ACW Naval update week six

Another quick photo log update documenting activity on the blog. Lots of little tasks have been completed. This means a couple of items are 'done' with many more limping on towards completion. It is starting to feel like progress is being made. So, more coal for the boiler fire and keep on steamin' for the goal!

What's done!

The 6 gun earthen battery from Bay Area Yards is a great model of a water battery or other suitable fortification for your naval games. The battery floor and interior walls have a brick surface with capstone on top of the wall. I've equipped the model with models of 32 pounders (which could double for guns up to say 8") on garrison carriages from Thoroughbred Figures.

Battery Buchanan is completed! This is a large four gun battery that was an element of Fort Fisher in North Carolina. The left hand guns looks out of position. Have to check on that...

To convey the size of this model, that's a Thoroughbred Figures USS Sassacus behind the battery model.

...and with the 6 gun battery immediately in front of it.

What's coming along...

Rigging continues on CSS Florida. Moved on to bracing the main mast. Hope to have that done this week and then finish the mizzen mast next week.

 

Closeup of the foremast. Just realized - I still need to paint the sails. So...a little moire work, but not too much. And really thinking about repainting those twin stacks a dark gray or black.

USS Varuna. The rigging is installed. Now to paint the riggning, tough up the rest of the paint job and install the guns.

Three new projects past the assembly stage  USS Lackawanna and CSS McRae and USS Kearsarge.

Another new model almost assembled - CSS/USS Calhoun from Bay Area Yards.

There are eight parts that make up the pictured model. Still need to add the walking beam and guns.

USS Lackawanna, assembled and ready for priming.

Close up of the forward end of USS Lackawanna's spar deck.

Aft end of USS Lackawanna. The rigging is minimal as would reflect a ship in combat.

USS Lackawanna after application of the primer coat. Should be able to get started on the paint job this week!

USS Kearsarge - ready for priming.

CSS McRae. This was a quick asssembly job. The most trying thing was getting the yards attached to the masts. I used JB Weld and a small clamp to affix the yards to the mast.

McRae after a coat of primer has covered most of the model.

ACW Naval Week Five Status Report

okay, it's been a busy, hectic week for a number of reasons, so this week's update is moe of a photo montage of what's been going on. Progress is being made, some models are nearing completion while a couple of new ones made it out of the box and onto the construction table. So without futher ado...

What's almost done...

The Yazoo Monster is done. Based up and ready for gaming. To be honest, I'm having doubts about the base coloration.

CSS Patrick Henry is almost done! Just need to work on the guns and get the rigging done. (groan...rigging.)

CSS Selma based up and just needing a flag to be finished.

Sassacus salvage project almost done. Just a little rigging and a flag and I'll call it done.

What's getting there...

CSS Florida from Bay Area Yards. This one's been sitting for years. It's stuck at the stage of needing it's rigging completed. So that's the task at hand. The foremast has most of the rigging installed. Then it's work aft to the end.

Close up of the rigging. I think the stacks need to be painted a darker color, but the raiders often went 'low visibility'.

Another model from the Bay Area Yards stable - USS Varuna. Got the masts installed and the formast has it's standing rigging in place.

What's new to the queue...

I pulled out the model for CSS McRae this week. A Confederate gunboat that fought at New Orleans,  it's model that has only been available from Bay Area Yards. It's been in the box for about 18 months since it came home with me from a trip to California.

Sorting out the parts, the masts got a bit bent in transit coming home.

The masts were pretty easy to straighten out.

It's a relatively small model compared to many other ships.

The hull with the bowsprit installed.

Overhead view of the hull.

Another new project to reach the table is USS Lackawanna. It's a near sister to USS Hartford (in the middle). The Bay Area Yards model has more of a fighting rig for the masts.

Here's an overhead view of the Lackawanna hull. These screw sloops saw extensive service on both the coasts and the Mississippi River campaigns.

USS Kearsarge is in the process of being assembled. This is a Thoroughbred Figures model that's been in the box since - ahem - 2007. Assembly has gone well so far. The outstanding items are the chain armor boxes and the bedding rolls along the tops of the gunwales.