Posted by Don Murphy on January 30, 2012, 10:22:57
As a young sailor I wanted my building to reflect ships that were in "my Navy" at the time. It was the height of the Cold War and the destroyers and cruisers were constantly at sea. But USS Trenton sat there at "Pier Mike" and I passed her daily on the way to work. Skywave had just started releasing modern USN/RN/Soviet ships and I had to have them all. But they were cruisers and destroyers. No modern amphib stuff (except for the small ww2 LST set).
I had an old Airfix HMS Fearless kit and although it was full hull and 1/600th scale, I reckoned it would be a suitable candidate for kit bashing. There was no internet or other references back then so I just made my best guess. The first thing I did was cut her down to waterline to match my other modern USN ships. I then filled in her bridge portholes and made square USN style windows for her. Skywave aftermarket weapon sets made it easy to put American weapons and radars onboard her and complete the illusion. I then added a hanger. I gave up model building for a few years and when I returned in 1997 there was this new stuff called photo etch and I grabbed some rails from True Details. It was stiff and thick and not that user-friendly but I put the rails on anyway. And that's where the ship has stayed for some time.
Fast forward about fifteen years and I now have a ton of reference material and some better gear. So it's time to give Trenton a makeover. First thing we'll do is rip all the old etch off of her and then cut off the Airfix-exclusive "Pyramid" stairs. I then sanded down all of the detail on the flight deck and cut off the drain scuttles on the side of the ship. I also removed the funnels as the arrangement on Fearless is actually backwards to Trenton. I used Quickscale to check my work and the length of the real Trenton shrunk down to 1/700th scale equals 9 and 11/16th inches. The Airfix kit is just under 10 inches so I'm in the "acceptable" area to continue. The green patch is putty from when I was too crazy with my cutting many years ago...
Here's the flight deck completely sanded down to remove the Royal Navy tie downs and also the round crane. I removed the scratchbuilt hanger and you can see the "door" on original Fearless. This door led to the well deck. So the hanger will have to be rebuilt on Trenton. And it has to be a telescoping hanger. The mast was scratchbuilt by the way.
Using 3X5 cards as templates, I cut out the proper hull/superstructure shape for Trenton. I then tweaked it till I had it right and made my walls out of Evergreen styrene. I used the corrugated type as it enables precise cutting/measuring.
Once the "walls" are in place, they need structural integrity. This is solved by cutting chunks of sprue and putting a few in on each side. This way, "pushing in" will not occur during model handling, moving, etc.
She's starting to look like Trenton now. I expanded the deck and added side loading platforms. The first of many "dome" sensors has been added. I've also started adding doors and life raft canisters.
The spares box has provided radars and railings plus towers for the sensor domes. The brass platform has had supports added plus photo etch stairs. I'll need to drill out bridge windows.
Here's the Starboard view. The round antenna is WSC-3 satelite gear and the ECM units (SLQ-32) are on "sticks" forward of the mast. In this view, the top superstructure is fully built. I just need to "wall in" the curved front part and add the forward 20mm gun position.
Here's my scratchbuilt loading bay and loading platform with supports. This was added to permit loading from small boats/piers when the main loading well was busy.
I'll need to finish the rear wall but I'll need to mount the funnels and scratch build a new crane. Oh and the hanger as well. Actually I need to scratchbuild funnels as well as Trenton's were round, not tapered like those on Fearless.
I also need to do her weapons and air group. Trenton carries either two Sea Stallion or two Sea Knight choppers for troop carrying duties. She can also embark Harriers and Sea Cobra gunship helo's. On Fearless, you can go to the edge of the flight deck and look down into the loading well. On Trenton, the flight deck covers the whole well. So I'll need to extend the flight deck as well.
Remember that this is tiny 1/700th scale... While some folk were busy listening to a 50+ singer entertain thousands watching a small pigskin ball being thrown around, I was engaged in scratchbuilding. Painful it was... The entire Port (Left) side is done with all railing, ladders, doors and the RAM launcher installed. I added a ton of little boxes along the side to replicate the parts lockers, damage control gear storage, etc. At the bottom of the superstructure near the Port smoke stack, I added the helicopter control station with photo etched windows (of course).
