Calling all HMAS Melbourne II (R21) fans

[Ramjet]

Hello. I am Dave Buckley, and I have started researching the Melbourne to develop a set of 1:72 scale build plans.
It would be great to hear from like minded people who could share images, video or information about the vessel to help with the build and the plans. Presently, I'm having trouble with teh port side of the superstructure for a lack of reference material, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also interested in getting a line of 1:72 scale fittings/suppliers together for other modellers.

The model will be realised as a CAD model first, so I know everything 'fits' and the model files can be used for 3D printing/rapid prototyping for casting masters.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Dave.

[brad]

G'day Dave,

There is an Australian out there somewhere who has commissioned a Canadian business to produce a 1/350 resin kit. I think the details might be on here somewhere but it might be a possibility for further information.

cheers,

bj

[HvyCgn9]

G'day Dave, For detailed plans contact Kerry James over on the TF72 website ( http://www.taskforce72.org) He served aboard her and has this 1/72 scale RC Model of her.

Cheers Bruce

[Ramjet]

Thank you Bruce.

I'll contact him.

[Ramjet]

The thread for the CAD work is located here

Work on the Melbourn's FLOLS.

[Dave from Downunder]

Good to see another Aussie build.

Ozmods years ago were talking about building a resin 1/350 kit but they passed it on to someone in Canada. I would love to get 2 kits oe for teh Melbourne and one for teh Sydney - My father served on both. I have the 1/350 ozmod vampire made as Vendetta (my fathers last sea posting) It looks so small comapred to my US carriers / destroyers

Love to get teh melbourne beside my Big E

DAve

[Admhawk]

Good to see another Aussie build.

Ozmods years ago were talking about building a resin 1/350 kit but they passed it on to someone in Canada. I would love to get 2 kits oe for teh Melbourne and one for teh Sydney - My father served on both. I have the 1/350 ozmod vampire made as Vendetta (my fathers last sea posting) It looks so small comapred to my US carriers / destroyers

Love to get teh melbourne beside my Big E

DAve

HI Dave,

We're working on it, but it's still a long way off. 2 years maybe. But we're making progress.

Darren
The Resin Shipyard

[Dave from Downunder]

Thank Darren

I thought it was you guys at Resin Shipyard - but didn't want to say without being sure.

Anyway 2 yrs is OK I'm wait for teh FFG decals and LHD decals as well and they will be before i can get to a magestic

Dave

[D-Boy]

Anyone had experience with this kit or manufacturer?

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-700-HMAS-Melbourn ... 2c5c6dcae0

[Bob J]

I bought one of those kits D-boy. It hasnt gotten here yet but I'll let you know how it is. The guy stated he made them in his garage for him and his friend and made a few more. The quaility looks pretty good but we'll see.

Bob J

[HMAS]

Hi
I have sent the chap an ebay email, as I am currently 40 mins away from him. We'll see if he can pop up here & answer questions, wot else he might be doing etc.
Most importantly spare parts for us clumsy modellers.
Tony

[Bob J]

I received the 1/700 kit today in the mail. This is the kit going on Ebay. The guy is in Australia (Andrews Farm for you down under guys). He stated he made a master and a few copies for himself and a friend. Sold off the extra to cover the cost. Its a little rough, but I expected that. And It will need alot of scratch building, but I will have a very unique carrier in my fleet. Any questions I'll try to help out. If its about accuracy though, I build so it looks about right. I'm no rivet counter and dont want to be!

[MAJOR-B]

question looking at this and the French carrier Foch. The angle deck look the same. I know this CV was originally an HMS Colossal Class CV. Since Heller still makes both kits how much of plug would be need to make it into 1/350? Thanks
Major-B

[SouthernCrossModels]

Hi David,

I'm busy building the plug for a 1:72 scale Colossus/Majestic class carriers. I am building it, and moulding it for the Colossus and the other straight flight decked ships, then I'm going to modify the plug to mould the Melbourne hull with the angled flight deck sponsons.

I cant find much info in regards to plans for the Port side of Melbourne. So do you have any drawings for the Port Flight deck sponson and the Landing mirror/lights sponson?

I need all the drawings I can get to conclude this build so I can go into production of the hull as soon as possible. Any help would be much appreciated.

[borchers]

so i just found this any thoughts????

https://www.shapeways.com/product/GB7QC ... d=62507449

[Kevin Dekker]

I bought the Airfix 1:600 Victorious last Christmas, and while intending to build it as such, couldn't help but wonder if it could be converted to HMAS Melbourne. Made templates of the hull, calculated the dimensions needed for Melbourne, and then played around with the templates to see if it would be possible to reduce length and beam to suit, the idea being to maybe buy another kit after building Victorious and try the conversion on that.

I guess my main motivation was to save trying to shape the hurricane bow, and I also thought the stern cable deck and gallery could be re-used as was (it couldn't be in the end, as it's circular instead of squared off).

Long story short, Victorious never did get built. It morphed into Melbourne. The hull lines with two 20mm slugs removed and the mid section beam reduced by 10mm actually went back together okay-ish. Was certainly a struggle getting the port details, much as the opening post to this thread alludes to. Much studying grainy photographs. I did try submitting photographs of this build to the gallery but that was about 30 weeks ago and no sign so I presume they've sunk without trace.

Aircraft were scratch built and not too bad although quite time consuming so I only ended up building one passable Wessex, Tracker, and A4. Keep meaning to add a few more. One day!!! Not entirely satisfied with my Melbourne, some of the bay spacing is incorrect and you can tell if you care to count the number of life raft canisters I managed to cram in between them, but it was a compromise and an experiment so I may have another go entirely scratch built. Always seems to be that just as you compromise on a guess at some vague detail you then stumble across a photo that shows it how it was.

[Kevin Dekker]

Hi David, you can get some quite nice plans from the RAN historic site shop, but they are usually limited to two views plus cross sections. The Melbourne drawings are thus limited to plan and starboard side.. The port side pontoons are quite different, although if you have the base Heller model they should be quite close. I did get a series of photos of much larger engineering plans off the Melbourne facebook site where someone posted them.

I have half an inclination to merge all this info into some helpful plans for model makers. The ship did change a lot however, and I modeled it roughly post 1970. The hardest part was deciphering the detail on the hidden port side of the island which is very detailed and includes quite a few complex ducts. I subsequently found some CGI images of the port side of the ship that look quite accurate and detailed, so I now have a lot more than when I finished the model.

I did look at some previous models of the ship, something I always do with a pinch of salt as sometimes they've been guessing as well!! If however you do find a really good model that looks accurate, that can be a good source too.

[Kevin Dekker]

I have drawings of the Melbourne of 1968 & 69 if you want. the 68 drawing is the flight deck at 7.31mb & the 69 drawing is starboard & top at 533kb.

Hi David, yes that would be great, I can never have too much info. You can find me in facebook (NZ) or I can send you my gmail address if you like.

[Kevin Dekker]

gmail as I done do facebook.

brauandlau @ gmail.com

[Kevin Dekker]

No doubt this image will post way too big again, but is my conversion of the Airfix 1:600 HMS Victorious to HMAS Melbourne. (Control / Scroll wheel is your friend). There were a few changes of plan along the way, and a few compromises so I know its not 100% accurate, but was a fun kit hack. Hull length had to be reduced by 40mm and beam by 10mm. New flight deck, transom, and island. Aircraft scratch built.