USS Lexington CC-1 battlecruiser scratchbulid / kitbash

[battlewagon]

My latest project is to build the Battlecruiser USS Lexington from the 1920/21 concept drawings. This version had two oval funnels and 4 - 16" dual turrets. The hull and the base of the superstructure are scratchbuilt, the detail parts are from the GHQ kits listed below. The plan is to build the hull up to the deck house level, create a flexible mold and do a resin casting of the hull to detail (portholes, deck fixtures, etc) before making a final mold for the "production hull" that will be built out. I have to decide whether to go with either the 1920's look with open mount dual purpose guns on the O-1 level along with the casemate guns, or go for a 1942 era minor refit, removing the casemate guns and dp guns and adding 5"/38 cal dual turrets and a catapult and crane aft and some AA mounts.

Materials for scratchbuild portion
Hull - 111mm L x 13mm W x 3mm H balsawood
01 Level deck - 41mm L x 11mm W x 2.5mm H ABS plastic sheet
Deck houses - 1.5mm high styrene plastic strip 3mm x 7mm (qty 2), 3mm x 8mm (qty 1)
Barbettes (4) - 5/32" (4.0mm) dia. Tube, cut to size

Parts list:
• Funnels (2) - GHQ HMS Hood kit
• Superstructure / forward cage mast - GHQ USS Colorado kit
• Main cage mast - GHQ USS Colorado kit
• 16" Turrets (4) - GHQ USS Colorado kit
• Boat cranes (2) - GHQ USS Colorado kit

Calculating the size of the model:
I took the specifications for the overall and waterline length and the maximum beam and created a set of conversion tables in Excel to create the scale lengths in millimeters for any feature I could measure on the line drawings.

Making the template for the hullform:
I scanned the 1:1250th scale line drawings from Battleships and Battle Cruisers by Siegfried Breyer and used Adobe Photoshop Elements to reduce them to 1:2400th scale.
It took a few tries to get it to print out at the correct size, but I proved to be more stubborn than the printer and the software.

I attached my overhead main deck view to the balsa wood blank to show the shape of the hull so it can be cut / sanded to shape. I can also use the template to double check the dimensions of the superstructure base and the placement of the turrets, stacks, etc.

At the beginning of the project:


The hull and the O-1 level with templates:


The shaped hull, O-1 level and the deckhouses:


16" barbettes with the hull and deck just prior to assembly


I will be assembling these components soon and then I will create a mold and cast a resin hull. More to follow. As always, questions welcomed.

[dougeagle]

That is very impressive so far. Can't WAIT to see what it looks like afterwards

[Carthaginian]

I really love what you are doing, its far more advanced than what I am trying. Here I have a G3 battlecruiser under construction, and CC1 under construction, with the original 7 funnel version, just for something different.

[battlewagon]

Carthaginian, I recognized those ships without the descriptions as soon as I saw them. Very nice. One reason I went with the 1920 version is that I wasn't sure where I could come up with that many funnels.

[Donald M. Scheef]

I commend both battlewagon and Carthaginian for their efforts. I would like for GHQ to produce any of these designs.

I have a question for Carthaginian about the source of his plans for the G3 model. The superimposed location of the forward 6" turrets seems to restrict the traverse of 'B' mount 16" turret and is contrary to other illustrations I have seen (such as Siegfried & Breyer "Battleships and Battlecruisers 1905-1970"). These sources also show the aft 6" turrets superimposed and towards the aft part of the superstructure. I like the addition of the aircraft catapult, but this would not have been in the original design. If these ships had been built as in S&B, the 6" turrets could not have been moved and the aircraft facilities would have had to be located farther forward (perhaps hanger around aft stack with cross-deck catapult aft of this, as in reconstructed 'Renown').

A number countries had plans for advanced capital ships of similar power. Although some of these are remote, I would like for GHQ to produce any of these. (For the Japanese, French, Italian, and Austrian; after the completed ships of WWI are available).

US:
- Lexington (CC1) design battlecruiser (as in battlewagon's project)
- Lexington battlecruiser (WWII-era refit)
- South Dakota (BB49) design battleship
- South Dakota (WWII-era refit)

UK:
- HMS Hood battlecruiser (as built)
- HMS Hood (planned 1942 refit)
- G3 battlecruiser design
- N3 battleship design

Germany:
- Mackensen battlecruiser design
- ersatz Yorck battlecruiser design
- L20a battleship design

Russia:
- Imperator Nikolai I battleship
- Borodino battlecruiser design
- 1914 battleship design (several were evaluated)

Japan:
- Kaga battleship design
- Kii battleship design
- Amagi battlecruiser design
- No.13 battlecruiser design

France:
- Normandie battleship design
- Lyon battleship design
- 1913 M. Grille battlecruiser design

Italy:
- Francesco Caracciiolo battleship design

Austria-Hungary:
- ersatz Monarch design

[battlewagon]

Well, it was either yard work or make some progress on the Lexington...guess what I picked!

