SPA Modeler

jeaton01 wrote:Looks like they have boards strapped to the wings to act as spoilers, too.

Those are “Jakes”, which had a folding wing. I suspect that those things on the wing are something to keep them down and aligned when the hydraulics aren’t powered up and pressurized. Although what they don’t actually have the wings folded while on board and at sea is beyond me.

Well, they’re always on the move retreating or hunting and ready to get in the action if necessary.

The lower portion of the hull is painted and assembly has commenced - smokestack, main and rear bridge installed (minus the masts), medium AA guns installed, and the boats (except the ones on hoists). The 3 big guns will be added last.

I have decided I will be rigging this one. It was a nice challenge rigging 1/535 scale USS Missouri ship a couple years ago, so why not rig this one. Not sure if anyone has actually rigged a 1/700 scale waterline ship kit. So, I spent an hour or so looking for a basic and simple rigging plan and have found one. Believe it or not.... I found good reference pics of a 1/350 scale Mogami build going back to 2004. The builder rigged it exactly what I was looking to do. Simple and basic, not cluttered as the real thing. Even the crane will be rigged up. I just need to figure out how to create a couple hook couplings with stretched sprue. I know at times at a break while stretching sprue, it sort of creates a hook like shape. We’ll see how it pans out.

However, I had noticed a few missing key parts of the ship that’s not included in this 1/700 scale waterline kit. If you look at the box cover on page 1, you will see on the aft (rear) a cross shaped post braced to the deck and side braces on each side. Those will be scratched built.
Also missing, is a simple flag post at the fore end (front of the ship). A simple tiny white flag with a meatball will be added to that flag post.

Once I add those key parts, you will see why everything makes sense because of the riggings.

Now the biggest confusion is the placement of Imperial Japan flag. Instruction guide says to the rear top main mast. Looking at various photos of the real Mogami shows otherwise. Some pics shows a simple post similar to a flag post below the outward mast points, others shows on the mast as directed on instruction guide.

If the correct placement is in fact on the main rear mast, I’ll create a simple flag line specifically for the flag instead of wrapping the flag around the mast itself.

A good plan. Now, time to execute!

Scratchbuilding will start tonight and over the weekend.

Weathering session on the ship will also be starting up very soon before any rigging gets done.

Spent a good 1 1/2 hour stretching sprues, scratch building a proper aft mast - even had a spare to make an extra in case the first one broke. Made a flag post for the front of ship. Going to make a flag for it too. Stretched a bunch of sprues for the riggings. Stretched a few for the key cranes for each side aft that I will be scratch building. I even attached a couple to the crane for cable lines. Still need to add two more attachment points for the cable lines. I even made hooks using brass wiring for the crane. Pics forthcoming after I complete the crane.

1/700 stretched sprue
I seem to remember reading somewhere that the flag position was different in port vs underway and a battle flag when in combat. don't know a lot about ships but that stuck with me.

A really bad day on the bench. With extreme temps in double digits below zero, both cars won’t start (one is my fault I left little gas in tank when I should have gotten a tankful of gas Friday night ) Called AAA and they managed to jumpstart my son’s car. Mine? Forget it. Turns over but doesn’t fire up. Most likely cause my fuel line froze. Went out and got dry gas, poured it in all of our cars. Needless to say, I was frustrated and it threw my mind off concentration.
Bench time saw two failures in rigging the main mast, and both tree extensions broke off.

I was off the charts losing concentration.

This morning, my truck still won’t start. Temps were above zero enough to defrost the fuel lines. Called AAA again for a jumpstart. Thankfully, it started. Now my son’s car won’t start.

AAA tow driver says both batteries on our cars has a good charge so battery isn’t an issue. Most likely I may have wore the battery down on my son’s car this morning by not letting it run for awhile.

Bench time today/tonight was better. Main mast fixed, created a better rigging set for mast to do tomorrow, scratch built the three rearmost aft masts, weathered the whole ship, added rigging to rear crane mast which I forgotten to do, and created canvas covers for the aircrafts. I’m done for the night.

Tomorrow is ML King Day - a holiday for me from work. More benchtime after other priority stuff to tend to first, blood work appointment, buy battery jumper pack, get my son’s battery tested IF I’m able to get his car started, snow blow the driveway since we’re expecting snowstorm thru the night and into Monday morning. May end up cancelling dentist appointment since Momday afternoon forecast is sleet and freezing rain and snow is expected Monday afternoon.

Yuck. My daughter moved from California to Duluth, MN. Seems to like it. I spent three days in Minneapolis-St. Paul once, freezing rain had all the airports closed. I didn't like it. Uninhabitable. I'm suffering when it's +40 F at night. At least as much as I want to.

Don’t get me wrong, I can tolerate winter. Just hate days and nights when the weather gets bitter cold in double digits below zero. Sleet and freezing rain too. When it gets snowy here, I hate idiot drivers that forget how to drive in snow - especially during the morning and evening rush hour.

My sister lives in Maryland and when snow hits the state, everything closes. Folks rush out o stores to stock up on paper towels, toilet tissues, bananas, etc.... as if they’re going to get snowed in for days. They’re not equipped to handle snow removal like most NE states.