The Ship Model Forum

The Ship Modelers Source
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:11 pm

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 67 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2021 3:21 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:24 am
Posts: 2482
Location: Belgium
very nice indeed! :thumbs_up_1:


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 3:31 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
I continued working on different parts of my HMS Exeter, the main turrets required some filling and sanding of the seam between the Eduard PE and the plastic, not really an issue, just patience. Used mostly CA and Vallejo Putty.

Image

Image

After painting and applying gloss coat, the decals attached without any issues, trimmed them to eliminate as much carrier as possible. Some subtle paneling effect was added using Tamiya's Gray Panel Accent.

Image

The funnels... not my favorite area, the rings around them are not molded completely around them, and this becomes worse when you try to eliminate the seam of the funnel halves. Well, I did my best, kept them to simulate the rivet lines they actually resemble.

Image

Eduard PE parts are an improvement over the PE of the kit, it corrects the ladders and adds the observation platforms located up on the front of the funnel. Not wanting any accident to happen manipulating the sub-assemblies, I opened tiny holes to glue the ladders in place, and it gives a better impression having them separated from the actual surface of the funnels.

Image

Image

Image

I had issues trying to use Eduards PE ring and "grill" on the funnels. I simply could not find the way to bend the pins on the crown, to resemble the real ones, and I broke like half of the pins trying to do that.

Image

Image

Thank God there was a Plan B... the kit's PE. I used the PE ring provided by Trumpeter, not so fine as Eduards but plays the part, and combined it with the Eduard' "Grill" which is thinner than Trumpeter's one. I regret not realizing how to glue the ring separated from the funnel rim, but learned and managed to do that in the rear funnel. Anyway, I am not 100% satisfied, as I could not replicate all the structure shown in references.

Image

The rear funnel, better. Again. combined the ring from Trumpeter (Eduard's suffered the same fate as the other one, pins broke) andthe "grill" from Eduard.

Image

Image

Worked on the life rafts, improved the contrast of the rafts having been the same color as the ship by adding some weathering.

Image

And this is where I am, about time to start gluing all subassemblies to the ship and seeing some more evident advance!

Image

Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:19 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2018 2:00 pm
Posts: 567
Very nice work.

Interesting how she retained her turret aerial identification letters after the outbreak of war. One would have thought the authorities would be keen to disguise such things to keep the enemy guessing. Same as Graf Spee did with her fake 'Deutschland' and 'Admiral Scheer' nameplates, ironically.

It seems Exeter was not unique here either, while researching my own build of H.M.S. Ramillies I came across this photo dated January 1940 showing the aerial identification lettering still in place on her 'X' Turret:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C240557

Anyway, lovely work again on the Exeter and I look forward to seeing more updates.


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Jun 18, 2021 7:26 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
Right, while the Germans were changing name plates that could be barely seen from a boat, the HMS Exeter had gigantic lettering for anybody to ID it from the air. And we have been lucky that somebody took the right picture showing the letters, only one miserable picture, that it is. If not, all of our HMS Exeter kits at the "Battle of the River Plate" would be wrong... :cool_1:

Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:45 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 1:40 pm
Posts: 8159
Location: New Jersey
Nice work, Marco! Everything looks sharp. Love how those decals look on the turrets.

_________________
Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2021 9:20 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
Thanks Martin. I was pretty inpatient to start putting the subassemblies on the ship, what decided me to start was me damaging one of the many subassemblies laying around on my desk. Time to glue them to the ship. Started with the funnels, they needed some trimming inside the base to fit properly (cracked one trying to insert it w/o trimming...). Nice fit after that, Eduard's PE is a nice addition in adding and /or correcting some details on the front funnel.

Image

Image

I glued the hydroplane catapult deck, and the front upper deck/bridge in place, nice fitting, no issues at all.

Image

The main armament turrets subassemblies were inserted in place just for the sake of looking at how the Exeter will look with them. It is a pity but the cannons will not be able to elevate or depress, as they fit tight and the movement scratches the paint. No way of widening the openings without losing detail. I guess the captain would never forget he was commanding the EXETER looking at the letters on the turrets right in front of his command post.

Image

Image

And first steps into issuing the "water", wood base, cut the hull shape, painted green (don't like to see the wood color while applying the acrylic gel), using Acrylic gel to simulate water surface.

Image

Image

Image

Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:35 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:15 am
Posts: 5003
Especially in the South Atlantic where there were very few Germain raiders and many more Allied ships and reconnaissance aircraft the Germans could count on almost any ship being an enemy unit, not so for the Allies.


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2022 11:06 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
It has been a while, but my Exeter has seen at least limited advances. I continued working on the water, still in the process of finishing splashes and painting, but having advanced on this, motivates me to continue detailing the ship!

Image

Image
Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2022 2:07 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 1:40 pm
Posts: 8159
Location: New Jersey
She looks great!

