HMS Warspite by Old Collingwood - FINISHED - Academy - 1/350 scale - PLASTIC

[Old Collingwood]

Right folks - I carried on with flattening the lower hull so after the use of a hammer and an Iron LOL,  no seriously  I found a slightly larger flatter paintbrush in my paint box, I softened it with washing detergent and made up some more diluted acrylic top coat, got quite a thin watery consistancy and with smooth even strokes I managed to get the whole lower hull covered.

I continued putting about 5 layers on with hairdrying between each coat, its covered well and only left faint brush marks that will easily be buffed out with gentle action from a sponge/cloth.

 

I am Over the moon to have get to this stage - where I can now start building the sub assemlies on the deck

Here are a few pics folks

 

OC

[BANYAN]

Looks good OC, great work with the paintbrush to get such an even looking finish - I hope the missus didn't mind you 'borrowing' the hairdryer

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Old Collingwood]

Looks good OC, great work with the paintbrush to get such an even looking finish - I hope the missus didn't mind you 'borrowing' the hairdryer

 

cheers

 

Pat

She brought me one as the last time I used her's  I broke it,  funny thing is  -  I have no hair

 

 

OC.

[cog]

She brought me one as the last time I used her's  I broke it,  funny thing is  -  I have no hair

 

 

OC.

Than you should use an AIRdryer 

[Old Collingwood]

After doing a bit of net researching on dry transfer usage,  I decided to have a go at the draft markings that are attached on the bow and stern, these are on a strip with a backing plate,  I cut one of the markings from the strip attached some tape top and bottom to hold in place then used a paint brush handle to burnish the transfer,  to my supprise they went on very easy with very little pressure and look superb.

 

Here are a few pics including a rather radical one showing the head on look of the bow.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

good to see your over the hump......as they say        got your paint squared away,   hull looks great......and you've done some decal work.   smil'in big time over here..........onward and upward now!  

[Old Collingwood]

Just a bit of work tonight on the bench  - I decided to work on the Barbette funnels, I cut these from the frets and cleaned them up then placed them on some tape, I decided to shade them by applying a darker shade on the edges and in the grooves, next I applied an almost dry coat of mid grey.

When dry tomorrow I will glue them in place around the front of the Barbettes.

 

Just the one pic folks.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Bit more work this evening not much to write but Funnels attached to the forward barbette, and a couple of coats of top coat to seal them in place.

 

Just one pic folks.

 

OC.

[mtaylor]

Very well done, OC. 

[Old Collingwood]

Very well done, OC. 

Thank you kindly Mark

 

 

OC.

[BANYAN]

That looks good OC - the shading brings out the details nicely.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Old Collingwood]

A bit more work folks - after checking the instructions and checking the frets, I realized that the rear Barbette did not have any funnels included in the kit, so after doing a bit of searching in my wood kit box, I came across some box section wood that needed to be brought down in scale thicness almost by half, I did this with sanding sticks and a fine file then I cut two lengths similar to the forward ones.

After sticking to the tape I panited the edges slightly darker and the faces the same shade as the barbette,  when dry I fitted them in place.

 

A few Photos folks.

[jbshan]

Are these funnels for ventilation, for letting the smoke out perhaps?

[Old Collingwood]

Are these funnels for ventilation, for letting the smoke out perhaps?

Yep  I think so  the most forward and rear turrets on the shorter Barbettes had shorter rounded pipes, so I guess all these where for ventilation of the cordite gasess in side the turrets.

 

 

OC.

[cog]

One thing that just struck me, OC, looking back at those installed forrard, the funnels have their opening to the same side I would have expected them to be pointing to port and  to starboard

[Old Collingwood]

One thing that just struck me, OC, looking back at those installed forrard, the funnels have their opening to the same side I would have expected them to be pointing to port and  to starboard

Thats an interesting question Karl,  I have been doing hours of google searches to find close up pics of the forward port side, but nothing is available - the only reference I have seen seems to show all the vents/funnels pointing in the same direction so I have gone with this theory.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

I have managed to work on one pic that shows a view from the bow looking down the port side, on the left edge you can just make out one of the vents with a turn at the top following the same line as the rest, there is the one however that is different but I have not fitted that one (yet needs making).

 

OC.

[cog]

Seems they're not all pointing in the same direction ... as to my befuddled mind would be logical

[Old Collingwood]

Seems they're not all pointing in the same direction ... as to my befuddled mind would be logical

Its just the one vent taht faces the opposit direction Carl, and its an extra vent further towards the rear of the barbette, that one is not shown on plans or kit instructions, all the rest including the one on the extreme left of the picture all point towards the left - same as my build.

 

OC.

[cog]

So the next question is: When did they use, or add that illusive, and contrary funnel ...

[Old Collingwood]

So the next question is: When did they use, or add that illusive, and contrary funnel ...

I dont know mate,  could have been added at any time just the model makers at Academy didn't pick up on it when they designed the kit, nore did pontos when they did the update kit.

 

OC.

[cog]

Visible at this 1930 bow view ...

 

 

di you know this page: http://www.steinbergs.co.uk/history/HMS_Warspite.htm

 

right bottom image shows more ...

[Old Collingwood]

Visible at this 1930 bow view ...

 

hms_warspite.1930.jpg

 

di you know this page: http://www.steinbergs.co.uk/history/HMS_Warspite.htm

 

right bottom image shows more ...

Interesting photo that one you mentioned - I have seen that one before, its from the ole lady's pre mod scheme possibly around the 1920's before she had her new superstructure.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

A famous large scale model that was built of her also shows the same layout for the vents as mine.

 

OC.

 

[cog]

That's nice OC, but what does the other side looks like

[Old Collingwood]

That's nice OC, but what does the other side looks like

That view in the last photo(of the large scale model someone built) shows 3/4s  of the vents,  there is only one or two other vents on the front barbette and as one of those in the other photo in black and white above is pointing the same direction, I think we can conclude that they are all pointing in the same direction save for the one further round near to the gun shield for the 20mm machine gun.

 

I dont understand why they would have them facing the same direction and why that way - why facing to starboard and not port, or as you say why not both starting from the mid point?

 

Oh well it is what it is so I will carry on building as such

 

 

OC

[cog]

It seems that ship design has it's own idiosyncracies, OC To put you off ballance for sure

[Old Collingwood]

Managed some more work this afternoon folks so I have started on the 20mm gun shrouds, starting at the rear most one near the flag staff, I firstly cut from the kit fret the plastic one with the molded on ammo boxes, but after compairing this to the pontos resin ones - I decided the later was the way to go due to the scale size and thiness of the armour plate.

To be fitted to these are the PE ammo boxes  x 2  these needed to be cut from the PE fret then folded just like a cardboard box - here is a pic of the fret showing the un folded boxes on the bottom right -

 

 

[Old Collingwood]

After folding the edges in to form a box including the edge detail,  I then roughened up the plastic and PE part and applied some PVA glue, then I placed the part carefullly and used the hairdryer to set it in place,  I  had to do this twice then I cut out the entrance door from the PE fret - applied some PVA and again a blast with the dryer,  I compaired the part to the kit part and it does look quite different  -

[Old Collingwood]

I have decided to use the kit 20mm guns as with a little cleaning up they do not look to bad(I cant handle the PE ones to be honest )   but what I am doing is adding the PE shields as they do add a bit extra detail,  after painting I am sure they will look fine.

 

Well here is one complete -

 

OC.