Ian M's HMS HOOD. Trumpeter 1/200

[james pithouse]

i see what you mean graham wish i could afford it but at £98.99 the ark royal will have to stay there

[Guest]

Looking good, I presume you are looking at the HMS Hood web site for the corrections to the blast shields, whihc I found a font of knowledge when I was building mine.

[Ian M]

I presume you are looking at the HMS Hood web site for the corrections to the blast shields

As I have mentioned a few times yes I am. A very helpful place to have up on the iPad while working on her.

So today's update. An hour here and there during the weekend saw the aft conning tower, which I think was the torpedo control and targeting tower, go under the knife.. For such a little part there was a loot of things that where not as they should be for Hood at the time in question.[ATTACH]273749[/ATTACH]
The large square windows around the back end at bottom of the tower were plated in and two scuttles either side of the door added. I was not sure if the window in the door was also blanked off and have not seen a photo that shows it. So I let the door in the window stay....For now. If someone knows for sure, let me know before I paint it and stick it in place!
The windows around the bowed top section also needed a little visit. the center window was in fact one wide window and not the two as per the kit. You might also have seen that an extra opening has appeared..This was to access the searchlights on the above deck.[ATTACH]273747[/ATTACH]
The step down on the kit part was just never there. So Trumpeter made that bit up! The step is now corrected to the single large platform. Also the door and ladder on the center section has been removed. Never happened. On the deck above the corresponding hatch has also had to be removed. The 'square thing' in the middle of the fairings around the upper deck where also found to be incorrect. they might have been the signal flag locker that was placed the deck side of the fairing just left of the opening. The shielding around the searchlight stations was only half the height of the rest of the shielding. So a spray deflector was added all the way round and that is about that! Phew.
[ATTACH]273748[/ATTACH]
I will put the last few bits on this later when my fingers have recovered from all the drilling and cutting of windows and doors!
[ATTACH]273750[/ATTACH]
My first encounter with the dreaded PE. I really dont know what I hate the most. PE or Superglue. lol
There are some things you just want to stick instantly the first touch. This was one of those times. It took at least six tries before the Sodding things stayed put!
Oh the little 'shed' here was moulded with an open top. Not sure the radio op would have been to pleased about that, so I gave him the roof that was missing.

I am now sitting waiting for the paint to dry on the hull so not a lot more happening today...
[ATTACH]273759[/ATTACH]
WEM admiralty Anti fouling red. Lots of it! When It has cured, I will do the sides in AP507C then the boot topping in black last.
I know that at this time in the ships life she was AP507A when she went down. I just think that she looks so much nicer in her foreign service colour of AP507c
I also think that in the Dark Admiralty Grey, it would look very dark and dismal.

I will close with a thought. Trumpeter are slowly working their way through the ships that hunted the Bismark. We have the Bismark, the mighty Hood, Rodney and Nelson....When are they going to give us the Ark? Can you imagine that in 1/200. The wife would kill me lol.

[tr1ckey66]

Hey Ian
This build is moving on a pace. The accuracy/dateline mods are looking good. Keep up the great work.

Ark Royal would be awesome. With a full complement of 1/200 aircraft that would be sweet!
I'd pay my money!

Cheers
P

[Ian M]

I was just wondering so I worked out how big the Ark would be in 1/200.........
Smaller than the Hood! the Hood was 860ft the Ark 800ft. But it would still be a very impressive model. We will have to wait and see.
I must say that so far I am rather enjoying this build. So much so that I might just start to save up for another. The Bismark? Hmm.

[Guest]

Excellent progress Ian. I was hoping to finish off the Triumph today so I could give Bizzy a bit more attention but I have fallen to the dreaded man flu so will be out of action for today at least

[Guest]

Great progress this is coming along a treat.

[Guest]

Looking good, great progress.

[Pikeman]

Wow you are flying along with this monster kit.
Great start Ian,looking good mate

[Ian M]

Well You all may think I am steaming along with this but most of the parts so far have been large one piece mouldings. Now the smaller bits are coming into play
and trust me it is slowing down!
[ATTACH]273954[/ATTACH]
Another single moulded part. 'nice thick plastic' which is actually a pain in the bum. Seriously did it need to be almost three mm thick.
It does make it rather hard to do this:
[ATTACH]273953[/ATTACH]
The six windows I have opened up is the result of a good hours slog with pin vice drill and scalpel. Talk about sore fingers. My main worry is that the thickness of the plastic and the thin window posts are going to spell trouble!
[ATTACH]273955[/ATTACH]
36 lockers. each two parts. cut, sanded, glued and primed
[ATTACH]273956[/ATTACH]
Some of the structures are also primed.
[ATTACH]273957[/ATTACH]
The steel section of the boat deck has gotten a coat of dark grey MS4 I think it was. Tomorrow the planked end will get a coat of teak, then maybe a wash or two to vary the colour and pick the detail out a bit. Then its fun with masking tape masking all the vents, hatches and shields that are moulded on the deck.
[ATTACH]273958[/ATTACH]

Right now my fingers need a rest before I continue the cutting out of windows!

[Pikeman]

That does look tough going but the end result will be worth it.

[Guest]

Very nice. The trouble with the larger scales is the need to do things like cutting out windows which you may have got away with on a smaller scale.

[Ian M]

Well it seemed like a good idea at the time. Then once you have drilled the port holes you see all the square windows.....Bugger!
Any way this is the result of a day at the bench, on and off.[ATTACH]274088[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]274089[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]274090[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]274091[/ATTACH]
The sharp eyed amongst you will have seen that the upper most rows of windows at the top of both parts are done differently. I have a slight mis-hap with a new scalpel blade and ran it through four of the frames. (and stabbed it in my thumb!) So I took a razor saw to them and cut the whole section out and glued in evergreen strip to make the windows....Hopefully this is the last of the windows!

[Guest]

Ouch made a huge difference though.

[monica]

coming along nicely Ian,