Greetings all.
I was looking through my old plastic model data bases earlier today and the first 1/350 scale ship I came across was this one..

Revell's 1/350 USS New Jersey. I started it a long time ago but got to the first main turret and thought the moulding was so bad I wouldn't bother continuing. SO away it went into the stash where it has been lurking for many years.
But as it was the first 1/350 ship I ever got I thought I may as well give it a go and see what I can do with her.
I am sure I have a set of barrels somewhere that will fit her and I have the PE set from Eduard for the Modernized New Jersey, which I got for this one but bought the Tamiya one as well when I got discouraged with this one.
As you may be able to see I have painted the hull and the decks so I am off to at least a small start.
Lets see how we go shall we?
Maybe I can build this one as the Iowa or Wisconsin. Can anyone tell me if there where major differences between these ships, and if so what they were?
Cheers
Warren

Me again. Nope, no barrels for this one, and no PE either. It is taking me all my time to build the first two turrets. The fit of the range finders is so bad I have had to almost remanufacture the bases. it can only get better from here.. I hope!!

G'Day .. Happy New Year to all and may the modelling gods be kind to you in 2013.
Well I am pushing on with one of the worst moulded kits I have ever built, but not all sprues are so bad. It is like some where moulded in one place and the others somewhere different.
Anyway, on with the show..


The front of one of the main turrets.. see what I mean about bad moulding, and probably crap moulds as well.


And two of the rangefinders...

The end of one of the main armament barrels. Nice mould mismatch!

And finally the deck being attached to the hull. One advantage over the Tamiya kit is the one piece deck.. only problem it is a few millimetres short and will need filler at the bow.. But maybe a convienient railing will hide it.
But I press on regardless. Will have some more pictures later today.
Hope your heads are not too sore this morning.
Cheers
Warren

Happy New Year Warren!

One more glass of champers and i think things would be very different here this morning!

That's not like Revell to produce such a low quality molding: Those turrets are truly frightening

Perhaps with all the challenges in the kit it might be easier to fix with a 'what if' build? Montana class maybe?

Hi Russell.
Glad to hear you are feeling good this morning.
I have a funny feeling that the old moulds used for the kit are well past their prime. The new ones are a bit better.
Maybe the bad ones were moulded in Upper Cumbukta West and the moulds not cleaned after each injection.
Anyway, I am not wasting any money on this one. It can be the one in the cupboard showing how plain a non-PE enhanced ship can be..
I am actually going to relent and get a wooden deck for her as it is just too much of a hassle to try and depict a wood deck with paint.. Call me laxzy if you want..
Cheers mate
Have a beer for me today.. hair of the dog and all that
Warren

Fair Call mate. It could be the 'fun one' in the cupboard that didn't suffer the PE being eaten by the carpet monster! Goodness knows how many times that's caused a grey hair or two much to my wife's delight

Gonna enjoy that beer for sure!
Cheers

I realise you are not going all out on this (if I have read this correctly) but I thought you might be interested in a site with lots of detail shots of the New Jersey. From what I have heard, the Revell kit has one advantage over the Tamiya kit in that the helipad, at the stern, is raised as it should be, something Tamiya missed and, as far as I know, no-one has released a detailing set that covers this.


http://www.colosseumbuilders.com/john/nj/index.htm

Thanks heaps for that David.
I have the Tamiya New Jersey in the stash with all the extras I normally add to a ship so this will come in very handy.
I also plan to do another Iowa Class ship in the future using one of the marvellous Pontos Upgrade Sets. Then there is the WW2 version if anyone ever releases one (you listening Mr Tamiya or Mr Trumpeter?). Maybe the Revell kit will give its stern to the Tamiya kit.. but I don't think so..
Got more done last night and will post photos later.
Cheers
Warren

Well, I may as well add them here..

Some big-ass turrets..


The main superstructure almost finished.
Cheers n beers
Warren

Let's see where I am up to..


Please excuse the messy bench..


