Zvezda 1/350 Knyaz Suvorov - Ill fated Russian Battleship.

[Dave Ward]

Back to the battleship after the Bugatti! I've added the main deck, and all the fiddly little casemate guns ( 10 a side )

Just a smear of filler needed on the aft stbd deck edge, but otherwise not bad.
Those casemate guns must have been pretty useless - too close to the waterline - if the ship was rolling at all, one minute the gun muzzles would be in the sea, the next pointing at the sky, not to mention they must have flooded easily, just from normal seas............
Dave

[langy71]

Looking at the pictures you've posted and I can't not think of 'HMS Thunderchild' from The War of The Worlds..

[Dave Ward]

Torpedo net booms added & casemate shutters - foredeck has sides & aft added.
It's going to be a problem to paint - I managed to prime the hull sides black, and the deck white, using the airbrush, but it's probably going to be the hairy stick from now on, especially the deck

The foredeck is only dry fitted - I think I'll paint the main deck and hull, then fasten them to the base, so I can begin to add the 'sea' - the foredeck doesn't need to be fitted for that.
I've decided to paint the hull & superstructure black-grey, using black alone looks too stark and makes washes difficult to apply................. I believe the Russians used indigent wood for the deck planking, resulting in a rather more red/yellowish shade than other navies. Careful trimming & dry fitting is needed on some of the parts, but nothing that sanding sticks & scalpel can't solve!
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Looking at the pictures you've posted and I can't not think of 'HMS Thunderchild' from The War of The Worlds..

HG Wells was around at the time these floating fortresses were the latest in technology, and the artist that did the cover art for Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds must have done a bit of research!
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Coming on nicely Dave. Such a strange beast though. As you say, the casemates couldn’t be fought in any sort of a sea, and this probably went the secondary side turrets as well.....

[Dave Ward]

Deck & hull painted - I'll need to touch up a lot, but I've got the bulk of it done............

I'll break out the small brush, to paint all the deck fittings, which may take me some time & probably several iterations. I used Vallejo 862 Black-Grey for the hull - not black as suggested & I reckon that's about right. The wooden deck planking needs a little toning down,with perhaps a drop of grey in the base colour, Vallejo 834 Natural Wood. This is where no interruptions & a soothing Spotify playlist are essential.
Dave

[Dave Ward]

After working on the Spitfire - I've returned to this beauty. I decided I didn't like the deck colour, so I overpainted it - with Vallejo New Wood. The hull is fixed to the base & the foredeck added...............................

The painting is an endless circle - touch up after touch up - it makes a AM wooden deck look more attractive!
I will add some streaks to the deck planking, to give a little variation.
I will score the base, before starting to apply the DAS, only thin layers, as this is quite an area to cover, with plenty of drying time between applications. I think I may start on the Airacobra during one of these periods......
Dave

[adt70hk]

Dave

Coming on nicely.

Andrew

[Dave Ward]

After a day or so drying, the first 'skin' of DAS is ready for another layer - no cracks - drying in a cool place for a day or so really does work

The second layer, I've added a bow wave - then smoothed it all over with the DAS mixed with water to a slurry. I used a coarse brush to hopefully show some ripples along the side of the ship. I won't really know until it's all dried - so it's back into the cool for a day or so

I suspect most of the sea effect will be through painting, but at least I've got a base to start on
Dave

[Dave Ward]

I sealed the DAS with a wash of diluted PVA, this prevents the acrylic paint being sucked down into the clay. Another day of drying, then I painted the sea with a green basecoat...............

This was just a rough coat - I'll get the smaller brush out to do the waterline, before starting to layer the paints...............
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Nice to see this afloat and making progress. Seascape is coming along well...

[boatman]

Nice to see this afloat and making progress. Seascape is coming along well...

HI Dave whats happening on this ship build ? as it was comin on so well
chris

[Dave Ward]

HI Dave whats happening on this ship build ? as it was comin on so well
chris

Chris,
had a bit of a set back - the plasticard base isn't rigid enough, and as I handled the model, the 'sea' partly cracked & fell off! I've had to remove the shattered bits & refill the sea - a bit more carefully. I thought the model itself would stiffen up the base, but it's still flexible at the edges & ends. I used what I had available, should have gone for something thicker - oh well.................
Dave

[boatman]

Chris,
had a bit of a set back - the plasticard base isn't rigid enough, and as I handled the model, the 'sea' partly cracked & fell off! I've had to remove the shattered bits & refill the sea - a bit more carefully. I thought the model itself would stiffen up the base, but it's still flexible at the edges & ends. I used what I had available, should have gone for something thicker - oh well.................
Dave

SO Dave thats a pity as i was likein this build is that the end of it or will it make a come back ?
chris

[Dave Ward]

Noooooo........................ I'm now waiting for some more DAS to complete the repairs!
Dave