HMS King George V by RGL - FINISHED - Tamiya - 1/350 - PLASTIC

[RGL]

So I found a King George V on a local buy and sell site, came with a wooden deck and metal barrels at a good price.

 

I know it's been done, Mr Rabbit and Kpnuts, and there are basically three iterations of HMS King George's Career, when she fought the Bismarck in '41, the '43 fit out then the '44 fit out.

 

I want to do the '43 fit out as it hardly ever been done, the references are very obscure and I get to do camouflage and not strait grey.

 

The Tamiya Kit is set for the 1945 fit out, having removed the aircraft and placed the ships boats amidships, but the Aftermarket Pontos is retrofitted for 1941.

 

The thing is, the Pontos set gives you  the ability to have an aircraft deck but the kit gives you no aircraft. Thus one has to buy a Walrus.

 

The Tamiya kit has the stern square hatches omitted which need to be after - after market as Pontos ignored this gem.

 

I got the new Infini Models RN Doors (he bloke who is Infini models designed this set when he worked for Pontos) as they are just magnificent.

 

I also got some individual RN stanchions as I'm over one piece railings are I like to torture myself.

 

I've ordered new Carley Floats (i'll have to scratch build the Flota nets) and an extra set of 20mm guns as there should be 38 of them all up.

 

The Chap I bought the kit from had a Artwox deck which is suitable but the Pontos one is fairly clean which means I can add whatever configuration I want.

 

I've spent a few weeks researching tis and the internet is just full of people who just do not check their references, as  about 70% of the photos pro porting to be KGV are usually a sister ship.

The Imperial War Museum has lovely photos which are correctly labeled and allow me to feel comfortable in my 1943 configuration.

 

Welcome to build number 10 in 1/350.

[RGL]

The hull is smooth as a baby's bum BUT does etch in a boot strap.

 

Your can see from the photos of when KGV was in drydock in 1941 after a parking incident there is a considerable amount of hull detail missing.

 

The Degausing cable was removed in later '41. It appears from the 1943 photo it was only the bow section.

 

The stern also has these pesky square hatches (photo is from '45 when some portholes were covered over).

 

The deck will need to be completely wiped clean and flush. As such by the time get this one done, Cog will be out of excuses to do the next joint build.

 

Roger Chesneau's book on the KGV class includes the fit out history.

 

As such the hull needs a LOT of work before any PE comes out of the box.

[lmagna]

Well it's back to the belfry for me Greg with my stash of popcorn.

 

I am not all that clear on one thing from your description though. I know I could just wait until you build that part of the hull and see, but will the welded up portholes be opened? Or are thy already welded over by the time of your build?

 

[RGL]

I’m awaiting the Top Down reference book, but as far as my research goes, it appears to have happened after the ‘44 refit. As I said before, there is so much poor information out there one needs to be careful. The IWM photos are all referenced by the photographer so I trust them more more than some bloke on google. 

 

The kit hull is lazily done by Tamiya but it is old. I intend to overspray the who whole hull before I draw up the hull plates then layer them to give depth. 

[cog]

Anything in AOTS, you seem to have a stash of those. Interesting build, as per your usual ...

[RGL]

No AOTS for it. The book I’ve ordered has fold outs which will help

[Jack12477]

Ok, just rigged the bosun chair to the rafters to watch, Greg.  Whose got the popcorn?

[popeye the sailor]

quite a project you have going Greg.......I'll definitely be following along       I looked up degaussing....never heard of it before.....very interesting reading!

[Old Collingwood]

Facinating build greg  - not so disimilar to my Warspite,  I will be watching along pinching lou popcorn.

 

OC.

[cog]

4 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

quite a project you have going Greg.......I'll definitely be following along       I looked up degaussing....never heard of it before.....very interesting reading!

since it's plastic RGL doesn't need to worry ...

[JohnEnglish]

I'm really hoping Trumpeter will release a 1/200 KGV.

