USS Sybil Ludington

[Tiberious]

Okay, so my 1/700 Ise hit the back burner...

On to other things!

Which in this case is the Trumpeter kit of the 1/350 USS Independence, LCS-02. I am, however, doing her as the USS Sybil Ludington, LCS-22.

She is in honor of the 16 year old Sybil Ludington, the eldest daughter of a Revolutionary War officer, Col. Henry Ludington. She is known as the female Paul Revere, although I think it should be the other way around, seeing as she went twice as far as the older gentleman, from 9pm until dawn to round up the 400 men of her father's forces in order to defend a town (and munitions) from British forces.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybil_Ludington

Following the instructions, I started with the main gun and CIWS.



It comes with PE which I am putting on with the help of Micro Kristal Clear.


And this is the main hull, still without work as yet.


More updates to follow, hopefully quickly as I'm doing three other models and there's a show coming up!

[The Mad Klingon]

Great build choice.

[Tiberious]

Did some more work on the Sybil.

I used Mr.Dissolved Putty on the bow and closed up the hangar bays. There's no detail in there at all, and seeing as I didn't intend to detail it myself, I shut the doors. I may have a chopper or two on the deck when done.





Onto the insert bays on the flanks, they are full of mold release depressions. Right where they are the hardest to get at, of course...
I thought about how I was going to fill them, either with mini discs or trying to use putty and sanding in there.
Then I just decided to cut them apart.



Luck was with me on the cutting, as the tiny little 'fingers' coming down from the top were actually missed in the cutting. After a little work with the knife and a sanding stick, the remaining 'flash' was removed.
Then I glued a new backing to it. It's clear plastic, but I painted its back to see it better.



The other side has a hatch covering the opening, so I didn't need to do that with the that one. A little piece of styrene glued into it covered the depression.

So, I thought from there it would be a quick build, as OOB as it can be otherwise. Until I came across a recent pic of the Independence and the Corodado in formation and I noticed an addition to the Indy... Bridge wings!


And the railings have since been pushed out to the edges of the deck. Notice the slightly different bows too. Also notice the Coronado's Mk-46 turrets. Just behind the radar domes.
I'll have to see what I can do with some styrene, a knife and a sanding stick...

Here's a site with some good reference pics on the Independence.
http://markrahrens.wordpress.com/201...new-lsd-class/

I started on the bridge wings next. I sanded down a deleted window, where the PE door will go and then used cardboard to mock out the floor.



Then transferred that to styrene.



Now, it's just putting on their walls and sanding them smooth, and then fiddling them into place.

So much for now, and more later...

[Tiberious]

And a little more work on the wings. I also sanded the bow and the hull went together with a click! It looks like it's about to hydroplane!

[Tiberious]

Sum moar done...

I closed up the fantail, which was a little work in itself. I don't know if it was me or the manufacturer, but the rear plate was difficult to fit. As it was, the two notches to either side of the stern had to be shimmed in as their floors were too high. I think if I was to build this again, I'd glue the rear plate to the upper hull first, before mating it with the bottom. But oh well, live and learn!
Please, do not take note of the upsweep on the stern of the flightdeck...


I also redid the bit on the bow. The Indie and the Cor have two different anchor points on the bow, the Indie's having been reworked, I guess at the same time they put on the bridge wings.
So I wanted mine to be a little different too.




Then I started putting on the bridge wings, in the process of which I did not account for the slant on the outer railing to match the lean of the superstructure's side. So, out went a sanding stick and careful trimming before adding on a new railing that now leans inward...



So so, so far. I think if I can keep having to redo seems, I should be able to get her finished up in a week. Or so...

[The Mad Klingon]

Out of box? What is this Out of Box you speak of. I have not built anything OOB for 15 years. I try, I really do. Still lookin' good!

[Tiberious]

Okay, I need some opinions on weapon placement. In addition to the Searam I have a couple of Phalanx guns. I want both on the ship, but where to put them is a question. Here are three options I'm thinking of.





Opinions..?

