USS Minneapolis, Trumpeter 1:700 by gnomemeansgnome

[gnomemeansgnome]

Finally cutting plastic and prep painting and tacking this tub together. No plans to use the keel as I will finish it as a waterline model; I will use it for other fiendish purposes. Always liked the WW2 US Navy cruisers, but way back in time the only ones I could get here in the Great White North was the AURORA USS St.Paul or the Monogram USS Chicago, (still got that one in storage and in dire need of restoration).

Here we go....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnomemean ... ed-public/

[Dazzled]

Great start and thanks for the second GB thread.

[gnomemeansgnome]

Thanks! I love a challenge!

[gnomemeansgnome]

Further work on the Minneapolis. A good excuse to take a break from that scorcher of an early summer we have out here on the Wet Coast to tackle this interesting little kit. My first Trumpeter model ship build (I have three more by them in the stocks) and the first non-Japanese naval subject in 1:700 scale. The pieces, all eight billion of them, can only be seen with an electron microscope and require the steady and relatively un-caffeinated hand of a seasoned neuro-surgeon. Good thing I have over three and half decades of "tiny kit of a billion pieces" experience and infinite patience under my belt. That said, I am giving both eyeballs a break before they go completely googly. Seriously thinking of moving to a more visible scale after this, although I have at least a dozen more in this scale to take on. Enjoy!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnomemean ... ed-public/;

[AndrewR]

There are certainly some small bits there!

[gnomemeansgnome]

Yes, there sure are. Reminds me exactly of the Tamiya Waterline kits I have done, and still have taunting me from the stash. Slow progress since the weather is so darned agreeable, but I have since attached the waterline keel to the hull, along with the main turrets and some secondary batteries. If I can finish it I might just take complete leave of me senses and tackle another, but maybe one of my 350th scale kits instead.

[gnomemeansgnome]

Ha ha! On the home stretch here. Love how this is turning out. Makes me admire the pre WW2 naval architecture even more. Mostly done. Just needs touchup, rigging, more Carley rafts, staircases and other microscopic bits to make this complete. Might do at least one Curtiss SOC floatplane as well at some point.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnomemean ... ed-public/;

[jamesaw]

See what you mean. It does look very busy! Nice job.

[gnomemeansgnome]

Thanks so much! But yeah I think the payoff with all those tiny parts is the effect of a greater wealth of 'busy-ness' with the details.

[gnomemeansgnome]

Well, I think the old girl is pretty much ready to sail. Am pecking away at the Curtiss SOC floatplanes, and may add them in a bit.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnomemean ... ed-public/;

[gnomemeansgnome]

Can't stop.......must...build....more.....top secret photos to follow....