HMS Dreadnought 1907 by RGL - FINISHED - Zvezda - 1/350- PLASTIC

[RGL]

Moving along, I am trying to get as much prep done as possible before painting as it is more economical.

 

The main mast, well, meet my nemesis!. If you've ever had that bit that you can't get right this is it, The beauty of brass and CA is when you get it wrong, you burn the CA off with a lighter and re start. The engine room vents at the rear of the structure are not referenced anywhere and have a single reference to covers in the AOTS only so I drilled them out and fabricated hatches. 

 

There are ladders that run up the support struts but the boat boom's do not allow this in the kit.

 

At least with this piece I can complete nearly all the rigging off kit after painting.

[RGL]

The fore mast is quite intricate, and the Pontos masts are just magnificent and fit like a glove.

 

I should be able to get a fair bit of rigging done before I plonk it on. There are lots of little bits I have prepared  for painting that will go on the support struts that are only a couple of mm each.

[Old Collingwood]

The fore mast is quite intricate, and the Pontos masts are just magnificent and fit like a glove.

 

I should be able to get a fair bit of rigging done before I plonk it on. There are lots of little bits I have prepared  for painting that will go on the support struts that are only a couple of mm each.

Looking Splendid greg all that detail just give me eye ache and Im not doing her        I have a few bits of pontos but not the whole lot including no masts or beams, i will have to try to make mine out of thin wooden dowel from my old wood build i was on.

 

Loving your work my friend

 

OC

Edited July 27, 2016 by Old Collingwood

[GuntherMT]

The detailing you put into your ships, and the research that allows you to know *what* detailing to add is fantastic.  I continue to be impressed by how well you manage such tiny parts and add things that are historically correct, but that nobody other than you would probably realize was missing if you didn't add it and tell them.

Great work.

[RGL]

Thank you G, but nothing in comparison to what what some others do here. Most of our ships will never leave the house, so it's up to our own OCD. I'd love to see a group build in plastic. Starting from kit selection, research, technique, aftermarket, step by step build with votes for direction to take.

[schooner]

Beautiful brass work Greg.

Funny - I've worked with brass for years and when I've screwed up something with CA I've never thought of reaching for the lighter - I've learned my good tip for the day

Tim

[BANYAN]

That mast looks great Greg and is a testament to your persistence to get it right.  Great pity you couldn't assemble off-model but the result is very nicely detailed.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[RGL]

Thanks Pat, hope you made it home safe.

[RGL]

The bottom of the foremast is now pretty much complete.

 

I fabricated the three tripod support struts out of very very thin copper pipe, placing 1x1mm support blocks to rest them on.

 

As this is the 1907 version, I have added boat booms (using the undersize coaling derricks from the kit) making support brackets from spare etch. The larger derricks are Pontos. I won't rig them up until the upper masts go on. I have also added 6 belaying points to the tripod which will be needed later.

 

The engine telegraph platforms come withe the Pontos kit, but the telegraphs are North star, and I rand some black line to simulate the control rods which run belowdecks.

 

Finally the 1907 version had semaphores just off the Admirals cabin which a fabricated agin and have the resting on another support strut made out of excess etch.

 

It does not seem like much, and the macro is not flattering but it was as fiddly as hell. There is a little bit of touch up painting to go but that can wait.

 

I guess I'll have to do the main davit next, and it's rigging and pulleys consist of a single piece of etch which I have cut up so I can rig is correctly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WackoWolf]

Dam she is looking good. Keep the post and pictures coming.

[Jim Lad]

Just catching up, Greg.  She's sure looking good!

 

John

[RGL]

At home off work with man flu. Being productive, I cut the pulleys off the one piece etch and rigged with easy line. The pivot point on the boom is somewhere on the floor of my garage as it was dropped by some idiot whilst it was being painted, and I had to fabricate a new one from plastic card.

 

The search light platform and a smaller search light. I will need to add a small ladder when the crowsnest goes on.

