Martin the Scharnhorst looks like its coming along pretty good.
I look forward to seeing it competed.


As for me I have the deck of the Pennsylvania almost completely painted. I’ll try to get new picturers updated by the end of the week.

Had a chance to get in and do some work on the Missouri over the weekend and I'm happy to report that with the exception of mounting the rafts (I'm waiting to get the L'Arsenal replacements from the great folks at White Ensign-----Cheers John!! ) I'm now completely finished with all three main gun turrets!! I'll try and get some photos up shortly. Since I've decided to replace the fore deck with the resin one from L'Arsenal as well, next step will probably be to just gut it out and build ahead all the 40mm and 20mm mounts. Not quite as gratifying as doing "major" stuff, but it's gotta get done eventually.

Sure takes a LONG time to put those suckers together but the L'Arsenal quad 40's are really beautiful when they're done.

(How long do we have to finish these babies???)

Tom

Greetings, mates!
So far I must say again that this campaign is sailing along most excellently, and the discussion of our projects is truly refreshing, (no matter how good or bad our efforts are turning out, right Mr. Arthur? ), and myself involved also in the bad luck club...I still have not found a replacement set for the junk decals that were in my Trumpeter kit, although I did take Skipper's advice and gave his lead a try...still waiting from them to hear if they can help me out or not...I spent last weekend searching some of the hobby shops down south of my home town, and although I didn't find what I was looking for, I did find two really great shops that I have never been to...As far as my progress on my entry, the deck decal is the only thing that's holding me up, and I will keep patient with my search...I'm going to take a few more pic's in the next day or two to show ya' what I've been up to (before the decal disaster! )...So let's keep the steam rolling, and keep building and talking about our campaign (and remember, Flattops is right around the corner! )
Gunny

I'm much better now since the sedation Though I am vexed by how to remove the salt stains from the decks after I uncontrolably wept upon the removal of the last vestiges of the gun tubs and ladders from the second deck.

It's not sooo bad.
Steve

I'm playing around with stretched sprue for antenea wire. I am amazed how truely thin this batch came out. Human hair thin. Looking for some simple rigging plan, don't need all that super-duper stuff. I don't imagine when I take a photo it will even show up, but I'm reasoably pleased howshe trned out and she'll make a welcome addition to my 350 scale collection.

Tom, had an interesting conversation with a female third last night. I congratulated her on becoming a third and then promptly stated the rat chant of what thirds eat. She laughed and said the rats were in sally port that night chanting it. So far the rats haven't done a class yell yet. I think my class popped their first one in early October. Apparently they were just calling up my class for some sort of thing that gave the "I" a grant.

Steve, our local chapter is having a "new cadet recruiting" event this Sunday evening. Since it's only about 5 miles from my house and paid for by the Alumni Association, guess I'll have to go!

Talking about the "diet" of thirds reminds me of the old story describing the evolution of the life of a VMI cadet.

First you're a rat.
Then you're a rat with a radio.
Then you're a rat with a ring.
Finally you're a rat with a rat.

But you're always a rat!

Cracks me up even today!!!

TC Class of '72 !!!! (Rah, Virginia MIL !!!)

Think we can get an extention on dreadnaughts? Kinda hard to see my HMS Rodney when Rita knocked out the power....and the town....and the parish! Good news is that my 14 month old son got his fist ride on a C-130. He was awaiting surgery in Lake Charles and had to be e-vac to Monroe, LA. He gets to do all the cool stuff. Oh, well. His doctor is up here now so no worries. Better news is that I found a Hobbytown USA and a Hobby Lobby within 5 minutes of the hospital. You think they would let me hook up an airbrush to the air nozzle in his room?
High and dry in North LA.
subhunter

Subhunter...
It's truly amazing how you can keep such a positive outlook with the tragedy that your community and others in your area has endured...I do wish you all the luck and my prayers are with you, Bro...about the extension, it's a little early yet to consider, but if we get close at the end we'll see what we can do...
Gunny

still but I don't care.

