Enchantress by Papa - JSC - 1/400 - CARD

[Papa]

The Enchantress was built at the J. Brown shipyard in Great Britain. Originally designed to be a convoy escort named Bittern, her purpose was changed during construction to an Admiralty Yacht and her name changed to Enchantress.  She was launched December 21, 1934 and entered service on April 8, 1935. 
This is a card model from JSC and comes in booklet form. The basic kit has laser cut parts to form the hull and I also purchased a laser cut detail set.  I separated the pages and put them with the instructions in plastic sleeves.  This keeps everything neat makes it more difficult to misplace parts.

[Papa]

Cabin aft and main deck in place. 

[Papa]

The instructions say to apply the hull sides starting at the stern. When I did that the curve at the step in the deck didn’t line up.  I had to remove the side, and ruined it in the process.  Fortunately there are parts for different versions and I was able to switch to the B version (middle years, I was doing A, as launched). This time I started the sides at the step.

Edited June 9 by Papa

[Papa]

Some of the assemblies are quite small.

[Papa]

I now have the front superstructure in place. This involved some very tiny structures. One card piece snapped out of my tweezers and ended up in the 4th dimension apparently. Fortunately its absence isn’t noticeable. 

[ccoyle]

3 hours ago, Papa said:

One card piece snapped out of my tweezers and ended up in the 4th dimension apparently.

 

Should you ever find yourself in the 4th dimension, please have a look around for the various parts I have unwillingly contributed to the landscape over the years.

[Papa]

I am sure that space is awash with tiny blocks, deadeyes, and other bits 

[Papa]

After cabin in place and the base for the funnel. 

[Papa]

A lot of the work now has to be done with tweezers! The little deckhouse in the tweezers went under the overhang forward of the funnel. 

[ccoyle]

This would be a very tempting kit for me if it were offered in 1/250. Sadly, as you no doubt know, JSC publish primarily in 1/400, and their few 1/250 kits are mostly either merchantmen or battleships.

[Papa]

On 6/15/2024 at 6:53 PM, ccoyle said:

This would be a very tempting kit for me if it were offered in 1/250. Sadly, as you no doubt know, JSC publish primarily in 1/400, and their few 1/250 kits are mostly either merchantmen or battleships.

To be honest I didn't pay any attention to the scale. I seemed like an interesting ship.  If I thought about what 1/400 really meant I might have hesitated.  The details are at the limit of my vision!

[Papa]

A lot of tiny boxes on this ship.  Also, the instructions with the detail set stated that the main instructions indicated which parts had laser cut versions. If they did I missed them and missed a few ladders. I replaced the card ladders and marked all the part numbers that had laser cut details. The only part I can’t fix is the search light tower. The card tower is not coming off without damaging the deck.  

[Papa]

She is getting close to the end.  Need to add the saluting guns, masts, boats and davits, and some remaining deck equipment.   The kit didn’t come with railings and I am wondering if I should find some 1/400 photo etched railings for her.

[ccoyle]

3 minutes ago, Papa said:

I am wondering if I should find some 1/400 photo etched railings for her.

 

I believe JSC makes generic 1/400 scale railings.

[Papa]

On 6/22/2024 at 5:33 PM, ccoyle said:

believe JSC makes generic 1/400 scale railings.

I just looked at their site and didn’t see them.

Update 6/24:  JSC advised me on the proper rails and I ordered a set.  Also thought I would try a paper aircraft and ordered their Spitfire. 

Edited June 24 by Papa

[ccoyle]

49 minutes ago, Papa said:

I just looked at their site and didn’t see them. 

 

That's odd. I found them straight away.

 

https://jsc.pl/en/search?controller=search&s=railings

[Papa]

User error I guess.  Thanks for the link.  

[Jsk]

That is a lot of small parts for a model that appear to be only 9 inches long. She's coming together really well.

[Papa]

20 hours ago, Jsk said:

That is a lot of small parts for a model that appear to be only 9 inches long. She's coming together really well.

Thanks.  It is not an easy kit.   

[Papa]

Working on masts and rigging. The masts ended up a tad wonky. It must have been the heavy seas in the channel during Churchill’s last trip.

[Papa]

I have 4 of the ship’s boats built and installed.  2 dinghies and 2 whalers. JSC provides some tiny pieces to build the interior of each one and I tired to do that but it was just too small for me to get looking good.  I used their alternative method that consisted of a flat piece with the interior of the boat printed on.  The dinghies are on the deck under the whalers. In the photo on the green mat there is a tiny laser cut detail of 3 seats for the dinghy.  I think one would have to work under a microscope to assemble these. 

Edited June 26 by Papa

[yvesvidal]

Your model is coming along beautifully.

 

At first glance, I thought the ship was crossing through the Suez Canal, with the desert like background and the greenish waters.

 

I wish they would offer that model in 1/200 scale and plastic.

 

Yves

[Papa]

The Enchantress is finished as I can achieve except for railings, which are on order from JSC.  There are a few deck fittings that are just too tiny for me to assemble so she’ll go without.  A very challenging build. And I doubt I would try another card ship at 1/400 scale.