Update: I glued the deck houses in place after drilling out mount holes for the forward superstructure and the after cage mast. I then drilled out mount holes for the boat cranes and drilled out mount holes for the funnels in the forward and after deck houses.

Here is a photo of the test fit of the superstructure, cage mast, B turret, X turret and the funnels. I still need to shorten the barbette for X turret a little bit. So far, so good.



My next step is to add the armor belts at the waterline...details to follow.

[battlewagon]

Update - sort of:
I'm back from vacation (Great photos of the USS Constitution and the USS Massachussetts and a Pershing tank...but that is something for another thread)
I am temporarily stalled as I need to pick up some 1mm wide styrene strip stock for the armor belts. In the meantime I am preparing to put down some 0.5 mm styrene strips for the decking under the anchor chains. I will also be sanding the "A" and "Y" barbettes down a little as the test fit showed them to be too high. I hope to have another update and some more photos later this week.

[battlewagon]

Update: I found the right width of strip styrene for the armor belts (evergreen #103 - 0.25 x 1.5mm) and the glue is drying on them right now. I have attached the O-1 level (superstructure base) to the hull and added the barbettes for "A" and "Y" turrets after dry fitting them a couple of times to make sure I made enough room for the back of the turrets to be clear of the barbettes behind them. I will be adding strip styrene on the forecastle for the plating under the anchor chains. I also will have to re-drill the mounting holes for the boat cranes, as my current holes are about 3mm too far forward so they have been filled in with Squadron Green putty. I also used the putty around the "B" turret barbette where there was a gap between it and the hull.

I am trying to work out the best way to construct the breakwater forward of "A" turret and I will be adding some ventilators and other deck fittings. As we all can tell from the previous batch of photos, the funnels from the HMS Hood kit are the right shape but are too tall compared to the artist's conceptual drawings of CC-1. Shortly I will be sawing off the part of the funnels below the flange on the casting. That should put the funnels at the correct height.

I will be posting more pictures shortly.

[Donald M. Scheef]

Taking a look at the photo posted April 10: I think you should remove the radar antenna from the fore mast.

Don S.

[battlewagon]

Here are a couple of pictures of the current state of my USS Lexington CC-1 build:

Broadside view


Overhead view


Re: the radar antenna on the forward mast - I am leaving it on for now until I decide whether I will stay with the theoretical "as launched" configuration, or take the "what if" one step further with a 1942 / 43 era minor refit. Since I am planning on making a resin casting of the hull, I might just buy some more spare parts and build both variants.

[battlewagon]

Finally...an update!

Life sure does get in the way of one's hobbies sometimes, doesn't it. I have added some detail to the forecastle and did some finish sanding and patching with Squadron Green Putty. I have hot glued the hull into my mold box "drydock" made from Legos and sealed with clay. (At my age, I have finally bought my first box of Legos).

Here is CC-1 in the "drydock" right before I poured the silicone mold compound over it:



If all goes well, I will remove the mold from my original and shortly thereafter pour my first casting of the hull.

More updates and pictures to follow!

[sjolly75 H4]

Battlewagon,

Thanks for the update! It looks great, and I like what you made your mold out of. My son may have to give up some of his Legos if I ever get that far with my scratchbuild. I look forward to additional updates as well as the final product!

Steve

[battlewagon]

I had to buy the Lego starter set to get enough blocks to build my drydock. They worked perfectly, I sealed the bottom layer with modeling clay and very little silicone seeped between the blocks. I removed my intact original from the mold this morning and I will mix up a batch of two part plastic later to make my first production hull. I may need more parts to build both the 1920's configuration and a 1942 what if design. ( 5"/38 twin mounts amidships and a catapult and crane on the quarterdeck)

I am using the Alumilite Super Casting Kit to make the mold and the hull(s).

With regards to the GHQ "spare parts" to complete this project, I will need to shorten the funnels a little to match the design drawings. I am using the funnels from an HMS Hood kit and I will cut a section out of the middle of each one co I can keep the funnel cap and the funnel base. I will use an Xacto saw blade to cut the funnels and then file down the funnels to the proper height when I reattach them to their bases.

More progress and more pictures soon!

[battlewagon]

Success!...well mostly. My first attempt didn't go as well as planned. The 2 part plastic mixture began to "go off" in mid pour. see the photo below for a good laugh.



Attempt # 1 is the one sticking out of the pink Dixie cup. When the directions say you have 15 to 20 seconds to mix the parts...they aren't joking!

Attempt # 2 is at the bottom of that photo along with the original and the mold. Here is a picture of the original and attempt # 2 side by side.



I did get a couple of bubbles on the barbettes, but nothing that can't be patched with a little putty and a little effort. I will also have to sand down the waterline to make it flat and level again. All in all, a good looking hull on the second try.

Well, I am off to do some sanding and patching. Updates to follow.

[av8rmongo]

Which Alumilite formula are you using? I've used their products quite a bit and the one I use gives you a minute or so to mix and will set in another 2-5 minutes depending on temperature of the mold, humidity etc.

Paul