USS Utah BB-31 build

Here is my USS Utah, a 4 unit 28 sec dreadnought from the great war. She is being built to fast gun rules with the MWCI. The pictures show her as she is, with the main hull skeleton complete but lacking anything else. If all goes well, I'll put in the impenetrable material (1/4" balsa) today, then go from there. Utah has a big history, from her serving in the great war to her destruction at Pearl Harbor.

her hull

view of her hull from the bow

Utah's bow

view down her hull from the stern

her stern

Inside the hull. My younger brother took the photo, I don't know why it turned out so crooked. Maybe the way he was holding the camera. I probably should have taken off the deck first.


hardware kit parts

deck planking

the step deck

 

Very cool, it looks awesome. Good job!

 

Well, I have between 1/4 and 1/3 of the 1/4" balsa in, besides the 1" of hard area in the stern. I also did some of the hard area in the bow. Tomorrow, I'll hopefully finish putting in the 1/4" balsa, then move on to sanding and fitting the prop shafts.

 

Nice wood work so far. I will be watching your wip with great interest. My next one might have to be wood. I don't know where to find a New Mexico in fiberglass. That and the money.
Keep up the great work.
Kim

 

great looking project. the attention to detail in those hull planks makes a great effect

 

Thanks for the complements guys. Kim, as I recall, the Bowning Shipyards in Australia sold a New Mexico hull in fiberglass. I'm not sure if he is still in business, but Mark Raue of Dreadnought Hulls (site link can be found on the MWC website) may have the mold, I noticed on the website that some of his other molds came from the Bowning shipyards. Of course, shipping a hull of that size would be rather expensive, but if you wanted a fiberglass hull then that is the only place I know of that sells NM. However, if you do choose to go with a wooden hull, I would highly recomend it. The wooden hull gives me a real satifaction that I built it and not someone else.
Magoo, glad you liked the planking. It's actually quite simple to do with a ruler and pencil.

 

Looks great! Brings back memories when I started out in this hobby building my warships out of wood.

 

Thanks!
Update, adding the imperetrable material is coming very slow. If I make good prrogress today, I may add pictures tonight or tomorrow.

 

I look forward to seeing the pics.