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Kit-Bashed Trumpeter 1:200 USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) - 1967-69 Configuration


bb62vet

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As a former crewmember of USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) - X Division, 1968-69, I Have wanted to build a larger model of her for a long time. The 1:200 scale Trumpeter MISSOURI kit provided the basic starting point for this project. I began in 2012 and finished in March 2019 - the complete build log is on The Ship Model Forum under Completed Models. I am posting photos only of the completed model here with a very brief assessment of the kit and overall project:

The 1:200 Trumpeter kit for both MISSOURI/IOWA is, at best, a great idea with poor/fair outcome. The hull (common to both kits) is incorrectly molded and needed extensive rework to get the shape fairly close to what the actual ship was built. The 5"/38 dual gun mounts are incorrect for U.S. battleships (they would work for GEARING/SUMNER class DDs) so these were replaced by Model Monkey dual 5" mounts. All fire control directors/RADARs, etc. were replaced as they were incorrect or didn't exist in 1945. I created approx. 15-20 CAD drawings to fabricate equipment that was scratchbuilt for the model. The both masts and all RADARS/fwd. conning tower were all scratchbuilt or modified from the kit parts. I designed CAD drafted 3 sheets of PE parts which I had Starling Models (London, UK) print for me. Pontos provided a teak custom deck set that I gave them specifications as NEW JERSEY in 1967-69 had obvious changes made that I needed modified from their std. decking set. I also used the Pontos Detail Up kit for MISSOURI. Research included one week at NARA in College Park, MD in order to find additional information on NEW JERSEY as well as other ships. The display board and case I CAD designed/drafted and the case was trucked from Hamilton, OH to my home in North Carolina (what an ordeal!!). The model is 53" overall and the case 60" in length.

 

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Ron,

Thanks for the kind remark! Yes, a "small" bit of personal pride in the outcome. 

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Wow, this is one stupendous endeavor with an outstanding result! I am in awe. Way to go Hank, and thank you for your service!

 

I know it's probably too far for you but I'd love to see this in person in Chattanooga.

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Sprueguy & Mark -

Thanks so much - I do appreciate your comments and so forth. Nice to know others share my desire for details! I'm guessing that you (Mark) mean the IPMS show in Chattanooga. At this point I'm a forum member and not much else. Having just retired, I'm still sorting out things I'd like to do, things I NEED to know, and of course the most important - things my wife thinks are most important to be done next. 😥

 

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Very very nice work. I'm struggling with a 1/350 Missouri, but seeing this work encourages me to continue on. I've saved all the pictures for guidance.

Thanks for posting.

 

EJ

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EJ,

First - thanks for the compliment. Second - that's fine to use my build as a guide, but please keep in mind that all 4 IOWA class ships were NEVER identical at any time in their history. Each was built to a std. set of blueprints modified as needed by the shipyard doing the work. As a result, they all, even at their launchings, differed slightly in how they actually were built. One size does NOT fit all in this case. Similar - YES! but that's the extent of it.

Hope this helps,

Hank

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15 hours ago, bb62vet said:

EJ,

First - thanks for the compliment. Second - that's fine to use my build as a guide, but please keep in mind that all 4 IOWA class ships were NEVER identical at any time in their history. Each was built to a std. set of blueprints modified as needed by the shipyard doing the work. As a result, they all, even at their launchings, differed slightly in how they actually were built. One size does NOT fit all in this case. Similar - YES! but that's the extent of it.

Hope this helps,

Hank

Understood. ☺️

I'm using the Tamiya Missouri kit, Pontos PE and the wood deck, White ensign paints.  I've been struggling with all the fine detail involved with using the aftermarket stuff, but seeing your work has fired up my enthusiasm for completing this kit. I'm gonna get it done!

My interest in the pics is really in the way you have presented the fine details, (pe, rigging etc). Your execution is exquisite in my opinion. Sure gives me ideas and something to strive for, for sure. If I can make mine turn out half as good, I'll be satisfied, but if I can come anywhere close to yours, I'll be very happy.

I agree that all these ships varied in details, even from month to month. There was a rather heated discussion at a club meeting once, regarding the placement and width of a painted "baseboard" in the hangar bay of ESSEX class carriers. Having served aboard ESSEX, I was asked my opinion. Well, even though there were "Rules" and "standards", it boiled down to one answer. It was - Whatever the Chief told you to do. Lots of things go on on these ships. Not everything is always documented to the letter in the "official" logs and records either. As the old saying goes, Rules are made to be broken. Some rules/standards/traditions, having been stretched a bit, the order and the recording of it and the result was frequently omitted from the "official /written" record or log, maybe not intentionally, but just because it wasn't thought to be important enough. The only true answer to questions regarding the appearance is photographic evidence, which is often not available. In that case, well, you just have to, as in real Navy life, improvise.

EJ

 

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20 hours ago, EJS said:

Understood. ☺️

I'm using the Tamiya Missouri kit, Pontos PE and the wood deck, White ensign paints.  I've been struggling with all the fine detail involved with using the aftermarket stuff, but seeing your work has fired up my enthusiasm for completing this kit. I'm gonna get it done!

My interest in the pics is really in the way you have presented the fine details, (pe, rigging etc). Your execution is exquisite in my opinion. Sure gives me ideas and something to strive for, for sure. If I can make mine turn out half as good, I'll be satisfied, but if I can come anywhere close to yours, I'll be very happy.

