1/72� HMS Rodney with much artistic license

[spottier60]

Hi,
yes, Tonnerre and Charles de Gaulle look amazing for sure, this is what you probably meant...
Don't know if Tamiya rattle cans were used to paint them though...
So I'm not alone - an easy guess - in the "I hate doing the other side of things" movement !
Please note that my addiction for static waterline models cleverly (!) avoids having to do another half of the hull (and the most complicated !) : probably doing half-waterline-hull models is the ultimate lazyness way.
Not sure about the floating qualities though...
Is it now clear that the hull is not my favourite part of ship modelling ?
Cheers
Stephane

[spottier60]

Hi,
main superstructure well on its way now, fully weathered and mostly detailed...
Next step is rigging and I've ordered some EZ Line elastic wire that I've heard about for some time and that I'll be trying for the purpose : easy to stretch and bond so that it stays straight and tense forever it seems. Ideal stuff on the paper vs the classic cotton thread and its well known shortcomings...
Next step is back to the hull - endless - planking, painting and weathering all main and secondary turrets, and of course a long step of detail and equipments of the main bridge.
Spring is exploding outside meanwhile : painting the 3 meters hull outside is planned for this summer (you may buy Tamiya spraycans shares right now for a quick profit ahead !).
Now enjoying early retirement at 59, I'm creating a small modelling association in the nearby small town of Isigny (destroyed at 90% on D-Day) to initiate youngsters (and adults if any) to our favourite and so satisfying hobby.
Enjoy your hobby and everything else of course !

[englishgunner]

Words fail me, wonderful work. Thanks for mentioning the EZ line wire as I have been scratching my head for some time wondering what I was going to use on my model - many thanks!
cheers, Will

[spottier60]

Hi,
EZ Line stuff will probably be there today and will be experienced immediately : I'll let you know my first impressions and photos very soon indeed !

[spottier60]

Hi,

as promised, first feedback about EZ Line rigging wire :

- stuff itself and material is up to the promise : very elastic and almost unbreakable, easy to bond with small drops of CA glue...

- unfortunately I selected the "wrong" gauge, listed at 0.25mm on a French shop site, and really way too thin for battleship rigging at 1/72 scale. In fact it's meant to be used to telephone posts wiring at HO scale (1/87)... It's so thin on the 1/72 HMS Rodney that it's not far from invisible !

- I've just ordered the "0.50mm" gauge that should be more suitable for the purpose : report and hopefully photos next week then

Apart from this mistake I've got no doubt that this the right stuff for the purpose though !

Stephane

[Pip]

Do you think the 0.25 would be ok for 1/350 ships.

[spottier60]

Yes probably, although this is a matter of personal feelings : real scale at 1/350 means you may barely see the rigging indeed !
0.25 EZ Line stuff is probably out of scale "mathematically" speaking, yet will be visible on the model.
Worth the 16 � expense anyway, even for trial, as the material itself is really up to the job and makes this very tricky task really easy and foolproof.
Stephane

[spottier60]

Hi,
just a quick overview of all main components brought together !
It helps sometimes when you've got the feeling that it doesn't make progress fast enough...
A lot of work still ahead, of course, but it's quite satisfying to see the whole lot more or less taking shape.

[englishgunner]

Hey spottier, wonderful work,
may I ask where did you get your ships boats from or did you construct them yourself?. How did you go with the EZ line,
Cheers, Will

[spottier60]

Hi Will,

thanks !

EZ Line is really good stuff, its stretching capacity is incredible and guarantees good results even to the most careless user...

As for the ships they are of course 100% scratchbuilt (95% to be fair and honest : a few bits from the trade here and there, especially photoetched details that I can't or don't want to produce myself) :

- HMS Rodney based on the drawings of a well known Polish company (sorry can't remember the name, probably easily found on the web) who printed them on purpose at 1/72� scale (around 100 euros as far I can remember)

- Vosper Perkasa based on the well known Tamiya kit, with all dimensions measured and enlarged from 1/72� to 1/24�

- all the others, as easily guessed, 100% from my somewhat disturbed French mind : being an industrial designer by trade, I've got a bit of training for that...