Yes, I echo Gunny's comments. I hope that you've not been hit too hard. I spent many a wonderful days in Lake Charles while stationed at Ft.Polk. I miss Louisiana and the people. There are some fine fine folks down there and many of them treated me as family.

Hope that you and your family all remain well and life we back to normal very soon. My thoughts and prayers are with you as well.

Steve


On a related note...Is Paw Paws still around?

Well, our town looks like a war zone. We were hit dead on by the eye wall. But, you know, you can only do what you can do. My wife and I were talking about what we do to the house if we did have to rebuild. My son was born 2 months premature. He's been in the hospital more than he's been out. We've learned to take everything in stride and not to sweat the small stuff cause it's all small stuff. We've got our family and that's all that matters.
On a lighter note....sorry Steve, Paw Paw's closed down. But there's now Steamboat Bill's that's even better.
Renee, my better half, let me go to Hobby Town USA and Hobby Lobby. Got the 1/72 Dragon LCM(3). Why does Dragon insist on those goofy rubber parts. It comes with the crew, infantry, diorama base and markings for D-day and Iwo Jima. Got the LCM done tonight. I'll put some pics up when I get a chance.

Kenny

Amen to that Bro, that's a healthy attitude...I would suspect you will be just fine. Hope recovery will be swift for you and everyone else in Lake Charles. Maybe I can get back down there some day and check out Bill's

I've posted five photos of my 700 scale IJN Iwate armoured cruiser,... somewhere in this forum (someone help me!!!). I was going to do the HMS Dreadnought, but in the process of waiting for my Combrig model to arrive from WEM, I started this one, a bit of P.E. is on the deck.... it's going to be a challenge to paint, it's hard to tell from these photos, but hardly anything is glued on the hull, subassemblies up the wazoooo!!!

Frank

My first attempt to post photos...



Now, cross my fingers!!!

Frank

Fear God & Dreadnought & computers!!!

Frank

Greetings, Frank!
I checked out your pic's, and looks good, Bro!...keep up the good work, and don't feel bad about the photopost thing...I still have problems from time to time...here's a little help, mate...






Gunny

Thanks,.... I owe you one

Frank

Hey guys...I got a picture of my son in my gallery. Not sure how to get it here but there's the little guy in his captain hat.

Kenny

Good looking young man Ken! Get him started early!
http://photos.kitmaker.net/data/500/thumbs/sea_captain.jpg

Looks great Frank! Are you planning to add photo etched ladders too?

Hi Frank!

Your work looks great! A true honour to Dreadnoughts!
Who is the kit maker?

Keep us posted

Skipper

The 700 scale IJN Iwate is from SealsModels out of Japan. From what I've been told, it's a group that has split from PitRoad. The level of detail is fantastic, I have both the Iwate and the Mikasa in 700. Hobby Link Japan should still carry these models. Highly recommended.

Frank

OK as projected, I have finished my Bismarck at the end of September. I'll try to post a couple of pictures now to show you how I fared

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I put him on the giant poster so you could kind of compare how I did with what I planned to do. Encountered a few problems with laying out the brass decks, and what you get for what you pay I woud say NO way. White ensign stuff is good, but they are about 20% overpriced. Stick with Gold Medal or Toms. He looks good and as I gave my Tirpitz to the nephew last Christmas, it replaces that void.

Bravo, Steve!
Looks extremely well done, Mate, a wonderful job with the build...Thank you for sharing the pic's with us Bro....What's next on your bench?
Gunny

Yo Steve!

Nice job! She's a beauty! I really like how the deck turned out!

A huge thanks to WEM for the quick delivery of my Combrig 700 scale HMS Dreadnought. Their quick shipping will allow me to start the HMS Dreadnought on October 2nd 2005, (this Sunday), exactly 100 years to the day that her keel plates were laid in Portsmouth on October 2nd 1905. I guess I'll have to complete both the Iwate and the Dreadnought, (do I get two ribbons!?!... just joking.....

Frank