I should probably mention that the whole design of the wooden base for the turret was my idea. Bases by Bill (http://www.basesbybill.com) did the actual construction.
At first, I really didn't want it to look like just another box-like structure. But as time progressed, it's all I could come up with. The slanted front, the names of the sailors, the engraved ship's crest.............all of that was my idea. I originally wanted the ship's crest painted/colored. But Bill said it would be too complicated because of the design.

Quote from: seadude on March 13, 2023, 07:29:29 AMAt first, I really didn't want it to look like just another box-like structure. But as time progressed, it's all I could come up with. The slanted front, the names of the sailors, the engraved ship's crest.............all of that was my idea.

It worked out well 

I'm running out of ship ideas.
Ships is about the only category of models that I do best at. No other category comes close.
I've gotten more kudos and awards for ships than anything else I've ever built.
I've got three subjects left to build...............
1/350 scale Habakkuk
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51061.0
NUMA oceanographic research ship
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=50356.0
USS United States CVN-90 aircraft carrier
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51654.0

After those three, I don't know what to do next for ships. I'm fresh out of ideas. 
Sure, I've got plenty of aircraft, armor, and sci-fi kits at home to build too. But like I said, they just don't come as close to ships when getting kudos and awards.
My friends and others have gotten so used to me building ships and seeing them, that that's all they expect to see from me.

have you considered modernising a few more of the big WW2 battleships?   going perhaps for a feel of the separate country's, ( i admit i dont know how youd do it,  you are more of the ship expert than i am)
or perhaps something a little more way off
Thunderchild from War of the Worlds,  either a Victorian one or a more modern version  with close on 150 years of styles to pick
something along the lines of a Hydrofoil development tree, from the stuff after high point up through progressively bigger hulls?

if i think of anything else i will add it..

Quote from: Steel Penguin on May 29, 2023, 08:31:45 AMhave you considered modernising a few more of the big WW2 battleships?   going perhaps for a feel of the separate country's, ( i admit i dont know how youd do it,  you are more of the ship expert than i am)
or perhaps something a little more way off
Thunderchild from War of the Worlds,  either a Victorian one or a more modern version  with close on 150 years of styles to pick
something along the lines of a Hydrofoil development tree, from the stuff after high point up through progressively bigger hulls?

if i think of anything else i will add it..

As far as turning any other WW2 ships into updated modern what if ships, I've thought about the Yamato, but over the years, I've seen other modelers beat me to it.
Anything before 1940 really isn't my cup of tea so to speak.
I'd love to get my hands on a 1/350 Spruance or Ticonderoga kit. But both of those are out of production to the best of my knowledge and would be really expensive. I could have updated one with 8"/55 Mk.71 guns that were proposed, but never added.
About the only other idea that comes to mind is a CANNON class WW2 era destroyer escort. Pitroad/Skywave made one in 1/700 scale. I don't know if there is one in 1/350 scale. Would have been neat to try and build the USS Eldrige in a scene from the Philadelphia Experiment. How I would do the cloaking/lighting effects I have no idea. 

Quote from: seadude on May 29, 2023, 09:02:37 AMHow I would do the cloaking/lighting effects I have no idea. 

Off the top of my head you would have to have the model in a box so that when either viewed from a certain angle or some kind of electric screen would make the ship appear to dissappear.
That's very rough I know, but there should be something out there that uses a difraction or polarising greating that will do this kind of thing.

Gondor

Mate, the kudos & awards are fine things but, let's face it, modelling should be about self-indulgent enjoyment!

If you really want to continue building ships something will jump out at you fairly soon, if you trawl through online model shops.

Otherwise, build those aircraft, armour & sci-fi kits, & develop your skills with them!

The important thing is having FUN!!

Finally got them!    I feel like I've been waiting forever.
I was supposed to recieve both award plaques on the last day of the contest, but I didn't.
Rumor mill was that the contest organizers didn't order enough award plaques from the manufacturer.   
Anyway, they finally arrived in the mail today. Pictures below.

Quote from: Old Wombat on May 30, 2023, 02:51:32 AMThe important thing is having FUN!!

Words of wisdom from Old Wombat!! 

Well done mate.
 

Another long overdue update.

Not much going on. Been sick the last 3 weeks after getting home from the MMSI Model Show in Chicago on Oct. 20-22.
Nothing major except for a nagging cough I'm STILL trying to get rid of. On antibiotics right now.
But being sick all that time has not given me any chance to go places and do stuff. Had to miss two model contests because of being sick. 
But when I went to the MMSI Model Show, I did take my USS Iowa 16" Gun Turret Memorial which got a Bronze award and a special Displayer's Award. Pics below.
Also took a small 1/72 scale what if Japanese F-29 FSW model, but that didn't win anything.
As for model building, well, just about everything I have planned or am currently working on is either slowed down or on hiatus for various reasons.
And I doubt much progress will get made during the upcoming holidays.
1/350 HMS Habakkuk carrier - Slowed down and partially on hiatus.
1/350 USS United States aircraft carrier - Slowed down and partially on hiatus.
1/72 scale SV-22 Osprey anti-sub aircraft - Started to build but now on hiatus.
1/200 scale US Navy stealth hydrofoil - On hiatus.
1/72 scale B-2 Christmas Bomber diorama project - Started to build but now on hiatus.
And I still need to build two 1970's Battlestar Galactica ship models. But I probably won't get to those till next Spring at the latest.
1/350 scale NUMA oceanographic research ship diorama - On indefinate hiatus.

Too much to do and never enough time or money.

Well done on the awards 

1st day of the new year.
What do I hope to accomplish or what resolutions, modeling and/or non-modeling, do I plan to make?
Nothing. Except to hopefully go to the IPMS Nationals in July.
Will I take any models there? I don't know.
Will I enter the competition? Maybe, but doubtful.
Or will I just show my models for display only purposes at the special Tiger Meet area of the show? Don't know yet either.
Won't make any other resolutions as I'll probably fail at keeping them.

Not much new going on.
This coming weekend, I'll be at a model ships & boats contest for 3 days (Friday to Sunday) in sunny (I hope) Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
The website is here: https://www.wisconsinmaritime.org/
Unfortuneately, I don't have anything finished to enter into the competition.
So I'll just bring what I've worked on so far for my 1/350 scale HMS Habakkuk project for display only.
Other than that, work on my future stealth carrier which is located here:
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51654.0
..........is still on hiatus. Though I hope to get back to work on it again sometime this summer. I haven't forgotten about it.
Other than those two things, I've been going through some health issues. But I'd rather not explain those here.

Sounds like you need to choose which one to focus on. Easy for me to say, I know.
I hope the health issues resolve soon.