by Joe Chan
1/200 USS Vella Gulf CG-72 (Scratchbuilt)
After building the 1/200 Admiral Levchenko, I was thinking of building an American counterpart of the same era. Finally I choose the Ticonderoga class cruiser for its impressive and handsome boxy superstructure.
I again used a paper model [Scheuer & Struver GmbH (2004). Aegis – Kreuzer USS Ticonderoga 1983. Hamburger Modellbaubogen Verlag.] as the building plan. I enlarged it to 1/200. I think that this paper model is excellent and detailed, but I have made a number of changes in the superstructures – as there are a number of differences between the CG-47 and CG-72.
Specifications of USS Vella Gulf (CG-72)
The hull was built first. I used the Evergreen Styrene Sheet 0.5mm to make the “skeleton”. For the body below the waterline, I used paper clay. Paper clay is cheap, and easy to mold. It's major problem was found when I wet-sanded it – it dissolved! I then added a layer of liquid putty before sanding. Afterwards Mr. Surfacer was used as a final coating.
For the main superstructure I used the styrene sheets. For the masts, weapons, various electronic equipments, the two SH-60, and numerous minor parts, I scratchbuilt them. Various kinds of materials were used. The completed model is about 86.4cm in length, 8.4cm in width, 26.8cm in height.
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