 

And finally the sidelights which are referenced in the AOTS but ignored by everyone else.

[Old Collingwood]

At home off work with man flu. Being productive, I cut the pulleys off the one piece etch and rigged with easy line. The pivot point on the boom is somewhere on the floor of my garage as it was dropped by some idiot whilst it was being painted, and I had to fabricate a new one from plastic card.fore mast 7.jpgfore mast 8.jpg

 

The search light platform and a smaller search light. I will need to add a small ladder when the crowsnest goes on. fore mast 9.jpg

 

And finally the sidelights which are referenced in the AOTS but ignored by everyone else. side lights.jpg

Amazing work greg - I just cant imagine trying that on the plastic staffs on my build they would just snap being to brittle,  thats why I have not bothered even wiring up the boat stays on my build.

 

I take my hat off to you sir - its looking Amazing.

 

OC

[mtaylor]

I'm just amazed at the detail you're packing into this ship.  Wow!!!!  Looking super.

[RGL]

Amazing work greg - I just cant imagine trying that on the plastic staffs on my build they would just snap being to brittle, thats why I have not bothered even wiring up the boat stays on my build.

 

I take my hat off to you sir - its looking Amazing.

 

OC

[RGL]

If you use a product like Ezyline, the "wire" has a flexibility of something to the magnitude of 20 so it does not pull on the fitting, it just stretches taking the terror out of rigging and wondering what is going to fling off. Unfortunately it comes in black, rust or white not grey. When you build a wooden ship there is no give in the rigging. Watching some of the other builds here in wood, most are using rope walks now. I got the cheap version but if I build another tall ship I'd invest in a decent one. No need at our scale.

[BANYAN]

Still away for some time Greg, be a while before I am back at the slipway.  Great catching up.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[RGL]

Yes mate, hopefully the hot chocolate will allow your bride to think that we're not all strange like my wife thinks. She did not believe we didn't talk about "boat building".

[RGL]

Man flu aside, I managed to get the main mast finished. I added tiny turnbuckles to allow the stays.

 

Then just a matter of rigging it up and adding the coaling derricks which I rigged up as well. . I also added a small ladder up to the wireless telegraph yard.

 

Then dry fit on the deck. I don't need to glue it down yet but it fits perfectly.

 

 

[dgbot]

Were the turnbuckles part of the set you got?

David B

[RGL]

No, none at all on the Pontos fret, they are North Star, and using eyelets for the signal halyards. I'm using the rigging from the Alliance model works as the mast ladders. I'm currently in the process of adding the fixtures to the foremast, including foot ropes from fly hawk. Once added I can rig then paint up the brass by hand as it will block up the holes if I do it before.

[dgbot]

An admirable way of utilizing what you have to make a part you need.

David B

[Keith_W]

"I also added a small ladder"

 

You exaggerate. It is microscopic. How you can even see that thing without the aid of artificial magnification, I don't know. One of the things that makes this build amazing.

[BANYAN]

Very nice work Greg, you must have a good catalogue of suppliers Vs parts by now; you seem to be able to source everything you need?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[RGL]

Pretty much, very hard to scratch build the very fine details, unless your eyesight is poor then it doesn't matter.

[RGL]

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.

 

 

[cog]

Impressive rigging Gregg. Love the way she is coming together ... Murphy can be a pain in the hiney, always turns up when you don't want it

 

Cheers

Edited August 1, 2016 by cog

[Kevin]

lovely work, great build

[BANYAN]

When Murphy is on holiday I find hat his mate "sod" takes over  You have had your fair share of trials and tribulations on this one Greg, Hope you sacked that idiot   Good work on the recovery (both) that will have required quite a bit of dexterity an patience to fix the crows nest.

 

She is looking good mate!

 

cheers

 

Pat

[hof00]

Awesome Model and Awesome Rigging!!

I applaud you!!