danbuoy Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 OK, so it's not actually Christmas Day, but we are still very much in the festive season, plus one of the aforementioned ships was a Christmas present. So, I would like to do a triple build of these three Matchbox US Navy ships; USS San Diego USS Indianapolis And to round off the trio, USS Fletcher No idea when I will actually get started on these, as I'm in the middle of 2 half tracks plus I have a thread in the KUTA build, but I'm really looking forward to getting them underway! 14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 Oooh lovely, that will be a nice little fleet. Are these to be truly side-by-side builds with completion at the same time? It would be really helpful if there could be a separate thread for each ship. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maginot Posted December 29, 2022 Share Posted December 29, 2022 Chief Brody: (The men are comparing their scars.) What’s that one? Captain Quint: What? Chief Brody: That one, there, on your arm. Captain Quint: Oh, uh, that’s a tattoo, I got that removed. Hooper: Don’t tell me, don’t tell me… “Mother.” (He roars with laughter.) Hooper: What is it… Captain Quint: Mr. Hooper, that’s the USS Indianapolis. (Hooper immediately stops laughing.) Hooper: You modelled the Indianapolis? Brody: What happened? Captain Quint: I built it for a GB and once she was done, I was done, into the cabinet she went and I didn't need any 2D reminders on my arm. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted December 29, 2022 Author Share Posted December 29, 2022 13 hours ago, TonyOD said: Oooh lovely, that will be a nice little fleet. Are these to be truly side-by-side builds with completion at the same time? It would be really helpful if there could be a separate thread for each ship. Cheers. Thats what I was intending, but if it would be better for me to do a separate thread for each, then thats fine. I'll keep the title, but just add Part 1, 2 3 etc along with the relevant ship name if thats OK? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOD Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 That would be great, thank you Dan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 Nice choices @danbuoy. I stumbled into making HMS Kelly during the Matchbox GB and found it surprisingly enjoyable . Are you tempted by any aftermarket PE? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted December 31, 2022 Author Share Posted December 31, 2022 6 hours ago, CliffB said: Nice choices @danbuoy. I stumbled into making HMS Kelly during the Matchbox GB and found it surprisingly enjoyable . Are you tempted by any aftermarket PE? No, 'fraid not. These will be built out of the box. Have never done any PE, although a couple of kits in my stash have a small amount, so I will tackle it at some point! I have fancied building some of the Matchbox ships for a while, and all of these were 2022 stash additions after also being in the Matchbox GB (with a Norseman). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 4, 2023 Author Share Posted January 4, 2023 (edited) As per the change in the thread title, I will be splitting up my three builds into three separate threads. This one will be for the USS San Diego; 20220629_123133 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr USS San Diego was an Atlanta class light cruiser, launched in July 1941, the third of her class after Atlanta herself, and Juneau (both sunk off Guadalcanal on the same day, 13th November 1942). San Diego would go on to be one of the most decorated ships of the US Navy, earning 18 battle stars, from Guadalcanal, through to the invasion of the Philippines. She was also the first major Allied warship to enter Tokyo Bay after the Japanese surrender. The Atlanta class were conceived as fast scout cruisers and flotilla leaders, but found their real forte as anti-aircraft cruisers. With a total of 16 5in DP guns, plus 16 40mm Bofors, they had one of the heaviest anti-aircraft broadsides of any ship in WW2. Not very well known ships really, San Diego and her sister ships were just some of the countless Allied warships that simply went about their business with little fanfare, but a lot of hard graft. Sadly, although with the exception of the aforementioned Atlanta and Juneau, the rest of the class survived the war, all would end up being scrapped, with San Diego herself succumbing in 1960. The Atlanta class are ships that I have liked the look of ever since seeing a photo of one in a US warships of WW2 book. Something about the sweeping lines, plus all those guns made them really stand out. Although they are fairly obscure ships, I was very pleased to discover that Matchbox did one. Having never done an actual proper ship model before, this seems like a good place to start; a small, hopefully pretty simple kit, of a ship I really like. We shall sea! (Sea what I did there??) Edited January 4, 2023 by danbuoy 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Being of an age where the sight of any Matchbox kit box art invokes fond memories means I'm keen to see (or should that be sea?) your progress Dan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ngantek Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Looks good. I'm with you on the lines, these were attractive ships. I'm not going to be able to follow this one without humming Berlin in the background. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Great box art! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 2 hours ago, Bertie McBoatface said: Great box art! Yes, its something Matchbox really excelled at. Really makes their models stand out and shout "BUILD ME!!!" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 It's a nice enough kit though I am not sure about the paint scheme they suggest, but of course it depends on the period in question. It seems to have been in MS 12 Mod in 1942, MS 21 in 1943 and 1945, and MS 31a in 1944. This may be of interest. https://www.shipcamouflage.com/usn_cl.htm. