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Post by Daniel C on Oct 9, 2011 22:17:54 GMT -5
Since my planes are winding down and the new releases have made me itch to build a ship I have started this kit since, 1. there are things I want to practice on it, and 2. it comes with all I need. This is Dragons 1/700th kit of the Oliver H. Perry class of guided missile frigates. This class was built in the early 1980's. There were 71 ships total in 2 batches. The first 23 (or was it 21) ships are "short hull" and all are out of USN service. The rest were modified with 8' more hull. The addition added towed sonar and the capability for the Lamps III (SH-60) helo over the short hulls SH-2 Lamps II helos. The kit gives either long or short hull option as a seperate piece to glue onto the hull. The kit also comes with a basicaly complete p/e set. And a decal sheet for 5 different ships. I will build my ship as she appeared with the Mk13 single rail standard missile launcher forward (all US ships had the Standard launcher removed in 1994....... for whatever reason???!!!) The Box  The painting guide for the FFG and PHM....  Plastic parts....  Included p/e and decal sheet....  Construction sharts with the hull for me.... after a bit of thinking, I am going to make her waterline, even though the kit does include all the parts needed for a full hull build. Adding the "long hull" stern....  Nice thin molding on the bow bulwark!  Uh oh..... some sink marks in the hull....   For some reason, Dragon like to have the modeler add a piece to the bow of thier ships instead of molding a one piece deck..... so, that leaves a seam to be delt with.   I also started on the superstructure, and found another thing that I could not live with. The ships have 4 latticework towers and Dragon saw fit to give the modeler 2 of them in either plastic masts or better yet, p/e parts. But for some reason the 2 towers that hold the fire control systems are molded as solid pyrimids!! I did a lot of pondering over that problem, but I am removing them and going to try and make a jig to scratch build my own towers.  I basically measured the towers and drew a plan on a 3x5 card, drilled holes at the appropriate spots and will use this to guide the placement of the legs as I glue them to the platform for the radar....... We'll see if this works tomorrow night! If I can pull these 2 towers off the model will look 100% better to me.  The 2 pyrimids to be replaced... As she is now.  I know I have about 4 or 5 stalled ships in this forum, and they probably won't get built. I have lost all interest in Cowpens, and England..... Indianapolis might get finished as my desk clears off of planes, I can work on 2 or 3 ships at once. I want to get this Frigate done as practice for the USS Albany, CG-10 just released by Dragon. The cold war ships are finally starting to come out! |
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Post by Daniel C on Oct 14, 2011 11:57:37 GMT -5
CRAP!!! ;D thanks to Corpsman telling me about the Gold medal models p/e set that includes the 2 towers that I WAS going to scratchbuild...... This project is on hold until the set arrives! I will do the painting and decaling of the hull, then into the box she goes...... waiting.....  |
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Post by Daniel C on Nov 13, 2011 21:42:04 GMT -5
Ok, ready to roll again, I found the Gold Medal Models photoetch set for modern USN and JMSDF ships which has ALL 4 towers for the Perry class ships (as well as for a future Knox class build).  |
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Post by Daniel C on Dec 5, 2011 14:18:05 GMT -5
With the arrival of the Gold Medal Models photo etch set for this ship, I needed to fill in the holes I drilled to scratch build the fore and aft fire control towers since these towers are on the GMM p/e sheet. There are also 2 big, deep rectangular holes that the kits plastic masts were to glue into, these also need to be filled in.  The model comes with 2 transoms so you can build a long or short hull FFG. I am building the Ingraham so the long hull is needed, the transom needs some missing details added. The kit part does not have the fittings for streaming the towed array sonar system or the Nixie torpedo decoys. Both have now been added to the transom.  Next up will be scribing the "RAST" system on the flight deck which was not molded on..... strange, as it is very visibale on the real ships, and I will also have to add the "Masker" system to the side of the hull. Then its time for some sanding and repainting and working on some of the smaller parts. For modern ships I use 2 model master acryl colors.... Number 4757 "Neutral Gray" FS 36270 for Vertical Surfaces Number 4752 "Gunship Gray" FS 36118 for horizontal surfaces well, so much for a fun relaxing build!! But, good practice for the Academy 1/350th kit I have in the stash. |
