Seadude's Shenanigans: I dare to be different!

[kerick]

I think you try displaying the three bombers in a "nose to nose to nose" position. Strikes me as something that would be done at an air show!

Considering the number of Star Trek whiffs out there you could do most anything you want. What would a frigate without the pods look like?

[seadude]

Nice to see the 'Grey Lady' getting some action.
I don't know if they are the same things you already have there, but I found a heap of turrets and stuff for these kits on Shapeways one time.

I'm not using anything from Shapeways. Shapeways is too expensive. Especially their shipping costs. Anyway, Most of the new gun turrets I'll be using are 4 old packages from Admiralty Modelworks. The quality of these is far superior to anything else on the Net. I also have one package of extra turrets and flight deck decals from Paragraphix.
I'll use the Admiralty turrets on the 2004 Galactica and the Pegasus. I'll use some of the Paragraphix turrets on one of the 1970's Battlestars.

[seadude]

I think you try displaying the three bombers in a "nose to nose to nose" position. Strikes me as something that would be done at an air show!

Considering the number of Star Trek whiffs out there you could do most anything you want. What would a frigate without the pods look like?

I've tried searching for images of smaller "Gunstar" type Battlestars around the Net, but without flight pods. I can't seem to find anything. Almost every type of Battlestar ship, whether big or small, has at least some sort of landing bay or flight pod to it.

[Rick Lowe]

Yes, I noticed that about shapeways, too... hence I've only ever made the one order and haven't been back.
I would have liked to use modern wet Navy fittings, but even the price of them, for what you get in a box, is prohibitive.
Ah well, scratchbuilding it is, then.

[seadude]

Time to do an update. 

Not much new going on...........except for modeling. And frankly, I seem to be "all over the map" so to speak.
Got more projects started than I can finish. Maybe I bit off more than I can chew?
The list so far:
a) 1/350 scale HMS Habakkuk model. This is going to take a long time. Maybe a few years to build/finish.
b) Moebius Models 1/4105 scale 2004 series Battlestar Galactica. A lot of sub-assemblies built, but nothing painted yet.
c) Moebius Models 1/4105 scale 2004 series Battlestar Pegasus. A lot of sub-assemblies built, but nothing painted yet.
d) Two Moebius Models 1/4105 scale 1970's era series Battlestar Galactica kits. A lot of sub-assemblies built, but nothing painted yet.
e) A 1970's era Battlestar (or I should say a smaller Gunstar) made from salvaged spare Moebius Models 1/4105 scale 1970's era series Battlestar Galactica parts. A lot of sub-assemblies built, but nothing painted yet.
f) And now I've taken on a new (or I should say old) model kit. Started building the old Testor 1/72 scale B-2 stealth bomber. Anybody who is familiar with this kit will ultimately know how bad it is.    It is THAT horrible. But..........I see it as a challenge.    Already I've sanded off all the raised panel lines on all the wing and fuselage pieces. Gave all the parts a bath tonight to wash off any mold release agents.

So, yeah. I think I've got too much going on. Did I get ahead of myself?

[kerick]

Wasn't there another battleship in that mix? I could have sworn there was......

[seadude]

Wasn't there another battleship in that mix? I could have sworn there was......

You're right, there was another ship. But it wasn't a battleship. It was my 1/350 scale San Antonio class LPD that I was going to convert into a NUMA oceanographic research and exploration ship. I started construction on it, but just barely. Not sure when I'll get back to it though.
So now that makes 8 total models in my list.

[kerick]

Wasn't there another battleship in that mix? I could have sworn there was......

You're right, there was another ship. But it wasn't a battleship. It was my 1/350 scale San Antonio class LPD that I was going to convert into a NUMA oceanographic research and exploration ship. I started construction on it, but just barely. Not sure when I'll get back to it though.
So now that makes 8 total models in my list.

Just trying to help.......

[seadude]

What's new? Not much. Haven't done much of any model whiffery since January. I need to finish the 4-5 Battlestar Galactica models I mentioned in a previous post further above, but those have to wait till later in Spring or early summer when the weather is warmer and I can spray paint outdoors. They're not going to be whiffed that much except for adding extra laser or railgun turrets on them. Otherwise, they'll look pretty much like they did in the tv shows. I want to get them all done in time for a June model contest where the main theme is Sci-Fi on the Silver Screen.
Work on my large 1/350 scale HMS Habakkuk aircraft carrier model is on hiatus due to economic reasons. Can't afford to commission a plastics company right now to make the main hull pieces for me.

