RGL

The pending upgrade set

I really like the colours 

I think there may be some of that class in Resin? But resin is just so expensive (it’s effectively hand made really). Any HMAS post ww2 would have to be modified from a US ship really I suppose as the market is just not there. There is a FB group of HMAS in scale which may help. 

Now every photo I post from here on in is open source and on multiple websites so I just can't give them provenance. Its over 100 years ago. Most show battle damage from 1916, but they do show her construction methods.

Warship 14 is available to view on Google Books for free, I just can't publish it. It has her history and other photos.

The box contents. the molds are are good as anything Tamiya is making, and there is a fair bit of PE as well, the hull is unfortunately smooth (nothing that can't be fixed easily) and it is missing the side on torpedo tubes as well as a stern one. Meh, that can be remedied.

As the upgrade set for this is out next month, we're going to start the log with an open invitation to join. You do not need to purchase PE, and I'll post some photos of the Hobby Boss contents, they are very well molded, not the Airfix blobs of our childhood. 

This build covers several time zone of the US, Oz and some place in Europe where Cog is from. Mind you he speaks more languages than me.

Just look at the photos really, if I lived to be 500 I’d never be that good. 

The two most beautiful books I own 

Now to compare Vendetta (1) to a battleship (both in 1/350)

Just about finished, flags, screws and davits done. Unfortunately the Walrus was located on the floor of my study today destroyed. I have plenty of them but no PE for them. I’ll have to order some. 

Just some hull weathering to do. 

Looking magnificent old boy 

Well that’s the worst part of the build done. The stanchions are white as I gave them a base primer coat from the Tamiya rattle can before putting them on, as another coat would plug up the holes. When I do the touch up phase I will make sure they are all strait and paint them. 

The Anchors are resin ones from North Star Models as the kit ones are utter rubbish. There are only two as no reference I can see has her with three after 1940. 

Pastels and pigments work fine on paint, just not the cellulose deck materials as the definition disappears. It is what it is BUT! The coffee sneeze leads me to believe I’m onto something that I’m going to have to work on. 

I really dont don’t want to weather this deck, asehen you look at the KGV photos from the Med in 1943 it is spotless as would be expected of the Kings ship. 

Thanks all, the problem with these pre chewed wooden decks is they don’t like anything done to them, they’re more paste than wood. 

Ive tried pastels on offcuts and the details of the planks disappear. 

So I tried a new technique today. First, get a mouthful of black coffee. Second sneeze. Third, direct sneeze over the ship. Drench it in coffee. 

FFS! 20 minutes with a paintbrush and water to clean it up. The deck does not like it but I think I’m on to something here when it comes to dulling down the wooden decks! Who knew! 

Anyways, the back end of the ship’s railing is now done. I added a little bit of unpainted PE for comparison and I like it better the way I’m doing it. I just don’t think I can go back to PE railing again for this type of ship’s rails. 

Tamiya masking tape cut vey fine, first a light grey base, a thin strip underneath, then the side colour, cover with tape leaving the top uncovered for the third layer of dark grey. 

Cog it’s a Flyhawk set of stanchions as the RN has three bar, but they are soft brass unlike the better Tamiya ones that are only 2 bars. 

The build is on here; I just don’t want to spend a decade on one. 

Now the pain, railing stanchions. I put an #11 blade on the deck to give some perspective 

Nah! 

It can be an issue of standing too close to the wall at times. Some details are soo tiny as to be invisible to the naked eye, yet alone practical to attach so I don’t bother. Is it visible form arms length? Is it with destroying the piece for that invisible piece of detail? 

No mate, just patiently plodding along. If you can see  the the Endeavour in the back ground it’s an exercise in patience when it comes to rigging, if I can do that I can do up a crane. Once you get your head around how it works, it gets easier. 

The 2 ships cranes, horrible instructions and I needed to add on a few extras so the rigging is correct but now they’re attached I’m fairly happy. I just have to hang a plane off one.