USS Langley AV-3 :: Trumpeter 1/350

[Faraway]

This build was not the easiest, due to the large amount of PE that was involved.

Nobody to blame but myself, but one look at the kit supplied plastic girder work compared to the PE and it just had to happen. It also allowed me to have a first go at soldering PE, I was very wary at first, but the more I did then the more I realised that if you can solder PE, then that is definitely the way to go. Also, of course, if you cock up a join you can melt it free and start again. One word of advice, DON'T hold the PE you are soldering with your fingers  It gets VERY hot VERY quickly.

I used two PE sets apart from the kit supplied PE. The Trumpeter set which was the girders, railings, nets and various sundry bits and bobs. Most of it was ok except for the nets, the nets themselves were acceptable but the brackets that attached it to the deck were appalling.

But with some very sage advice from @RGL I bought the Eduard PE netting set, which was far superior. I originally bought the Trumpeter set because it worked out cheaper then the two Eduard sets, but in hindsight this was a false economy. You live and learn.

There were aircraft included with the kit, I was in two minds as the whether to use them or not. I'm glad I didn't, as I believe they are aircraft that were not in service at the same time as this ship. And anyway, I hate making little aeroplanes.

So, there we have it. An interesting build, which without the inclusion of the PE girders would have been very simple, but I think really benefits from the use of the PE girders frame work.

I did my usual token adding of rust, I really shouldn't. I'm not very good at this weathering thingy.

I hope you enjoy looking at this offering, though I hasten to add there are far superior offerings elsewhere.

Jon

Edited September 7, 2021 by Faraway

[robgizlu]

Your best yet - the etch and suspended deck are terrific.

Congrats on a job very well done

Rob

[Faraway]

8 minutes ago, robgizlu said:

Your best yet - the etch and suspended deck are terrific.

Congrats on a job very well done

Rob

Thanks Rob.

I’m sort of pleased with it.
By the way, I got hold of a copy of that book you mentioned ‘Flower Class Corvettes’ it’s very interesting.

Jon

[RGL]

Well done mate. I’m in the process of doing the little aircraft (which are a pain), she’s a fine ship. 

[S-boat 55]

Cracking result mate, she's a real beaut, love the deck think thats really especially good 

 

Whats next?

[Mcdood]

She looks absolutely great, you have done a marvellous job on her you should be very very proud. 
You shall always be “solderman “ in my books. Well done. 
Martin
 

[Adm Lord De Univers]

That pe work is something else, but really the entire build is beautifully done,  an.excellent job.

 

David

[dnl42]

Outstanding work on this. 

 

Excellent PE work, particularly with the netting.  Your weathering skills are head and shoulders better than mine

[mick]

great work

[Gisbod]

Lovely Jon,

 

Very neat indeed. 
 

Guy

[nearsightedjohn]

Very very nice job Jon on what looks to have been a very challenging build. I’ve been lusting for this seaplane tender version of the Langley since it was released and watching your build brought this kit to the front of my birthday gift wish list (to which the boss. declared “not another model kit please!!!). Your detailed WIP notes, particularly on the PE work is very much appreciated. The under deck girder supports gives this ship model a little bit of an Akagi look IMO (a good thing!).

 

I’m guessing that the P2Y’s that are included in the kit along with the paint guide would put the ship shown on the box somewhere between 1938 - 1940. I love seaplanes so I’ll include a few P2Y’s  or maybe a few resin PBY-3’s if and when I build it. When AV-3 was sunk off Java  in early ‘42, it was transporting thirty-two P-40’s - now that might be an interesting scenario to model? 

[Faraway]

27 minutes ago, nearsightedjohn said:

Very very nice job Jon on what looks to have been a very challenging build. I’ve been lusting for this seaplane tender version of the Langley since it was released and watching your build brought this kit to the front of my birthday gift wish list (to which the boss. declared “not another model kit please!!!). Your detailed WIP notes, particularly on the PE work is very much appreciated. The under deck girder supports gives this ship model a little bit of an Akagi look IMO (a good thing!).

 

I’m guessing that the P2Y’s that are included in the kit along with the paint guide would put the ship shown on the box somewhere between 1938 - 1940. I love seaplanes so I’ll include a few P2Y’s  or maybe a few resin PBY-3’s if and when I build it. When AV-3 was sunk off Java  in early ‘42, it was transporting thirty-two P-40’s - now that might be an interesting scenario to model? 

