More work on the fo's'le, chain stoppers and hawse pipe covers have been added along with the remainder of the hatch covers.



More flying breakwater supports, here is my technique, not perfect, but easier than tiny bits of etch I can barely see.

Cut some strips of thin plasticard the right height and angle and glue into the slots for the supports.



Trim to size with side cutters and tidy up with a file (gently, I did redo some of these when I looked closely at the pic, but forgot to take another.



The first 12pdr detailed with etch from WEM, again brain failure, forgot to turn the Macro on, so very blurred whrn I enlarged it.



breakwaters, 12pdr fitted and a start on the multitude of coaling hatches.



More soon,

Si

Excellent Simon as usual.

Thanks Warren,

I am quite pleased with progress to date, quite a slog no adding all the hatch covers and the coaling hatches.

Si

Beautiful work Simon, she's looking very good,
Julian

Thanks Julian,

appreciate you looking in.

Si

Finally all 56 coaling hatched added. I have to say I am pleased with the effect.



And the maindeck hatches all done as well.



On now with the 12pdrs. bottom to top, the kit gun, the kit gun with the wen etch added, and finally the etch painted in.



The six forward guns fitted.



It was at this point I remembered the brass barrels for the 12pdrs, so I have started work on the after 4 units for the shelter deck.



a better view of a completed 12pdr awaiting painting.



More soon,

Si

Nice tight work on the PE Simon, improves the 12 pounders no end,
Julian

Excellent work Mr Heathwood.

Thanks Julian,

Those 12 pdrs are real fun to get the barrels & the etch on (Still kicking myself for missing the that on the first six) but practice on the more hidden mounts (I hope) means the turret tops and fo'c'sle & quarterdeck.

Thanks for looking in warren, appreciate your comments & support.

Si

A midweek update,

One thing I had forgotten was the port covers for the rearmost 12pdrs in the superstructure, these were scratchbuilt from plastic strip and curved to shape.



The resin searchlights supplied in the pontos set are much closer in shape to the originals than the kit examples, I have added some spare handwheels to the frames, the left hand one has had them added, maybe a bit small, but all I had enough of.



The after 12 pdrs and searchlights fitted.




View from above, ready to fit the boat deck.



The boat deck fitted, some of the paint is still drying.



The two funnels basically assembled and test fitted along with the brass tripod foremast.



I have removed the moulded on platforms on the forwaed funnel, these will be replaced with some suitable etched grating.

Si

A little frustration is creeping in with the Pontos Instructions. The etch ladders that replace kit parts D41 that from the superstructure gun deck to the boat deck are clearly sown on a couple of the photos, but not numbered, nor can I find anything the right length or width on the frets. On the WEM fret there are some etched ladders for this position, however they are too wide. double frustration!

However a bit digging round, left over ladders from one fret and handrails from another, as below, the WEM overwide against the cobbled together replacement.



and fitted, not accurate or perfect, but at least they fit.



A few more bits and pieces, access ladders to roof of the wing turrets and a cable reel.



Onwards and upwards

Si

On with work on the boat deck, I decided to use the WEM Admiral's sea cabin, mostly because I could have the door open. According to the drawings in the AOTS book, the only furniture in it was a settee / daybed and a kneehole desk.

The daybed under construction.



The desk built but not yet fitted.



Installed and painted, just awaiting the completion of the folding.



The after conning tower / control position, using the Pontos platform and WEM ladder, best of both sets.



The Admiral's walk with the inner rails fitted.



All above parts fitted.



Funnels next I think, then the searchlights and guns before the boats and bridge.

Si

Hi Simon great work the decking looks the Dogs danglers will be hopeing I can pick up some stuff from Telford when I will be there on the Sunday work permiting do you get most of your add on stuff from WEM will have to give it a go and pluck up some courage to try the finer details. Will hopefully be able to catch up with you at the show and swap some tips

Cheers Keith

they certainly parked the Admiral in a spot where he couldnt bother anyone in those days Simon
Excellent work sir !

Thanks Keith, would be good to meet up, I will be on the IPMS London stand, (or the Fleet Air Arm sig) should have the Varyag & Ting Yuen with me on the stand. I do get most of my stuff from WEM, I like their service and they a great bunch to chat to at the show.

Thanks Julian, struck me as bit of an spot for the Admiral's sea cabin, and it is a bit of a rabbit hutch, but then the ship has so little superstructure compared with later Battleships.

Si

Ahoy Simon,
She is looking great so far...watching with interest.

Out of curiosity, did you stain the deck?

Cheers,
Joe

Thanks Joe, I am pleased with the way she is coming on.

The deck is the Pontos deck straight out of the box. I am going to do a bit of experimenting on the waste to see if I can weather it a bit.

Si

On to the funnels.

The replacement folding platforms have been scavenged for fore funnel *(made from 1/400th sunbeds left over from the GM set for the Queen Mary 2)



The funnels have 2 bands to which rigging both vertical and stays are attached. They are shown in both the Kagero & AOTS book.

Stage one.



Stage 2



Finally the vertical rigging added, and the siren platforms to the fore funnel.



More soon,

Si

On with the trickiest bit yet, the pontos funnel caps, I ended up wrecking bot of the support rings, and cutting away the innards of the WEM caps and working round those. I did find one trick, use the gripping tweezers to hold the ring and place the transverse pieces into it.



not perfect, but the first one assembled.



painted and fitted.



Both funnels done, and fitted.



very fragile and tricky, but also very three dimensional. Neither are perfect, but considering the fragility of the assemblies and tightness of the fit I am not unhappy.

Funnel stays next.

Si

Simon,
I like the work you did on the funnels especially the vertical rigging. The whole boat is looking great.

cheers

Michael

Thanks Michael,

I think adding the funnel bands that are lacking on the Zvezda kit helped to keep them off the funnel sides giving a more 3D effect. The stays are going to fun though.

Si

Nice work Simon, this sort of really thin PE is always tricky to get right.Always seems to be too fragile and breakable.
Fitting the stays will be fun too I expect
Cheers,
Julian

Nice PE save there Simon.
I was just looking at my Trumpeter kit and it has all that funnel detail included. Another difference between the two kits.
You could make a good case for getting all three releases so far as they are all for different fit outs, 1907, 1912 and 1915.. well that's ,y excuse anyway.

Thanks Julian,

I am a bit surprised that as Pontos supply one of the frets in a harder metal that the funnel caps were not on that, they would have been a little easier for a ham fisted type like me to handle. I am putting the stays on next, the Kagero book is great for clearly showing all the attachment points.

Thanks Warren,

Having both PE sets was a real boon there.

The Trumpy kits may have the detail, but I have the satisfaction of having put in the work, and I am pleased with the effect compared with photos / drawings of the original.


I am thinking getting a later Dreadnought, perhaps to convert into a Bellerophon, (I know the hull will not be 100% but at least I will have the spare mast left over from this build), and I can't see any of that class being released in plastic.


Si

Looking real nice Si,

would be really good to see the Bellerophon build you spoke of