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Author Topic: U.S.S. Langley CV-1  (Read 19142 times)

dlancast

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U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« on: July 01, 2017, 02:51:46 pm »

Well folks, I placed an order for my next model project.  I was searching for something very unique, that would have good detail and interesting history and eye appeal.  I came upon a kit from Ironworks of the very first aircraft carrier the USN built.  A converted Collier, they built a flat top over the ship with one elevator and flew vintage bi-planes on and off the deck.  The year was 1930.  Interestingly, the ship lacks all of the advanced electronics of WW2 Navy ships. In fact, they built a pigeon coop on the stern hoping to use the birds to send and recieve msgs.  Unfortunately the birds flew away and did not return.  They turned the coop into a stateroom for one of the officers.  The Langly served well during the early part of WW2 and was later converted to a seaplane tender.  She was later damaged by enemy fire, that she had to be sunk at sea to avoid capture.   The model promises to be challenging at 1/350 scale, the hull and many cast parts are resin with a good amount of PE, mainly used for the extensive girder ironwork to support the deck.  Many individual airplane kits are provided.  I can't say that I love the look of the ship, but I like the challenge to build.  I should be starting in two weeks, so stay tuned.  Here is a link: http://www.steelnavy.com/ISWLangleyDJ.htm
Regards,  Dennis
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TailUK

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2017, 04:05:30 pm »

You might like to look at this page  http://www.hnsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ac3.pdf  It's a general arrangement drawing of USS Jupiter the navy Collier that was converted into the Langley.  There are no hull lines but as it's a free download it wouldn't hurt to have it . 
There was also an article in the American magazine Fine Scale Modeller.  the modellers name was Bob Santos and he was building a waterline model to 1/700 but again there was a lot of useful information I'll see if I can find the issue and get a scan for you.
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2017, 06:20:24 pm »

Thanks for the info, that will be useful.  Yes, she was the Jupiter.  I believe I came across that waterline model of the Langley on-line after the builder finished her 1/700. Very nicely done.  Now that is a small scale.  its going to be an interesting build.  Dennis
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ballastanksian

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2017, 08:37:45 pm »

I am already looking forward to your build log Dennis.
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tghsmith

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2017, 10:38:43 pm »

  some of master modeler William Blackmore's work,, there is a thread on WMU but due to photo bucket you can't see the pics..
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2017, 04:01:53 am »

Ok folks, the fun begins,  I have just received box one of two of the USS Langley model.  Seems they had to cast new hulls, so that will be coming in a week or so.  In the mean time, I have a ton of very small bi planes to build.  Essentially, most of the aircraft is cast in resin,  I have to glue on two support struts, top wing, wheels and propeller for each one.  I think I have around 30 to build for the model. There is alot of cleanup to do yet as I begin priming and glue on struts.  Wing span is 30mm on these OU2's.  Well, I wanted a demanding prooject :((   Dennis
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2017, 04:02:24 am »

more.
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2017, 04:02:48 am »

more.
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TailUK

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #8 on: July 17, 2017, 09:56:37 am »

Whose castings are those? 
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2017, 02:21:51 pm »

Iron Shipwrights.  I noticed that some of the resin aircraft castings have voids, then I noticed a couple of packages of the same aircraft cast in plastic and concluded they are backup parts for any of the resin castings that have failed or are unrepairable.   Voids in resin castings is very common and can't seem to be avoided.  At this scale, it is probably a hit and miss kinda thing.  So far, my test aircraft is starting to shape up nicely as I work on it.  I plan to add some additional scale support for the wheels and maybe the upper wing... those struts are very thin and delicate... one wrong move and down she goes.  I like messing with challenges like this.  I will probably regret that statement when I get into the flight deck support system.  More like jewlery making I suppose.  Maybe I should have gone into that line of work, I'd be richer ;) Dennis
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TailUK

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2017, 02:29:28 pm »

A guy down at my old model club used to joke that "1/700th photo etch was why they invented Prozac"  but just remember to take it one piece at a time and try to avoid dropping any of it on the carpet.
I'd have expect the resin casting to be better than those as Iron Shipwright is one of the better names in resin cast models.
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2017, 02:51:06 pm »

I have never tried 1/700... now you are talking small scale and parts.  I have been mostly used to 1/200 scale, but after proving that I can do the 1/350, decided to go that route for these aircraft carrier models.  I agree, the quality of casting on these parts is marignal.  Ironshipwrights is very good about replacing parts, which is a good thing at the price I had to pay for this kit.


