1/350 Trumpeter Type 23 HMS Montrose as HMS Iron Duke

[Suricata]

Looking really nice, I had the same issue with my turret as well, I just removed the base of it and let it sit on the place the old turret should of sat, it seems about right. If you need any referance images for major kit, just let me know, I have loads. Enjoying looking at the build as it is really giving me inspiration for mine which is still on hold whilst I wait for the WEM PE to arrive.

Remember that 30mm's on the kit are incorrect as well, the ships now have an automated system which looks slightly different. They also have additional optical sights on the platforms to the rear of the funnel stack.




Looking forward to seeing how you make the Artisan Radar, I'm bulding the Westminster, but intend to fit her with Artisan so the model doesn't get outdated at her next refit

Are you going to build the minigun emplacement on the bridge wing also? I'm thinking of using spare PE to build them on my kit, also the liferafts seem to be doubled up the the Type 23's now as well, not sure if this is due o them carrying more embarked personal, such as marines, on deployment now, I just know the trumpeter kit does not have enough liferafts to fit the ships as they currently are.

[California Bound]

Suricata,

Those are nice pictures you've posted. I haven't looked into the 30mm yet, and hadn't noticed the new optics.

I noticed the increase in life raft canisters. I was going to use spares from my Burke build but they aren't quite the same size. I estimate the kit will be short two canisters. I plan to leave off the rear single at the back of the platform below the mini gun.

The WEM PE includes the mini guns and 4 smaller guns. I've seen them placed on other ships, but I haven't seen the other 4 guns on Iron Duke.

The Westminster kit comes with the Merlin helicopter. You're lucky. I'm waiting for Trumpeter to hopefully release it separately. Otherwise I'll have to settle for using the Lynx.

I will pm you my email address. I would very much like to see any photos you are willing to send regarding the 30mm, new optics, and radar. I'm gonna try and not obsess over everything and keep it enjoyable.

Dan

[Suricata]

Suricata,

Those are nice pictures you've posted. I haven't looked into the 30mm yet, and hadn't noticed the new optics.

I noticed the increase in life raft canisters. I was going to use spares from my Burke build but they aren't quite the same size. I estimate the kit will be short two canisters. I plan to leave off the rear single at the back of the platform below the mini gun.

The WEM PE includes the mini guns and 4 smaller guns. I've seen them placed on other ships, but I haven't seen the other 4 guns on Iron Duke.

The Westminster kit comes with the Merlin helicopter. You're lucky. I'm waiting for Trumpeter to hopefully release it separately. Otherwise I'll have to settle for using the Lynx.

I will pm you my email address. I would very much like to see any photos you are willing to send regarding the 30mm, new optics, and radar. I'm gonna try and not obsess over everything and keep it enjoyable.

Dan

The Merlin is really nice, I'm also happy the kit came with it, although it is worth pointing out that only 8 of the 13 remaining Type 23's have a Towed sonar and for those 8 ships there are only actually 6 Merlin helecopters, so for the most part you'll find that Type 23's more often than not have a Lynx embarked on them most of the time.

The 4 gun placements for the GPMG's (General purpose machine guns) are there on the Iron Duke, I've seen them in person, they are usually stowed away in the armoury though (and they are damn heavy to carry from there to thier placements!!!!)

I recieved the your PM, I have a dropbox folder with a stupid ammount of referance photos in it which I'll send you the link too

One thing I was also thinking you should consider adding sooner rather than later is the transom flap, it'll be a pain to add once the rudders and Propeller shafts are added. I know you mentioned earlier about referance material for the underside of the ship, so here are pictures of HMS Lancaster after she recieved her transom flap as well as a coat of the new Super slich anti-fouling paint the RN are now using (note the white markings, as well as the fact that the shafts are not painted red (like most people seem to paint them as!).




And here is a picture of the Iron Duke herself. It should be noted that some of the Type 23's do not actually have regular propellers, they have skewed propellers instead, these help reduce cavitation and thus make the ships harder to detect, HMS Iron Duke does not have skewed propellers (Not sure what the Montrose kit comes with propeller wise). Also, the Iron Duke does not have the 2087 towed sonar array (same as Montrose) although I'm not sure if the instructions for that kit say it should be added? The picture below is before the transom flap was added and the old towed array opening was closed off, but it shows clearly the propellers are not skews

[California Bound]

My main interests in the Merlin are that it's newer which I think makes it more appropriate in my opinion, and I really just don't like the shape of the Lynx. I know resin ones are available but I'd really prefer the clear windows.

Stowed machine guns is fine with me. That's 4 less to worry about.

Prop wise, the Montrose kit includes the more exotic blades only. That, and the flap continue to make me lean towards making it a waterline.

When you say towed sonar blocked off, how so?

Dan

[Suricata]

My main interests in the Merlin are that it's newer which I think makes it more appropriate in my opinion, and I really just don't like the shape of the Lynx. I know resin ones are available but I'd really prefer the clear windows.

Stowed machine guns is fine with me. That's 4 less to worry about.

Prop wise, the Montrose kit includes the more exotic blades only. That, and the flap continue to make me lean towards making it a waterline.

When you say towed sonar blocked off, how so?

