The Ship Model Forum

Just to give an idea of what I'd like to achieve. Russ French's personal model of the Hobart at mooring during last years national regatta. Russ is the owner modeler of DMG - defence force models and graphics and also president of task force 72.

Aa

Another TF72 members model Scott, this time of Sydney. Scott lives just down the road in south Australia to where the ships are being built lucky b"@&$?!d



Scott's Sydney during live firing exercises


This is cool

Finally pulled my finger out and remade the bridge also. Much happier with this also. Sits perfectly flush with the front bulkhead. Thus normally wouldn't be so difficult but the whole bridge aegis mast and fire stack come off as one large piece for hull access and easier transport.





Also finished off the two 'boxes' ontop of the forward structure. The aft box is part of the fire stack and has two vent shafts coming out the top. The front box is the base for the mast itself.

You Aussies never do anything small, do you? Your lot could give Texans a run for their money in the "go big or go home" category.

I mean that as a most sincere complement, by the way.

Haha thanks Sean! We might try yet we still can't walk into the local supermarket with a 45 strapped to our belts like I've seen in Dallas!

I mocked up the main mast lower pieces then my wife walked in and "could you make it any bigger and taller?" I just replied with what all good husbands do and said well there's another 30 odd cm's (9 inches) on top to go

Bah, visible .45s are for posers! A real man carries a Walther, concealed in a shoulder holster, the better to get the drop on his enemies.

Haha Sean, but down here you get arrested if you have a water pistol!

Made up the starboard hawse molding for one of the anchors. This is a rough guess looking at pics if the spanish ships but I think looks good. A simple bread and butter method of sheet plastic slightly larger than the other, sanded and smoothed.





With anchor fitted. Next will be what I'm going to do about the stem anchor... The below pic shows hobarts which turns out to be the same again as the spanish ships. I'm not too sure how to go about it as the deck is fitted so cutting the hull and building it up won't be so straight forward so may just fit the stem anchor as Russ and Scott have on theirs.

How she looks at the moment. A few overall shots.

you could try to create the stem shape as a separate shape, slightly larger, then cut a hole in the stem to fit that piece. Glue it in the hole, which should be slightly smaller than your piece, then sand off the edges.
I'll try to explain it better. With larger I mean the aft transverse plane of the piece, should be too broad. Then you cut a suitable hole, lengthwise, in the stem, and shift the shape in a longitudinal direction in. Since the aft plane of the piece is too wide, it should fit against the edge of your hole, which is where you can glue it nicely. Then you can sand away the excess width of the aft transverse plane to nicely fit the hull. Same could actually be done with the top and bottom plane of the shape/insert.
Just an idea though, that looks like the most handy way to go about it. If it's not clear, don't hesitate to ask, I 'll make a drawing if necessary (don't expect awesome 3D though, it'll be in Paint as usual )

Anyway, looking great and still great progress. Now that you mention it, that ship looks awesomely high, certainly in the picture of Ross's model on the buoy. That mast is really high and thin.

Thanks Neptune. No that makes perfect sense. I was thinking just that. Cut out the aperture, sheet the bottom, sheet the top and make the wedge to fit. Just wish I found this out before though of course the ship didn't have her bows fitted.

She is tall actually significantly taller than an Arleigh Burke which is slighty longer than the AWD

Here is Russ's Hobart during construction beside his Arleigh Burke USS Winston Churchill another amazing model.

Some incredible craftmanship lovely vessels they truly are.

Totally agree Kevin. We're lucky to have some amazing modelers producing awesome builds.

Brissy now has a smile

Managed to do a little more work on the mast. Added coaming around the various platforms and the main yard arms and supports. I've only added the base pieces for now but will continue with adding flanges. These won't be like a typical pipe work mast - the flanges on this mast is part of the tubular supports in keeping with the more sleek look.

I'm dying to see her with atleast a coat of undercoat but I've still a few things I want to complete before then.

Been working away on the main mast with the final length of the top mast added and also a couple changes had to be made as some photos of hobart have appeared at different angles. The bottoms of all platforms will also need to be covered rather than exposed but I'm planning to have the two rotating radars on the mast work - there's a third bar radar ontop of the bridge - once my micro geared motors have been installed ill cover the bottom of the platform which will hide the wires and look like the Hobart's mast.







I've also used 2mm PE brass eyelets on the yards for the halyards and other radio wires.

Small progress overall but the mast is nearing completion. I've inserted a round tube into the box frame if the mast itself, this extends about 3 inches and is inserted into the deck (I've used what yanks call 'gator board' just for the top of the superstructure in anticipation. It's two sheets of 1mm plastic sheet with about 4.5mm of injected plastic foam in between the sheets. It's great stuff! So easy to use but my main reason was to give the tower some strength at the top and a decent base for the mast without gaining much weight. It weighs about the same as a 3mm plastic sheet.) The rear struts are pinned into the deck as well as gluing - not recommended but once the glue dried I tried out the strength and I can lift the whole structure off by holding the main tube of the mast! I won't be doing that anymore though. I've now attached also the lower rear frame for I believe is to be and antennae and the two flag staffs higher up the mast again using the 2mm PE eyelets for the halyards.



The uppermost flag staff I think should actually be mounted from the actual mast just above the platform rather than the base if the platform as I have done.





I think also that upper ladder on the highest part of the mast that slopes should actually be steel rungs rather than the ladder as I've attached it. Hard to see from the pics but it seems to only be this section. I'll see if I can make some decent ones up and I may change it.

wonderfull model in construction
fantastic

Thanks very much Norbert I'd love to come close to your Bismarck someday!

A couple more updates from today's build. I really do love the small detail work. Made up 31 spotlights which I'm happy with. Great idea using the plastic tube, perfect for using those grain LEDs as lights. Also attempted the barrel for the main gun using three plastic tubes stepped, filled and sanded. Looks ok but want to taper the end a bit more.



Pieces to make up spotlights and cradles

Barrel for main gun

thank you too my friend
your build is very very good and your solution for the barrel from styrene is simply good.
i l;ike so much your models
sincerely
Norberto