1/700th scale HMS Habakkuk WIP (aka Project Habakkuk)

[seadude]

@Hobbes:  Nope. The Habakkuk propulsion pods, etc. were to look like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/icyhusky/HMS%20Habakkuk%20model%20project/scan0002.jpg

[seadude]

I apologise if this doesn't belong here. I just wanted to share some good news about my Habakkuk model.


Where's the bacon?

Sadly, I didn't get it. I'll explain more later. Anyway, I went to another model contest in Milwaukee, WI that is held annually about every October 30th. Turnout for model entries and participants was fairly decent, but still not a high amount. I took my Habakkuk model to the contest, even though it was still only 95-98% done and I still had a few minor details to finish as well as adding all the engine pods along the sides of the main hull.
The Ship Catagory saw some very nice entries, any one of which could've beaten my Habakkuk. There was a really good sailing ship, and also a USS Missouri battleship which looked nice.
Suffice to say, I came away with some very good results. I took First Place in the Ship Catagory, and I also got the Reserve Grand Champion Prize. Now for that second item, let me explain how that works:

The contest is split up into two sections: Adult, and Juniors. Adult being the section for participants 18 and over to enter their model entries. Juniors being the section for participants under 18 to enter their entries. Each section has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place awards for various catagories like Figures, Cars, Dioramas, etc., etc. I won 1st Place in the Ship Catagory for the Adult Section.
Each section also has Special awards for excellence, craftsmanship, etc., etc. The Adult Section had 2-3 Special awards. Grand Champion award went to another modeler who I believe built a scratchbuilt yellow construction vehicle. Reserve Grand Champion award went to my Habakkuk! Yay! Grand Champion is sorta like Best in Show. Reserve Grand Champion is sorta like 2nd Place Best in Show. There is also a special "Masters Class" which is by invitation only where people with high skills and excellence (and a few other factors) can enter their models for competition. My Habakkuk did not meet the requirements to get invited into the Master Catagory.
This contest does not give out trophies or cash, etc. We do get certificates showing what rank/place we got, but this contest gives out food items instead. Odd, I know, but that's how this contest has been done for years. The only catagories that get food items are the 2-3 Special awards I mentioned above. Food items are not given for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Places, just certificates instead. Grand Champion is about a 15 lb. smoked ham. Reserve Grand Champion is a 15-20 lb. turkey. And the grand prize for the Masters catagory is 5 lbs. of bacon. You can pretty much guess what I got. So anyway, here's the pics from the contest. Enjoy. The first pic in the album shows the turkey in my freezer.
http://smg.beta.photobucket.com/user/icyhusky/library/Jim%20Turek%20Classic%20Model%20Show%20October%202010

Now I have to prepare for another bigger and tougher competition 2 weeks from now in Chicago.

[Roger the Cabin Boy]

Vegetarians need not enter this contest?  

Your freezer would have been overflowing if it had the engine pods too.   

[NARSES2]

Well done indeed 

[Mossie]

Congrats again!  More reward for your hard work, in good time for Thanksgiving too, if you've got a big enough freezer!

[PR19_Kit]

I hope they don't bring the 'Food Prizes' idea in at Telford! Can you imagine being presented with the trophy for winning a class, plus your own weight in TWIGLETS!? 

[Stargazer]

Congratulations on this well-deserved reward for all the hard work and inventivity that went into this amazing project!

[sequoiaranger]

Seadude---PLEASE don't "give up". Your project is eminently worthy of your time and effort.

One reason ship-model folks opt for "waterline" models is that they can dispense with the lower hull and propulsion machinery altogether. *IF* you model the lower hull, you really must show the propulsion. The Habakkuk had an unusual propulsion system, so it behooves a modeler to represent it (otherwise, you might as well get a big saw and trim back your model to the waterline--NOT recommended).

You have the pods, and you have the props. "All" you need now are driveshafts and supports. "All" you really need, methinks, is a box of round and a box of flat toothpicks!! The round ones can be the driveshafts, and the flat ones the "V" supports. Sure there are a lot of pods to do, but you work a "series" of modules like an assembly line, and just do it!

*I* think the results will fascinate spectators, and really enhance the model. I know with my "exhaustive" USS Enterprise build, more and more things kept coming up that I felt I HAD to replicate, and those things were often tedious, but the "big picture" was that I *KNEW* when I was done that they would enhance the model.

Keep plugging away!

