Thanks guys, well the IJN Chokai is finally completed. I think the only message I have is that I have missed a lot of really cool stuff in ship modeling. What I did on this heavy cruiser is something I could have imagined 20 years ago.
The level of detail that photo-etched (PE) can elevate the final appearance of a 1/700 ship is just beyond stunning. Although PEs are expensive, they are almost becoming mainstream.
I wish i had use a DSLR to capture these images rather than my Samsung. perhaps I could do another photo shoot. The display base is a picture frame I bought at a local photo lab store for $5. I released the backing and took away the original picture. I then replaced it with a $1 dark blue metallic-colored paper. I wish I could do more, but perhaps on another project.
One thing that I learned through this exercise is the importance of strategizing the logic of your build. Like any model, building ships needs a unique approach (like for aircraft you need to do the cockpit first).
Choreograph the building elements like construction, painting, gluing photo-etch, and rigging makes building ships such an enjoyment.
