Model Fleet

--Originally Posted 1/18/15--

U.S.S. MISSOURI
Guided-Missile Fast BattleShip

Click on Image for FULL RES
Tamiya 1:350
by Sean McDermott
"I just finished...the new Tamiya...1/350 scale USS Missouri 1991 kit and thought I would share some of my photos...(along with) a brief description of the build:

Click on Image for FULL-RESI used the Pontos Detail-Up set...(which) is expensive, but is an awesome detail set and sometimes overwhelming. The amount of brass pieces and photo-etch is amazing...and it includes the wooden deck as well. Also, it comes with resin replacements for the Phalanx CIWS guns, the Tomahawk box launchers, the gun directors, 5 inch gun turrets and Harpoon anti-ship missiles. It also includes two beautiful resin SH-60 Seahawk helicopters...(and so) provides almost everything you need...

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-----FULL RES-----------FULL RES------FULL RES-------FULL RES--The Pontos set is really what sold me on buying the Missouri kit in the first place. The tail wagged the dog in this case...(even after discovering) it is designed to convert the Tamiya New Jersey and is not made for the new Tamiya Missouri...(for which) Tamiya completely re-engineered the rear deck and therefore, the photo-etched deck sections provided by Pontos didn't fit. I had to cut all the deck details off and then reattach them.

For such a large detailed kit, I did relatively little scratch building...(including) the Pioneer RPV containers and the small deck house on the rear deck behind turret # 3. I scribed the hull plates and used styrene punched discs for the details along side the hull. I got that idea from a model of the New Jersey I saw on Modelwarships.com.

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-FULL RES-----FULL RES------FULL RES----I decided not to use (Pontos') photo-etched superstructure pieces and added my own details instead. The horseshoe vent pipes are stretched sprue and the bridge windows were made from the clear plastic on file folder tabs (I used the green ones). I also used the Eduard photo-etched set for the New Jersey since it included details that the Pontos set omitted.

Just as I was putting on the finishing touches, I broke the (fore) mast, including the rigging. So, I had to re-do both funnels and funnel caps, the photo-etched mast platform and the rigging...Set backs (like this) cause me to lose focus...(but) in the end, the re-dos turned out better than what I originally had done. I got lucky...

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------FULL RES----------FULL RES--------FULL RES---- It took me 13 months to build (this model) and I enjoyed it...(and realized), to keep from being overwhelmed, I had to break it down into small sections and build one at a time...(In this way,) I work on many, many models, but finish very few...(so) it’s been a while since I submitted anything, but I get on (ModelFleet) periodically to see what’s happening...

(Also,) I find I am better at building models than I am at photographing them..."

[Editor's Note: Your pictures are excellent, Sean - but you're right: you are an even better model-builder - and that is Really Saying Something, particularly with this spectacular build, buddy! - Ed.]