Calling all HMS Ark Royal (WW2) fans

[smor]

Hi to all.
I am a new member on this forum, I was following it for some time with great interest.
I am building a 1-300 card model of the ww2 HMS Ark Royal, appreciate getting some help - detail pictures of the pom-pom guns located in front and rear of the bridge. The last picture posted was a great help, thanks.

Thanks for any help.

S. Mor

[Laurence Batchelor]

Now you wanted close-up pics of Ark Royal, can they get any closer? This was taken in Rio in Dec 1939



and this one shows the degaussing coil well at Portsmouth and is quite a well known photo as I've seen it a number of times:-

[Dino Carancini]

...superb Laurence if you keep post such kind of photos I will be tempted to open that small 1/720 Revell box that keep looking at me from the stock-pile

[smor]

Thanks Laurence !!

The last posted pictures will be great referance for my 1:300 model.
I was searching Google many times, but didn't find those pictures.

Thanks again.

S. Mor

[Frank Spahr]

Very impressive images!

In a way I�m glad my model is done so I don�t feel compelled to include more detail in those areas

But what a handsome vessel she was, wasn�t she?

Off onto Knyaz Suvorov (with entirely fresh cans of worms)

Frank

[Laurence Batchelor]

Thanks Laurence !!

The last posted pictures will be great referance for my 1:300 model.
I was searching Google many times, but didn't find those pictures.

Thanks again.

S. Mor

These are from my collection, you will never find the good stuff on google!

[Mountbatten6516]

I decided to reward myself this last Christmas with a model of the Trumpeter Hood and from there I decided that she looked too lonely alone so I am scratchbuilding a number of models to keep her company, all 1/350 remakes of (relatively cheap) Mini Hobby surplus kits. Two of them are aircraft carriers, HMS Ark Royal in May 1941 colors and HMS Eagle in late 1930s colors. I plan to use Mini Hobby kits - the ones available in bulk are Tirpitz and Prince of Wales - so I'd like to ask everyone's opinion, which would be best to use as a springboard for conversion to HMS Ark Royal? The HMS Eagle is being converted out of the Prince of Wales.

Any suggestions?
Mountbatten

P.S.
Thanks for the great pictures here!

[smor]

Hi all

Regarding the pompom's infront the island, in referance to the my model picture, is this the right location and shape of the shildes ? is the gun closer to the island on a raised base ?
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k10/mor54/HMS%20Ark%20Royal/ark6.jpg



Thanks for any help

S. Mor

[ARH]

Hi all

Regarding the pompom's infront the island, in referance to the my model picture, is this the right location and shape of the shildes ? is the gun closer to the island on a raised base ?


It is based on two following pictures, found on the internet.





Thanks for any help

S. Mor

[bengtsson]

Don't know how I managed to overlook the Ark Royal thread here all this time!
Now Laurence, those are some Ark Royal pictures that are nothing less than a dream come true! Where do you find these things
A question about the Arks catapults: "Were they often used and did the Royal Navy consider them to be a successful design"? I expect the stringbags didn't need a boost, but if Ark had survived to take the new heavier more modern aircraft of 1943 onwards, would the catapults have been of use in launching larger deckloads faster than the run the length of the deck method?
In my copy of William Jameson's "Ark Royal 1939-1941" is a fine picture of Ark launching a Skua from the port catapult in the South Atlantic in 1939. So at least I know the cat was used in routine operations at some point in time.
As for Ark Royal pictures, a favorite of mine is found facing page 17 : "Young Wendy Johnson lays the first keel-plate of Job Number 1012 , 1935 Birkenhead". I only wish I was able to scan it and share it.

In my view, the RN should have done at least a four ship batch of Arks. But that would have cost money that the defense establishment didn't have at the time


Bob B.

[Guest]

Can someone please help me?

I'm trying to get all the ships that were involved in the Battle and Denmark Strait and the hunt for the Bismarck. I have all the ships now except HMS Ark Royal. Trawling through the internet I can find no one who makes them. Is there anyone out there who does or know someone who'd be able to help me in some way?

Thanks for any help offered.

Chris

[Seasick]

As far as I am aware the closest you get is the Revell 1/720 Ark Royal. It can pass as a 1/700. It needs correction because it is an old kit and isn't up to current standards.
Items:
1. Much of the kits detail is good.
For the kitbasher/detailer:
2. Replace all the pom-poms with WEM 1/700 replacements.
3. Replace all the Vickers quad .50cal guns with WEM replacements.
4. The 4 inch gun mounts need a bit of work so that you can't see into the kits interior.

Over all its not a bad kit. Revell of Germany reissues the kit periodicly and there are quite a few on Ebay. Usually affordable.

[yohan]

HP Models makes a true 1/700 scale Ark Royal in resin. Kinda expensive, but alot better than the old Revell kit (and proper scale). I'm sure someone who visits this board has purchased and even built this kit, so hopefully they chime in with more comments on it.

[linux]

I suspect that the lack of British carrier kits can be attributed to the corresponding lack of commercial plans.

The best known sources of commercial plans of British WW2 warships - Norman Ough, A&A Plans, and John Lambert - seemed to have no interest in aircraft carriers whatsoever. They didn't draw a single one, as far as I know.

And the manufacturers seem to have no interest in obtaining official plans from (say) the National Maritime Museum either, presumably because of costs and licensing conditions. Otherwise we would surely see more British carrier kits, since the demand is evidently there.

It's not obvious how this situation is going to change.

[Christoph Mentzel]

Hi ,

i have build the HP Ark Royal. It is a good kit and with the WEM PE set for it it looks realy impressive.

Here a picture of her :


Best Regards
Chris

[Guest]

HP Models makes a true 1/700 scale Ark Royal in resin. Kinda expensive, but alot better than the old Revell kit (and proper scale). I'm sure someone who visits this board has purchased and even built this kit, so hopefully they chime in with more comments on it.

Does anyone know of an internet address from where these kits can be purchased so I can have a look. Thanks. Chris

[MartinJQuinn]

Here is HP Models Homepage

Where are you? In Europe, other than HP, you can buy HP models from L'Arsenal here

In the US, you can buy them from Pacific Front Hobbies here

[Guest]

Thanks for all your help guys. Looking at HP models I am unable to justify that price so I'll have to go the 1/720 route and work form there; which is really annoying.

Once again, thanks for your help.

[softsea]

Hi Guest

WEM has a PE set for the Revell model, it will probably look great in you use that set. Check WEM site and take a look yourself (I believe its under 1/700 Scale PE accessories section).

Jo�o

[largeallan]

Just as a matter of interest, which is the better kit between the airfix 1/600 Ark and the revell offering?