Nice job Jan,

Thanks for keeping the thread moving. Need to get back in the workshops soon.

Cheers,

Si

Jan,

Amazing work on the 4" guns and the little boats.


Looking forward to seeing everything mounted.

Dave

I am calling my 1/700 Hood done. I apologize for the crappy photography. My photoetch skills definitely need work.

Great job Grant,

You have done the old girl proud.

Your photoetch skills will improve with practice, 1/700th railings are harder than 1/350th scale to keep in order.

cheers

Si

Grant,

nice job on your Hood! 1/700 I would imagine is quite a lot more difficult than 1/350, I have never dared to try that small scale...

As for my Belfast, eventually I found some time this weekend and made some progress

I decided that time was ripe to permanently install forward and aft superstructures, after most details were installed midships.
Just a few quick shots from were I stand - the more detailed update will follow tomorrow or Tuesday on my Belfast blog - have to follow the news today, three quite important elections in Germany with 'interesting' results. But now for the pictures, not too much talking about real life here...
















Cheers,
Jan

Hi Jan,

Great stuff, she is coming on superbly

Si

Got a bit more done on the Scharnhorst at the weekend, and finally found time to update.

Foremast in place.



lower section of the mainmast fitted.



Sheet anchor and it's cable done.



20mm and railings around the deck behind Bruno also there.



main mast starfish and main top mast etched up.



They are yet to be fitted.

ore soon

Si

Jan,

Your Belfast is amazing. Nice clean work and the camo job looks amazing. Very much enjoying this build.

Si, your Scharnhorst is looking amazing also. Looks like you are nearing the commissioning steps of this mighty build.

Dave

Thanks Dave,

TT's and their reload stowage, cranes, Jack and Ensign Staff's rigging and railings to go.

Si

Hi Si,

almost missed your update on Scharnhorst here!! Sorry - busy with my Belfast and focused on your newest 'kid'

Your Scharnhorst really looks great - you can almost 'grab' the commissioning impressive work!

Cheers,
Jan

And here's the latest on HMS Belfast

Once again, things took longer than expected, and now running out of time for the full update - that will follow later on (tomorrow I hope) on the separate Belfast blog.

So eventually all the racks and the 22 carley floats were installed:





Then all railings came on. Most touch ups done to the racks and the railings, the carley floats themselves require touch ups as well as some blending in with the camouflage.













And work on the cranes commenced - they proof a lot more complicated than I thought...



I should find some time the week after easter - maybe, but just maybe...dreaming of commissioning...

We shall see. If things go normal, they will again take longer than expected...

But that's fair enough

Cheers,
Jan

No worries Jan.

I do understand busy at the moment. Great work on the Belfast, she is looking magnificent.

Cheers

Si

A little more work done on the San Diego! (Wedding planning has trumped ship building).

I was really spoiled on my last US warship with the PaperLab 5in guns. But, I can't spend that kind of money on every ship.

Water effects, rigging, etc are up next!

Looking good Steve,

Like the base too.

Si

Very short update on the Scharnhorst,

The cranes built.



Proper update soon.

Si

Slightly bigger update today.

Cranes and the main topmast fitted.



Torpedo tubes and reload stowage built.



More soon,

Si

Right, a proper update today.

The rigging.

More stays added to the foretop yard arms.



Signal halyards on the mainmast yardarms.



More stays and signal halyards on the foremast.



Topping lifts on the mainmast yard arms.



Making the two strand aerials with spreaders. These are the lower set.



This the upper set, just need trimming from the spreaders.



The lower set, plus the lower single strands.



The upper doubles added, not yet trimmed and painted.



The insulators are built up with thick white acrylic.

Cheers

Si

Very nearly there.

The final upper twin strand aerials trimmed and painted. Torpedo tubes and reload boxes on as well.



The jack and ensign staffs on.





First sections of the maindeck railings on, strangely for WEM not quite the best of fit.



Overview of the old boy.



Just the railing to finish and stand to paint she is done

Cheers

Si

Very nice work.

Thanks Grant,

For once got "in the zone" on the rigging.

Cheers

Si

Rigging looks awesome Si, something I will need to have a think about during my little adventure.
What gauge copper wire is that?

Cheers, D

Hi Damian,

The copper wire is just stripped out of power leads for any old household kit, sorry, couldn't tell you the gauge. I just roll it straight under a steel rule, measure and cut to length and tack in place with superglue.

I find it easier than using monofiliments, and for things like aerials it gives the natural sag of the real thing.

Good luck with you "little" project.


Cheers

Si

Great build Simon and and as always a really neat job on the rigging.

cheers

Michael

Thanks Michael,

It is a bit of a spider's web in places, and I may have missed a few bits and pieces out, but I am happy with it.

Cheers

Si

Just catching up with what's going on here after a few days of easter vacation...

Great work on your Scharnhorst, Si The copper wire thing again, and it looks spot on! - did you omit the 10m-rangefinder on Caesar-turret intentionally? Just saw it in your second last update, I believe.

Now you are finishing Scharnhorst before I have my Belfast ready - and Belfast was my sole project on the shipyard...but work on Belfast will recommence tomorrow and I have the day of and the weekend...let's see

The San Diego is looking fine, Steve!!

Cheers,
Jan