Small progress yesterday.

The double ladder down on to the quarterdeck, from the WEM fret, steps bent and test fitted.



and with the handrails.



On with something a bit bigger for a change.

main turrets. four are provided, two of them have 20mm gun tubs cast in place, which will need removing on one of them to get three clean ones.

straight off the sprue.



Cleaned up, built up, with barrels removed for fitting turned barrels.



More soon.

Si

Getting there, Si!

Looks good!

Cheers,
Jan

Thanks Jan,

Quite a few fiddly bits to go, but yes, getting close.

Got a bit closer yesterday, will post later.

Cheers.

Si

Unusually, so early rigging.

The flag halyards from the foremast yard arms. firstly attachment points on the 0.5"mg deck. some scrap railings did the job.





first runs in place.



All done.



just need painting.

The pompoms next, from North star.



close on the etch.



The base plate, interesting piece of brass origami, with stiffeners fitted.



and the right way up.



assembly of the gun chassis under way.



Then the eyesight started to complain.

More soon

Si

You're really bringing her to life now, Si!!

Trusted copper wire rigging, even doubled up the flag lines - wow!

And I'm watching the North Star with high interest - I consider getting some, it looks like they even beat the Big Blue Boy's ones. And if they're really good, that would be the first really good quadruples around, too (I know you're doing the octuples here, but I think you can make a guess about the quality of the smaller ones from that).

Cheers,
Jan

Thanks Jan,

Just hope the halyards don't look to heavy with paint on.

The North Star Pompoms do look very good, and so far are going together ok, will see I get on with them.

Have a pack of quads, the look as good as the eight barrel units.

Cheers

Si

More assembly on the first North Star pompom.





I will sort out the wonky ammo box.

Could look at the main turrets with just the blast bags sticking out.

One assembled.



All the turrets done and sat in place.



More soon.

Si

Ok, that looks like another pretty productive weekend on your side - and I don't have anything to offer until the next weekend...

Very nice progress here, I think I definitely need some of the North Star PomPoms...

And the turrets in place, even test fitted, make so much of a difference!

Cheers,
Jan

Thanks Jan,

She is getting there, all the micro work this weekend, needed to play with some bigger bits.

Cheers

Si

Getting into a bit of mass production with pompoms, the bases of the other two mounts folded up.



Gun mount parts under construction.



Second and third mounts coming together, first mount now has barrels fitted.



Structure under the platforms on.



first mount finished and test fitted in place.



More soon.

Cheers

Si

Well, well, well - mass production - it's only three

Looking good, Si - another "must have" - the folks from North Star are producing a real good and long waited for series of little add ons for our RN 1/350 kits. The PomPom looks pretty good on your Repulse, and it's in the correct position with respect to the superstructure, far enough aft.

Cheers,
Jan

Thanks Mate,

Well maybe not Mass production, but a very short production line. These pompoms are great, the etched bases really look the business, but are very fragile and difficult to handle.

Still got the quad 0.5" and the various 4" to go, plus a few final details.

Cheers

Si

great looking Pom Poms Si!

yes, I think i will be placing some orders with Northstar soon too

Hi Russ,

They are great, but the etched base plate does make them "interesting" to handle.

I think they are the best aftermarket 8bbl units available, and they do 4 bbl as well.

Cheers

Si

Indeed they do Si! Am waiting for a stock notification from Northstar so I can purchase the 4 barrel pom pom, the Vickers quads, a twin 4" and the bridge components for my Punjabi plans (After seeing your excellent HMS Cossack build, I can't help but upgrade!) at the same time as the search lights to help finish of the Prinz

The Prinz's dockyard workers are returning from annual leave this weekend and work will re-commence! I need to finish him and the KGV asap just to clear the cobwebs away!

Your Bismarck is looking great and I'm almost tempted to go out and add him to the stash as well! Hm... we'll see

Hi Russ,

One thing I would advise, drill and fit the barrels before fitting the resin breach section to the base plate.

Had a bit of a problem with one of mine, now deciding how to fix it, when I had to redrill a barrel location and accidentally put too much pressure on one side of the base.



Ho hum may end up using the kit pompoms with the etch from WEM and GMM. not as good, but got nothinh else spare.

Cheers

Si

Decided to go with the kit pompoms, and actually they are not that bad.

dresses with some etch.



Test fitted in place, I reckon they will look serviceable under a coat of paint.



Cheers

Si

I agree with you, Si - they should work. Not as nice as the aftermarket ones, but they will look ok.

Cheers,
Jan

Thanks Jan,

The pressure is on for a really good paint job on them to lift what detail there is.

No issues with 0.5" though, will post those later.

Cheers

Si

Very quick updated today.

Building the North star quad 0.5"







The 4" next.

Cheers

Si

ooo-those Vickers look painful Si! An exercise in nano-engineering for sure & to think I just bought a set as well!

As Russ said, those .5" really look outstanding! That's the best representation of those guns I'he seen in that scale - and I am happy that I got myself a couple for the HMS Hood - though that will be some time before I get there...

Cheers,
Jan

Hi Russ,

Actually they are a lot easier to handle that they look, especially building them attached to the etched fret,

Having used them on my HMS Cossack build, they goo look the business in place, have fun with them.

Cheers

Si

Thanks Jan,

I am pleased with them, used the elevated ones, think they will look better on the Repulse's platforms.

Cheers

Si