by Frank Spahr
1/700 USS Minneapolis CA-36 (Trumpeter)
This model depicts USS Minneapolis in the aftermath of severe damage sustained in the Battle of Tassafaronga, refering to one of the publicly available images taken while the ship was undergoing emergency repairs at Tulagi. The bow of the model was removed and some interior added using stock PE and styrene. The waterline plate was partially removed to let the fore part of the hull rest lower in the water than the stern. For further detailing, the rather demanding WEM PE set was used. Machined brass barrels by BMK were used for the main artillery, whilst the DP guns were replaced by resin items from Loose Cannon. Tapered brass by BMK made sturdy masts. The vessel was painted using acrylics from various manufacturers. A washing of artistsīs oils thinned with Humbrol thinners worked fine for the weathering, plus some drybrushing with artistīs oils. For the rigging, tan stretched sprue plus two gauges of UNI flyfishing thread were used. The crew figures are Lion Roar items.
The base is a Trumpeter display box, prepared in my usual method using wall paint for structure, airbrushed acrylics for the proper shades and lacquer-based clear gloss for the optical effect. Further effects were made from clear stretched sprues, heavy clear gloss acrylic gel and white artistīs oil paint.
