The Ship Model Forum

Long time without posting advances! But well, some new things happened! I added some weathering and shade contrast to the decks, using water-colors, painted individual planks with a very diluted mix of browns and grays, just to change the shade.





Then I started adding the PE handrails around the upper decks, needed to do this before starting to install the rigging.



And time came for the part I fear the most... rigging. I checked for references and no wonder, I could not find a comprehensive and complete plan of the HMS Exeter Rigging. Checked Profile Morski, internet, etc and I could find only partial blueprints and in all cases incomplete. Therefore, I relied on pictures of the real ship, and reached an educated guess based on the available information.

I started with the rigging that provided support to the masts, "structural" rigging, using Medium Lycra (0.121mm). There are 3 pairs of structural cables on each side of the masts, divided in a lower and upper set, that was quite clear in most pictures and got good information on the attachments to deck. The infini metal masts provide tie rings in the proper position for these as well! The pictures show the masts with the complete set of main rigging. Because I had difficulties attaching the tense lycra to the deck, I ended up drilling small holes on the deck, gluing the lycra to a thin wire, and inserting both in the tiny holes and adding a small drop of CA. Easier.






And then I continued adding the remaining rigging, which is much more complicated: some additional structural rigging, and 16 pairs of lines I think used for signal flags, 8 from the lower boom and 8 from the upper one. Both masts have the same configuration. I have finished already the front mast using Fine Lycra (0.091mm), quite complicated task but rewarding! On the picture installing the lower 8 pairs.



And the final result on the front mast.





Notice how all the secondary lines run in a single plane from the booms to the upper decks, not noticeable from the side.



And of course, all the tiny insulations are still missing, need to add them, but the worst part is done! Rear mast next!



marco

Looking really sharp, Marco! Hope to see her at MosquitoCon next April!

_________________
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

A W E S O M E !

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

Hoping to make it to Mosquitocon, too!!! I continued with the rigging, quite busy. I finished the masts rigging attaching the lines used to raise the flags to the top of both masts, barely noticeable but there!


Installed the line between masts and the radio wires running to the rear castle.


Then proceeded to add the flags, and this is where it really became more interesting as I found out that the HMS Exeter raised not 1, nor 2, but FIVE Battle ensigns at the beginning of the Battle of the River Plate. That made the subject much more colorful, I used Eduard Steel flags, they bend pretty easily without the paint cracking, and attached to the lycra lines according to references.



Some flags were swiveling constantly after gluing in place, this was solved by applying diluted acrylic glue to the lines.






And I am currently working on the PE handrails, almost done. With acrlylic glue it is really easy to attach these.






Pending: final handrail, crew, gluing the boats in place, Marconi aerials.


Marco

Outstanding! Great rigging and flags !

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

Just beautiful.

Very sharp!