_________________
Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2022 3:08 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2017 2:43 am
Posts: 187
Great indeed! Top marks for the clean and precise assembly, detailing, painting and seascape improvement.
On standby for the next updates.

Cheers,
SG

_________________
http://www.3xblackcats.wordpress.com


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:56 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
I have been adding bits and pieces to my Exeter, but there was an area that was evidently wrong in the kit, between the front funnel and the bridge. That was some sort of storage area, was modified at least once during HMS Exeter's career. In Exeter's early years, it looks like an open space for storage, hydroplane pontoons being stored there as seen in some pictures. But sometime before the war, a boxy structure was installed, I guess for storage as well. Apart from this, two very notorious ducts cross from funnel to upper front deck, you can't miss them, but the kit did, not provided. The kit provides two rectangular structures that try to simulate the storage box when seen from the side, but apart from that, they miss completely how the real think was.

I started fixing these issues by scratch building the storage box. I joined together the parts provided in the kit with a plastic sheet, and used the four PE sides from Eduard to cover the four sides of the box. The should sit much higher that what is provided in the parts, so I glued PE extensions from remanent PE, looking crudely like this.
Image

Once I was satisfied with the shape and dimensions of the storage box, I started scratch building the pipes, using Evergreen plastic rod, 1mm and 1.2mm diameter. Following the information shared in this forum about those pipes, I cut and glued as best as I could, the forward end goes into the deck through a box, and the rear ends go into the base of the funnel.
Image

Fit of the storage box above the pipes was subject of constant check. Notice that different to the instructions in the kit, the storage box is located much more to the center of the ship, not at the same level to the sides as the "ice-cream shops". Notice the two pipes passing neatly under the box.
Image

And these are the pipes already finished, not glued in place of course.
Image

And with the storage box in place (not glued). It looks good, improves the looks of this part of the ship a lot! I will add some other tiny parts under the box as in the very scarce picture of that area, it seems to be a busy storage area with God knows what kind of things.
Image

Image
Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2022 2:13 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:56 am
Posts: 8561
Location: New York City
Wonderful work, Marco.


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2022 1:50 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
DavidP wrote:
Marco, that box you just did over the foot of the stack is supposed to be rectangular not square.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _1930s.jpg


I know... mine is sort of rectangular... not much, but it is. I encountered limitations reaching a more rectangular shape, due to the separation of the parts where the storage box stands on (what look like ice cream stores), and the separation between funnel and forward upper deck. This is how far I could go without needing major surgery to other parts.

Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 7:47 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
I finished adding scratch details to the area between front deck and front funnel. First I glued in place the two pipes going from the base of the funnel up to the lateral platforms, each ends up in a horn loudspeaker that I still need to add. The pipes were issues with thin wire, painted bent (several times, several tries!) and glued in place with CA.
Image

Then I glued the pipes running horizontally between funnel and front deck.
Image

And finally the storage box was glued in place. The whole area looks much better than the mostly empty space as provided in the kit, and of course more accurate to how HMS Exeter looked like in 1939. I understand if the kit did not include the thin piping leading to the horn loudspeakers, as they are quite flimsy, or the storage box as it was not always installed, but the horizontal pipes running from funnel to front deck should be there, all the time, they are quite notorious. I am aware that there are two PE parts that I glued in place according to instructions, on the front of the "ice cream stores", that should be located further under the storage box, closer to the center line. When I noticed, it was too late, I was afraid that I could ruin the deck or other parts if I tried to detach the parts, so they will stay as they are.
Image

Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 12:29 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 1:40 pm
Posts: 8159
Location: New Jersey
Brilliant work!

_________________
Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2022 5:36 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 3:40 am
Posts: 583
Location: Vincennes, FRANCE
Nice and clean !

_________________
Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! - David Glasgow Farragut


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:12 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:21 pm
Posts: 76
Location: Phoenix Arizona
Excellent build Marco.throughly enjoying your posts…..


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:51 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
Thank you, guys, advancing slowly currently, but never stopping!

Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2022 2:43 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:24 am
Posts: 2482
Location: Belgium
Very precise and sharp work! :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1:


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2022 9:42 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:41 am
Posts: 161
Assembled the wavebreaker, substituted the plastic part with PE, 19 parts, difficult to clean the smallest ones but managed to assemble them without feeding the carpet monster. Glued with acrylic glue, had some issues fitting the tips over the deck edge, have to retouch it later.

Image

Image

Image

And put the anchor chains in place, used 40 LPI chain, looks to scale to me. I had doubts about the color of the chains, have pictures showing them in light gray, same as the ship, have another picture showing them painted in black and light gray, by segments, and then the ones after the Battle of the River Plate, that show the chains in black. I chose the latter option.

Image

Image

Marco


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 67 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4  Next

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Timothyo and 69 guests


You can post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group