Modelik 1/200 USS San Francisco...

**RAFleischman** · #1 04-28-2012, 01:28 PM

After reading about San Francisco's trials and tribulations during the naval battles around Guadalcanal in Neptune's Inferno, she received head of the line privileges on my growing stack of models to build.

So far the model version has NOT lived up to the real ship's fame! The fit of the hull is good, but there's been several careless design flaws.

* The ship will not sit on the stand cradles because the name plates are too big. I had to cut the top and bottom off the plate for the ship to sit correctly.
* 2 of the hull plates have an area on the keel with no color
* The shaft struts aren't designed for color on both sides
---Although the shafts aren't in place yet, I think I'm going to have position issues with them.

None of the problems are serious, and like I said the hull fits together nicely, it's just simple things that a BETA build should have caught!

More to follow...

Russ

**Don Boose** · #2 04-28-2012, 01:43 PM

Your model looks great! Very precise framework and a smooth outer hull.

I appreciate your comments identifying construction challenges. I have this one in my to do pile and anticipate beginning construction in about three decades.

Don

**cwiokster** · #3 04-28-2012, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAFleischman

---Although the shafts aren't in place yet, I think I'm going to have position issues with them.

I think I see the problem here; it appears you may have accidentally swapped the port and stbd side plates. if the edges at the waterline were at the keel, that would solve the shaft alignment. Far too late to change now, so You will probably have to patch over the white spots, & mark new stern tube entry points down below.

Otherwise, She's gorgeous! hang in there.

regards,
Jeff C

**Lex** · #4 04-28-2012, 02:26 PM

I've had mixed experiences with Modelik's line of IJN ships, it doesn't sound much better with this kit... though I certainly hope otherwise.

That side, the hull looks marvellous. What did you do to stop the skin from collapsing towards inside?

**RAFleischman** · #5 04-28-2012, 02:55 PM

Thank you for the kind words...

Jeff, I don't think it's an assembly issue. The model does not have port & stbd hull plates, they go across the full width of the hull. Yup, white rectangle in the center of 2 hull plates!!?? I just used a piece of extra hull colored paper to "plate over them".

As for the assembly of the hull, I use "Sakrison's" method of assembling the hull plates to each other before assembling the plates to the hull. I use a wooden wallpaper roller to press the plates onto the frames...it seems to reduce the deformation of the plates.

More to follow...

Russ

**Fishcarver** · #6 04-29-2012, 06:21 PM

Is there a keel piece for the centre of the hull?
Jim

**RAFleischman** · #7 04-30-2012, 04:01 AM

Yup...it's just not installed in the photo.

The shafts are going in place better than expected. I painted out the white areas where the shafts come through the hull to give me a bit of room to reposition them and fiddled with the strut lengths a bit. I guess as long as she stays upright it won't be too noticeable!

Russ...

**RAFleischman** · #8 05-01-2012, 06:06 PM

I finished assembling the shafts and as I was admiring my work I noticed that the model looks nothing like the drawings included in the kit or another set of plans I have. Frantically, I searched the web to see if anyone else had the same problem.

Sure enough, I found this: [R][OUSN] USS San Francisco 1:200 (Modelik)

The locations of the shaft struts & shaft bearings are completely out of position.

Like I said in the first post...a BETA test would have found these errors in the kit!

I haven't decided whether I'm going to bail on this kit, but I think the error would drive me CRAZY!!

More to follow...

Russ

**Lex** · #9 05-02-2012, 02:42 PM

Well that's Modelik as we know it... The two shafts on my Fuyuzuki was enough to send me headscratching for solutions, four shafts would definitely be a joy...

But again, I don't think the position marks on the hull are particularly noticeable, why not move around the position of the struts (and modify their lengths) while simply ignoring the original guidelines? That said, if the hull sections themselves are out then it's definitely beyond salvation...

**RAFleischman** · #10 05-02-2012, 03:02 PM

The location of the shaft bearings & struts are off by one hull plate. They are all too far forward.

If you look at the picture, the outboard shaft bearing SHOULD be on the joint between hull plates #17 & 18 and the inboard shaft bearing should be on the joint between hull plates #19 & 20!

Had I caught that BEFORE I assembled the shafts to the hull, I probably would have been okay, but I don't think I can peel off the firmly (!) attached parts!

Lex: how are you coming with Ise? That's a great looking ship!

Russ...