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Post by Daniel C on Dec 20, 2011 19:24:17 GMT -5
It's been awhile since working on Ingraham, but she is on the desk to finish now.... In these views I have folded the Gold Medal Models p/e towers, 4 of them, and after trying to scribe the "rast" track into the flight deck I didn't like the results and I am pondering a new way to get the tracks onto the deck.    I have also repainted, found spots I didn't like.... re-sanded and now awaiting re-re-painting again. For the masts/towers, I need to add p/e railings to the platforms, then add the platform to the main mast along with its supports. After that I am thinking it will be time to start adding the railings to the superstructure areas and flight deck..... Doh..... looking at the box top, I must remember to add the "Masker" system on the hull sides before I get to far along in superstructure work, so masker work will be next! Hmmm, where do I look for a good picture of the masker tubes??? Ahhh, yes..... Google is my friend! |
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Post by Daniel C on Dec 28, 2011 19:11:29 GMT -5
 Well, someone has been building!! I have managed to sneak in a little time with the Ingraham during the Christmas holiday. I started by working on the "Masker" part of the "Prairie/Masker" system used to help hide the ships from submarines.  All that was needed to represent the system was a tube forward and aft of the engeniering spaces. I used pictures of the ship to get the location of the tubes close since I don't have actual plans. The tube on the real ship goes from one side to the other under the keel.  I also added four P/E fret "sprue" supports under the boat deck when I did the masker system on the port side. Next up was the "Rast" system used to haul hovering helicopters aboard during bad weather. I wasn't happy with my first attempt, so I filled and sanded them smooth, then cut some guides with labeling tape and redid the Rast tracks in the fight deck.  Next up, the bridge area. P/E doors were added to the sides, the fire control tower for the "STIR" egg was built, railings added around the top and the egg glued down. The SLQ-32 (?) ECCM systems were painted and added port and starboard then the railing glued along the top.   Work has began on the next mast in the line. This mast holds the SPS-49 radar, a big and very eyedrawing radar. This is the P/E part from Gold Medal Models set....... beautiful, if I can get the doggone thing folded!!  It is four p/e piecies, one for the frame, second for the feedhorn and another for the screen frame and then the screen. All to be glued to each other and them mounted on the kits plastic base to put on the tower.  The next areas to be worked on will be the 2 platforms which go on the main mast, they need rails and other dodads / thingamajiggs added to them. The single arm Mk 13 standard launcher looks bad, but I am not sure what to do with it... At least in the new Dragon modern ship kits there much improved missiles to put on this launcher instead of the joke that came in this kit. It is also time to gloss coat and put on the decals, always an adventure!  More to come!
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Post by Daniel C on Dec 30, 2011 18:51:23 GMT -5
Geeeezzzz, finally got that SPS-49 radar folded and mounted on the foremast....  This is the Gold medal models radar, not the one from the kit, the GMM version had a little better detail..... but the one from the kit would have been easier to fold! Pick your poison!!  Work now begins on the main mast, it is p/e from the Gold medal models set, except the top platform which is thinned kit plastic part. One more platform will be added near the bottom of the mast for the ships whistle. The platforms all need railings put around them and dodads added to reresent stuff on the masts...  The hardest part will be rigging the lines for the flag halyards from the mainmast platform to the flag bags installed on the deck below. 4 halyards per side........ THAT will be fun! |
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Post by mexmarine on Dec 30, 2011 19:10:47 GMT -5
Is looking good Dan, I am taking notes...