[seadude]

There's hope.........but it's a slim hope. While putting some merchandise away at work while in the Christmas section, I started browsing some mini town figures, buildings, and other accessories. Although the Habakkuk engine pods and propellers are done, The propeller struts and shafts aren't. I couldn't help but notice a small package of mini sleds that upon closer examination might have the propeller struts I needed. (See pic below.) Can you guess what part of the sled I used?   I bought two packages of sleds. Each package had 4 sleds. And I can cut four A-frames from each sled. So I've got enough A-frames (plus spares) for the engine pods.
I just wish this idea had come to me sooner. But it's too late to get these ready for another major contest this coming weekend.

[Mossie]

Keep it coming!  Bit of a daunting job making up those pods but it looks like you've hit on a soloution.  I know how you feel when it comes to things like that, when I want to make changes to a kit I tend to worry so much about doing it right that I don't do it in the end!  But keep on, I'm dying to see this girl finished!

[seadude]

Recently when I took my Habakkuk model to a contest about 2-3 weeks ago, I was told by some people that the aircraft I had on deck were hard to see against the color of the decking itself. When I was deciding on a Measure scheme to paint the Habakkuk, I chose Measure 13 which was Haze Gray for vertical surfaces, and Deck Blue 20B for horizontal surfaces. The closest I could get to 20B was by spraying the deck with Testor Dark Sea Blue. I don't remember what color I painted my aircraft, but I know it was Tamiya paint. Here's a pic (See below) from a year ago showing painted and unpainted aircraft on the deck. If I have to redo a whole new bunch of aircraft, then I've got lots of extras to paint. But what color(s)? I only use Testor Acryl, Testor Model Master Marine, or Tamiya paints, So what color from those brands would be best if I had to re-paint a bunch of new aircraft in a late '44 to early '46 timeframe?
Secondly, What roundrels/insignia would be appropriate for US aircraft on a Habakkuk carrier in probably late '44 to early '46? http://cocardes.monde.online.fr/v2html/en/pays/etats_unis.html#etats_unis_his5

[Cliffy B]

USN Camo schemes for 1944-1946 would be Tri-Color (Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue, and White; all Flat) and overall Gloss Sea Blue.  Atlantic Scheme II (Dark Gull Gray and White) would be an option as well but remember that it was designed for a theater with little to no aerial combat.  If you're expecting German aerial attacks then I'd steer clear of that scheme.

The FAA used the Temperate Sea Scheme (Extra Dark Slate Gray, Extra Dark Sea Gray, and Sky) in a dazzle pattern on their Atlantic based ships.  They did use the USN GSB scheme but only in the Pacific IIRC.  Postwar they did away with the Slate Gray and and swapped Sky for White.

You could always make up your own camo patterns like I did.  I took the FAA pattern and subbed in a few USN colors.  If you feel like experimenting then go crazy!


Appropriate Roundels are as follows:

Tri-Color and GSB:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USAAF_roundel_1943-1947.svg
Late in the war they omitted the Insignia Blue from the roundel since it was very close to the Sea Blue thus leaving the White star and bar.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roundel_of_the_USAF.svg
The red stripe was added postwar but you could always make a play for it since your going past '45.  Its up to you.

As far as colors go MM makes all of the above mentioned colors in acrylic and enamel.  I'd go with MM and stay clear of Tamiya since MM's will be as close as you'll get straight from the bottle.

Pollyscale (or PS) makes ALL of the above mentioned colors in acrylic if you can find them.  They're equal to MM acrylics IMO.

Hope that helps,
-Mike

[Stargazer]

A small question from a non-expert (so sorry if it sounds idiotic!): if the problem is that the color of the aircraft is not different enough from that of the deck, would it not be easier (and logical) to alter the color of the deck than repaint all the aircraft? I guess in a real wartime situation, you don't change the regular aircraft color scheme as it has been defined in specifications, but you can always get away with changing the colors of a boat which is in a class by itself, anyway! What do you think?

[PR19_Kit]

What are they complaining about?

In the RW it would be a GREAT idea not to be able to see the aircraft on the deck, after all the darn thing is SO big there'd be no chance of the Luftwaffe sinking it, so they'd go for the aircraft on the deck.

And if they couldn't see them they couldn't hit them, simples! 

[Mossie]

I'd suggest that if you wanted a scheme that contrasts with the deck, go with the Atlantic scheme Cliffy mentioned.  There's a three colour scheme too, similar to the blue scheme used for the Pacific.  I guess you could use different ones for different aircraft.  The Atlantic U-Boat war was the theatre that Habbakuk was envisaged for & it's anyone's guess how well the chilling equipment would have worked in the pacific?

Don Color is good for all sorts of color schemes from many nations (including ships):
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/main_e.htm

Here are the Atlantic schemes:
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/schemes/asw43a_e.htm
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/schemes/asw43b_e.htm
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/draw/tbm_asw43a.jpg
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/draw/sbd5_asw43a.jpg
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/draw/tbm_asw43b.jpg