Hey Daniel,

Thanks for the shout out, and, for what it's worth, I think a co-build with your son would be awesome! I'll bet he'd get a kick out of seeing his work online too. And as for the late start, well, I just began work on my little Yamato three weeks ago... so you guys would not be alone in that!

Jump on in!

regards,
Tim

Dan thanks for the compliment its my 1st 350th ship and first ship in 7 years. It was alot of fun and I've added a few more to the stash. I wish I was could have got my sons interested but never could.
The rails are on 2 days of work. Do you fellows flat coat your ships I have some glue spots. Or spot touch? What masts would RN types fly the battle flags. I've been a Douglas Reeman fan forever.

Almost ready to call her done.

Tom

Hi Tim and Thomas!

We just walked in the door after getting home from my son's Little League game. The first words out of his mouth?

"Do we get to build my ship together?"

I just laughed and reminded him that I was at HIS game, so how in the world would I know??

I told him not to worry because we would build ships together, regardless.

I told him about your thumbs up responses (Thank you! It made him really happy!), but said we should politely wait until we got an "Official Go" from the Campaign Admins.

Thomas - That really is a wonderful build! And it's your first ship in 7 years?? Wow! The tanks in your Gallery are awesome! And Oddball is one of my All-Time favorite characters in movie history!! I think it's my favorite Donald Sutherland role, just ahead of Pinkley in The Dirty Dozen (which, amazingly, is my WIFE'S favorite character and one of her Top 10 movies!)

Anyhow, thank you both for the support!

Daniel

Dan first how was the game did he win. Second I'm sure the moderators will let you in if not we are all signing up for the cruiser campaign A father son team effort would be welcome.
Kelly's Heros my all time favorite movie love Oddball. Only tanker movie until Fury. My National Guard buddies and I would quote favorite llines.
I should finish Warspite and have it posted by tax day. This build and this group has been a real good time can't wait to start a cruiser.

Tom

Daniel, of course it's up to the campaign administrators but I couldn't agree more with Tim and Tom, and reckon it's great that your son wants to join in!

What better way to get our youngsters involved in our hobby.

I can only hope, that as my kids grow up, that they at least 'have a go' when they're old enough.

Now, being at the pointy end, what are the admin's thoughts on extensions? There's no way I'm gonna finish the King by the due date

Russ

"Woof Woof Woof, thats my other dog impression"

Russ, I am fine with extending the date if the originator and my boss are.

Thanks to all of you for your support!

Tom - His games are pretty entertaining. Half of the kids have never played ball...not even T-Ball! Matthew told me to let you know, "We didn't win, but I did my best and had fun!" He was 1 for 2, with a double, 2 RBI, a Run scored, and 1 stolen base. There's no "official" score at this level. It's really a modified T-Ball game: the opposing pitcher gets 3 pitches, then coaches come in to pitch to their own players. A few kids on each team are actually quite good. Unfortunately, ONE team (ahem...the League President's son's team...cough...cough...) has FIVE kids selected as All-Stars last season who were "moved down" to this level for reasons unknown. Oh well. I keep telling the other parents that as long as our kids improve, it doesn't matter. What was REALLY funny was that we ended up beating the "stacked" team last week, 9-4! No one really knows WHAT got into our kids that day, but they played really well! Matthew struck out (he's a Lefty and the Lead-Off hitter), which is unusual. We were down 3-0 after 2 Innings. Matthew lead off the 3rd with an Inside-the-Park home run (I didn't know he could hit THAT far and actually RUN!). The team ended up scoring 5 runs, at which point the inning ended (the bases were loaded and Matthew was coming up to bat again, too, darn it!). He was unintentionally hit in the back by the first pitch to start the 4th inning (some of our parents were really ticked!). Instead of taking first, he asked if he could still bat. He doubled to right and ended up starting a 4 run rally. His last at bat was another double, he stole 3rd, but was left stranded. We ended up "beating" the stacked team 9-4. The other coach was NOT pleased.

My wife showed up after he had homered. Matthew was playing 3rd Base. When he saw her, he started jumping up and down, yelling, "MOM!! I HIT A HOME RUN!! MOM!! I HIT A HOME RUN!!" in a high, squeaky, innocent, 7 yr old voice all while dancing and jumping in the air. The parents from both teams were cracking up. The game was delayed while he finished his "celebration"!

This morning, The Boy woke me up and reminded me that it was almost time to make our yearly Yosemite trip! He said he wants to hike to the top of Sentinel Dome again. He first did that, without being carried, when he was just 5! I think it's his favorite spot in the Park, since you get a full 360 degree view to all horizons, including a beautiful view of Half Dome, his favorite feature. (Can't blame him! It's gorgeous up there!)

Sorry for the long post!

As far as us building the Revell Bismarck goes, I think it will go something like this...

"We got our own ammunition, it's filled with paint. When we fire it, it makes... pretty pictures. Scares the hell outta people! We have a loudspeaker here, and when we go into battle we play music, very loud. It kind of... calms us down."

Daniel

To a New Yorker like you a hero is some kind of crazy sandwich.

Sounds like it was a great game. I can't believe someones stacking team at 7 years old.

