USS Pittsburgh CA-72
by Paul Helfrich

1/700 USS Pittsburgh CA-72 (Trumpeter)

This is the Trumpeter 1/700 scale model of the USS Pittsburgh, CA-72, a WWII Baltimore-class heavy cruiser. I enhanced the model with the Tom's Modelworks PE set for the railings, radars, catapults, and crane. The ocean on the base is a mix of green and dark purple paints with "water" layered up with ModPodge and Future.

I used the 40mm and 20mm guns from the kit. The 40s look OK, at least to my eye, but the 20s, less so. Eventually I'll get comfortable enough with the PE to use that for my 20 mm guns.

I really struggled with the SK-2 radar from the Tom's set and wound up replacing part of it with wire. Not in scale, but it's still an improvement on the solid plastic part in the kit. I did find the Tom's set to be harder to work with, especially on the radars and the catapults, than GMM sets I've used in the past. The catapult catwalks, in particular, seem better laid out by GMM. The Tom's set is also flimsier and less forgiving than the somewhat stouter brass in the GMM sets. It looks great, just a little harder to work with for a less-than-master-grade modeler like me.

But overall, I'm pleased with the project and found it to be a satisfying and challenging build.