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share Posted January 10, 2023 14 hours ago, PeterB said: It's a nice enough kit though I am not sure about the paint scheme they suggest, but of course it depends on the period in question. It seems to have been in MS 12 Mod in 1942, MS 21 in 1943 and 1945, and MS 31a in 1944. This may be of interest. https://www.shipcamouflage.com/usn_cl.htm. Pete Thanks for that! That's an extremely useful website. Will use that for my other 2 builds too. Thinking of going for the 24D similar to the Matchbox instructions, although masking it up might be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share Posted January 10, 2023 (edited) And we're off!! Classic Matchbox 2 coloured sprues. I do like the style of the boxes, with the lovely artwork on the front, and the large colour side profile on the back. Very eye catching. 20230109_204313 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr A whole 2 pages of instructions! 20230109_204407 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr This was under the tree on Christmas morning. Bound to come in useful at some point! 20230109_204437 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr It includes a large fold out plan of San Diego herself. Probably overkill for the Matchbox kit, but nice nevertheless. Sort of tempted to try and remove it from the book and put it on the wall! 20230109_204602 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr And so on to construction. The hull sides and bottom looked a bit fiddly to put together, but it was fine in the end. Fit was good too. Leaving the deck off for the moment, so as to aid painting. 20230109_220412 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr 20230109_220427 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr Of course, one of the reasons I like the Atlanta class cruisers turns out to be one of the more tedious parts of the build; cleaning up 8 turrets and 16 gun barrels! 20230109_214514 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr The gun barrels are prime carpet monster fodder, but got them all fitted. Will attach the life rafts to the turret sides later. 20230109_220312 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr Funnels (note different sizes!!) 20230109_221738 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr Various superstructure sections assembled, and the funnels added, care being taken to make sure I put each one in its correct location. 20230109_225127 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr Pleased with my first shift at the plastic shipyard. Will hopefully get started on Indianapolis tonight. Edited January 10, 2023 by danbuoy 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ngantek Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 Nice, it looks tidy kit. I like the look of the scheme on the back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share Posted January 10, 2023 7 minutes ago, Ngantek said: Nice, it looks tidy kit. I like the look of the scheme on the back. Its going together nicely so far. The camouflage scheme does look quite striking, but will require some fiddly masking! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 Good progress so far @danbuoy I built five Matchbox ships for last year's Matchbox 50th Anniversary GB, including the three you are building for this GB. If it isn't too late, I suggest you put some supports for the deck inside the hull like I did for the Bismarck and USS Fletcher: I didn't do this for my USS San Diego hull and during construction when fitting the forward superstructure to the deck, I managed to push too hard and it split the join with the hull. Dave 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share Posted January 10, 2023 Thanks for the heads up @davecov, and no, its not too late, as I haven't fitted the deck yet. I remember your ship builds in the Matchbox GB, and I hope you don't mind me using your threads for San Diego, Indianapolis and Fletcher for reference! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 17, 2023 Author Share Posted January 17, 2023 Time to rescue San D from the murky depths of page 5, if only for a quick update! Dry fitted the deck. Due to the shape of the bow, the deck won't fit properly until it is actually fixed in place; 20230116_222832 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr Assembled the forward superstructure; 20230116_222851 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr Then dry fitted the superstructure parts and all 8 turrets. Coming along nicely I think! 20230116_223316 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr A quick line up with the other two; 20230116_223416 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr Bertie certainly approves! 20230116_203729 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ngantek Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 Nice work, they all look great now they're coming together. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 5 hours ago, danbuoy said: Bertie certainly approves! Gidday, whether your Bertie or ours, you can receive no greater accolade. 😁 But seriously, she does look good. Regards, Jeff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 This Bertie also approves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 24, 2023 Author Share Posted January 24, 2023 Another slightly tedious turret related job on San Diego last night, attaching 16 life rafts, 2 per turret! Had visions of these pinging all over the place, but got them all attached OK! 20230123_220140 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr The eagle-eyed amongst you will spot that there are only 7 turrets in the above photo. Thats because turret C has different shaped life rafts! Dry fitted this to keep it separate; 20230123_220203 by Dan Hardy, on Flickr Pretty close to priming time now! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 3 hours ago, danbuoy said: Pretty close to priming time now! Hurrah! Priming makes such a difference, doesn't it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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