CVL-23 USS Princeton
- Scale:
- 1:350
- Status:
- Completed
- Started:
- December 21, 2017
- Completed:
- November 13, 2019
- Time spent:
- Almost 2 years
An ill-fated ship with an impressive service life, Princeton will star in my first 1/350 carrier build, with all possible upgrades provided it will doubtless take me a few years to accomplish.
Project inventory
Full kits
Detail and Conversion sets
USN Airborne torpedoes Mark 13 (22.4in) with trolleys - improved type (10pcs)
Master 1:350
SM-350-073 
40mm Bofors twin gun tub and rack
L'Arsenal 1:350
AC 350 16 
40mm Bofors quad gun tub and racks
L'Arsenal 1:350
AC 350 15 
Independence Class - The Airwing
White Ensign Models 1:350
35150 Figures
Boxing tournament on US navy ship ww2
North Star Models 1:350
350514 /search.php?q=*&fkMATEID[]=15656&showast=no&fkWORKBENCH[]=WB15656&page=projects&project=38730
Project references
Photoalbums
Comments
21 December 2017, 17:17
Steven Van DyckLet's start this project. The hangar deck shows quite a lot of ejector marks, those have to go.
14 January 2018, 22:58
Steven Van DyckThe iconic smoke stacks have their tops separated with Evergreen strip and are drilled open. Then some of the most delightful WEM parts are added after milling away the connector points.
23 January 2018, 21:47
Steven Van DyckWelcome aboard, the island is assembled with a lot of photo etch on it.
27 January 2018, 00:04
Martin OostromYes Sir Hardy. You can have the seat in the front, down in the forecastle. 😉
27 January 2018, 08:49
Peter HardyDon't mind me breathing down your neck Steve, I've been waiting for someone to do a Pacific Fleet Carrier! Martin, make Steve and me a coffee will you? White, no sugar. I'm too damn sweet already.
27 January 2018, 09:00
Peter HardySteve, the kit looks a bit on the rough side, other than the ejector pin marks has there been much sanding?
27 January 2018, 09:09
Steven Van DyckThe picture of the hangar insides also shows the debris caused by the Dremel mill. The parts of the pin marks that were extended above the working plane are now removed, but they are not polished. So you still see the grinding traces and the marks below the level. It's impossible to level these traces inside the partitions, without damaging these.
27 January 2018, 21:20
Peter HardyStill looks like a big job Steve, I will keep my seat and try not to distract you.
28 January 2018, 09:41
Steven Van DyckThe bridge is now built up with the early war mast and antennas. Some of the PE was fixed the wrong way around as I expected the detail to be on the top side. This was corrected by making a new stair hole with a Dremel. That strong it's built! But the bridge has a tendency to topple, so it has to be stored in a box structure. The SC-2- antenna was by far the most fiddly part, with 16 parts smaller than 2 mm that had to be spaced less than a mm apart on a framework you can't fix your eyes on. That was fun, when it was done...
6 February 2018, 22:48
Steven Van DyckThe WEM SK antenna looks very fine even compared to the sturdy Dragon part on the left. The instructions don't tell you how exactly to ply the attachment structure, only where it's fixed tot he antenna.
10 February 2018, 10:37
Steven Van DyckThese 2 images show the method of replacing the model's plastic catwalks with the superior photo-etch, releasing each gun tub from the assembly to be fixed on its own. The large case on the WEM instructions shown are catwalk parts, the small green case has some gun tubs to be replaced entirely.
17 February 2018, 23:06
Martin OostromI love your work because of your uber-detailing and I hate it because it's so out of my league. Keep this inspirational work going 👍
17 February 2018, 23:31
Steven Van DyckNo problem, Martin. Today you get some insight in the use of scale plans to reconstruct the front gun tubs. The parking plate inside had to be painted already to prevent it from reflecting.
25 February 2018, 00:39
Steven Van DyckNow the Hellcats are getting a tiny cockpit after a bit of drilling out. The railing is also added, the fit is perfect.
4 March 2018, 14:51
Steven Van DyckWelcome, Thomas. A few issues with the lower galleries PE are solved by inserting ladders and cutting girder holes in the planks. Here comparison with the reference pictures is really important.
10 March 2018, 14:24
Steven Van DyckWelcome Holger! I just painted the hangar, but not with the Lifecolor thinner, that seemed to break the paint. I just used water, that helped. The Hellcats are getting their wheels, and one also gets its flaps lowered.
1 April 2018, 13:23
Steven Van DyckThe airwing is now completed with the Trumpeter Avengers and the L'Arsenal Hellcats. Only a few of the planes have no cockpit.
19 November 2018, 23:05
Steven Van DyckNow the barbettes get 40mm ammo racks. They're nice to see but a pain to fix in the tapering barbette insides.
23 November 2018, 23:37
Steven Van DyckThe smaller barbettes are finally done, they were finished in 4 rounds to avoid insanity. Now up for the two large ones.
1 December 2018, 00:24
Steven Van DyckI entered parts of this project in the category "naked kit" at BSMC 2018 contest, in masterclass. It won silver, which is nice!
9 December 2018, 23:44
Thomas Bischoffcongratulations to the silver medal!
Hopefully you enter next year the finished model!
10 December 2018, 18:37
Steven Van DyckThanks! I hope so too. It helps that I already provided the complete Lifecolor paint set, and that a week of vacation is approaching.
10 December 2018, 20:12
