This is really looking good, Carl (@clipper). I really like how the colors are coming out on the main ship and all of the details. All of the PE you are adding is really raising the level of the build considerably. You are right about the barrels of the main guns. I can't see how you could clean up the sprue attachment points on the barrels and still have them look right. Fitting out the weapons on the various decks will be an uphill battle, but the extra work will certainly be worth it.

Thanks John (@johnb), George (@gblair), and Spiros (@fiveten) for dropping by. It's pretty cool watching this come together, even if a bit slowly. It's amazing to me how these turned brass barrels (as well as other brass bits like machine guns, pitot tubes, etc) get produced. I have a Fletcher class destroyer kit that I purchased some aftermarket barrels and torpedoes for and these pieces are tiny. How they make those is a wonder.

George (@gblair), Sometimes out of box can be a great way to unwind. Since you have many of them, sacrificing one (or even two) to "Sans PE" could be used when you want to build a ship but don't want to get wrapped up in the minutiae.

I'm sort of a try it once or twice type of guy (for the variety and to see if I can do it), but an aircraft builder foremost, because these aerial beauties were my first love. This is why I am doing the foiling, the San Francisco, and eventually, a scratch built aircraft.

Loved Hemingway's quote, my friend @gblair!

Solid progress and great looks, my friend @clipper! Have a great time with your 1/1 boat!

Thanks Spiros (@fiveten) and John (@johnb). Hopefully the weather will cooperate this week. It's a very pleasant late summer here, but it has been quite windy for several days. Wind is a problem for me on the lakes, but I am confident this will happen.

Thanks George (@gblair). This tower itself wasn't too bad. It only consisted of 6 PE pieces (2 per small shack on each side of the tower, one for the large building at the base, and 1 for the tower. The two platforms where the searchlights go were a different story and were rather difficult to roll, bend, and glue. But in the end I muddled my way through them.

I've been mulling over the choice of lakes. There are really only two that are practical for me, Austin and Travis. other lakes are far enough away that I don't want to spend the time going out there just yet. I'm still learning how to do this boating stuff, so it takes longer for me. But I think I've pretty much decided on Lake Austin this time. I'll only be out there for a day, but I plan on doing some practicing of slow handling the boat in the wind because this is one of my biggest challenges with boating at the moment.

Yes, George (@gblair), it is a powerboat. I should have been more clear. It is handling the boat at slow speeds and being affected by the wind which is giving me challenges. I got to practice today at Lake Austin. It was quite nice to get out on the boat. I really needed it.