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Started By
Message
From the Model Desk of Spaceman Spiff - In-Progress Build
Posted on 11/22/24 at 6:39 am
Posted on 11/22/24 at 6:39 am
For a long time I had looked for a kit of Dad's aircraft carrier (LPH-11 USS New Orleans) and stumbled across this resin piece of junk in 1/350 scale about 10 years ago. I got so frustrated with it that I stopped building and it sat on the shelf of doom for about 9 or so years. Finally pulled it back out as Dad is getting older and I wanted to make it for him. Not much more left to do. I won't put all the in-progress pics, but a few. I ended up rebuilding so much of the kit (you will notice the white-plastic which I used to remake/scratch build parts) and I had to build a few missing parts, too. The kit came as she was in the 80's, and I had to back date it to 1969-1970 era when Dad served on it. I'm in the home stretch now and hopefully it will be done by Christmas. Thanks for looking and any comments/criticism welcome! For Dad.
The island in progress and now. Will get a repaint as the grey is too dark.
The hull wasn't of the best molding, so I had to shim and add plastic sheet:
Walkways on. White parts were rebuild using sheet styrene. Had to completely make the crane mount:
Moving on to the flight deck. I felt it best to go ahead and paint it now because of all the PE I have to add. Besides, it was a change of pace. Initially primed in Tamiya Fine Grey spray. White was added for the markings, and used black for black basing/tonal differences. The decals for the deck makings sucked arse, so I masked and painted. Turned out awesome!
Have to finish up and paint the hull and bits. Then weather it to make it look used. And then the base because I'm going to make it look as if its underway. Thanks for looking!
The island in progress and now. Will get a repaint as the grey is too dark.
The hull wasn't of the best molding, so I had to shim and add plastic sheet:
Walkways on. White parts were rebuild using sheet styrene. Had to completely make the crane mount:
Moving on to the flight deck. I felt it best to go ahead and paint it now because of all the PE I have to add. Besides, it was a change of pace. Initially primed in Tamiya Fine Grey spray. White was added for the markings, and used black for black basing/tonal differences. The decals for the deck makings sucked arse, so I masked and painted. Turned out awesome!
Have to finish up and paint the hull and bits. Then weather it to make it look used. And then the base because I'm going to make it look as if its underway. Thanks for looking!
10
Posted on 11/22/24 at 6:44 am to Spaceman Spiff
Outstanding rehab job, that looks great!
And that's a very kind thing to do for your father.
And that's a very kind thing to do for your father.
This post was edited on 11/22/24 at 6:59 am
Posted on 11/22/24 at 6:57 am to Spaceman Spiff
quote:
aircraft carrier (LPH-11 USS New Orleans)
I guess you can call a Gator Freighter a type of "aircraft carrier," but amphibious assault ship is the correct term. Nice job, regardless. You must have a lot of patience and you're doing a very nice thing for your Dad.
Posted on 11/22/24 at 7:01 am to Tchefuncte Tiger
quote:
amphibious assault ship is the correct term.
Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH). A helo carrier
This post was edited on 11/22/24 at 7:05 am
Posted on 11/22/24 at 7:03 am to Hondo Blacksheep
quote:
And that's a very kind thing to do for your father.
Thank you! Still have a bit to do. Had to use his cruise book for back dating, lol. Here she is in a pic from her cruise book.
Posted on 11/22/24 at 7:06 am to Spaceman Spiff
Really good work, Spiff. I’m sure your dad will love it. How is it working with resin? I’ve never done it.
Posted on 11/22/24 at 7:08 am to Darth_Vader
quote:
Really good work, Spiff. I’m sure your dad will love it. How is it working with resin? I’ve never done it.
Thanks, Darth! This one has taught me a lot (never buy another resin kit) and a real pain in the arse. Hate working with resin as its an entirely different ball game. Have a bit more to add but there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Posted on 11/22/24 at 9:00 am to Spaceman Spiff
Nice work. Looking forward to the finished product
Posted on 11/22/24 at 9:07 am to Spaceman Spiff
This is great. Thanks for educating me, as well, I had never heard of this vessel.
Posted on 11/22/24 at 9:07 am to Spaceman Spiff
The 1’s that make up the “11” don’t look consistent with each other. Not criticizing, just pointing it out
Posted on 11/22/24 at 9:27 am to RedPop4
quote:
I had never heard of this vessel.
These types generally don't get a lot of notoriety. On 9 FEB 1971 she recovered the Apollo 14 capsule and picked up the astronauts (Shepard, Roosa, and Mitchell) and also the Skylab 3 and 4 missions.
