Nice job, Simon. The camouflage came out great!
You are extremely productive.

Looking forward to seeing more

Hi Simon,

Great job on that aircraft! and the HMS Jupiter is looking to
be another excellent model!

Should be starting my build this weekend, hopefully.

Cheers,
Joe

Thanks Jesper & Joe,

Am happy with the way the camouflage has come out.

Christopher Langtree's book "The Kellys" has been a great help, great drawings and photographs, also lots of details on actual fit throughout their careers of all 24 ships in the J,K & N class. A great book for modellers and a cracking read as well.

Looking forward to seeing your build under way too Joe,

Si

Small update,

The Pennant numbers added, and the camouflage scheme corrected.



the deck painted, the non skid areas (semtex) were painted a slightly different shade of dark grey.



Si

Simon,
The camo looks great! It will be interesting to see go on the rest of the superstructure.

cheers

Michael

While certain N class destroyers roll out of the dockyards at break neck pace I am still in replacement build mode.

I got a bit done today. Finished the masts and tried out some aerials



I am not sure if Achilles even had radar in 1939 but the kit comes with several versions.
I have tried Type 79

and type 281

While I am not wedded to being 100% accurate it would be nice to know, if anyone has an opinion.
Also built a couple of searchlight towers. And in a new innovation for the Royal Navy I have introduced the concept of glass floors. I should learn to read the packet before I buy.

One thing I was certain of was that Achilles had 4 single 4" guns. The twin 4" were not introduced to this ship until late 1942. However the kit only has the twins so taking inspiration from Jan's HMS Repulse build of it's single fours and his excellent tutorial I have created my own.
My starting materials were the three kit parts and 4 Master 4" inch barrels, plus some etch from other Master bits and a bit of railing.

I used the same base, which looks slightly odd. I ditched the barrels and split the breeches to have four. The final result is OK and in place with a coat of paint won't raise too many eyebrows, especially in this household!



cheers
Michael

Well well, certain shipyards seem to have their production line going at full speed - have to agree with Michael there - and Si, great progress: your camouflage looks absolutely stunning!!

Michael, real nice work on the aerials! This part of the ships I am always a little afraid of...
And I do like your interpretation of the single 4" mounts, they look great and I am honored that I could serve a little bit as inspiration! Your Achilles is a great project, I hope you get around all the oddities of the kit

Cheers,
Jan

Thanks Michael,

It is an interesting scheme, will be cracking on with the superstructure hopefully this week.

I have had a dig through Raven & Roberts "British Cruisers of WW2". can't be 100% but I don't think Achilles would have had any radar in 1939. I would also think she also had pole masts not tripods at that time. (Again not 100% as no pics of the ship at that time) Good work on her, like the 4" that is inspired.

Thanks Jan,

did pick that particular baby out of the JKN classes that served in the Battle of the Atlantic mostly for the scheme, but also because the was one of the earlier recipients of the 4" in place of the after TT's

Si

Hi Michael,

Couple of '39 pics of the Achilles on this site, one just post action with the Graf Spee.

http://www.world-war.co.uk/Leander/achilles.php3

Don't blame you if you stick with the tripods, not trying to rain on your parade, your build mate just enjoy it.

All the best

Si

Hi Simon,
Thanks for the link, I think
I hadn't these pictures before but you're right, no tripod masts, and much taller with wider yardarms. Certainly no radar.

Back to the soldering iron .

cheers
Michael

Radar or no radar, It is a great little build, Michael. Very nice details.

I have yet to start my Halifax, but it is in the build pile

Apologies for causing you extra work Michael.

Looking forward to seeing a different Halibag under way Jesper.

A bit more progress on Jupiter's Camouflage.

The major superstructure units sprayed TS81 (AP507C)



After superstructure and funnel done, (Just sat in place)

Starboard Side.



Port Side.



Some of the deck fittings still need work as does the lower bridge.

Si

Some fantastic builds coming along.
I've got a Supermarine Walrus to finish for the Aeroscale Seaplane campaing and then I intend to crack on with my build.
Stephen

Hi Simon,
No problems. It just never ceases to amaze me how I fail to see what is in front of me.
I was looking at the photos I had of Achilles for the different types of aerials and didn't notice the pole masts at all. Doh!

Thanks Jan and Jesper for your support. I will sway up some new masts promptly meanwhile I am still working on Achilles armaments.

cheers

Michael

Well I took it on the chin and made up a couple of pole masts. They were much quicker to make though the height difference is interesting. The tripod masts with radar were pretty much the same.


For my next replacement part I thought I would give my version of a tutorial on the 4 x 21" torpedo launcher.
Parts requirements is fairly basic, 1mm rod, copper wire, 1.6mm copper tube and 4mm x 0.25mm strip.

Cut the tube into 8 x 21mm lengths.

Angle grind with Dremel and bore out hole. Holding copper tube with your fingers while grinding will lead to melted fingerprints. I tested that myself

Cut the 4mm strip into 6 x 20mm lengths and drill 4 holes (1.7mm). If you stack the six pieces you will get all the holes in the same place.

Rack up the tubes. This is much easier to do if you have oversized strips.

Trim excess

then sand done to bare minimum. The strips are structural parts for holding the tubes together

Next coil the copper wire around some spare copper tube and make a spring.

Slice spring into rings

and mount one at each end of a tube. These are hard to see but I figure after painting and a wash they produce a subtle difference in the tube.

And add detail to your taste. I used the 1mm rod for compressors at the end of each tube. The white square is a control box, the brass piece is a pump. I have also added a rail to pull the launcher into firing position and a walkway for when it was deployed.


And looking at the last picture I see I forgot the turntable.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed my version on how to scratch a cruiser mounted torpedo launcher.

cheers
Michael

Wow! Beautiful work, Michael. A small model in its own right.

Thanks for sharing

Great detail work there Michael

Keith

Wow, just great That are superb torpedo launchers and you made a great tutorial, these are little models in itself!!!

Cheers,
Jan

Fantastic work on the masts and tubes Michael.

Funnily enough TT's have been my issue this weekend on the Jupiter.

The Kit tubes compared to the drawings in Christopher Langtree's book.



Carving the first of the five compressed air bottles for the rear of each tube.


All five shaped and fitted.



Before going on I started on another area that needs work is the bridge, so the camouflage has gone on and the decks painted.



More soon.

Si

Hi Jesper, Keith and Jan,
Thanks very much for the kind comments. It was an enjoyable Sunday's work, but I really got to get on with the rest of it. Hopefully I can get the pieces painted this week.

and thanks Simon,
At least your tubes look clean. and nice work on the bridge.

thanks all,

Michael

Ahoy fellas

Very nice work Michael and Simon.

Michael I am glad the weather was so bad that you were forced inside on Sunday.

Cheers


Sean

Thanks Michael,

At least the WEM tubes are a good basis, still lots to do on the tubes and the bridge.

Thanks Sean,

A good base kit, but needs a bit of work, but that's where the fun is.

Si

Thanks Sean,
I am painting the house at the moment and the weather as you know is too good in Auckland. So a few hours early and a couple late on the paint brush and my conscience is clear.



cheers
Michael

Michael, that is some sweet scratch building you have done there, very nice!

Simon, love the camo on the ship; a pretty nifty little build you have going there.

Ernest

Thanks Ernst,

The Camo was the main reason I picked the Jupiter out of the J's and K's that served in atlantic early war.

Cheers

Si.