HMS Iron Duke F-234

[Phil R]

With the release of Trumpeters Type 23 HMS Kent , gave me the opportunity to make a model of Hull`s adopted warship HMS Iron Duke.Having visited her 2008,and taken many close up pics of her I can now put them to good use.There is nothing like having the real thing to work from.
The kit is well up to Trumpeters now high standard,and includes some PE for various items ,but no deck-railings ,hopefully the WEM fret ,which I`ve back-ordered ,will turn up soon ,and i can use that instead.I will let the pics do the talking ,so here goes.


The Duke leaving Hull May 2008

The plastic bits laid out ready for construction to begin

The PE fret from the kit

The lower hull has been removed with my trusty Dremel

An additional opening has been made in the transom stern ,and a lower lip made from plastic

Netting has been added on the stern openings ,I use plastic from kitchen sieve ,cut to size to represent this ,a little oversize but I had no PE netting to do this.

Cheerio Phil

[sirpaul]

Nice Phil. Was wondering how this compares to the WEM one? Seeing how you now have both. I also have the WEM one and was wondering if i should go for this one.

[Phil R]

Nice Phil. Was wondering how this compares to the WEM one? Seeing how you now have both. I also have the WEM one and was wondering if i should go for this one.

As I go along I`m comparing it with the WEM kit,so far I `ve found that the openings in the stern on the WEM kit are wrong ,much smaller than the real thing ,Trumpy have got that part right ...so far.

Cheers Phil

[Phil R]

I`ve painted the hull,for the modern deck dark grey ,I`ve used Vallejo No 72900 French Mirage ,this seems to be the closest match to the deck grey .I`ve applied all the decals ,I replaced the kit decals with those from the very useful and good Modern RN sheets from Hawkgraphics .The flight-deck part was a poor fit ,and needed a bit of filler to fill in the gaps .

Cheers Phil

[Ray S]

Nice work so far Phil. I was thinking of trying to adjust Kent to the Duke, and doing the Airfix WW1 version as a then and now, albeit in different scales (and detail quality!).

Look forward to seeing more as this unfolds.

Kind regards, Ray

[Phil R]

The hull has been mount on the sea,which I made with my usual method.and I`ve started to detail the fos`cle area.I`ve added a fire-point just behind the breakwater on the port side and control wheels on the top of the small structure in the centre.

Cheers Phil

[Captain pugwash]

Nice going Phil.

Interesting build you have there.
Like how you cracked the stern problem

[renato lamberti]

very nice work Phil..
How do you made the sea?...looks great

[Captain pugwash]

very nice work Phil..
How do you made the sea?...looks great

Hi Renato.
If you sally down a few threads ,I think on the Warspite build by Phil, he explains the way he doe's the sea.

I beleave i have this right, but if not, Phil will put you right.

PS.(OT) Are you in anyway to do with the firm Regia Marina who make PE sets.

[Phil R]

very nice work Phil..
How do you made the sea?...looks great

Hi Renato,
I did the Warspite build on another site which I don`t have anything to do with now .If you follow this link ,it shows how I make water!!


viewtopic.php?f=59&t=113935

Thanks Phil

[Phil R]

I`ve made a start on the forward bridge structure .Comparing the kit parts from this area with the photos I have , the small details match exactly ,Trumpy have got it spot on! The only difference with the Duke and the Kent is that the Duke has an extra support under the decoy deck.I`ve picked out the multi-coloured warning notices and fire-points,and used a Flory wash to emphasize the small details.

Cheerio Phil

[Phil R]

Here are some photos of my progess up to now.

The midships deck house has been completed.I`ve modified the kit decals to represent the funnel badge for the "Duke"


I`m leaving the hangar door open,this inside is painted white .I`ve been in contact with someone who is in the RN,and he stated that all the Type 23s now embark Merlin helicopters ,so I`m going to use a Merlin left-over from my Airfix Illustrious build,and display it being towed out of the Hangar.


The outer part of the hangar and the various platforms around it has been attached

Phil

[Christian Bruer]

Hello Phil,

nice and fast progress on your Typ23! Looks really good

[LE BOSCO]

HI Phil

as usual, a beautiful sea, and quick and well done
cheers
Nicolas

[Phil R]

Thank you Gentlemen.I may have to slow up a bit with this build ,as I haven`t received the WEM PE for it yet .I wonder when it will be released? Anyway I `ve got the Mod 1 turret sorted out ,I borrowing one from WEMs Type 45 model ,until I can one of WEMs new ones.

THanks again ,Phil

[Phil R]

I have been speaking to Dave Carter at WEM this morning,and he said that there was a delay of about two weeks in the production of their PE for this kit.So it looks as I will do what I can in the meantime.


I`ve added some detail around the hangar door ,like the lights on the roof,and red fire hoses.


The missile silo has been added ,the caps on the tube were a tan colour


I`ve used the kit PE for the Harpoon blast deflectors ,I`ve notice on the colour photos the actual Harpoon tubes are a slighter darker grey, (Haze Grey?)than the rest of the paintwork.The Bridge has had some "eyebrows" added above the windows,along with the 4.5" turret are for painting.

Phil

[Captain pugwash]

Comeing on fine there Phil.

She is takeing shape and looking very good, nice one

I to am waiting on WEM for My Roma fret from Regia Marina.

But its nice to know there still busy makeing things.

[roy allen]

nice update Phil
I must admit to being tempted to add this to my must buy list

Roy

[Phil R]

After having problems with the "New" photobucket ,I managed to get the latest pics uploaded using the old system.

The 4.5 turret and Harpoon launchers have been attached .

The ships boats and cranes have been fixed to the midships deckhouse

Cheers Phil

[Phil R]

Just as an aside ,comparing the hull length of the WEM model and the Trumpy version ,the Trumpy one looks to be a lot longer.I was worried in case Trumpy had done an"Antelope" and made the hull too long. The length of a Type 23 is 133metres ,which works out to be 380mm in 350th scale ,Trumpy have got the length spot-on ,the WEM kit is far too short coming out at 360mm,so it seems that Trumpy can get things right !

More to come ,Phil