1/700 USS North Carolina Progress

I would love to give an ETA on this ship, but I don't have an accurate number because I haven't really built in 1/700 before. Trumpeter released this kit as a scaled down version of the 1/350 USS North Carolina.

For a Chinese company, I am very impressed with the details straight out of the box. The kit retailed for $25, and I picked it up for around $22 many years ago. There is no photo-etch included, but you do get some decently molded cranes, aircraft, and a base with the kit.

There are many challenges associated with building in 1/700 scale. This is not a scale for beginner or intermediate model builders. There are parts smaller than half the height of my thumbnail, and they wish to not cooperate around 75% of the time. Many, many tried will be needed to get parts just right- but the scale, depending on the manufacturer of the kit- rewards you for your efforts. It really does.

I will have to upload pictures later, but the deck detail is great. I have finished assembling the bridge and it looks fantastic; even the radar support is well molded. This kit has shown some flash occasionally, but it isn't something that cannot be fixed quickly. Already I have made personal modifications to the ship, such as reinforcing the radar support and filling in some unused peg holes, and remember- for historical accuracy, I really do not care if the ship isn't 100% accurate.

I've begun sanding down the hull, and either later or tomorrow I will add the rest of the deck details, then get the deck assembly (with the hull) into paint. I will use an overall gunship gray as a primer, then possibly 1-2 more coats to finish the job, with a pin-strip water line (black) and then a dark red for the lower hull. Know what? I might do that in reverse order for convenience. After that, I will hand paint the deck myself a tan. Problem is, I need to go buy some deck tan...

1/700 isn't a favorite scale of mine, but I have no qualms building in it occasionally. Maybe once or twice a year, if that. I really like the detail, but the size of the parts makes the project a difficult build.

The D20 has Chosen: 1/700 BB56 USS North Carolina

My very first model kit was an airplane. My first "introductory" kit was a 1/200 DD-445 which was crudely painted. Now I return to the realm of ships.

I have three kits waiting around to be built: and I don't want to go big just yet after two large projects (1/100 MG Wing Gundam and 1/100 MG Heavyarms), so that leaves two kits left that are smaller projects. Either build my Tamiya 1/35 Panzer III, or my Trumpeter 1/700 USS North Carolina. The D20 was rolled, and so the NC shall be chosen.

This trumpeter kit is really nice outside of the box. I despise working in 1/700 because of the TINY, TINY parts that often will not glue in place properly or get lost. It is truly an art form to work in this scale. For the first time in a while, some brush painting will need to be done as the airbrush takes back seat on this project (it will do the overall primer and the red hull, and that's about it).

I don't have a 1/700 ship collection sitting around (ok, I have a 1/600 Musashi, sue me), so I suppose I can start on one. The Yamato was fitted onto a brass piece that went through the hull. I will do the same for the Washington because it looks better floating in air (so you can see the hull) AND because I lost the plastic base that came with the kit... I think.

The detail on this kit is REALLY nice for something so small, and the best part about it is that Trumpeter is a company out of China, a nation known for knockoffs and devaluing their currency. Dragon and Trumpeter can pump out some of the best looking models in existence. I will probably get started on the kit tomorrow after I clean the workshop... and my room...