The jury is still out in the seaplanes, one day I might have a funny five minutes and built them. When 🤞 you do build this ship, I highly recommend you get the two Eduard PE sets (53267 & 53268) they are far better than the trumpeter produced set, although more expensive they are money well spent.

[Faraway]

3 hours ago, dnl42 said:

Your weathering skills are head and shoulders better than mine

You’re very kind, although I can’t agree with you, I think I’m 💩at weathering.

Jon

[ArnoldAmbrose]

On 9/7/2021 at 6:26 PM, Faraway said:

 It gets VERY hot VERY quickly.

Gidday, no bulk to act as a heat sink, I guess.

 

This model has turned out very well. Definitely the PE. And don't knock your weathering, I think it's an enhancement to the model. Regards, Jeff.

[beefy66]

This has turned out great Jon you made the PE look easy and great skill soldering it cracking job all round.  👍

 

Stay Safe

beefy

[Chewbacca]

That's a lovely build and the PE is exquisite.

 

I must confess I've seen lots of pictures of Langley but only from later in here life when she had a full length flight deck.  The immediate thought when I saw this was "what fool designed that with a mast directly ahead of the flight deck?  Clearly not an aviator!"

 

It then got me thinking.  Could they strike that mast for flying operations as they often did with aerials in RN WW2 carriers?

[Faraway]

@Chewbacca you’ve got your timeline confused, she started life as an aircraft carrier, one of, if not the first. So then she had a full length flight deck. This model here, shows her in later life. When she became a seaplane tender, so the flight deck was shortened and nothing took off from her.

[Chewbacca]

Thanks - that makes sense.  I think I was thinking that her progression was like HMS FURIOUS when she started off with a flying off deck for'ard before the landing deck was added aft and only afterwards was she completely rebuilt to have a full flight deck.

 

Langley was certainly the first US aircraft carrier.  HMS ARGUS predated her in UK by a couple of years IIRC.

 

 

[Goji308]

Great job all around Jon! Keep up the great work.  

[Bertie McBoatface]

That's excellent. The PE work is awesome. 

[phillip1]

Faraway,

 

This is a nice build.  It is a complicated and intricate subject.  I always thought the Langley was a good looking ship even after her facelift.

 

Phillip1

[jam]

Cracking looking. That PE work is very impressive.

 

have to admit that this whole naval/pe/airbrush/weathering thing has got me panicing as I've now to brush

up on my soldering skills too 😱

[Faraway]

9 minutes ago, jam said:

Cracking looking. That PE work is very impressive.

 

have to admit that this whole naval/pe/airbrush/weathering thing has got me panicing as I've now to brush

up on my soldering skills too 😱

Just take your time.
I used solder on the Langley PE because they were such, relatively, big pieces. For really small PE, if you can use CA, then do so. The beauty of solder, is if you get the parts misaligned, you can melt the solder and start again. If you are going to use solder, make sure you use a good flux and get lots of practice on gash parts. That way, you’ll learn how much solder to put on the iron tip.

 

Same with an airbrush, practice with different pressures and paint to thinners mixes. Pressure and mix depend a lot on what type of paint you are going to use  and what airbrush you are using. 
 

Me and weathering do not get on, so I very rarely do it. Mine always looks like an afterthought, whereas other ship modellers make it look very natural. I’ve no idea how they do it.

 

The best advice I can offer, if you are going to build model ships, is start with a relatively large scale 1/35, 1/144 etc. And maybe build a ship straight out of the box, don’t worry about extra PE or 3D printed parts, until you feel ready for them. And plan what you are going to do, most ship models are actually lots of subassemblies, which all come together at the end.
 

And look around the Britmodeller Maritime forum, there are some amazingly skilled builders on here, far more accomplished than I and all are only too happy to answer questions and offer advice.

 

But above all HAVE FUN, if it gets too overwhelming, as it can sometimes. Walk away and come back later.

 

Any questions you have, ask away. Someone will know the answer.

Jon

 

[MRMRL]

I love this, it's inspired me to out the AV version of Langley on my wishlist instead of the full deck version. 

[Boydie]

Such an interesting looking ship. Really like what you've done with it.