Greetings all,
Sorry for the late posting on our last meeting.  I've been working on some display cabinets we put in our basement so that I have a proper home for my finished models.  I added LED lighting which really finished the project!  Here's a photo...

I think this will be a good topic for a future meeting.

So, at the last meeting I led a discussion about painting models using the black basing method.  This is where you start with a black foundation and build color on top of that until you reach the desired finish.  In this photo I applied a variety of colors to see how it would effect the finished coat.

For example (and this was my inspiration) the Burke class destroyer had an undercoat of red.  This destroyer back from duty lost some of its paint on the bow.  If you look at the hull closely you can see a shade of red in the gray.  I'm assuming that after being at sea some of the gray is worn away, revealing some of the color underneath.

Here's the finished paint work.  I think it produced the subtle affect I was looking for.  It would benefit from some additional weathering.  The consensus was that it wasn't worth it and there are other ways to achieve a weathered ship, particularly in this scale.  Or maybe it was "David, you're crazy!"  😎  I think I will use this on the container ship and she how I get on.  I wonder if I could replicate that oil canning by spraying over some screen?  What do you think?  I may try that and bring it to the next meeting.  

We also spent some time talking about the IPMS convention.  I won't spend any more time on that subject.  👌

John continued to amaze us with his productivity!  What I liked about this one was that these two vessels are the same.  The bottom was the wartime conversion from tender to aircraft carrier.  Great subjects John!  I don't recall the information on the destroyer.

John had a detail kit for a Battleship that was never built.  Much like the US Montana class of ships.  But it looks like a great update set.  

Here's another beauty that I can't remember the name of?  Help me out John!  

Okay, here's a little beauty!  John built Ft Drum which is located in the Philippines.  I wonder if Sam has a presentation he could do on Ft Drum?  .  Take a look at John's model and photos of the actual facility.

Here's Ft Drum back in the day. 

Today it's been beat to death.  

Finally an assortment of tools that everyone loves to see.  We have a mini razor saw, ceramic scrapper, and some sort of knife that's goods for curves.  They're all in their packages so I'm hoping for a follow on report from John on how he got on with these tools.  That is if he's not too busy playing with the ultrasonic cutter.  😎

Until next time guys!  Which is coming up fast by the way!

Dave