Anyway, I finished the following 16" gun turret model memorial build and took it to a recent contest several days ago. Unfortuneately, it didn't win anything. But I did get a lot of nice compliments on it.

Anyway, here's the lowdown on the USS Iowa turret No.2 memorial I built. I wasn't content to build the turret straight from the box. So this was the only other idea for a build project I could come up with.

1. Model kit used is the TAKOM 1/72 scale World War II USS Missouri Battleship 16" Gun Turret No.1 (Kit # 5015) which has been converted into a modern 1980's USS Iowa battleship turret No.2.
2. a) Main turret color: Vallejo # 70.615 Light Ghost Gray. b) Turret roof: Vallejo # 71.097 Gunship Gray and # 71.048 Engine Gray. c) Model base: TAMIYA TS-68 Wooden Deck Tan. d) Blast bags (Bloomers): Flat black. e) Recoil area (Slide) at back of barrels: Vallejo # 71.073 Metallic Black.
3. Light gray dome (Spare model part.) on top of turret roof at the front is a small radar unit that was used to measure the velocity of the rounds as they left the barrel.
4. World War II era carley float life rafts on the left and right sides of turret, and the original World War II era floater net baskets at the back of the turret, were removed and not used.
5. Extra ladders (Left and right side of turret.) were added with Plastruct HO scale # 90672 Styrene Ladders.
6. It was decided not to create any damage to the front of the turret (or anywhere else) as what the real turret # 2 had during the April 1989 explosion as I felt this might upset or offend some people.
7. Gun barrels are in the approximate raised or lowered positions as what the real turret had during the April 1989 USS Iowa turret # 2 explosion.
8. Wooden engraved base built by http://www.basesbybill.com
9. Turret displayed facing starboard (Right) as this was the same position of the real turret # 2 on the USS Iowa during the April 1989 explosion.
10. Contrary to popular belief, there was no American flag painted on top of the No.2 turret (which exploded) on the USS Iowa. It was on the No.1 turret instead.
11. Beam and Sheave (Above carley float life rafts on left side of turret in model box picture.) has been moved to the right side of turret since the Iowa only had one beam and sheave on the right side of turret # 2.

To eagle-eyed observers of this model, this whole display shows a "Before" and an "After" for lack of a better term. Having just the model turret only on the base itself looked a bit plain and boring in my mind.
First, I opted to leave the left and right gun barrels elevated and the center gun barrel lowered to represent the moment the explosion took place inside the turret. Seeing the barrels this way was an "iconic moment" both during the turret explosion and when the ship returned to Norfolk. Second, another "Before" moment is having the whole turret pointed to starboard (Right >) crosswise on the wood planking base deck (The planking always runs bow to stern. ^v). The turret was pointed to starboard during the explosion and when the ship returned to Norfolk.
The "After" effect is having the model displayed similar to how the real Turret No.2 looks on board the USS Iowa museum ship in San Pedro, California. The After effect shows people on the deck paying their respects.

To add a bit more detail to the model turret and base, I made the starboard (Right) side appear as it is currently displayed aboard the USS Iowa museum ship in San Pedro, California. 
a) A small staircase was scratch built with styrene strip.
b) The black stanchions are actually HO scale model railroad parking meters that were cut down to size.
c) The large and small informational plaques under the starboard rangefinder hood are actual photos of the real plaques on the turret that were scaled down to an appropriate size on my computer, printed out, then attached under the rangefinder hood.
d) The rope on top of the stairs is a small piece of tassel from a cap.
e) The red and blue flowers are pieces from dollhouse accessories. But the white flowers didn't exist as a dollhouse accessory, so I had to use tiny pieces of white cotton.
f) The people are simply cheap 1/72 scale (Approximate) figures found at Hobby Lobby craft store.

P.S. - I did take the whole model display to a local contest yesterday (March 4th), but didn't win anything.

[Gondor]

Looks like a dam fine peice of modelling there.

Gondor

[Steel Penguin]

i agree   a fine piece of modelling, and a fine piece of respectful modelling as well.

[Old Wombat]

Excellent build, mate! I think it should have placed but, like yourself, I find my models lumped into a generic "Un-Nominated" category, where they're competing against everything from dinosaurs to hyper-detailed engines & super-deformed (egg) planes/tanks, etc., so at best I get a commendation certificate.

   

[Captain Canada]

Very cool. Nice job on this one 

[kerick]

Model building at its best!

[NARSES2]

i agree   a fine piece of modelling, and a fine piece of respectful modelling as well.

Totally agree