The Ship Model Forum

This is not to start another war, but to clear up some thing that started the last war, I have just had an e-mail from -------------- saying that I only posted 2 items I had purchased in my build, to show mine was more scratch built than bills, that is far from the truth,

1 I did a quick reply to support bill,
2 I will not mention ----------- barrells


So to date I have PURCHASED

P/E from Gordon Brooks
Barrels from -----------
props from PROP SHOP
Small Boats from QUAY CRAFT and Loyalhanna


Scratch built by me

The Hull
All Decks
Superstructure
Davits
4 small Boats
All Timber Decks
Turrets
Cassments
Rudders
Barbettes
Bollards
Hatches
Funnells or Smoke stacks
Fighting tops
Rigging

ALL THIS CAN BE VIEWED IN THE 400 PICTURES POSTED.

I hope that clears up a few things. ARH

Hi Guys, I have started to finish off the rear deck planking.

We have done this before but as a refresher I will show this new deck sectional work, the electrical tape is stretched out on the bench, I stick a section across the tape at the top and let the end of the roll hang down, it keeps it taught.

Then I put my ruler next to the tape and put the pre cut planks against the ruler, it will take up to 13 planks The planks are glued down with white glue, the waterproof type, and left to dry, adding weights to keep everything in place till dry. When dry the deck can be sanded. A close up of the work, note the edge of the hull has been treated with sanding sealer and painted, this is the section the white hand rail stanchions will fit. Bow shot of work to date Stern shot of all work to date enjoy. ARH

yeah really looks great Ron.

The decking really looks good and although a long job, it's worth it in the end. Great peice of work

Hi Guys, A little change today, the Trash Can and another boom.

First I drilled the hole in the section I had shaped many months ago, I then enlarged the shape with my #11 blade.
I then cut some hollow brass section, and glued it in place. I then cut some more brass for the can its self. I then glued it in place. Filled in around and painted, lift up lid fitted. Viewed from a different angle. Position on hull where can is fitted. While in this section I decided to build the coaling boom, again cut and shaped from 20 year old seasoned timber. enjoy, ARH

Hi Guys, You have not seen much of the Port side of the ship for a few months, as you know I have a habit of working on one side, then turning it round and working on the other, well tonights the night, Plating.

The plating on the hull is cut from sheets of litho plate, it is easy to cut with a #11 blade, you just score it a few times, you don't need to press to heavily. The plates are slightly smaller around the stern, they are glued on with contact adhesive. Here you can see a section ready glued to go into position. The sections in place, all one piece, but it has been scored to look like individual plates, it is left for a while and then given a good rub to make a good contact. A full view of the ship, you can see the second section of plate fitted. Here is a close up of the plates, also you can see the crane, the boats and the planking to date. A bow shot of the plates also the lovely lines of the hull of Iron Duke. enjoy, ARH

Hi Guys, I am continuing with the plating.

Here you can see the last of the plates glued on to the hull, they still have to be pressed down when glue has had time to nearly set. The hull with the first coat of paint on the plating. Stern view. Second coat of paint applied to main hull and first coat to bottom plates on bow. If you try to put too much paint on litho all at once, you end up just moving it about with the brush, better in thin layers. The hull has now had 2 coats of paint, a third one will be applied when the finishing bits are done like, deck edge, guns and port holes.

A close up of mid ships. A stern shot of work. enjoy, ARH

TommyL wrote:It would be a vacation trip. When on vacation does anyone really say to themselves "I better try and save money"?

When they dont have very much money in the first place!

You must have much nicer baggage handlers over there than we do!

Hi Guys, I continue with another small fitting, Stove pipes.

The first thing I did was to make a jig out of wood to hold all the parts. I then cut some copper tube to size. Then I put some flux on the parts and soldered them all together.

The first 4 being cleaned up. The first 4 fitted to the deck, temporary fit. 7 Fitted and painted. Stern shot of fittings, these cost about �2.00 or $3.68 for all seven. Over head shot from the Stern. Over head shot from the Bow. Enjoy, ARH

Hi Andy G, Yes I like the Queens in there original fit with the 2 funnels, I had looked at Warspite 1913, I have the Anatomy of the Ship WARSPITE but there's not that much in about that period, most of the drawings are of a later period, ARH

Hi Guys, just a few port holes today.

First of all, I mark the line of the centre of the portholes, then the spacings, next I drill them all with a pilot hole. Then I drill all the holes with a bigger drill, still smaller than what I want.

