I finished my last blog with the Periscope Shears and the lookout platform built.  I’ve been rather busy adding quite a bit of detail to this part of the superstructure.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take a lot of pictures (read none) to show the progress.  But I will show each of the details I’ve added now.  Reference photo is at the bottom.

I’ll start with the SJ Radar mast.  In the Lapon’s 1944 yard modifications, this mast was moved aft of the Periscopes.  I used the White Ensign (WE) PE set to make up the supports for the mast.  As you can see in the pictures, this required modifying the aft periscope support.  I don’t know if this is technically correct, as I can’t find any pictures with clear views of this angle.  But it had to be done to make the mast fit.

The SJ radar is from the Eduard PE set, and pieces from the model.  Also visible in the above picture is the modified Radio receiving antennae.  Lapon had two mounted between the periscopes, and on mounted fwd on the periscopes.  The fwd antennae was cut off of the kit’s SJ mast, and mounted using a scrap piece of sheeting.  The two on top are also from the kit.  I used the kit’s antennae and broom part (94), cut the broom and middle antennae, and then made a matching type on the other end using a piece of scrap wire.

The loop antennae on Lapon was moved from between the periscopes to the front of the assembly.  I manufactured mounts for it from more scraps.

The Mast Head Light was mounted just below the loop antennae.  The mount was cut from the kit’s SJ mast.  The wire you see is the the power cable to the light, which I will route down when all of this is permanently installed.

Speaking of wire:

I installed a standpipe in the assembly, and routed control wiring for each of the antennae to it.  I’ll dab a bit of glue at the top and paint it black to simulate the water tight seal.

The SD Radar mast is from Nautilus Models.  In the picture I am using for the construction there is another sensor mounted to this mast.  Once I figure out what that sensor was, I’ll decide whether to include it and how.

From this picture, you may notice the yellow cigarette deck.  (Kinda jumps out at you).  The deck included with the NM upgrade was sufficient, but it was pre-drilled for railing in a pattern that I didn’t want to use.  So I made a new deck out of some plastic I had laying around.  It’s been sanded to a not so smooth finish so it will be easier to prime.  Note, the 40MM gun is not installed, just sitting there.

Railing.  I hate railing with a passion.  When I constructed my USS Crockett Gun Boat, at 1/35 scale the railing was much bigger, and easier to work.  I used my resist-tweeze solder lab to solder the brass tubing with no problem.  However, at 1/72, the railing here is much smaller.  I found that the resist-tweeze was heating up the stanchions to the point that the plastic deck was softening.  So I had to resort to CA and JB-Weld.  This was the third attempt at the railing, and I think it finally turned out okay.  Once the JB is cured, I’ll go back and grind the ends to a smoother transition.

The bridge has been installed and will need some putty work.  I’m going to change the TBT binoculars out with a set I’m getting from Shapeway.

The benches are from the Eduard PE set.

Things left to do, not in order:

• Install Guns
• Install side ladders
• Install Fwd Gun deck railing
• Install misc features (Running lights, etc.)
• Install fwd railing on the covered wagon
• Clean up, and prime

Stay tuned!