Here I've laid out the supports for the forward part of the bridge superstructure. I built both smoke stacks using Evergreen tubing and square structural stuff. The RAM launcher is one of Jag's resin pieces. For other weapons I have two completed and painted (from the spares box) Phalynx 20mm guns that will go on when the ship is out of painting. Additionally, some photo etch machine guns will be added at the bow on either side. Rounding out the weapons will be two scratchbuild Nulka launchers and two scratchbuilt Typhoon 25mm chain guns.
Here's the Starboard (Right) side. The olive green block is the mounting for the second Phalynx gun and is from a Patton tank somewhere in time. A lot of the superstructure over here can't be done until I build the hanger. Speaking of the hanger, I've pulled her airwing out of the spares box. She's going to have two CH-53 Sea Stallion mine sweeping helicopters, so I've started modifying them with the necessary parts like refueling boom, scanners, etc.
Oh yeah...I had to build the crane from scratch using Evergreen stock, parts box photo etch pulleys and railings. Underneath it is a control room with two doors and to the right of the doors is a photo etch fire hose reel that you're just dying to see... There's about twenty on the ship so far. The flight deck will also be added separately as it's got to be masked and painted while off of the ship.
I'm sticking to my new years resolution to keep with this project until it's finished. I've started working on her boats as well. She'll have an air cushion landing craft and a large utility landing craft. She's also going to have some Sea Cobra helicopter gunships. Should be fun.
Now THIS is a refit like we've never seen before - just a ton of expertly-done details, and high-quality PE, etc.- Bravo Zulu, Donny! And the scraped-down shades of gray even make her look like the real thing, in the Yard. But you just tell us - when all is said and done - whether you still think your parts-box accessories are even good enough to do her justice.
As for the Super Bowl, yeah I agree. (Now Denver vs Pittsburgh, in the playoffs - THAT was a game worth seeing.) But the Super-Korpor-Ad-Bowl can suck The Bird....
Well, once again you are reading my mind, Donny - also myself been looking around at all my models, and thinking how many of 'em really would look twice as good with a refit. Your Trenton refit promises to be a quantum-leap improvement. (I think I still have pics of the original depiction, stowed away here somewhere.)
Great use of that "clapboard" (or equivalently "'V'-groove") plasticard, as well as the rod buttressing - I never would have thought to use something so simple. And indeed the new PE is noticeably crisper and finer than anything from the Old Days.
Ironic that your conversion actually scales out to closer to 1:700 - while the SkyWave "700-scale" parts are actually 1:600, after all! ( - Truth to tell, practically ALL "1/700" detail parts are significantly oversized - particularly the gun barrels!) But seriously, it scarcely makes a difference: 1/600 is only 16.7% oversized for true 1/700, anyway.
That's exactly why I chose 1:550 for many of the Matty's Models parts: they can likewise service any builds between about 1/650 through 1/480 scales. Unfortunately for my own refit ideas, my bench-time has been knocked down to zero by complexities with my move - and this damned, continuing hand-numbness.
So, I'm counting on your Trenton resurrection for vicarious enjoyment, Donny - keep her comin'!
Cheers,
-Matt
My new years' resolution is to stop starting so many projects...
Posted by Don Murphy on January 31, 2012, 10:19:45, in reply to "REFIT!"
Gotta start finishing some. So Trenton's on the bench until it's finished. Gotta do the airwing, scratchbuild some weapons (two twin .50 mounts [forward] and two Typhoon 25mm chain gun mounts) and do the internal landing craft. Oh yeah...and the flight deck hanger. It's that weird, rounded telescoping one.
My New Years' Resolution is to not to change a F-in' thing until absolutely forced to! But, even now, I'm being forced to - my (half of) New Diggs have already inspired me to start fixing up some larger machines. Still battling with numbness which ruins the smaller work, though. (And none too pleasant, when working on the larger stuff, either.) The Docs are stumped - but most of them so far appear to suck, and I think it's time to seek some Better Docs.
Also, I'm hopefull my new work areas (modelling and computer), with some different desks and chairs, will suddenly reveal something(s) in my posture which has simply been wrong.
Finally, all the stress of this dislocation and upheaval will also be past.
So, all that is coming (whether I like it or not) - I'm looking forward to it, and wouldn't change a thing.
Just wait 'till you see me refit my 500-ish scale CVL-22 Independence (whose original, finished pics I don't think were ever shown on-line), and CVE-72 Gambier Bay!