While I wait for the full kit to arrive in the mail, I've been working on primary and secondary source analysis to allow me to accurately modify the stock kit. Model instructions often have many inaccuracies, and photo-etch kits, designed to work for any ship of a given class, do not come with comprehensive instructions. Thus, the job falls to the modeler to determine which parts or colors to use and how to use them. I have been using photographs of the San Francisco from NavSource, a database for photographs of ships, to get a sense of how the San Francisco was laid out and to what modifications needed to be made. However, the obvious drawback to using photographs from the Second World War is that the photographs are in black and white, so the modeler has no idea what color to paint certain elements, especially given the extremely vague painting guides found in most model kits. One solution to this problem is to use the eyewitness accounts of men who served on the San Francisco, but I often prefer to go off the work of other modelers instead. Highly experienced model-builders often document their work and include many photographs of the finished project, so analyzing their work is often the simplest and most effective method. I have acquired whatever necessary paint I didn't already have, so all that's left to do is wait for the actual kit to arrive. I plan to reach out to both Ms. Grimes and Mr. Lagarde tomorrow to see about arranging a meeting with Ms. Grimes to discuss Severn's database on Schonland and McCandless as well as draft a preliminary list of Severn alumni that could benefit from the project, and a connection from Mr. Lagarde to a model-building Severn alumnus, hopefully meeting with him once the kit arrives in the mail. The photo-etch sheet for the San Francisco's catapults and aircraft cranes comes with a myriad of parts. However, by analyzing photos of the ship such as this one, I was able to determine that, in 1942, the ship had two New-Orleans class aircraft cranes, and two standard-configuration aircraft catapults (the catapults on the New Orleans were slightly wider). Photographic analysis allows the modeler to recreate a ship as accurately as possible. Because I had no experience using laser-cut metal parts before, I decided to construct this metal model of an AT-99 Scorpion gunship to practice with the material before assembling the metal parts of the San Francisco. Practicing cutting out, bending, and gluing metal sheets will hopefully lower the risk of any costly mistakes with the San Francisco's photo-etch parts, and I gained valuable experience with the properties of this unique material.
1 Comment
After some difficulties acquiring a kit of the San Francisco, I have placed my own order, which should hopefully allow me to start on that aspect of the project, as I have already acquired the kit's photo etch. I return to Maryland on August 10, after which I plan to immediately begin construction of the kit while seeking out advice from a Severn model-builder I will contact within the next week or two. While I had planned to already be working on the model, a few solid weeks of effort in August should put me in a good place to complete it fairly early in the school year. In terms of research, I have contacted the U.S.S. San Francisco Association seeking information about Schonland and McCandless, and plan to publish any information I am able to obtain from them. My meeting with Ms. Grimes will allow me to begin planning of the model-building event, as well as hopefully obtaining more information. Overall, the month of August is shaping up to be very productive, as I will be able to start construction of the San Francisco and begin the planning phase of the model-building events, two key milestones that I have yet to meet.
|
Alex BreniaMy name is Alex Brenia, and I am a senior at Severn School. I am passionate about military history and service to veterans, as I come from a military family. I see this project as a unique opportunity to combine both of these interests, within the scope of the Severn community as a whole. Archives
September 2021
Categories |