First Blood -- the USS Ward attacks an IJN midget-sub *DONE*

[JohnRatzenberger]

Here's the Wikipedia article.
Here's the Ward's After Action Report.

My kit is the Midship Models 1/700 USS Ward. Although it is resin, styrene, photo-etch, and white metal, it is really very simple. Many of the parts are generic and so few are actually used. Nonetheless, I have several generic 1/700 photo-etch sets from Tom's Models that might allow me to spiffy it up.





I should note that I am somewhat peeved at the kit -- the boxart shows it to be full-hull, but once inside I find it is only waterline thus almost forcing me to do a diorama. Fortunately, among the white-metal parts is a midget sub and one of the extra PE sets I have is 1/700 sailors ....

[Dirkpitt289]

Nice...

[JohnRatzenberger]

Could this be made in 1:600 using an Airfix Campbelltown, I wonder ...

Yes, but only because the Airfix kit is closer to Ward than it is to Campbeltown even before her famous refit and final mission. Still, the Airfix kit is pretty rough and would need lots of help ....

[dknights]

Can't wait to see this. I have the Fine Molds 72nd scale (God's one true scale) kit of the Type A minisub. I keep hoping someone will release the Ward in 72nd scale. I can hope, can't I?

[JohnRatzenberger]

I have a lot of help available - the WEM PE set for Campbelltown.

me also

[JohnRatzenberger]

Today I dug into some ship refs, trying to resolve some questions. The kit has 20mm & 40mm parts circled as to be used, and shows how to assemble them as sub-assemblies, but does not show where to locate them.



and



In the latter, the cover painting by Don Greer shows the USS Ward firing on the Japanese midget sub. Of note is the appearance of what seems to be an AA gun tub on the rear deckhouse.

I know that 4-pipers were modified when provided as Lend Lease, and also when used as convoy escort & anti-sub, but in reality I can find no reference to suggest the Ward was anything other than a plain ol' 4-piper looking much like it did when built in WW1.

I will keep looking, but I think this will be a rather simple OOB build, ignoring the mythical 20mm & 40mm and whatnot ...

[Old_Tonto]

Great subject choice, never heard about that event before.

[JohnRatzenberger]

It will be next week before I can start on this, but I think I will build a diorama based on the cover painting on the Squadron book shown above -- this'll make it very much like the CBK "box-art" display at SMW this year although I guess it will really be "book-art". We'll see how that goes ....

[jssel]

Featured in the movie Tora Tora Tora also.

[JohnRatzenberger]

And we are off !!!

I have spent a bunch of time comparing the kit parts and the kit photo-etch to the 1940 class drawings in the 'AOTS-Campbeltown'. The good news is that much of it is already there or is creatable from the photo-etch. The bad news is that the white-metal 4in/50 guns (see below) are just not right, being far too small -- and there is nothing in plastic that represents them either. It appears that I will have to scratchbuild them, although in 700-scale, this won't be as much of a task as my later whining will make it out to be.



Now to go back and prep the hull for what is to follow. I have already cleaned up the 4 triple torp launchers and am debating whether they need a firing seat on them or not ... why do I do this to myself ?

[Dirkpitt289]

John.

Of all the projects in this GB I think your's is by far the most complicated due to the fact its a ship and secondly because of the time. I hope we get to see this one finished.

[JohnRatzenberger]

My time has gotten free-er and I am at work ....

In the last couple days, I have studied USN camo of the period and decided Ward was in Measure 3, the Light Gray Scheme. That means the decks are 5-D Dark Gray and everything else, including all the stuff on the deck, is 5-L Light Gray. Today I painted the decks and tomorrow I'll do the bulk of the light gray. That will only leave me detail touchup as I go along.

I have put on PE anchors, chain, and a davit in the bow. I have put the PE prop guards on the stern; not well done, but they are done. I am starting the PE depth charge racks.

Oh, yes, and I had to repair a nick out of the bow ....

I'll have pix this weekend ....

[Dirkpitt289]

My time has gotten free-er and I am at work ....

In the last couple days, I have studied USN camo of the period and decided Ward was in Measure 3, the Light Gray Scheme. That means the decks are 5-D Dark Gray and everything else, including all the stuff on the deck, is 5-L Light Gray. Today I painted the decks and tomorrow I'll do the bulk of the light gray. That will only leave me detail touchup as I go along.

I have put on PE anchors, chain, and a davit in the bow. I have put the PE prop guards on the stern; not well done, but they are done. I am starting the PE depth charge racks.

Oh, yes, and I had to repair a nick out of the bow ....

I'll have pix this weekend ....

Look forward to seeing the pictures. I'm especialy eager to see the PE depth charge racks.

[JohnRatzenberger]

So, having done the research, what colours should I paint the Arizona (znearest Humbrol equivalents will be fine).

We badly need a "can o' worms" smilie on this board ....

What does the kit say ?
Google 'uss arizona paint' and read on ...

My reference (Williams, Naval Camouflage 1914-1945) states that all battle units based at PH 7 Dec were painted Measure-1 Dark Gray System. Dark Gray 5-D overall, including the decks. The upper parts of masts and, on some ships, the funnel tops were painted-out in White. I have seen that Arizona had red turret tops.

There appears to be a change in systems about this time, phasing in the Measure 1x systems, in Sep 41. Talk about Arizona indicates it was Measure 11 Sea Blue System (Sea Blue 5-S overall) ....

5-D is almost a black-grey -- Hu67 Tank Grey ?
5-S is a lighter RAF Blue ?

Do not take me as an expert ...

*Note, I did not pick this scheme for Ward because I do not think Ward was part of the 'battle fleet'. But I may have made an error in selecting M-3 and it might have been M-2 Graded, fortunately decks are 5-D regardless.


I gotta run, SWMBO calls, I'll get back to this, but I think I'm going to switch Ward to Measure 11 also.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Thanks, I think.

So, Hu:95 overall, except for the red funnel tops. At least I don't have to worry about painting the deck demarcation, by the sounds of it.

First, I said (wrote) red *turret* tops.

Here is an image of the WEM 5-S tin-top and four Humbrol colors, see if that helps -- as I said RAF Blue (96) is too dark. I'm sure with the others some grey or blue mixed in will be close enough .....



I really suggest you do some googling, I'm no expert on all this -- witness my probable chnage of color after all my "research" .... And Arizona is one of those that brings out the JMN's ....