RGL

a quick interlude, more reference photos. There will be a ships cat or two included.

All good, I have done the plates up, but I'll wait until I've done up the final guns, 5 big turrets, 17 twelve pounders. Photos soon, but lots of work, filing down, lots of etch and new barrels.

Maybe, but it popped up in different places at different times which makes me think it's the glue. No biggie.

I think you'll find that Trumpeter, who makes the Dreadnought, makes about 4 versions at different stages of its life, and they include the plate, that being said, I was trying to be wary of what it was like in 1907, as there are lots of alterations after 1907. There are so few photos as I imagine it was very expensive way back then, even paintings from that era don't show a boot strap.

It makes perfect sense to have plate as it would make a mess. I will try some brass strip and also some plastic strip was well otherwise it will bother the hell out of me until I get it right. If I can spend 2 days making chain I can make a strip!

The third deck was from Pontos, the first two were Artwox. Maybe it was just a bad batch.

Bugger, you could be right. Damn those old photos, I have some from the bridge which don't show it either, but it could be a question of contrast and being below he chain itself, it's an easy fix now I think about it though. I will make a few attempts at rectifying it, but if it looks crap I'll probably omit it.

Getting there.

Next, the Anchors. The original photo shows no running plates for the anchor chain, but the instructions do. So I didn't do it.

The Kit provides a basic bit of blurry plastic, Pontos provides some blackened chain and befitting my OCD I went with North Star, using their patterned chain as is correct, a little bit out of scale, 2 days of pain. Seriously, my forearms and hands feel like a really good session on the heavy bag. At least one complete line is somewhere in my study of individual pieces flying around. I eventually figured out a technique using jewelers pliers, tweezers and back crams that worked, allowing me to close the loops so the thing does not fall to bits. .

Next, the Capstans, just plonked on, fit and look OK.

Then the anchors again after market (the kit ones are rubbish) joined with a proper metal loop.

Next, threaded in and attached to the deck. I had earlier drilled out the holes. I am leaving one sitting at length as it makes sense to have it on the sea floor given there nets will be out.

Next the stoppers;

Finally, the dandyfunk of vents, hawser covers, brakes and extra equipment boxes.

Finally I'm at that impasse where I have to do the turrets and big guns that will go under the rigging and inside the rails.

I've completed 2 kits to date with no issues, my third's wooden deck did not like me at all.

Have a look at my Varyag, it will show you what can be done with Zvezda. My Emden shows you what kind of work is needed on the early stuff!

The trickiest thing so far, the davits, with the canvas straps replaced, rigging attached and the smaller whalers.

It lifts fine with a blade (the deck that is). If it pops up use some CA on an off cut of photo etch and slide it in the gap then press down. The really liquid stuff works best.

The large boats now added to the ship.

And the breakwaters.

Thanks, small boats finished, just have to finish the Davits besides the bridge, half of them will be slung outboard on removable Davits as that's where they sit 'in harbour' not against the superstructure, and as I'm doing the torpedo nets they'll have to be done that way. Next will be making up chain for the anchors.

I tried, it looked horrible. It wasn't hard just 2 days work, I always do extras just in case of the carpet monster or random acts of my stupidity. Plonk them on masking tape, glue down one end, then start wrapping.

That really is awesome ... I don't know what they are called, but those plastic tops for the ship's boats are fabulous. My what a fiddly work you've done ...

 

P.s. Quicker would be to use thicker rope on those drums

wouldn't be in scale though

Now, there are a LOT of ships boats. The kit provides some aftermarket and I've added a bit more just to be silly.

The row boats need to be hollowed out and some grates and planks added,

And finally the davits. The loop shown is supposed to be canvas strap which I'll remove and rig properly (to a point).

I am in the process of painting these now.

I have added small vents to where the AOTS references them, the rear compass stand, two aftermarket winches (instead of the blobs provided), the coaling booms, affixed the main mast..

A big problem is that a LOT of the deck glue is going, requiring the application of glue to affix it properly. .

I have now added all the hatch covers bar one which is going to be sanded right back and re done due to a fail on my behalf, plus I added the breakwaters. Photos of those later once I have done up the ships boats.

I've done a heap of very small piecework for all the deck fittings. As you can see there is a lot of prep work to do first. It was two days work just to do the cable drums and add rope to them.

It's amazing how much detail and effort goes into etch, and then they throw a few non intuitive photos. I think they assume everyone is a master modeller.

Considering all the barrels you have to make, you're in for a world of pain! This is just a whole new world of art, I get frustrated waiting for CA to dry. Does it require paint at all?

Nice, how many times has your head hit it?

Thank you all. Lots of piecework to go now, ships boats, ladders, deck fittings, anchors etc. once that is done I'll post again. Then the plan the guns, then rails, large aerials, than finally the fully rigged torpedo nets.

Bit like eating an elephant, 1 bite at a time

The finalization of the fore mast. Went togeather with great fanfare until some idiot put the mast on backwards, the had to pull it apart and start again. Then the standing rigging.

The i added all the back stays, 2 days work as the lines are sooo fine.

The of course, that bloke Murphy caught up. The glue on the crows nest gave way. So, as the thing is fully rigged with elastic under tension, I had to hold it in the correct plane and then make sure the yards are parallel to the deck both laterally and horizontally with one hand and glue with the other.  Pain in the backside. 

Then I thought i'd got away with it and the middle yard snapped it's brace to the mast. As above a pain in the butt but using a set of helping hands it was remedied. 

Finally, the rigging of the mast is complete. It is not as strait as I'd like but I will add stays later.

Nice work, that's quite tricky