Fletcher progress

 The bow crash in progress.

 K-Gun Depth charge racks, these are photo etched pieces and this is my first time using it. What you see is flat to start and bent and folded into shape, then there are additional pieces glued to each rack. A real pain in the ass.

 Here is the stern depth charge racks, plastic kit pieces on the left, photo etched pieces on the right.

Stern wash area in progress.

Will and Gacie

Will and Gracie (Yes, I named them) being worked into the SSN-721 Diorama Base.

Adding PE to the fletcher

 Before Painting

 After Painting

SSN-721 Diorama Update

 Whales in location, I am in the process of making them from Green Putty.

The sub is being embedded in the base now.

SSN-721 Diorama

 I started the diorama base and build of  the USS Chicago, SSN-721. This was the last ship I served on and on my last time at sea we were transiting into San Diego on 10 May 1997. I had the Engineering JA Phone Talker as my maneuvering watch station. We were humming along the Officer of the Deck, Look Out, Captain and Control Phone Talker were all on the bridge. I noticed what appeared to be two Gray whales broaching on the surface directly ahead of us. They initially were 1/2 a mile or more ahead and I figured they would soon sound and be out of our path. But it soon became apparent to me that they were not aware of our sub rapidly overtaking them and everyone on the bridge except me was not aware we were rapidly overtaking them. I made the report to the Officer of the Deck of my sighting, immediate action was taken to slow our transit speed and change course to avoid the whales. Surprising to me was that they did not take any kind of action them selves until we were less than a thousand yards from them.

This event is the basis for this diorama, the model is 1/350 scale which is smaller than I like to work with but in order to get the whales into the diorama it has to be this small. They will be centered on the axis of teh diorama near the far edge. If you look close you can see the recesses for them. I have scaled out the whales and will scratch build two scale models to add to the scene.  

Don't store your model on the diorama base!

 I had guests for the last two weeks and had placed the Fletcher class destroyer on it's diorama base due to people sleeping in the room. Well after two weeks it was more or less stuck in place. I can overcome this it but it will make the final work of completing the model a little more challenging.

So rather than crying over spilled milk I started applying the Mod blend the model into the diorama. I will continue working this in between letting things dry on all the details being added to the model from the PE set. The main mast has had all the PE attached and is now installed on the model.

Life puts building on delay

I have not had much time to build in the last two weeks, family visiting and special events have kept me busy. The hobby room is a temporary guest bedroom also.

I have the base for the USS Chicago (SSN-721) diorama in the works, PE to install on the Fletcher and the diorama base for the U-575 to work on.

Pictures soon.