[Old Collingwood]

Greg   can I recommend these to you  - I use them  they are color matched to be as close to admiralty colors.

 

OC.

[RGL]

I saw this recently, is there enough paint to do a battleship? Do they airbrush well? 

[Old Collingwood]

2 minutes ago, RGL said:

I saw this recently, is there enough paint to do a battleship? Do they airbrush well? 

Deffo mate  the jars are 22ml  each  and dilute really well  and are spayer compatable,   I would deffo get the set of six.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Also they are really hardwearing  and dry real fast  mine are touch dry to re coat with a brush immediatly after drying with a hairdryer between coats.

 

OC.

[lmagna]

9 hours ago, RGL said:

it appears to have happened after the ‘44 refit

The reason I asked was that closing portholes located in the hull became pretty common early in the war as almost all of the ships with portholes in the hull that took battle damage sank much quicker because of water coming in through the broken portholes. Sometimes, especially in battleships the concussion from their own guns caused the damage.

4 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

pinching lou popcorn.

Better watch it OC I borrowed Mark's stick and you may get your knuckles whacked. 

[Beef Wellington]

Love the KGV, remember building this kit a number of years ago.  The camo pattern I went with was definitely different so assuming was a different time period.  Looking forward to seeing the PE.

[mtaylor]

I'm in.. but hold the popcorn.  I'm a bit bloated.  So I think I'll switch over ice cream for a bit.

[Jack12477]

2 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

I think I'll switch over ice cream for a bit.

I'll take 2 scoops, any flavor,  with sprinkles please!   

[BenF89]

I'm in, too. Always been a Bismarck fan, and there are lots of Bismarck and Hood models, but not so many of this one. Looking forward to following along!

[Canute]

Sign me up, too. And I'll go for an Italian water ice, please. Any flavor will do. I know Greg will be putting on a tour de force with this dreadnought.

[RGL]

The base hull. All the detail will have to come off the decks so I will have a clean slate. Portholes will need to be drilled out, ringols added, two holes in the bottom for the brass stands, add the decks so they’re nice and flush, drill several hundred holes for railing stanchions. 

[lmagna]

Greg

 

Do you hand drill the plastic or use a power drill like a Dremel or something?

[RGL]

Only ever use a hand drill, dremel gets the bit too hot and the plastic melts and/ or makes the hole too big. 

[lmagna]

That's what I was afraid of! The reason I asked was because I still have the Titanic looking at me to do for the wife. I have always done drilling and sawing on plastic by hand as well for the same reason.

 

Thanks

[RGL]

Just sit in front of the TV with a pin vise and drill away, it’s mindless work but has to be done 

Edited June 22, 2018 by RGL

[lmagna]

17 minutes ago, RGL said:

it’s mindless work

Probably just right for me then.

[popeye the sailor]

off and running I see.........    I used my battery operated drill for the Vendetta.......does well at a slow speed.   now,  if I was to do anything major for a modification,  I wouldn't use a scroll saw...already seen where that gets you {now THAT'S a mess}.   have you a method thought up to cover over the potholes aft?   I would think really thin brass.......use a paper punch or something to make the circles....would do well.  better yet though....I've seen items in the local craft store,  like confetti,  or look in the clothes enhancement dept......I've seen stuff there too that can do well in covering them up.

[RGL]

I don’t think they were covered until the 1944 refit and when she was sent to the South Pacific given the insanity of the Japanese pilots. 

 

In 1943 she still had them uncovered and had an extra 18 twenty mil guns. If I did the 1945 version I would probably get the set I used to cover the Yamato portholes. 

 

It also appears the rear section of her degaussing cable were still present but the front section removed. 

 

I just recieved this, which covers her entire career but for some reason ignores the removal of the degaussing cable completely. 

 

So, the photos don’t lie. 

[popeye the sailor]

I think I read where the cables were only on the bow section....did you mention something about this in your intro?   as a mater of fact,  the Hood PE I got has the complete set of cables included