Michael, excellent work on the Achilles. The rigging and etch work are most impressive.

Simon, the Jupiter is coming along nicely. The last finishing touches are really making it pop. I recently picked up half a dozen of the Revell reissues of the old Matcjbox HMS Kelly (The Works are selling them for a fiver each at the minute). As the kit has lots of optional parts I'm planning on building them as various J's and K's. Your build has given me some ideas.

On to mine,
Finally finished painting the camouflage. Needs a little touching up in places but looks ok so far. I used Humbrol enamels throughout.

Cheers Steven,

They are an interesting class, and with good reverences. Good luck with that.

Nice camo job on the Captain, coming on well.

Si

Cheers.
There are some interesting cammo schemes for the J's and K's in the Warship Camouflage book I referenced earlier. Some of the early Mediterranean schemes are very colourful. I just need to find a stockist of Niko Model parts so I can replace the awful AA guns in them. I used to use WEM, but now they're gone.

Looking at the scheme I used on this build, I get the impression that the blue section is supposed to make it look like a smaller ship moving at speed. I suppose it was effective when viewed through a periscope in rough seas!

Cool looking camouflage, Stephen.

Looking forward to see more.

Hi Stephen,

Also Christopher Langtree's book "The Kellys" is a great reference, not only for camouflage but weapons fit.

Good luck with your builds.

Si

Jesper thanks. It's a much simpler scheme than some destroyers had but does look smart.

Si, I'll look at getting a copy. Amazon has some second hand for sale at various prices. Some sellers are asking for over £100 for it!

Hi Guys
Well like I said in my previous post this was my first time working with this scale and I dont venture into the watery side much but I finally finished the little U-boat


Not my best work by far but then again 1st time doing 1/350 scale

Hello,

I'm entering this campaign with a Tamiya kit: HMS King George V (1/700) in waterline series.

This kit is my first attempt to build a ship ... I've never done it before.

I will post several pictures of my weekend progress next Sunday.



Regards

Arnzer

[quote]Michael, excellent work on the Achilles. The rigging and etch work are most impressive.

On to mine,
Finally finished painting the camouflage. Needs a little touching up in places but looks ok so far. I used Humbrol enamels throughout.


Thanks Stephen. The kit provided photo etch was excellent.
The Bentinck is making good progress and I like the camo on it. Is it brushed or sprayed?

cheers
Michael

Sal, nice work on the uboat.
Arn, great to see the KGV being entered. Looking forward to seeing it built.

Michael, I hand painted the model. It's really too small to airbrush. I thinned the paints a little as out the pot they're too thick and can cover fine detail. The upper superstructure is still separate and was dry fitted for the photos.

Too bad this publication did not come out at the begining of the campaign!

A small amount of progress on the Jupiter. The kit does not have the correct bridge wing supports, so added from plastic strip.



Work started on the boat lashings, the canvas strips are made from paper.



The lashings cut and fixed in place at the lower end, and painted, the bridge wing supports also painted.



Si

Started, probably too late to finish on time, but started.




Academy F4F-4 in 1/72 with Quickboost engine.

Okay... my model FINALLY arrived in the mail from England yesterday! It is an Armed Liberty ship in 1/1200 scale by Len Jordan (kit M47A). Not much time to get this puppy into commission, but I have the advantage that the resin kit is cast in a single piece with the only separate parts being the kingposts (to be made from brass pins with resin cross trees). And the paint job couldn't be simpler - gray on gray.

Henry Kaiser could put these things into the water in ten days, and I have nearly two weeks - so a commissioned Liberty by the end of the campaign should be no problem!

I like your imitating-real-world-approach.

Interesting little gem Tim,

Good luck with it.

Si

Since my little Liberty’s entire hull and superstructure came as a single completed piece, I started assembly with the kingposts.
The kit comes with resin crosstrees to be fitted over brass pin masts. Kind of unusual, but I’m game!


This kit is so simple that with the three kingposts put together, assembly is already almost complete. Wohoo!

Hi Tim,

more like watchmaking than modelmaking, looks fun.

watching with interest.

Si

Tim, 1/1200 looks even more challenging than 1/700! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

With the deadline approaching I thought it was about time I made a start on the base and seascape. The MDF base was given a coat of thinned varnish to harden in up to make it easier to sand (the edges seem to go 'fluffy' if you sand without doing this), followed by a stain and then 2 coats of satin varnish. Next I made up the seascale using a piece cut from thick watercolour paper with a hole for the ship to slot into. Although it is textured I added some extra creases for a more 3d effect. I then painted this with a mix of dark blue art acrylics and then glued it to the base. When the glue is dry I'll touch up around the edges. I'll add in the wake with artists modelling paste when the ship is in place and then do thefinal painting on the sea.

Some progress today.

Quad 0.5" added, along with the last of the carley floats. Final boat lashing in process.



The etched anchor cable is a bit feeble, I found some spare from an artworx set, and sprayed it white.



It is a little oversale, but I think it is an improvement on the etch.





It doesn't look too bad fitted.

Si

Alright, 12 days to go and I have one unfinished build and I am starting something new. On the other hand this should be simple.





The moulding is very clean, and the shape looks good.

There are few parts that need to be prepped to as the hull halves are joined.



All goes in well, although the retractable bow planes have no positive location,.



The stern fittings in place.



The conning tower halves fitted well and the deck just dropped into place.



The boat on the base, ready for paint.



Si

Si,

Your DD anchor chain looks great. And then starting a new build with just 12 days to go... gutsy!

This weekend I plan to throw a coat of Model Master Dark Ghost Gray enamel over my little Liberty - but I guess I won't be as busy as you!

Nice job on the anchor chains, Simon.

You are really going all in on this campaign. Something over the sea, something on the sea, and now something under the sea.

Looking forward to see more.

Hi Tim,

Thank you, I do like real chain rather than etch.

We will see at the end of the month whether the type XXI was gutsy or stupid, will be fun anyway.

Love the little liberty, good luck with that.

Hi Tom,

Thanks mate. The Battle of the Atlantic has always held a fascination for me, after all if we had lost it, we would have lost WW2.

Will post this weekend's update during the week, real life has got in the way a bit.

Si

Hi Si,

your DD looks great! I fully agree, real chains look so much better than the twisted etch ones. Looking forward to see some pics of the finished boat!

...and good luck with your sub! I know I could not make it in time, but I trust in your skills!!

Quote "The Battle of the Atlantic has always held a fascination for me, after all if we had lost it, we would have lost WW2." Unquote - Well; I would say you're right there...we did both... but let's not get into these discussions, just could not resist this single comment

Cheers

Jan