2009.01.05 20:57:00

Michael Potter

From this fine kit of USS Spokane I am modeling USS Juneau (CLAA 119) to represent her at the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950. She was the first USN ship present. I am researching whether she was the first US military unit of any kind to operate there. The model is over 95% complete. The main structural changes from the kit are the masts, the radar antennas, and the boats that replaced the aft 20mm batteries. After I broke the kitted foremast trunk, I replaced it with brass rod. The pyramidical stays, painted dark gray here, hold the foremast upright, just like on the actual ship.

Some suggestions for modelers of this kit:

1. The illustrated parts breakdown is not a sequential assembly guide. For example, you need to place the upper level liferails before you place the ladders between the provided gaps in the liferails. You need to place the ladders before you place things next to the ladders, such as CO₂ bottles.
2. Kind of minor: for the lookout sights, the "arms" point inboard, not outboard.
3. You have to drill out the hawsepipe for the anchors. I used a hand-turned .033-inch drill bit, starting from the fo'csle. Very easy.
4. I shaved off the resin wafers with a single-edge razor instead of sanding away the wafer.
5. The actual ship was a very tight design, and the model kit is very accurate. If you think you have flexibility about where to place a particular part, re-check the illustrated parts breakdown sheets because it is very likely that you are leaving out some other part!

Spokane | Juneau