1/350 scale NUMA oceanographic research/exploration ship "Neptune's Trident"

[Diamondback]

SD, I was thinking your NUMA lettering a ways back. Apologies.

I have a sheet I need to run between some crap the Ambulance Chaser wants put on one of my rifles, tail numbers for the YB-36 and a few other things, and with the cost per sheet I thought I'd see if I could wring a little more out of it.

[Rick Lowe]

Why not a combination of 2 or all 3?
The decals and pe hoses would give more of a 'semi-military' vibe, IMHO the square boxes scream 'Civvie!'

[Weaver]

I'd put the NUMA lettering in the aft positions: the forward ones are too low down and in the shade of the bridge wings.

[seadude]

SD, I was thinking your NUMA lettering a ways back. Apologies.

I'm not too worried about the NUMA lettering right now. I've got a bunch of other stuff to finish on the ship before I start thinking about the lettering. Plus, I'm busy this week getting ready for the MMSI model show in Chicago.

Why not a combination of 2 or all 3?
The decals and pe hoses would give more of a 'semi-military' vibe, IMHO the square boxes scream 'Civvie!'

NUMA is a civilian organization in the real world. But in the books, it's a governmental agency.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Underwater_and_Marine_Agency
https://numa.net/

I'd put the NUMA lettering in the aft positions: the forward ones are too low down and in the shade of the bridge wings.

Yeah, I was thinking about that last night. But.........I'm still undecided.

[seadude]

Working next on the flight deck landing lines. There are some circles and some small T-shaped markings that I may have to use decals for instead of using the paint marker.

[seadude]

And a few more pics. This is the best I could come up with for the retractable roof. Not perfect, but it is what it is.

[seadude]

P.S. - Seems like I'm making fairly good progress on this model. Hopefully, I may get to finish it sometime in November, or December at the latest.
Still have to do the following items:

Add NUMA lettering on the hull sides of the ship.
Add fire hose rack stations to various areas of the ship.
Fix 2 bridge windows that I forgot to add the clear plastic pieces to.
Add main radar mast.
Add 2 large cargo deck cranes.
Finish aft flight deck white landing lines.
Add all life raft canisters.
Add the doors to the aft well deck opening.
Add aircraft and flight deck tractors to flight deck.
Build display base and attach ship and extra watercraft to base.
I'm probably not going to buy/build a display case for this model. I'm trying to save money for other life's needs.
I'm sure I've forgotten some things. I'll remember them as time goes on.

[Weaver]

The rooftop balloon-launching station makes a lot of sense to me. The biggest problem when handling balloons is when they're very close to the ground, they get caught by the wind and end up colliding with something. Personally, I'd move those corner aerials futher away from the hatch for exactly that reason. It also occurs to me that if the doors were open to about 30 deg past the vertical, they could be used to "corral" the balloon and guide it down into the bay.

[Rick Lowe]

The rooftop balloon-launching station makes a lot of sense to me

Me too, but personally I'd make the doors bi-folding because as they are, they have a lot of 'sail' area.
Granted you'll only be launching balloons in relatively calm weather, but it doesn't take much wind to cause problems.

Just my .02

[Weaver]

The rooftop balloon-launching station makes a lot of sense to me

Me too, but personally I'd make the doors bi-folding because as they are, they have a lot of 'sail' area.
Granted you'll only be launching balloons in relatively calm weather, but it doesn't take much wind to cause problems.

Just my .02

Or looking at it another way, you could turn a problem into a solution by using a one-piece door to shield the balloon from the wind while it clears the hatch. You could even put the hatch on a rotating ring so that the ship doesn't have to head into wind to get a clean launch. A robust one-piece hatch would need a seriously powerful actuator and hold-open-lock mind you.

[seadude]

Barely visible due to my crappy photography skills,    but I added 7 searchlights on the model.
Three on the port side, three on the starboard side, and one facing aft. I can always add more in the future if needed.

[Diamondback]

Are you backstorying this as "Navy canceled a San Antonio after construction started and NUMA took over the contract for it"? I think Admiral Sandecker would approve...

[Rick Lowe]

The rooftop balloon-launching station makes a lot of sense to me

Me too, but personally I'd make the doors bi-folding because as they are, they have a lot of 'sail' area.
Granted you'll only be launching balloons in relatively calm weather, but it doesn't take much wind to cause problems.

Just my .02

Or looking at it another way, you could turn a problem into a solution by using a one-piece door to shield the balloon from the wind while it clears the hatch. You could even put the hatch on a rotating ring so that the ship doesn't have to head into wind to get a clean launch. A robust one-piece would need a seriously powerful actuator and hold-open-lock mind you.

Not a silly idea, either. 

[seadude]

Are you backstorying this as "Navy canceled a San Antonio after construction started and NUMA took over the contract for it"? I think Admiral Sandecker would approve...

Yeah, something like that I guess.

[kerick]

Are you backstorying this as "Navy canceled a San Antonio after construction started and NUMA took over the contract for it"? I think Admiral Sandecker would approve...

Yeah, something like that I guess.

Sounds good to me!
A nice swords to plowshares deal!