When Dad was on her (69 - 70) they were off coast of Vietnam and participated heavily in those missions. She also participated in Desert Storm and Shield. A very historied ship that not many know of.
Posted on 11/22/24 at 9:28 am to Shamoan
Oh I am aware. I will remask and repaint. That was a bitch masking those. Or maybe I'll just put a helo over the bad ones and call it a day
Posted on 11/22/24 at 9:40 am to Spaceman Spiff
Nice work! Scratch building has never been my forte. I've done a few resin kits and every time I do one I question my sanity. Be careful when you're sanding resin kits that shite is not good for your lungs.
Posted on 11/22/24 at 10:08 am to Spaceman Spiff
I was aboard the U.S.S. New Orleans in February, 1971 as part of the security detachment assigned from Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor. Our mission was to guard the Apollo 14 astronauts in their quarantine trailer, and the command capsule.
For some reason the ship's store had patches from several Apollo missions they did not participate in, including Apollo 13 which ran out before I got there. I snagged an Apollo 12 patch and U.S.S. New Orleans ship's mug, filled with mementos of the cruise.
It's rumored my fellow Marines were requisitioning Apollo 14's parachute cord and a thin, metallic material assumed to be re-entry heat shielding. If true obviously against orders.
NASA in recent times is legally pursing individuals who may have such souvenirs. It would, however, be cool to possess an item that orbited the moon.
I have another U.S.S. New Orleans story I may share some other time. Yea, sucks to say it like that but is on my mind today.
A few of the photos below were grabbed from Wiki, others came from this Marine's personal collection.
Please give your Dad my Best Regards.
For some reason the ship's store had patches from several Apollo missions they did not participate in, including Apollo 13 which ran out before I got there. I snagged an Apollo 12 patch and U.S.S. New Orleans ship's mug, filled with mementos of the cruise.
It's rumored my fellow Marines were requisitioning Apollo 14's parachute cord and a thin, metallic material assumed to be re-entry heat shielding. If true obviously against orders.
NASA in recent times is legally pursing individuals who may have such souvenirs. It would, however, be cool to possess an item that orbited the moon.
I have another U.S.S. New Orleans story I may share some other time. Yea, sucks to say it like that but is on my mind today.
A few of the photos below were grabbed from Wiki, others came from this Marine's personal collection.
Please give your Dad my Best Regards.
Posted on 11/22/24 at 10:10 am to Spaceman Spiff
quote:
Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH). A helo carrier
I think they've been replaced by the LHD's (Landing Helicopter Dock) I saw several of them being built, christened, or commissioned from my perch at SIMA Pascagoula (RIP) back in the day. One of them, the USS Bon Homme Richard, has already been scrapped due to a fire while undergoing maintenance.
This post was edited on 11/22/24 at 10:13 am
Posted on 11/22/24 at 10:20 am to Spaceman Spiff
quote:Thought it would be this...
From the Model Desk of Spaceman Spiff
Posted on 11/22/24 at 10:29 am to Spaceman Spiff
dude - that looks amazing. you guys make me want to get back into model making.
I mainly do glass etching for a hobby, but i have always loved models.
I mainly do glass etching for a hobby, but i have always loved models.
Posted on 11/22/24 at 11:52 am to Mr Breeze
quote:
I was aboard the U.S.S. New Orleans in February, 1971 as part of the security detachment assigned from Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor. Our mission was to guard the Apollo 14 astronauts in their quarantine trailer, and the command capsule.
Man we need to talk sometime! Dad was asked if he wanted to re-up to be part of that Apollo recovery mission - he said he was ready to come home! I wasn't even a year old when they departed.
I noticed in that capsule pic the dome was behind the island - I don't know when that refit was done, but it wasn't there when he was on her. Here is a pic from 1969. I have to scratch build that mini-mast behind the island - that's tonight's project. Thanks for that image, stored because I may try to do more scratch work on it.
There is no way NASA would be able to track that down now
Edit: I love that mug. I do have the New Orleans patch, though.
This post was edited on 11/22/24 at 12:24 pm
Posted on 11/22/24 at 11:58 am to Jake88
quote:
Thought it would be this...
Now that might have to be on the list
Posted on 11/22/24 at 12:01 pm to Thracken13
quote:
dude - that looks amazing. you guys make me want to get back into model making
Thank you! Many, many nights of scratching my head and trying to figure out how to do stuff. I have also done a few 1/35 figures in between in order to keep my sanity, like that WWII German soldier
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