Dan

The old 2031 towed sonar array used to deploy from the opening above the pennant number (in the above picture), that opening has since been seeled off on Iron Duke now, the new 2087 looks like the image below:-



However, it is not fitted on the Iron Duke, but I know the instructions for the models are not 100% accurate, so wanted to make sure you knew before fitting it by accident. I've made a comparison below:-



I must say, the stand for the model isn't all that great (the model is very wobbly sitting on it), so yeah, a waterline version could be pretty tempting, more so if you want to avoid the hassle of adding the transom flap.

[California Bound]

Thanks for clarifying that. I haven't seen photos as new as that last one of yours. The newest I had seen showed Artisan in place, but with sonar equipment still in place as well.

Dan

[mike mccabe]

Nice build so far, looking really good. If you need any more references, albeit of St Albans, have a look at http://www.finewaterline.com/pages/albu ... lbans.html

Mike

[California Bound]

Mike,

Thanks for the link. That's a nice set of reference photos. I see that they confirm my guess as to the location of the caged ladder. (And that I got the shape wrong). Oh well, close enough.

Dan

[Suricata]

Mike,

Thanks for the link. That's a nice set of reference photos. I see that they confirm my guess as to the location of the caged ladder. (And that I got the shape wrong). Oh well, close enough.

Dan

The ladder location is correct on your model, the shape is not the same accross all the ships though, can't remember exactly what shape it is on Iron Duke, but it's certainly not something to really thus over. The kit is actually missing a screen door as well. On the back of the midships island, at the middle (next to that caged ladder) there should be a screen door that leads to the UAMR (Upper Auxilary Machine Room), it's missing on the model kit.

[California Bound]

That's good news about the ladder and since the area is so tight I don't think the screen door will be missed, so I'll just leave that off.

I do have a question though, for anyone who knows.

Photos show open air vents all over the ship. The inside of the vent covers seem to all have a red "close cover in case of fire" warning on them. Trumpeter has molded every air vent in the closed position. So, is there any form of colored label on the outside of these vent covers?

Dan

[Suricata]

That's good news about the ladder and since the area is so tight I don't think the screen door will be missed, so I'll just leave that off.

I do have a question though, for anyone who knows.

Photos show open air vents all over the ship. The inside of the vent covers seem to all have a red "close cover in case of fire" warning on them. Trumpeter has molded every air vent in the closed position. So, is there any form of colored label on the outside of these vent covers?

Dan

The style varies on each ship, but yes, there are labels on both the outside and inside of each vent cover explaining how the vent should be open/closed depending on the situation the ship is facing. I'm going to use photoetch on mine to open the vents that should be open whilst operating normaly at sea.

[California Bound]

Suricata,

Thanks for the information. It'd be nice to open up the vents, but that's more than I want to do. I'll look in my spares box to see if I've got anything I can attach over them to make them look like they're open. A square mesh sort of thing is probably as close as I can get. If that doesn't look very good I'll just leave them closed. I want to add a couple of bits to the hanger mast and rework the small mast mounted PE hoist with stretched sprue. Then the hanger should be ready to paint.

Dan

[California Bound]

Final update.....

I painted the hanger sub assembly this weekend. I didn't really like the three tone gray scheme, it looked too subtle.

I decided to strip off the paint and go with a gray with a slight blue tint added to it for the vertical surfaces instead.

Unexpected chemical reaction.

Hanger is a gooey mess. So project cancelled. Hanger in garbage now and the rest of the ship is in the parts box now.

Sorry to disappoint.

Dan

[Suricata]

Final update.....

I painted the hanger sub assembly this weekend. I didn't really like the three tone gray scheme, it looked too subtle.

I decided to strip off the paint and go with a gray with a slight blue tint added to it for the vertical surfaces instead.

Unexpected chemical reaction.

Hanger is a gooey mess. So project cancelled. Hanger in garbage now and the rest of the ship is in the parts box now.

Sorry to disappoint.

Dan

Damn! Such a huge shame! I had a nasty issue with mine where I knocked over a jar of liquid poly over the VLSW, it had a nasty reaction with the plastic but luckily, after much patience and sanding I got it in an acceptable shape again, was a horrible feeling when it happened, can only imagine how it must of felt when the chemical reaction was happening in front of you

Hopefully you'll get around to making another one, you'll be in a much better position as well with all of the spare parts. Real shame though, was really enjoying following this build as it was giving me inspiration for my own build..

[JevJanson]

It is a shame that this build ended the way it did. I kept a close eye on this one.

Anyway, if your hull and super-structure is halfway salvagable and you are willing to part with it, I would like to get it from you. PM me if you are interested.

[California Bound]

Suricata,

Yeah, it was a case of the unmarked paint thinner container and the unmarked acetone container looking exactly alike.
Took all of about 15 seconds before meltdown was obvious. Oops.

JevJanson,

PM will be sent.

Dan.

[Raverdave]

Mate that is such a pity, I wad really enjoying the build and having just started on mine, was using yours as a "how to".

[California Bound]

Unfortunately it went from a "how to" to a "how not to"

In the beginning I said I wouldn't build a Type 45. But with this failure, I've decided to go ahead and try a Type 45 after all in a few weeks.

Dan

[LE BOSCO]

sorry for your woes Dan ,but apparently it is for better bounce ,I expect the new project
cheers
Nicolas

[California Bound]

Thanks Nicolas,

I hope it will turn out to be for the better to. Lately, my model building has been having about a 50% failure rate. I'll post my Type 45 build when I start it, but it will be delayed. I've decided to build a Bronco LCS-3 for a friend first. There doesn't seem to be much interest in the LCS's on forums, so I don't plan to post it.

Dan