I was wondering if anyone has built these guns from scratch. If so, how? I also added a photo of one below. Thanks for your comments and help. Jeremy
I saw someone cut down some big resistors, paint them, then glue them to the deck as light AA guns that looked good from 5-10 feet back. If you are going for stand-off scale detail, then make one out of small bits of wood and glue on some rod as barrels. If you want more detail, I can't help much.
No many ships carried them during the war. The only ships I've ever seen people model them on are the Des Moines class ships. All the others have been built with quad 40mm.
While doing research I found that this gun wasn't in production until late 1945. Which is why the Des Monine’s class CA's have them. My Des Moines is battle ready and I was just adding some details on the superstructure. Jeremy
Yep. the 3/50 was intended to replace the 40mm Bofors. The thinking was that the 3" was the smallest shell that VT shells could be used on, and something more then 40mm was needed to knock down Kamikazes, so the automatic 3" was born. As for how to make them it depends on the amount of detail you want. When I get home, I'll try to remember to take a look at the Salem and see if I can figure out how the guy who built it made the ones on there. No promises though, I am notoriously forgetful of things like that.
Well guys after looking and messing around here is the scratch built Mark 33. Most of the gun is styrene (from local hobby store) and other parts as listed Gun barrels: Music Wire .078 Spring on barrel: Hillman Spring #87 Evergreen Styrene: .250 x .250 #199 .125 x .250 #189 .080 Thick Sheet #9080 Glue: Tenax-7R plastic welder -use small paint brush to apply glue Cut .080 sheet in 3/4" sheet and then cut off 3/4" piece, so you have a 3/4" sq piece. round the corners with a sander of file. this is the base of the gun. Then cut a 1/2' piece of the #199 and mount this to the center of the base, the guns will be mounted to this piece. Then cut 2 pieces 1/2" long of the #189 and sand one corner to an aprox. 45 degree angle. on this angle you will drill the hole for the music wire. Now you want to cut 2 barrels at 7/8" and two spring pieces at 1/4". Super glue the barrels into the #189 pieces and let dry. Then slide the springs down the barrel an add a drop of super glue before you seat the spring down to the plastic. Now once dry, glue the two guns to the #199 piece with the Tenax. Now your gun is complete and just paint.