It was a soggy dark day here and I want some natural Lightning for my pictures.I m calling her done for the build.

Tom

Tom -

People do stupid things out here all the time! After all, it IS California! The pitcher who accidentally plunked Matthew in the back was trying to throw a hard CURVE...AT 7??? Wow. All I could think was, "Way to blow out the kid's arm, Dad/Coach!!" I was kneeling and photographing directly behind the home plate backstop (no umpire, either), so I had a perfect view of the event. The pitcher was very upset and started crying. He even ran over to Matthew to apologize. Matthew was fighting back crying, too. It all worked out, though.

I think Matthew was able to get his HR because the coach of the stacked team ONLY plays his All Stars in the infield, AND he has them playing very short Bunt Defense because most of the kids can barely swing. Matthew was able to drive a liner over their heads and out to the grass where it then rolled to the fence. The "normal" outfielders just stood and watched. By the time his All Star 2nd Baseman was able to run out to the fence to throw the ball back, it was too late! Matthew didn't even have to slide!

I'm looking forward to seeing your finished pics! You've done a great job! Would you mind sending some of those "soggy days" back out west? We REALLY need them!

Here's, hopefully, a picture of The Boy at bat. I'm really bad at posting pics, so I chose this as my Test/Refresher Pic. It was taken on a scratched up, old, Blackberry, so it's rather grainy. Anyhow, I hope this works!

This is Matthew...



Daniel

Well here goes my finished Warspite.






I was not happy with all of the pictures may post some more.

Tom

Tom,

She looks great. Not bad for a track jockey

Not sure if it is the shadows or not but the wood deck came out really nice.

Dave

I'll post some better pictures. Its a new camera that I'm not proficient with yet. My phone is taking better pictures. Now for the $64 question how do I post pictures into the campaign gallery. I have done it before and now I'm clueless. I have the pictures in my gallery how to get them to the campaign?

Thanks Dave, I used a wash and dry brushing to detail the deck.
I had a lot of fun and frustration with the build. The best part was campaigning with a great bunch of modelers.

Tom

Tom -

Great job! Hope to see you continue with ship building! I know tanks are your first love, but aren't ships, especially battleships, just a much bigger type of "mobile artillery"?!

Beautiful build!

Daniel

Well Thomas!! A fine looking Warspite you have there!!

You can load one or more pictures of your finished build in the Battleship Campaign gallery the same as your own gallery. Here is the link - http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/29134 Just click the "Upload Photos" link in the upper right have corner of the page!!

Congrats on making it to the finish!!

Great finish Tom,

You have done the grand old lady justice.

Si

Tom, great job on your Warspite! She looks hot to trot in her spiffy camouflage. And you made the deadline with time to spare!


On the other hand,



I agree with Russ, and Daniel and son too. I can probably finish my Yamato by May 1 if I push it, but a deadline extension would be most welcome...

Hi Tom

Fabulous work on the Warspite! You've really done the old girl justice!

Russ

Thanks guys I will be building more ships no doubt. I want the New York/Texas saw her built at Mosquito-con a local show its a must have.

Todd got the picture posted thanks for the nudge in the right direction.

Now I have to finish a F86D and a Puma armored car for my other group builds.

Lets see those finished ships

Tom

Well, Tom, your beautiful Warspite inspires me to press on with my Yamato! Only a couple of weeks left...



One of the strengths of the kit is the combat bridge windows which are clearly defined, even see-through from the sides in places. I left the kit tower pretty much as is except for a simple wind baffle over the combat bridge using a part from a wrecked 1/350 Tamiya Musashi as a guide.


I also replaced the solid kit radars with simple photoetch parts. These were re-purposed floater net baskets from a Gold Medal Models 1/700 scale WW2 USN Cruiser/Destroyer Fittings set.

Now for that crazy mainmast...

Very nice creative gizmology on the radars Tim.

Looking great.

Si

Well done Time!! Radars look great!!

Tim great use of the spares box. Glad I could help get the mojo going. You all have helped me when I hit a modeling slump. I'm really looking forward to an awesome Yamato. You must be a master at tweezer-fu.

Slightly off topic, I believe there is a rift in space time beneath every modelers work space and possibly clothes dyers. Tiny parts are catapulted from tweezers and lost forever in the rift. Just a theory

Tom

Hi Tom,

You are not the only one with that experience.

There is a lot of imperical evidence to support a theory that due to the amount of miniature work that goes on around a work bench it causes a small rift in the fabric of space/time into which small parts disappear.

If you are very lucky they will re-emerge at some future time, not always in the same room, but at least in your house. I dropped a cable reel end in my workshop, upstairs at the front left side of the house, it re-appeared several weeks later on the lounge floor, downstairs at the front right side of the house.

Equally I have found bits on the workshop floor I have no recollection of dropping, at least not that day.



Si

Si they do occasionally come back, usually after you laboriously scratch built a replacement or robbed another kit.

I was thinking there maybe a planet in another galaxy covered in mountains of single socks and tiny model parts.

I just got the Anatomy of a Ship book for the Belfast. The itch to build her for the cruiser campaign is growing.

Tom