RGL

Haha, you're correct. The 3 colours are white, rust and black. I actually prefer the Uschi brand. I read that it deteriorates in UV light. Still, a lot easier than stretched Sprite as you can lash it.

Apparently it does not like sunlight, I've only started 1/350 in the last 12 months, so time will tell. There are other brands out there but I expect it's all the same compounds.

You'll need differing diameters just like a tall ship. It's a pity it does not come in grey. The smallest is very hard to see and harder to work with. It sticks to the oils on your fingers.

Have you tried Ezyline? Very light, does not have to pull hard to get tension and if you knock it, it gives. Try a pinprick of CA to the joins on the rigging just to be sure. Basically very thin elastic bands.

Considering how much even the really expensive aftermarket leaves out requiring even more internet shopping, I'm not going to go larger, as I have lots of spares now, yet alone the storage space required. It might force my hand into buying an airbrush as well which I have been putting off. This scale shows detail without the bulk.

Happy to watch others tackle the big stuff!

The spreaders are steel etch that came with the upgrade. I am now in the process of bending the torpedo net Davits, comes in two pieces, so that's 84 pieces, requiring 120 folds for the base, and 42 folds for the davit itself. Eyesight fading.

And done.Messy at first;

Then, they are supposed to be slung below but at they are under tension, they need to be tight, and as the whole assemby is very fragile, it's somewhat nerve racking.

Who will probably find missing parts sooooooooo much easier as they don't have "boy looks"!

Well done that girl!

Seriously, I did go a little cross eyed. It took me three hours to do the first failure, absolute mess, but it's done and slung, bugger me it worked! Photos to come after the youngest gets off the computer.

There is a special room in hell for the designers of the aerials on the dreadnought. The kit comes with spreaders, and I see most people try and use stretched sprue or thin metal wire, but trying to be consistent I used the ezyline. The first attempt came out like this.

A little more thought and going cross-eyed because of the scale, I came up with this.

And hopefully I can end up with this.

I just have to attach them under tension now. Then I can finally ad some more rigging, and back to making progress.

Torpedo nets will be deployed old chap.

No where near finished yet, railings, aerials with spreaders then more Davits and torpedo nets to go yet! The rigging is going to be complicated.

The detailing is looking superb Greg; a very fine addition to your miniature fleet.

 

cheers

 

Pat

Now, the big guns and 12 pounders are finished. I won't bore you with the sequences, but like all piece work, it's just added bit by bit. I have also added strips under the anchor chain. Plus a few other old photos which are pretty cool.

Yes, mask it, much smoother lines and thinner more consistent coating

Welcome back old boy! Most of the painting is done, but I did spend a good hour today searching for a prodigal lamb of a periscope that went into orbit, and my employer demanding that I put in an honest day's work. My youngest saw me searching the floor said; "you've lost something"

"Yes mate"

"I bet it's important"

"Yes mate, otherwise I would not be on my hands and knees looking for it"

As it eventuates, it was 6 inches away, not on the floor, and the hour I spent mentally preparing the email to Flyhawk begging a replacement was not wasted as the floor is very clean.

There is a heap of research on this online (concussive injury). No death but not good for you.

OK, maybe not kill them but I don't think you'd be very well! I suppose a naval person here could clarify fleet actions?

Apparently they were placed there to meet the threat of torpedo boats, I reckon the concussion from the big guns would kill you. There are control rods (which I have not attached) which where slaved to the main guns used for training.

It's going to be a lamp!

Moving along, as I don't have enough of the Pontos barrels, I have to use Flyhawk ones, which require a bit more reduction of the North Start 12 pounder's barrels. Not hard, just tiny. Then adding the small pieces of photo etch to the side of the guns on some tape for stability. I will paint and add the flywheels off kit so they don't just blend in. .

The main guns fit nicely but the brackets for the trunions require sanding back so the top and bottom of the turrets sit flush.

Then there is some small pieces of etch that represent the turret rings, which require bending of the 1mm brackets upwards so they sit flush.

Finally the ladders for the front of the guns and the periscopes. The tops of the turrets are going to be painted separately as they are a darker shade of grey.

I have now painted them all, but in the process of adding washes and drybrushing to bring out detail. Once that is done I shall post again.

A photo etch tool from the small shop, there is a photo of it on 21 June

Things will always go flying off, it's a natural hazard. Use some 1000 grit sandpaper and sand the whole hull back and redo. Enamels and acrylics don't play well together.

The thing about this scale is corrections often don't work, ill of term plan to do something then realise when it comes to the point in the build I have to execute that plan it is impossible as its too small to achieve without ruining all that came before. As such one does what one can and moves on.

On my Emden I attempted to use some Vajello paints and they just would not work. Don't give up, attack from a different angle.

Onto the big guns. As they really are the thing to draw the eye on a model, there is a lot of detail required. If you compare the AOTS image to the kit provided gun, there is a lot of work to do.

As I got both upgrade kits, there is not a lot of overlap, and the Pontos stuff is nicer, but Flyhawk gives you resin periscopes, compared to using the blobs provided by Zvzeda. As such lot of reduction and sanding to do. The 12 pounders will all be replaced of course.

Pontos provides a full barrel and trunions, where as Flyhawk has plug in barrels. Pontos it is. Neither kit has enough 12 pounder barrels to meet the full complement, but with a combination I can get there.