While not convenient, lately, to get out the paints, etc., and finish off the deck color, I was able to start in on the most difficult (of course) cutting-and-fitting task in this refit: installing the twin-5inch DP turrets:


Click on Image for FULL RESDifficult, with cutting and fitting, because I want these to be able to rotate - meantime the deck is irrevocably attached - so they will have to be set in little barbettes (not shown), to be dropped down through the deck.

However, before getting that far I discovered, for the forward-most 5-incher on either side, the space provided by this Revell Iowa mold - even though nominally of 535-scale, while my turrets are (pretty darn close to) 550-scale - is extremely tight:


Click on Image to Enlarge
____FULL RES__FULL RES______As you might be able to see here, it isn't the depth - which, if anything, was the expected problem dimension - but instead the vertical clearance under the Revell bridge wing: the small, peg-like periscope hood (or whatever it is) at the back of each turret scrapes here, despite removal of the base pedestal to let each turret sit as low as possible. (On a new deck, still unattached, this could have been avoided simply by opening a hole just wide enough to accept each pedestal and then capping it from underneath with a disk, to both retain and allow rotation of the turret.)

Notwithstanding the difficulty, however, you can already see the degree of improvement these turrets - whose crew- and equipment access hatches can (and will here and there) be opened - are going to provide (indeed, the turret details themselves have been sharpened since originally mastered, a decade ago). Not to mention all the other details to follow - for example, note (especially at left) the wedge-shaped cutout just forward the base of each turret: a length of PE stairs will go here - connecting with PE railings around the gun deck, and so on. Also, these views (as, I'm sure, many still to come will) really contrast the best of my capabilities from nearly 15 years ago - as in the customized bridge, which was (and still is) pretty good, if rather the worse for wear - versus these 5-inch turrets which, again are just the start of what I can do today, and have planned for this model.

Thus does the Black Dragon begin her epic journey forward:


Click on Image for FULL RES
Out of her dark, benighted past, she will emerge with a whole new level of detail, accuracy - and, undoubtedly, appeal.

So, stay tuned for that...!


Cheers,

- Matty