| After completing the Navigation Bridge and the 5” broadside
I needed something else to build. I decided the 5”/25 AA gun was
my best choice. I used the same technique for the 5” broadside.
I cut out the patterns for the base and cut it out of the plastic. I then
proceeded to use anything I could find; yes I know that sounds bad, but
the end product looks amazing, at least I think so. I then built
the gun and breech assembly and set it aside.
With that completed I started work on the base. Looking at a 1/96
scale mount on the web, along with some reference photos of the actual
mount I added two platforms on either side of the front. I then added
a few details and decided how I was going to make the fuse setter racks
and the seat. This task had me stumped for a while, I just couldn’t
figure out how to do it. Then I finally had a stroke of genius.
In front of me was a piece of a left over sprue with a small dimple in
the center. Looking at it I realized it looked pretty close to a
seat. I cut it especially thin so it didn’t look too out of scale
then I added the assembly. Next was the fuse setter racks;
I cut three equal length pieces of plastic, glued them on the base, then
took a small, thin resin wafer left from another project and cut a small
rectangular shape. I glued that over the three pieces, then cut three
smaller pieces and applied those to the top. Lo and behold I had my fuse
setter racks!
At the beginning of the project I was daunted with the idea of having to
make the main 14 inch turrets. I looked around to see if any were
available and had no such luck. I had been conversing with Steve
Larsen through the forums and knew of his capabilities, seeing his scratch
built turrets for his 1/192 USS Missouri. I asked if he would try
making the 14 inch turrets as well and he accepted. I sent him the
information necessary to make the master. Not too long after finishing
the 5”/25 I received a package, it was my main turrets. All four
were beautifully cast and there wasn’t much cleanup needed, besides the
usual small pits or bubbles in the resin curing process. These turrets
are simply amazing, and I’ll be using them again for future projects.
Included in a few of the pictures are the 1/192 scale parts alongside
their 1/350 scale counterparts.
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