have great pizza, Italian beef, and burgers.

I hope to get up there this summer and visit my family.

I have been on the inside tour... and based on the ships I visited at that time, I came to the conclusion that the crew-space was inversely prorportional to its chance of survival: USS Missouri - USS Jeremiah O'Brian - USS Bowfin/USS Pamapanito (? Was then moored next to the Jeremiah O'Brian) - U-505

Cheers,

Harm

HI Bill,
I built the Hasegawa Gambier Bay kit as the USS Guadalcanal ,using Hasegawas own PE ,very expensive way of doing it.The deck numbers I made from suitably coloured decal sheets ,and I didn`t use a wooden deck.




Cheers Phil

Simply beautiful, Phil. Thanks for sharing that.