I agree that all these ships varied in details, even from month to month. There was a rather heated discussion at a club meeting once, regarding the placement and width of a painted "baseboard" in the hangar bay of ESSEX class carriers. Having served aboard ESSEX, I was asked my opinion. Well, even though there were "Rules" and "standards", it boiled down to one answer. It was - Whatever the Chief told you to do. Lots of things go on on these ships. Not everything is always documented to the letter in the "official" logs and records either. As the old saying goes, Rules are made to be broken. Some rules/standards/traditions, having been stretched a bit, the order and the recording of it and the result was frequently omitted from the "official /written" record or log, maybe not intentionally, but just because it wasn't thought to be important enough. The only true answer to questions regarding the appearance is photographic evidence, which is often not available. In that case, well, you just have to, as in real Navy life, improvise.

EJ

 

EJ,

In the case of the IOWAs, both NEW JERSEY and IOWA were under construction at the same time - NJ at PNSY and IOWA at NYSY. There was fierce competition for steel by both yards to the point of actually driving off with loads of freshly rolled hot steel from one yard to the other. I'm also convinced that this also resulted in why the superstructures of those ships varied in their "as built" appearances. Each yard, I think, had the prerogative as to what was needed to build that ship and whether the exact cosmetic appearance was as shown by the blueprints or locally modified I would tend to believe that the yard had final say based on available steel, labor, schedules, etc. I would imagine that the carrier construction was no different, or any of the many classes of ships under construction for the war effort.

I have also built the 1:350 Tamiya kits, even their predecessor, the 1:350 Life-Like MISSOURI. I actually liked it better than the newer Tamiya kits.

I've always found that research is your best option before construction and part of that is photographs, if available.

Good luck with your model build; I'm sure you'll reach a successful conclusion.

Hank

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Amen to the discussion about ships and research.  The best advice given to me a long time ago was to find photos of a ship taken at a single, specific point in time, and duplicate what you see in the photos on your model.

Nice work, Hank!  

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Ralph,

Thanks for the kind remarks re. the model. Your advice is well taken - esp. today when the OOB model building is simply for beginners or kids.

Hank

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On 5/31/2019 at 8:17 AM, bb62vet said:

Sprueguy & Mark -

Thanks so much - I do appreciate your comments and so forth. Nice to know others share my desire for details! I'm guessing that you (Mark) mean the IPMS show in Chattanooga. At this point I'm a forum member and not much else. Having just retired, I'm still sorting out things I'd like to do, things I NEED to know, and of course the most important - things my wife thinks are most important to be done next. 😥

 

Good to know. Congrats on achieving retirement. If you have the chance to come to the IPMS Nationals in Chattanooga, it would be great to see you. Meanwhile, take care of priorities and continue to enjoy this hobby.

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Thanks Rob,

I always appreciate comments from non-ship modelers! If you do get interested, try something a bit less daunting for a first time - work your way into the hobby with something that's pretty much all in one package. This build was extremely challenging and complex.

Hank

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  • 2 weeks later...

Joisey is lookin' SWEET! A truly magnificent piece of work and a great reference, if just for inspiration!

Seems like this is the place to ask: What are the hobby paint colors you've matched to the Vietnam-era Haze Gray & decks? Reason for the quextion: Am doing a 1/800 (sic) CVA-64 for a relative who served aboard Connie for her last(?) Vietnam cruise and her first Tomcat cruise in the early-mid 1970s.

Having scoured online, in books, etc for contemporary pix, it appears the Arii kit is the only one that properly represents Connie - and without the 1980s CWIS mod; started this before the Trumpeter existed. To my eye, the period color pix of Haze Gray look alot like Light Ghost Gray (I normally build airplanes), given varying paint specs & batches, tropical weathering, camera filters...blah, blah, blah...and the Chiefs' prerogative. Am not hesitant to play the 'artistic license' card, but I'm hoping for an initial gouge from somebody who really knows.

Your thoughts?

(Here's a quick look in a crappy phone photo. The only thing done is painting the flight deck. Lots of PE in her future. And yes, the superstructure is crooked; not to be glued on til' much much later.)

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Edited by VonL
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Bob,

First, thanks for the kind remarks - I do appreciate them!

The paints I used on this build were all enamels - I do have acrylics, but I'm not too sure I'll stick with them on my PENNSY build in the future, although a few parts I've already created for that build are done with them. Most of the paints were Testor Model Master enamels and the "haze grey" I used was, in fact, Light Ghost Gray (FS36375) which is only available in bottle. On the deck/flat surfaces I used Gunship Gray (FS36118) which IS available in rattle can, as well. In addition, the hull was painted with a flat gray primer paint that was actually a lacquer - Mr. Color 601 - but the actual # of the bottle I don't have - all my modeling stuff is packed up and the paint with it. This paint went on well using vertical strokes with an artist's fan brush and was damn near identical (if not actually) to the Testor Lt. Ghost Gray.

Good luck with your CONNY - I was aboard KITTY HAWK in 1966 taking air sea pilot rescue training prior to our destroyer's 66-67 Westpac cruise. Very similar to CONNY - esp. the paint scheme.

Hank

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THANX for that! Light Ghost Gray it is!

Am a fellow enamels holdout: "Cold Dead Hands" and all that. Will prob'ly put down Dark Ghost Gray first, to force the shadows a bit. The flight deck started as Panzer Gray, with the kit's decals & homemade deck numbers, all blended with a mist of Gunship Gray, before I hit the exhaust-crud areas with a black/brown mix. Might have overdone the exhaust crud, but I wanted the deck markings subdued, rather than fresh looking. Still needs details, like the dark metal catapults.

Cheers!

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  • 4 months later...

Re. the enamel paint issue: seems like there is an online scam re. Rustoleum discontinuing the Testors brand of paints (they are the parent co.) but apparently this only applies to overseas distribution/sales. US/Canada distribution/sales continuing...at least with their best sellers.  One never knows these days with profits outweighing customer need/loyalty/etc. - you may want to stock up on your most used colors. Just an FYI....

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