Many aspects of model making are changing as technology provides better ways to produce finer parts and details.  I'm an ol guy and was raised on balsa and tissue paper using razor blades.  I'm not complaining.  The fun factor has gone up with the prices.  Dennis
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ballastanksian

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2017, 03:07:35 pm »

I would have cast them in pewter as they are no weight, and you should get a better surface finish.

I look forward to see these all built and painted Dennis.

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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2017, 06:10:36 pm »

Well, maybe I'll get better at it as I work through 30 aircraft, but truthfully, I am not happy with the results.  The scale is so small that I will have difficulty adding any addional support struts, which should be there, but are not supplied in the kit in PE unfortunately.  The landing gear is minimal, I need to figure out a way to make better tires, all it is is flat PE, which is a circle with two struts attached.  I suppose, after you get several sitting together on a flight deck, it will be ok.  Even the decals were a bit daunting, as the star went down first, then the red dot had to be added.  Boy, it sounds like I'm doing some whining here, but I sure hope the rest of the kit is better than this.  Instructions are minimal and they even admit that they made an error in PE for the deck supports, so you have to replace the old with new and somehow figure out where all that goes.  For the money I spent on the kit, I'm so far not giving it very high marks, plus, I still have not received the hull and deck.. maybe this week?  No tracking.   {:-{   Ho hum, I'll do what I can folks, be patient with me.  Dennis
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #14 on: July 18, 2017, 06:11:00 pm »

more.
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #15 on: July 18, 2017, 06:11:24 pm »

more.
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TailUK

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #16 on: July 18, 2017, 07:26:50 pm »

I made some vehicles in 1/300th scale a while back and I used the plastic insulation of a piece of copper wire.  Sliced into very thin slices. 
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #17 on: July 18, 2017, 07:38:48 pm »

Brilliant.... if I can find insulation that will have an ID that will come close to the diameter of the PE wheel...it might work.  I'll give it a go and tks so much for the tip. ok2  Dennis
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ballastanksian

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #18 on: July 18, 2017, 08:42:32 pm »

Do not worry Dennis, we know very well that it is the kit and not your skills that are not giving you the 100% success rate. New wheels will make those aircraft much much better. I think your decals have gone on very well considering their microscopic dimentions! I would have surrendered and added the red spot with a small brush and some paint  %%

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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #19 on: July 18, 2017, 10:07:48 pm »

Ok, got new wheels on.  Thank you so much for the tip.  I'm much more happy with the result.  Turns out the flat PE round surface formed a perfect base to glue the sliced insulation on to.  I can probably try to slice just a bit thinner for a more scale look.  But it works!  Yahoooo! :o  Dennis
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #20 on: July 18, 2017, 10:08:13 pm »

more.
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ballastanksian

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #21 on: July 19, 2017, 10:44:02 pm »

Now isn't that sweet? I hope none of your house hold electrial appliances suffered for the model making cause!!

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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #22 on: July 20, 2017, 12:08:22 am »

hahahah.... {-)   At 1mm a slice, I doubt I will make an impact.  Truth is that if I hadn't found just the right size wire in my kit in the garage, I was eyeing other sacrifical appliances in the house, such as the dead dish washer that is just taking up space until we can afford to replace it.  I can just see the picture.. wife comes home from work to find the washer torn apart, wires all over the place about the kitchen counter..... perfect excuse......."Hi honey, I just decided to try to fix it"... ta..da.. score points on that one mate!  O0   Dennis
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #23 on: July 20, 2017, 05:25:14 pm »

The hull and deck finally arrived.  I must say that the resin casting is beyond words.  Detail abounds with hull plating, hatch doors, winches.  Can't say enough good things and very minal flash to clean up.  Deck is wood with printed on planking.  I will stain and then seal (both sides).


Ok, back to aircraft.  I'd really like to get all 30 out before moving on.  I'm still getting used to this small scale.  One point, the kit manufacturer states several times in instruction sheets that they will replace any part lost or unusable, no question.  That is comforting.  I almost took them up on it with the aircraft, but they supplied enough extra parts to make up for the bad stuff (I think they had a bad batch and just threw in more hoping the builder could get out the correct number.)  I'd be curious to watch the casting process.  Anyone out there seen it done?  Dennis
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dlancast

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Re: U.S.S. Langley CV-1
« Reply #24 on: July 20, 2017, 05:25:41 pm »

more.
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