I have finished the preparation of all parts for painting and here is what I can tell you about the work done recently.
The ship’s armament initially seemed easier to construct than other components due to all elements of it being available in the form of high quality aftermarket products. Eventually it proved one of the more challenging chapters of the build. The main turrets came from Micro Master – after a successful application of this manufacturer’s 3D printed turrets in my previous build it was a straightforward decision.
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This set of turrets is even better because they belong to the so-called Premium Collection which displays much finer resolution thanks to a better printer than the one used for the Shapeways Collection. The print lines are barely visible, and besides being spot on in both shape and dimensions, these turrets feature unbelievably fine detail like access ladders that as fine as the better PE offerings and are printed some distance from the turret walls – a feature I have never seen before. There were only two problems with them: first, a poorly defined lower edge at the right part of the back plate.
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This was dealt with by applying layers of superglue to this part and then carefully sanding it flat with an attention to not damaging the access ladder situated there. The other problem is evident from the picture showing the four turrets together - the turrets had drooping barrels. The resin they have been printed of is apparently too soft. This was not really a problem as I would have replaced them anyway with turned brass items. From the products available to me (Tetra, FlyHawk, Master Model) the latter appealed to me the most, this was the one I used. I cut off the printed barrels, drilled open the blast bags,
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which was not very easy because the resin used for printing is remarkably brittle, while, as mentioned above it is also soft. It is strange for a material to have both of these seemingly contradicting attributes. I added some putty to the underside of the blast bags to make them sag more, which in my view adds to their realism. Next I glued in the brass barrels. A and Y turrets were ready this way, but not B and X. They had AA weapon emplacements on their roof. The 3D printed turrets had zarebas for twin powered Oerlikons. This is correct for 1943, but my model depicts an earlier appearance. I regretfully cut off the beautiful zarebas along with the supports around them,
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thinned down the central column and drilled holes in the turret roofs for the new, stainless steel supports which were carefully glued in with all of their tops at the same level.
Then tiny triangular gussets (cut from aluminium sheet, with holes drilled in them) were glued to the outward supports upon which some kind of plates (foldable splinter shields?) will rest.
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The guns will be mounted on circular platforms which were scratchbuilt out of PE mesh, aluminium discs on their top and lead foil strip at their perimeter.
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In the following pictures the finished turrets can be seen:
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