Ian M's HMS HOOD. Trumpeter 1/200

[Ian M]

So I spent a while gluing ready ammo lockers, boxes, cable rollers and winches all over the place. I have one winch that I just cant find a home for! I dare say it will come out of hiding later...
Conning tower still only dry fitted, as are the funnels, but everything else is nailed down. I now only have the small cannons, pom-pom guns, UP launchers and a couple of bandstands left on the ready to mount holder!
The decks are starting to busy up but there are hundreds of bits to go yet and a good portion of PE as well.
As I wrote befor, now would be a good a time as any to take a pause from this and build something quick and simple.
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Every one of the high lockers had to have the locating lug sanded down as they are to big for the holes. Good job there are only 35 of them!
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Funnels and forward superstructures just dry fitted
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Decks swabbed and ready for action with a bit more simple build. Right now I am making a holder for all the 'go to' tools, files, tweezers, that kind of thing.
Just spent some time running a bit of Ash wood from the firewood through the table saw.... More on that later.

[Pikeman]

Looks great Ian,you are really doing a fab job on bringing it to life

[monica]

looking real nice Ian,well done so far,liking this one,

[Ian M]

To save my sanity while trying to get to grips with the camouflage on the Stuka, I though I would try something a bit easier.
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Made a run at the PE stairs and rails on the observation (?) decks. I will swing a hairy stick at them later. There are four stairways that will need painting befor they get stuck on as they are all but hidden from sight. Enough that you can see them, just no way to get at them after fitting with a brush!
Only another 30 odd sets of stairs to make! Once they are done I can stick the main structures in place.
The next thrilling installment will be the painting and fitting off loads of boat stands. vents and other odds and sods.

A question. Having never seriously rigged a battle ship before, (this is only the second one I have built), Is it better to rig the whole lot in one go or do it in sub sections? This is the bit I am dreading the most and really do not want to fail! I have a couple of hundred meters of rigging thread at the ready.

[papa 695]

Fantastic work so far Ian, and a pity about the paint

[Guest]

Ian, when I did the 1/350th hood I rigged the sub sections, I found it made it a lot easier. I also bought eyelets from L'Arsenal, which I used as tie off points on the deck and superstructure. I do not know if they do a 1/200 version.

[Guest]

Wow, this is huge! Loving the progress so far Ian, keep up the good work!

[Ian M]

So still here and I am doing bits here and there, Right now I appear to have a production line for stair on the go.
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Still a good few left to make but after a couple of hours of these, my eyes need a rest. lol.
The plan is to build all the PE that I can, prime and then spray them while I have the paint in the airbrush to spray the main guns... Well that's the theory anyway. Then I can paint the treads and glue them on to their respective places.

[Ian M]

Just thought I would bring you up to date on this build.
After suffering from modelling burnout syndrome, I took a long break from the hobby room and just popped in from time to time to hold the cobwebs at bay.
Anyway... I have spent a few hours here and there mounting dozens of tiny vents and ducts and boxes.
cut from the sprue, sand, mount for painting, prime, paint, find out where the heck it's ment to be fitted and finally glue it in place!
If you thought building single link tank tracks is a pain; you will look this!
I will try to grab a photo or two in the morning. Today the sun was blasting in through the window and making photos rather impossible....

I can look forwards to such joys as the railings and rigging Those will make all else seem simple.....o_O

[papa 695]

Nice to see you back at it Ian.

[Ian M]

here are some photos of the last couple of days fun..
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A lot less empty positioning holes than there was, but there are still quite a few. Most of which are either very fine plastic or PE. And dont get me started on the railings... Just spent 1/2 an hour putting two railings on the mast crows nest and crane platform..... Jeezzzz.

[Guest]

This is pretty impressive Ian, your PE work looks the biz, such a big project - but it looks like you've put some hours in already!

[tr1ckey66]

Very impressive Ian I think things may get even more fiddly but ultimately rewarding.
This is going to be one hell of a model and something to be proud of.
Cheers
P

[papa 695]

It's looking very good Ian, great work so far.

[Ian M]

Cheers chaps- need the encouragement lol.