HMAS Brisbane AWD Hobart Class 1/72

[magister]

Great build so far, what have you used for the eye loops on the side of the hull?

[Neptune]

I think he used "a lot of patience"

Great build so far, looking forward to the updates! Indeed, once you get it running properly the detailing (and progress) is in sight!

[Perth_shipyard]

Great build so far, what have you used for the eye loops on the side of the hull?

G'day James, I used caldercraft eye pins 3mm internal diameter product number C83505 from cornwall model boats. Could probably have gone the next size up but they're about scale for the australian. warships I've been on. Great addition to the otherwise clean hull. Oh did you get my PM regarding the awd's?

[Perth_shipyard]

Great build so far, what have you used for the eye loops on the side of the hull?

G'day James, I used caldercraft eye pins 3mm internal diameter product number C83505 from cornwall model boats. Could probably have gone the next size up but they're about scale for the australian. warships I've been on. Great addition to the otherwise clean hull. Oh did you get my PM regarding the awd's?

[Perth_shipyard]

I think he used "a lot of patience"

Great build so far, looking forward to the updates! Indeed, once you get it running properly the detailing (and progress) is in sight!

Haha thanks Neptune, yeah a little patience is needed especially as I keep changing things! Anyway received a nice parcel today from Defence Models and Graphics - they build official models for the australian defence force and the builders models for the AWD. Russ who's the director and main modeler is also a member of task force 72. So armed with the latest version of the fittings for her I couldn't resist but put a couple things around



Forward opening for the VLS - this will be operational and have it so I can fire a few salvos
The main gun is also just sitting there, this ill have rotating and might get the barrel to elevate.



Phalanx CIWS needs a cleanup and extra detail but a great starting point.

[Perth_shipyard]

My big box of goodies

[Perth_shipyard]

Small update but some progress again.





I'll be working forward to aft as much as possible before moving up a deck. The finer and smaller items I'll leave probably till after she's painted.

Thought I'd start with the fore capstans. They sit on a base which is bolted to the deck. Using tichy train groups HO scale bolts and washers - they come in all scale sizes which is awesome, I picked up a few different sizes for various parts on the ship.









The white angle piece is where the anchor chain chaffes.



These will both need to be heavily pinned into the deck as ill use them for fixing the mooring line when on the water.


Foredeck on the Alvaro de Bazan

[Goodwood]

Awesome progress there, mate! Can't wait to see some paint thrown on!

[Perth_shipyard]

Thanks very much Sean and everyone for the kind comments, this size model requires a hell of a lot of patience so I try to only do things when I'm really in the mood to do it. Normally I would have probably painted the hull by now but as most of the superstructure is attached to the hull paint will be a little while off for now. Also having to have the colour mixed specially for it I'll probably only paint her once the large components are finished and happy with. There in comes another issue... What colour to paint her. All modern RAN ships are painted in a storm grey colour. This has that very distinctive green hue colour, the RAN will be however changing to the USN haze grey. To be honest I much prefer the storm grey of the RAN but the real thing will probably be haze grey when commissioned so to be accurate I'll have to paint her Haze grey.

[DrPR]

Be careful about the "haze gray" - this is the blue-gray paint the USN used in WWII. In 1946 they changed to the light gray called "ocean gray" (I think) that was still in use while I was on active duty in the 60s and 70s. It looks to me that they are still using this color. So before ordering the "haze gray" check carefully what color the USN is using today and what they call it now.

I was able to go to the local paint store and tell tham what I wanted. They looked through some paint catalogs and found the mixing formulas for several of the Navy's paints.

Phil

[Perth_shipyard]

Thanks Phil, the haze grey which the RAN will change to has an australian standard paint number which I have. This is the same colour as the USN but a different number. Personally I still think I may go RAN storm grey as even our latest ship HMAS Canberra LHD is in storm rather than Haze grey.

[Perth_shipyard]

Adding a few more WT doors etc and placement of other fittings. Even though there's still a huge way to go the simplest of items seem to be bringing her to life.




Hanger door still to be added. This is a prominent bit of kit and actually sits out from the hanger.

[Perth_shipyard]

Managed to make and fit the hanger door this arvo. I had originally thought about having an open hanger but for now it'll be closed. Due to the space my electrics have taken up and she only will carry one helo which I want on the flight deck anyway.

[Perth_shipyard]

Basic RHIB derricks made up.



In place temporarily. Like some of the larger items this will need to be pinned as well as glued to the deck.

[Perth_shipyard]

Aft stack, take two! Much happier I remade this.

[Perth_shipyard]

Smaller bolts than the ones for the capstan bases but finally managed the starboard aegis panels!
Should look the bit once painted.

[Goodwood]

You are really plugging along there mate, it's all looking very crisp and neat!

Or rather, it will once you've thrown some primer on, but like you said that won't be for a while, Don't blame ya!

[Neptune]

Yes indeed, going fast now, although with all those resin parts you're actually cheating

Speaking of which, a small advice (perhaps too late), for the bolts on the SPY-1. I see the bolts are not always equally spaced or aligned. Perhaps a good trick to improve that (although too late now I guess), would be to make a template drawing on computer (you can do that with Paint if you want). I did something like that for the bolt punching in my tiny ballast tank hatches to have something consistent. It's rather easy.
You just need the right proportions of the "legs" of the shape. Then you can use those proportions in pixels in your drawing. Let's say a part/hatch/panel is 1m x 0.8m, your drawing can be 1000 px x 800 px. Then you can use the pencil/drawing tool in Paint and make small dots to mark the bolts, once you have two, you can cut and copy that part (transparent copying, so you overlap one of the two dots) to create an equal distance. By oversizing the drawing, you can later on scale it down and have very tiny, and therefore accurate, points where to put the bolts. I was accused of cheating/ heresy by my captain for using this technique, but it sure did the job and it was rather fast and consistent.

[Perth_shipyard]

Thanks I'll keep that in mind for next time. The bolts positions were marked before being glued each side so to speak has either 4,6 or 9 bolts between them, though bolts measuring only 1mm in diameter was definitely pushing the patience. When you stand back from the model you don't notice the slight misalignment on a few. I'll live with that for now though can always redo it at a later time.

The resin parts do help for sure but as no plans exists (well that aren't classified and the fittings and layout are completely different to the spanish version) it's hard to scratch particular items - mainly the new radar domes and mounts which have changed a few times before the final configuration. She won't be completely accurate as the real Brisbane has only now had her keel blocks laid and hobart won't be floating until later this year but will hopefully be a damn good impression of her but don't worry there's still plenty of scratch items to make haha, I've barely scratched the surface yet

[Goodwood]

Scratched the surface, eh?

Perth likes his little joke...