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Post by Daniel C on Jan 3, 2012 22:46:39 GMT -5
As I sit and wait for glue to dry I look at the box art for this kit and seem to find something else that needs to be added.... This was one of them, there are 2 supports between the bridge deck and the side of the ship. I decided to add these to my build. I ended up using a small bit of left over 1/350th scale ship railing for the supports. They were mesured and cut to length then superglued in place. 2 per side, 4 total.  As before, work was moving to the main mast, the mid platform was glued in place, a kit piece for a covered electronics antenna was added to the platform...... I don't like the shape of the kit piece and will be on the lookout for something smaller and more of a round shape to replace it with. Railing was added around the mid platform.  Work has begun on the upper platform which is laying on the worktop next to the mast. I found another anntenna to add while gazing at the box art...  If you look between the phalanx gun and the stack, there is a white popcorn shaped pod on a mast, I finally decided to use a 1/72 scale 5" rocket left over from a F9F panther and a broken piece of drill bit for the mast.  The nose was cut off the rocket, a hole drilled in the bottom and the drill bit superglued into the hole. After it was set, sanding began to get the shape close to the box art..... The result, a new part to add!  Other parts are being prepared....  the 2 small rectangles are the flag bags that will go under the main mast with 4 lines per side to the platform laying on the desktop, there is also an auxillary stack that needed the actual exhuast added to the top of it, it was made from a piece od styrne rod glue to the top and when dry the exhuast hole was drilled in and the unit painted. I still need to figure out something for the ships whistle that will go on a lower platform on the mainmast, not sure of the shape yet, I am looking to see if it is worth adding or not. Progress is slow but steady..... The keel laying of her bigger cousin is getting ready, USS Albany is next up to go into a "Cruiser group build" on model warships. USS Ingraham has been great practice for my next few ships. |
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Post by Daniel C on Jan 12, 2012 18:18:19 GMT -5
Ingraham has had some progress, I have done the clear gloss and added the decals, they went on ok. The helo pad decal is a bit to big, or I sanded to much in hull prep and will need a little tweeking. P/e railings are going on now, radars being folded or scratch built and added. She is starting to look like a ship! I am still hopeful for an IPMS SD contest entry with this ship.   Still need to figure out those dang flag bags and rigging!! |
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Post by Daniel C on Jan 23, 2012 3:17:42 GMT -5
I have been procrastinating about the final steps in this build, not wanting to forget anything and looking for the "perfect" approach to the final few tasks.... One of them was the signal flag bags. I finally decided to use a modified technique that Tony Bunch showed me. These are the tools I will use for rigging this (and most other ships).  I like the Dai Riki 9X fly tying line, it is about 1 1/2 scale inches and is about as small as I can find. I have started coloring the line with a black Sharpie marker. The kit flag bags were put front down on some masking tape, the arrows to make sure I put the flag halyards going the right way. Then the five halyards were superglued to the back of the flag bags.  After a few minutes had passed the back of the flag bag was coated with superglue to blend in the halyards, once the "haze gray" paint was painted over the back of the bags, you can barely see the halyards.  Next up was the SatCom antennas, they are small dish shaped pieces but look very thick as they come from the box, I just took some sandpaper to them to thin the edges a bit.  I took the plunge today and glued down the foremast and main mast and added all the little detail parts to the ship. The SH-60 helo was also started and is ready for paint and decals.  The missile launcher needs the SM-1 missile attached, I am taking a spare missile from one of the newer Dragon ships kits since the one that comes with this kit has no tail and is just big and clunky looking.  Most of today's work was here in the mid section of the ship, detail painting and railings are needed, that will be done after I attack the 10 flag halyards tomorrow. Oh, and add the flag.  The stern area with SH-60 helo, again, safety nets for the fight deck and railing on the ship are needed. There are also 3 whip antennas to add above the hanger, 2 more above the bridge windows also. One of the things that take away some beauty from these ships are these whips, they are very thick and visible on the real ships.  I am hoping to get Ingraham ready by Friday for the IPMS quarterly contest. She has been great practice for Albany and Long Beach. |
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Post by mexmarine on Jan 24, 2012 11:13:40 GMT -5
Is looking good Dan, last strech till Friday!
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Post by Daniel C on Jan 30, 2012 15:32:40 GMT -5
The Ingraham is almost done, p/e railings have been added, along with the ship's boat and whip antennas. I do my railings from the inside out and top to bottom, that keeps me from damaging the deck edge railings as they go on last.  Short runs were used, and careful planning was used to do the platforms that have many folds to make.   The ship's boat was modified with p/e and wire and mounted to the davit, railings were then put around the boat deck.  The whip antennas are fiber optic strands.     A Chinese SSN in 1/700th is in the back ground.... a pretty small boat!  A little light weathering will follow along with mounting the ship in an "ocean". |
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Post by mexmarine on Jan 31, 2012 16:47:39 GMT -5
You should put him next to a Typhoon class to make "The hunt of Red October" ;D
One pin Vasily, give me one pin... ;D
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Post by Daniel C on Jan 31, 2012 18:02:54 GMT -5
 I like Sean Connery....... BUT, the book was so much better than the movie!
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