AussieBuilder wrote:
Bit of a zombie thread, but what the hey, I'll ressurect it.
I'm currently building a RNN Tromp 1:600 model (very heavily kit bashed 1:600 Narvik class destroyer) and have planned for a 1:630 build (Revell 1:720 - I figure its close enough to the 600 scale) of the RNN De Ruyter.
Length is perfect, superstructure will require some work, but I'm up for it, so the only problem is the beam. I like to build the full hull models, so even if I reduce the beam on the deck, I somehow need to find a way to pull in the beam on the hull.
If I can't - meh, I'm not a purist, to me near enough is good enough, but it would be nice to get it as close as possible to the actual beam.
Anyone got any ideas on how to reduce the beam of the hull a bit?
Not that anyone seemed to want to answer my question, but I managed to find a way to decrease the beam.
Essentially, after much research, I started a HNMLS Java build, using a Revell 1/720 Graf Spee, and a Airfix 1/600 kit.
1/720 Graf Spee hull matches the length of a 1/600 Java precisely, which only left the beam as an issue. A 1/720 Graf Spee beam is 30mm, which had to be reduced to 26.7mm. So, I scanned the deck of the graf spee into my scanner, reduced the width of the image until i got to 26.5mm, printed it out, and then used it as a trace for graf spee deck.
Then, over an hour or so, I very slowly shaved the deck down to the desired width using the printout. Obviously, with the reduced beam, the hull no longer matched very well, so I employed the use of 6 clamps to bring it all in. Looking good so far, and am using a sketch of the HNMLS Java I found on a Dutch website combined with around 12 selected pictures I have found on google to plan out the deck and guns.
For the guns, I am using the Graf Spee's 1/600 secondary guns, which are also 150mm, and look very similar to the Java class guns.
So far, so good.
I will also commence my 1/630 De Ruyter build once I can get my hands on a 1/700 Trumpeter Graf Spee. Have already bought the 1/700 Trumpter Prinz Eugen, which will provide spare pieces for the superstructure and the main guns.