hey all,

hope everyones build is going smoothly. Small update for this weekend. I took the USS Gato and began transforming it into the USS Dace by filling in all the vents on both sides of the boat.



According to pictures I have seen of the USS Dace the side vents were not present. These I have filled in with Green Sqaudron putty and sanded down flush with the boat.

I have also filled in the port side access door, needs more putty though but that is ok as I have some more modifications that need to be made to the bridge so more sanding is in the future. I am transforming this bridge



into this bridge



Slow going as I identify the components of the USS Dace's bridge.

I have also worked on the IJN Maya by putting the hull together and adding the torpedo blisters on both sides. I must admit I am not a big fan of split hulls. Much sanding was needed to make it flush. Pictures of the hull to come later. The ones I took are too blurry.

Well that's about it for this weekend, not a whole lot of bench time so the update is short.

thanks for looking in and as always your comments are desired.

dave

Hi Dave,

Thanks, quite a bit of etch for the Indy, and the airwing too.

Nice start on the Dace, looking forward to seeing some more progress.

Si

@Si, thanks for the comments, more updates soon.

@all - I started a build log for the IJN Maya portion of my build in the Ships by Class thread.

https://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/forums/229296&page=1

The detailed updates for the Maya will be covered in that build log but I will keep the USS Dace updates here.

Just wanted to let you know and if you have any suggestions regarding the USS Dace, the IJN Maya, or improving the build log please let me know.

Thanks

Dave

Hello,

I hope you all don't mind, I followed Dave's lead and created a separate thread for my Mogami build for this campaign. You should be able to see it here: https://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/forums/229358&page=1#1932107

I'll post pictures of my progress sometime today.

Thanks,

Joseph

Joe,

Sounds good, just be sure to post in progress pics to this thread also. I am actually building two ships for this campaign, one will be updated here and the Maya in the stand alone thread.

Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Dave

Thanks Dave, here are some progress photos. I will include some more descriptions on the separate thread.

Original Tamiya flight deck part.


Details removed.


Deck dry fitted in Mogami stern


Lion Roar deck dry fitted on top of Tamiya part.


Thanks!

Joseph

Nice start Joseph,

No more progress, but finally got the reference I need.



good drawings of the correct scheme for Leyte Gulf,



That is going to be fun to mask,

Si

Si, looks like a lot of fun. Will be watching with keen interest as I think that is the same camo pattern for the CV10 Yorktown.

Dave

Thanks Si, I have the CVL-22 kit as well. Although, I don't think I can work on this and the Mogami at the same time. So, I'll watch your build and bookmark it until I can build mine.

hi all,

small update on the Dace, would provide pictures but the gallery is down so Ill upload those later.

I had been scratching my head as to how do I remove the torpedo doors and drill holes into the Dace so that the torpedo tubes could be seen. Well after a week I came to the only conclusion that I though would produce the least amount of damage to the boat and that was to saw off the bow right behind the torpedo doors.

So after marking, measuring, and a lot of saw alignment I took the plunge. So now the Dace has no bow.



So the next step is to drill some holes into the main body of the boat, remove the molded torpedo doors, and then remount the bow without a major seam showing.

I am not that good so I have no idea what made me do it

On a good note, I found someone who was developing a CAD for his Balao Class submarine so I might have a method for the purchasing the SD Radar Mast. Hope that comes through.

Well that's it for now, promise to upload pictures of the devastation later.

Hope all is going well.

Dave

Well, after watching this campaign develop I figure I will jump in with both feet! I have a 1/350 Tamiya Fletcher with a square bridge conversion that I would like to do as the USS Johnston or a 1/700 Tamiya Yamato with some various PE and wooden deck. Any suggestions or advice would be helpful. I am usually a tank or plane guy , but a ship build would be a challenge! What do you think?

Si, you're a braver man than I am... I've yet to try the dazzle scheme. Though after doing a caunter on a tank, anything's possible...

@Frank, my vote would be for the USS Johnston. Her crew and Captain accomplished the impossible on that day.

OK so the gallery is back up so here are the pictures of the salvage yard at work.

Below you can see where I outlined the torpedo doors in preparation for removing the bow from the Dace.





After much anxiety, moving, and repositioning the workers in the dry dock removed the bow.





It ended with a clean cut. So now I will remove the torpedo doors, replace dividers between the torpedo tubes and other minor details and then reconnect the bow.

Once the bow is secured I will drill out the torpedo tubes and insert some brass rod to represent the tubes.

My end result is showing the 5 torpedo tubes empty with the 6th torpedo leaving the tube.

I have 6 MK15 brass torpedoes from Aber which will fill in for this detail.

OK, well I hope to have the torpedo doors removed today so I should have an update later.

thanks for looking in.

As always comments and suggestions are welcome.