Next I put in the file and turn it, then release it, then do the same again till the hole is just large enough for the port hole to be pushed in tight. All fitted, you can see the packet above, they are Billings plastic port holes, they cost �3.75 or $7 for 50, plenty for the ship. enjoy, ARH

Hi Guys, My chain arrived from Floating Drydock yesterday and I have been busy fitting it.

The chain is 30 links to the inch, each section of chain is 12 inches long, I bought 13 ft to do the job.

I drilled a small hole in the top of the stack, I then passed the chain over a pin and super glued it in place at the top. I completed all 6 sets of chain and placed in position to see the effect, A shot from a different angle. I completed the second stack, I was looking to get that rusty look on the chain, but to me it did not look right, the chain was nice but to stark in contrast with the stack. So it was out with the matt black paint and brush, putting a piece of litho behind the chain I gave it a thin coat. In my mind it looks a lot better, you can still see some of the chain colour in places as though it has rusted a little. enjoy , ARH

middle_watch wrote:...I was reading in Jellicoe's autobiography that although he recognised that coal formed part of the armour of the ship he reduced the quantity each ship was allowed to carry. Sort of contradictory.

It is, but in limited sweeps of the North Sea, where the range is relatively short, you wouldn't have to fill your bunkers, and by running light some level of Fisher's "speed is armour" maxim could be achieved.

Most sweeps seem to have taken three to four days. Assuming the Iron Duke burned around 500 tons per day at fast cruising speeds (seems reasonable: that's compared to Dreadnought's 340 tons per day at 16900 hp) then the bunkers needed to be only half full - Iron Duke could, after all, carry over 3000 tons of coal.

Andy G

Hi Guys, more fittings,

First I cut 4 blocks of wood and rounded the corners. Then I glued them on some litho plate and rounded the 4 corners. I then cut some brass wire and glued it on top to represent the hinges. Next I folded some litho plate over to double the thickness and wrapped it around three sides, this is a blast shield, at the lower end a small piece of litho plate was glued, you can see the size of this hatch compared to the tweezers. All 4 are now painted and drying. I marked out the deck and cut out the planking to set them down a little. All 4 placed in position at the stern. Note the blast shields are all facing the turrets. A long distance shot of the work from over head and the ship. enjoy, ARH

Hi Guys, we are on handrails again this time 3 rail and stanchions.

The stanchions are from Floating Dry Dock and are John Haynes 1/96 scale P/E Fret of 200 . I marked and drilled in to the outer edge of the hull , it stands just slightly above the deck planking, I then super glued in the stanchions. Second section put in. I start with the bottom rail first, this is 1ft long brass wire thin enough to pass though the holes in the stanchion. Then the second rail, note the bottom rail is missing near the bollard. Then the top rail, they are all super glued and left to set. A close up of painted handrail. A long shot of all the handrail work. enjoy, ARH

To be continued,

Hi Guys, I continue with the hand rails.

This is the area behind the small boats where the handrails are going and a set of Gordon Brook's ladders. I first cut a piece of card the shape of the deck in that area, and transferred it on a piece of balsa wood, and drilled the holes for the stanchions. I then cut and bent the lower rails. Then cut and bent a top rail with an extended piece for the handrail down the ladders. All rails fitted and glued in position and left to set. The opposite side rail was made with extended top rail First section placed in position before glueing, Second section fitted. A new section fitted near number 2 turret. A full view of the model with everything fitted, note the size of the model compared to the can of WEM paint, enjoy, ARH

Hi Guys, Just a small up date to day.

I have been building more small fittings for the boat deck, double flag lockers p&s, square type hatches p&s, a long open hatch with grill in the central position, small lockers for lifebelts and other equipment. Guns turned broadside to see all the fittings in these two sections. enjoy, ARH

Hi Guys, two small fittings today.

This is a hatch near the bow, fitted in front of the first turret, hence the blast shield also the beginning of the canopy. This stops the large amount of water entering the hatch. It's built in my usual way with litho plate surrounding balsa wood. Placed in position with hood canopy fitted. Painted. The second fitting is a hatch for torpedoes, hence the davit. Iron Duke had P&S Tubes, Bow and Stern. Overall view of the work. enjoy, ARH

middle_watch wrote:Ah Glasshopper, when you can make frag-rocker, then it is time for you to reave!

Great stuff, and the weekend is almost here and I am not working, yay, happy modelling all!

Middle- watch, Does this mean I can half go, these are 2 flag lockers on my NC build, theres 50 flags in those lockers,