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1/700 Confederate Raiders CSS Alabama, CSS Florida

Funny 'Pup! In fact, yesterday was the 76th anniversary of the battle of Leyte Gulf. The last day anyway. Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf's gunfight in the Surigao strait. Task Force 38's pilots return to give Kurita Takeo's battleships & cruisers the proper pasting they deserved.
The search for survivors of the US Navy ships sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy, USS Gambier Bay, USS Johnston and USS Samuel B. Roberts, begins in earnest.
A momentous day in Naval History.
 
CSS Alabama with all Her laser-etched details in place. Her bridge will be a separate part with ladders going up each side of the main deck to it. Once the glue cures out, I'll re-texture the faux deck planking near the skylights and hatches and scribe around them for relief. Gun ports will be detailed inside and out of the main deck rail. Once I attach the portside main deck rail, I can start on Alabama's forecastle details. I cain't decide whether the base of the smokestack will be part of the main deck or stack. :hmm:
Time will tell.
Stay tuned to your Confederate Navy Raider channel for more exciting updates as this thrilling (never ending) story develops! Wuht?
Thanks for looking in!

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I was up late again. My Sweetheart slumbering blissfully, I forged ahead (just a little bit) on the interior rail details for CSS Alabama's gun ports. A little scribing around the raised laser etched details so the mold will show a little relief, black permanent marker to make sure the subtle deck planking detail will be suitably subtle in this dinky scale. Bits of plastic to block out the main deck gun ports. Jus' a lil' bit! I await the arrival of a generic wood deck sheet for use on CSS Arkansas and USS Carondelet's horizontal surfaces. Perhaps CSS Florida too.
We shall see.
Thanks for looking in!
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When I started the little model company making little model kits, I will confess I rushed the Masters on the first few Kits.
So then, to make a kit that was more fun and easier to build, I did my "Model penance" by making better Masters and making new molds. I did NOT Rush the 1/350 USCG Point class Cutter set and those kits will stand up to ANY other Cottage-made resin ship model kit very nicely. (They didn't sell very well. Whaddyagonnado?) Carondelet, Alabama, Florida and Arkansas will NOT be rushed. No new molds until I am completely happy with these Masters. If I am not satisfied, why on God's Good Green Earth would anyone else be?

I've learned an awful lot since 2015. TLAR Models still pays for it's own materials. If you factor in the amount of time it takes to make a Master for a $35.00-$50.00 kit, all the p/e bits I gather to include in them and then building my own kit to write overly lengthy, humorous, illustrated instructions IN ENGLISH, a more financially minded Man would have admitted defeat long ago.
I say "Damn the Martinis! Full (not truly!) Speed Ahead! :drunks: :drink:Drinks: My apologies to Admiral Dewey!

Thanks for looking in! :notworthy
 
Glad to see you back to building.
Sorry, I went back to work,
Pictures tomorrow (Saturday) for you.
 
First attempt at fitting the adhesive backed scale wood decking to CSS Florida. I won't peel the backing and install it until after I get the hull details sorted out. What if a guy added the deck hatches, gratings, skylights and smoke stack bases to the decking first? :hmm: An interesting side note, the decking is translucent enough to see my reference marks for Florida's twin raked smokestacks and Her masts.

This first attempt has gone so well so far. I took a break to have Friday Happy hour with my Sweetie.

Thanks for looking in!

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Thanks Guys! I REALLY want to stick the wood deck to CSS Florida! I isn't time yet. There are lots of details to add. Not any easy task given the dearth of reference material on John Newland Maffitt's most famous
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command. I used my Waldron punch set to make the holes for masts & stacks.
Thanks for looking in!
 
Thanks Men! The centerline changed a teeny bit as the hull & main deck were shaped. Using .010 strip on the railings was just a bit flimsy, but closer to scale thickness for CSS Florida. I'll pick out the gun ports in a way similar to Alabama. Both Confederate vessels were built in the same British ship yard.
She will mount 8 guns. 2 pivot guns on the centerline and 3 24 pounder cannon on each side. 9" Dahlgren guns will stand in for Florida's Blakely 7-inch pivot rifles in this scale. The 1/700 3D printed cannon look similar.
TLAR plans to produce 3 initial Raiders sets for sale. The Federal revenue cutter Caleb Cushing will be included as well.
 
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