Dave

Some nice progress here guy's and Dave you're braver than I cutting the bow off a resin kit, I really need to clear the Eskimo from the slips and make way for my entry. I have a week off after Christmas so will try and get Eskimo done. I feel with that as much as I want to put HMS Ariadne on the slips for this campaign due to still needing some extra parts it will more likely be the USS Hoel using the Trumpeter Sullivan's kit and L'Arsenal upgrade set.

Si, I'm watching your build even more closely as I've just ordered the Princeton although I'm without the WEM PE.

Hi Guys, I'm having some serious issues getting photos downloaded to this page!! Can someone pls assist with a very simple explantation before I loose my
Andrew

@Luciano, I thought the same thing as the saw blade moved through the resin but so far the plan is working out. I will have some update photos here later today.

@Andrew, not sure what gallery you are using to store your photos but if your using the kit maker gallery, which is what I use, all you need to do is open the picture, midway down the screen you will see a Thumbnail link. To thew far right of that address will be a button that looks like a peice of chain. Click that button and another url will apprea below the thumbnail link. Copy that url and paste it into your reply box here and the picture should show.

Let me know if that doesnt work and we can figure another work around.

Dave

Hi Dave,

I think you are right, MS32/8A was used a few carriers both fleet and light.Brave work on the Dace, good luck with that, will be following with interest.

Thanks Joseph,

Mogami is coming on well.

Hi Stefan,

Not braver, maybe dafter, when got the kit (Birthday present from Mrs Duster) I fully intended to build her in overall Sea Blue.... Then this campaign came along.

Bit more progress on the Indy.

The trickiest replacement bit of catwalk bent to shape.



Then disaster struck, I dropped the flightdeck scattering tubs and catwalk all over the workshop floor. After a lot of scrabbling around the workshop floor I found all the gun tubs and catwalk sections, although a couple of bits had suffered damage and needed a but of scratchbuilt repair.

onwards, another mistake in the instructions. E7 & E11 are shown as one piece (or misnumbered)



Here they are on the sprue. E11 is circled in green & E7 in the red rectangle.



All the etch on the flightdeck, at the catwalk level, and the repairs done.



and test fitted.



A break from the flightdeck, the first funnel assembled.



More after Christmas.

Si

Oy! an intense mod by Dave and a heart attack even by Si!

Scale modeling is not for the faint of heart these days.

In just a couple days I'll be allowed at my LSM.

Christmas and all, you know, according to the wife.

@Si, thanks for the comments. The Independance is looking good. Your repairs look great and as always your PE work is amazing. I understand your frustration regarding the errors in the instructions. I am finding a few with the IJN Maya since the kit is a modification to their original IJN Takao kit.

Glad to hear that the drop did not cause permanent damage.

@Michael - the mod seems to be coming along. I am trying not to rush it so that I dont make a mistake. I should have an update soon as I am about ready to drill the torpedo tubes into the hull.

@Everyone - ya'lls progress is looking great. Cant wait to see more as this campaign progresses. Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas.

Dave

Cheers Dave & Michael,

I was lucky, only minor damage to a couple of pieces of etch, easily fixed with styrene strip. Worst bit was trying to find all the bits on the workshop floor! that took me a couple of goes.

Merry Christmas to all.

Si

Hi Guys

I've dug out ZUIKAKU IOT prepare for the campaign and have a few questions WRT its camouflage.

1) Are the shades of green in the painting guide somewhat accurate (don't care about the name);
2) Is everything under the flight deck overhang painted in the same light green camo as the bulkheads?; and
3) What colour are the deckheads? Are they painted the same as the bulkheads or are they grey.

TIA for any assistance.

Oh, on a whim does anyone have the Academy etched crane from WARSPITE? I managed to lose mine.

Tom

All four funnels built.



The after bulkhead in the kit appears somewhat different to the Leyte Gulf fit.



Destruction under way.



reconstruction done.



Not perfect but a lot closer than the kit (which is in an earlier fit.) Just needs some vents and trunking made up.

The WEM fret includes an etched lower bulkhead section, looking at the book, doesn't appear to be there at this time so I am not fitting it.


Si

hello and happy new year/ seasons greetings et al to everyone! once january kicks in i will finally be able to begin my build of the yamashiro (1/700 scale) in earnest. it's been great watching all the posts go up and i am looking forward to receiving some feedback of my own
i have created a new album under my profile for the build and have stuck in a couple of starter pics to whet the appetite. i will provide a complete list and all the info once i actually get started!
all the best

A small bit of progess on CVL 22,

The underside fittings on the flight deck done.



Out with the paint next.

Si

testing to see if this works- start pic

and it did! i too was having trouble uploading- but have it figured out now. here is the yamashiro in the box surrounded by reference and pe sets! this pic to be followed soon with true wips!!