[Lord Darth Beavis]

Is this the ship that is currently named Gabrielle (gag!) Giffords? If so, Sybil Ludington is a FAR superior name to its current namesake.

[The Cat]

I'm getting lots of ideas from watching this build.

[Tiberious]

It's been a little while, hasn't it?

I've decided to put the Ludington back on the front burner, seeing as my 1/1000 Yamato was languishing without completion. I'm also changing her registery to LCS-22, seeing as there are only twenty planned for the LCS program.

As to her name, I've never liked naming ships after politicians. Animals and places, and others such as Indefatigable and Enterprise, those I like. If it's going to be named after a person, make it someone who really did something, someone who gave their life, or risked it in defense of their nation and fellow citizen. Above and beyond the call of duty.

The case of Gabrielle Giffords falls into that latter category, as far as I'm concerned. No, she wasn't a soldier, but she took on a job that she knew would make her a target for any crazy with a grudge about a feather falling on their lawn...

Those should be few exceptions and not the rule.

Anyway... onto the plastic!

These are just some minor updates, and really most of it I did a while ago.

I started putting the photo etch in place.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...pszbgj2mpf.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...psant2smaq.jpg

I also put some bridge doors on for both bridge wings. I have some 1/350 searchlights that'll go on them and I'll make some misc boxes to go along the edges.

I also decided to add some detail to the boat bay on the side. The instructions have the launch just placed on the platform with a tiny crane arm off to the side. Looking at on-line pictures, the platform has been extended out some and a larger crane is in place.

https://markrahrens.files.wordpress....sc_3649001.jpg

So, I'm going to try and replicate that as much as I can.

I've already extended the deck outward.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...psp3o7dgyq.jpg

And here's a template for one side of the crane arm.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...psreh3qitd.jpg

I'll see about doing a little more tomorrow.

[Tiberious]

New update!

A short one.
I'm putting the boat crane together. I finished cutting the two sides out and gluing spars between them. I also thought to add a ledge for the boat to sit on, both to keep it from sliding off and because I do see it in the picture. Now, I'm not trying for exactly the same, but close enough for my feeble efforts.

Here.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...psllfoghiz.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...pssrwrepsv.jpg

And glued together and set in place just to see how it looks. The two upper points are going to be bent inward to form the a-frame of the crane. Then there'll be some bits and do-dads to busy it up a little bit, as well as some further spars going across for support.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...psuyjew53k.jpg

Next for the area is a fence to go around the outer perimeter, and I'll need to put some PE railings on the upper ledge and a door somewhere...

Til next time!

[Tiberious]

Getting closer on the crane being done.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...psgm95vkq7.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...psb6ffy2rm.jpg

[kellyj]

In regards to the CIWS mounts...The single mount midships on the aft superstructure is the only one allotted. The squares directly aft of where the comms domes mount are module slots for either the 30mm gun or future anti-surface missile system. Putting additional CIWS outboard will interfere with line of fire. The area forward (above the bridge) is not structurally strong enough to take the weight of a fwd facing mount. Plus the CIWS on board radar will cause EM interference with bridge equipment.
As an aside, their is some thought to swapping the 57mm gun with an OTO 76mm (like the FFG7 gun). But nothing firm on that yet.

[Tiberious]

In that instance, could one be placed before the bridge structure, behind the deck doors on the bow? Yes, there's no clear forward firing arc passed the deck gun, but I would imagine with the ship maneuvering in combat, firing directly ahead would be lest likely to happen.

http://i.imgur.com/0FtXDjY.jpg

And I'm thinking of putting vertically launched missiles tubes in the hatch area.

[Tiberious]

'nother tiny update.

My thick fingers ruined the tiny barrel-cradle thingies that go to either side of the stern, so I made some replacements. These are my second attempts, and I think they look pretty good. Probably even better with the barrels in place.

http://imgur.com/a/meGTW#0
http://imgur.com/a/meGTW#1

Next I'm going to fashion the railing for the boat deck.

Till later!