1/96th 1895 Texas progressing

Well, the hull mods are about 85% done, not perfect by any means but you won't mistake it for anything else. Had to cut out 6 1/4" from the centersection, made a fiberglass plug and carved away the enter lower bow section and replaced it with the plug to get that narrow ram look that the Texas had rather than the bulbous lower bow of the type you see on modern ships. Raised the main deck about 3/8", narrowed the rear hull upper portion significantly. Working on all those sponsons now...that is tough, (sponsons are provided and are adequate for an R/C boat but i want something a little more accurate and detailed as I am making mine for the mantel. Making them out of balsa. The forward 6 pdr sponsons were indented though. More cutting into the hull to try and capture their profile. However, as a beginner who has only made one plastic model ship in my life forty years ago (a 1/600 Graf Spee when I was about 10)I would rather work with the fiberglass battleships.com hull than make a wooden hull myself. Saves a ton of time. Maybe the skills I learn from making this model will help me one day make a proper fine scale model of the ship or will at least inspire someone to do so. If any of you are thinking about making an R/C or "scale" model out of a battleshipmodels.com hull contact me as I have learned a ton in the scant few weeks I have had the hull (I am the first to order a Texas hull, technically a "preproduction hull" and Lennie is still working on the prototype Texas). Lennie, the proprietor is a great guy and is open to suggestions on improving his product as well as providing pointers and instructions. The hulls are very strong and will take a lot of abuse and modification. I am taking pictures as I progress so contact me if you decide to take on the kit and choose not to make it stock from the box. What is really good about these pre-dreds is that one: they are "different", look great when painted in red, white, and buff, and also are not overwhelming in size for the scale...even the first class BB's are less than four feet long, perfect for a mantel. They can also be detailed to your hearts content as they were very "busy". I have a 1/350th Titanic hull (I haven't built it) and can put several 1/350 predred hulls (haven't built them either) inside the hull with room to spare. These were not large ships by any means, but they have a lot of character. I have been trying to get Lennie to consider a 1/350 Vizcaya, but he is concentrating on US Battleships (not just predreds), and carriers, but he is also producing monitors (all classes, it appears). However, from what I am learning about the Texas, it may not prove hard at all to convert one of hulls to a Vizcaya class predred cruiser. Really proving to be an enjoyable experience.

AL

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old hoodoo
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Question:

Where did you get drawings of the Vizcaya?? Somewhere I have a photograph of the wreck of the "Almirante Oquendo" taken many years ago by my Great Uncle when he was in the Navy.

Bill Shuey

old hoodoo wrote:

Reply to
William H. Shuey

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