And I have assembled and started painting the ship's boats. The largest two-piece boat (hull and deck) had huge gaps all around the sides that I filled with CA glue and sanded it back. I have the rudders and prop shafts painted.
I went to paint the props but one of them had self-destructed while I was removing it from the sprue so I hit with the liquid cement and will give it until tomorrow to dry.
I have a heap of railing left over in the Lion Roar Bismarck set and I may just use it on this model. It seems so bare without them.. Maybe just around the deck, but that would ruin it as an OOB.
Lots of ships in the stash awaiting my attention..
That's it for now.
Have a pleasant Sunday or what is remaining of it,
Have a beer or other alcoholic beverage on me!! (Don't you hate politically correct terms?)
Cheers
Warren

Nice looking build Warren, is that Tamiya Buff you used to paint the wooden deck?
cheers,
Julian

Looking good there Warren! She's coming along really quickly!

Thanks guys. You are far too generous!



Yes Sir, XF-57.. Not quite the right colour I don't think, too brown, whereas XF-55 is better. I painted those parts about 6 years ago and was following a paint equivelents chart that I think was a bit out. But I am not going to paint it again that is for sure!!

@ Russell, it is amazing how quickly a ship goes together when you are not adding 1700 pieces of PE!

I counted the PE parts in one of the new Pontos sets for HMS King George V ans I counted 1493 pieces.. That was just the 6 PE sheets, not the 100+ turned brass bits as well. Have to get one of the trio of battleships just so I can use one of the Detail Up sets on it!

Hi Warren,
wasn't really what I meant No need to repaint it but you can break up the mono-chromic look by going over the buff with a dark brown oil wash. You will be amazed at how that adds depth and contrast.
Cheers,
Julian

Jeez Warren! Where do you keep all those built models! And all in 1/350! At your speed I would have to move to a different house every few months! Your shipyard takes the same time to produce 10 battleships as mine to produce one light carrier...

Looking good for an old lady!

Cheers!
Stefan

Great stuff Warren, a real silk purse from a sow's ear.

Si

Thanks Stefan. I am lucky that I have a large house with lots of display cabinets that I have purchased over the years. Lets hope I don't have to move soon and put everything on storage!
Cheers
Warren

Thanks you Simon. I needed to build this one just to prove to myself I could..
Cheers
Warren

Yes I know Julian, but this one is not worth the extra effort I am afraid. Remember I am building this one OOB and to Revell's colour call outs as well. It will be an interesting contrast with the other full-monty kits I have built.
Cheers
Warren

For all you out there who saw that the main mast and various other parts were the wrong colour and were wondering when I would notice, I have..
With a bit of masking tape and some paper I masked off the rest of the ship and painted the mast and funnel tops the correct anthracite colour, well Gunze Tyre Black actually as I didn't want to spray enamel outside my spray booth.
Will take some piccies once I have touched her up.
Cheers
Warren

Hey Warren, coming along quite well for all the problems you have encountered. I haven't built a real ship since 7th grade and don't ever plan on one again, the old mk 1' even with the mk 2&3s can't work as well and the fingers, well you know how it is. As you figure, even with figures and vehicles we run into a problem kit now and then. That you are going to do it just to prove you can says a lot about your intensity of confidence and gumption. I have a cabinet of stuff that for one reason or another has stumped me to date. Every once in a while I'll try and tackle one. Any way, your build looks good to a land lubber, aka a mud stomper. Will be watching you tackle this thing and see your magic take it to a newer hight. Good luck with it, and hope that the gods of styrene are with you. bob d.

Hey there Don.
Thanks for all those compliments! I am not sure I deserve all of them.
Doing an older kit like this with bad mould seams on every part and damaged moulds being used for the moulding makes you appreciate how good most of the modern kits are.
More pictures this afternoon and thanks again Don.
Cheers
Warren

She is coming up very well considering the Kit you are working with Warren.....Cheers mark

Thanks for that Mark.
As promised a few more piccies..

Sorry for the crappy picture, but I got the remarkably well done (for this kit) anchor chains done today. Still need to be touched up (oo er!)

And the day finished with me deep into the installation of all the seperate chocks and lots of badly engineered deck fittings. I say badly engineered as they are almost impossible to clean up without losing lots of detail. They should have had the mould gate on the bottom in my opinion, but instead there is one either side, and that on a round object is a recipe for frustration..

And as you can see, apart from a little more touching up, I successfully amended the colour of the main mast and funnel caps.
Tomorrow is another day and hopefully I will be even closer to the end of the struggle.
Then the thought pops into my head, "What to build next?"

Real nice build for an old kit! Keep up the great work.