Ok... here’s what I have so far on the Ark Royal: the hull and island are cleaned up and assembled with minor corrections made, and a few extra details have been added to the island.


None of the aircraft, weapons, or boats are ready yet. No painting has been accomplished, and the excellent White Ensign photoetch cranes, masts, windbreaks and other details still remain undisturbed on their brass fret. Because I got bogged down adding additional details and fixing problems I had determined (unsuccessfully) to ignore, there is now no way I can finish this Ark Royal in the few days remaining in the campaign.

I hate to drop out, but neither do I want to waste the effort expended so far by rushing the model to completion. So... resolved to finish an Ark Royal for the campaign one way or another, it’s time to change gears—

(engage clutch...GRIND, grind, grind......BUMP!)


I’m setting the Revell model aside for now and making a last minute switch to the 1/1200 scale Airfix HMS Ark Royal!


This one is a smaller (and, actually, nicer) snap-together kit that was designed to go together quickly. Since I have only four evenings after work and a Saturday to get the whole thing done, I may actually stick to forgoing any improvements to this one and simply bang it together as God and Airfix intended!

I second Tim, Jan - the Hood is really shaping up. After seeing your work, I'm convinced I'll make the jump to 1/350 with at least a destroyer in the not-too-distant future.

The 1/700 wood deck is great. While I was working on it my wife said "You REALLY love that thing, let me see it...oh, Wow - that's impressive!" she wasn't around to see me try to paint individual boards on a 1/700 Fuso a few years ago...

Anyhow, here's the progress. I MIGHT make it by the deadline if I leave rigging and mounting for later this Summer.

And I found this company that 3D prints 8-barrel pompoms, so I'll have some better looking ones for the eventual Nelson and Prince of Wales that are on the shelf. http://www.3dmodelparts.com/

Good luck everyone!

Hi Tim,

That little Ark was fun, another memory from my youth, have fun with that.

Cheers.

Si

Looking really good with the deck down Steve,

Hope you make the deadline. My Bismarck will, regrettably go down somewhat short of completion, but with colours flying.

Cheers

Si

Looks Like Rodney: Are you doing it in the Denmark Strait time frame? I am doing this in 1/200 and finding references scarce. I will be following with interest as you progress. I like the grey you are using.

Hello Michael,

Am on the painting stage and aiming to finish on time. A week's extension however should provide me some buffer against any mishaps along the way.

Cheers,

Tat

Great work Steve and Tim! And thank you all for your comments!!

- Tim, somehow I was convinced you would not do your Ark straight 'as is'...so I can very well understand you decision to 'shifting gears', I pretty much did the same thing earlier here when building the type IX sub. Still very keen to see your micro-Ark been built!!

- Steve, that wooden deck really makes a difference. Your Rodney looks really great! And the fit of the deck looks pretty awesome, too!


As for an extension of the campaign - I'll be posting progress of my HMS Hood here as long as this campaign remains open, however, I am too far behind to ask for some reasonable extension. Since this campaign has become really busy over the last weeks, seeing it alive for a little longer would be nice, though!

Cheers,
Jan

Airfix cleverly depicted the hangar and other decks visible behind the Ark’s outer skin with snap-in inserts (unlike Revell’s kit, which simply shows them as recessed areas molded into the single-piece ship sides).

The insert boat and hangar decks go aboard quickly, and they impart a pleasing sense of depth and complexity to these areas.


Snap! On goes the flight deck.

Hi Mark - I Am! And yes, it's really really frustrating. This is a famous ship, during it's most famous engagement... finding pictures, or models representing her at that time should be easy, right?

I've been doing a lot of squinting at pictures from before the refit that added the bofors, and comparing the pom-pom arrangement to the Nelson. Then I found these plans, and they seem to line up pretty well with what I was doing:
(I'm still a little dubious about the pompom on the B Turret though)

http://freedisc.pl/andrenet,f-2980407,20-pancernik-hms-rodney-wrzesien-1941-profile-morskie-129-jpg

This was helpful on the bridge:
http://quadsmods.blogspot.com/2012/04/hms-rodney-1941-bridge-part-i.html http://put.url.here

I'm also searching for clues in this book. "HMS Romney, The Famous Ships of the Royal Navy Series" by Ian Ballantyne. The $6.13 Ebook version, not the $80 hardbound version...

Anyhow, GOOD LUCK and let me know how it goes, or if you think I'm making any errors in the fittings.

- Steve

After I posted, I gave it some more thought, reality check as well. I now must admit to have been overly optimistic on finishing even with that additional week. Thus I'll take that request down and try to finish as much as I can by whatever deadline has been (or reset).

The little Ark’s island was a sraightforward assembly; only six parts, including a lower section which was already molded as part of the flight deck piece.

Cleanup of the small parts was simple but fiddly. A homemade sanding stick helped!


The only glitch was a set of visible locator pins inside the funnel halves, but these were easily removed.


Although the well engineered parts do snap securely together, I’ve been cementing everything in place anyway for a more positive fit.

***Attention***

Change of "End Date" has been made...

June 21, 2017

This change was requested due to the original date was approaching rather quickly with a number of builds still underway. In the interest of having fun, the extension was made. While all campaigns need and ending at some point, it serves the best interest of all the modellers, including the ones who are working hard to complete their builds for this campaign.


My most sincerest apologies for not chiming in more on this thread! There has been some amazing modelling skills on display here! Truly some outstanding work across the boards!! Keep up the great work!

Great news Todd,

now I am in with a fighting chance!

cheers

Si

LOL...good to know Si! Personally, if the thread is rockin'...such as this one is, I don't see the need to give anyone an excuse to set something aside because of the deadline!

Thanks Todd!

Pretty sure this will be the only extension everyone, so full steam ahead!

Michael

Thanks for the extension!! ...now I have no excuse to put off yard work this weekend.

; )

Yes! The extension is most welcome. Some small progress on Ark Royal (Jr.):

The mast consisted of two parts which fit together well – that is after I figured out that the instructions had incorrectly shown the mast mounted backwards so that the little mounting pips for the support legs faced the wrong way!

Still, I appreciate this little kit more and more as I work with it: the parts are so small I hadn’t even noticed the faint depressions at the front of the bridge until I saw this enlarged image. Bridge windows!

Some of the nicest moldings were the eight tiny radio antennas. Though only 12mm in length, they show Airfix’s game attempt to depict the lattice structure of the originals.

Tim,

I am constantly amazed at your skill with such small kits. I have enough trouble with 1/350 scale let alone 1200th!!

great work

Dave

Today's update

Boats.

From



to.



5.9" turrets assembled.



Cheers

Si

Here’s Airfix’s 1976 HMS Ark Royal finished out of the box with no alterations other than parts clean up.

This is a great little kit, highly underrated. I understand Airfix has finally re-released it, along with a 1/1200 Bismarck, Prinz Eugen, Hood, Sufolk, and Tribal class destroyers as a combined “Sink the Bismarck” set. Very cool.


And, simple as it is, I was even able to bring it in within the original campaign deadline!

Si,

nice progress on the Bismarck, she's looking splendid!

Tim,

congratulations on commissioning of HMS Ark Royal (jr). Nice job, and really a nice kit for that scale!!

And finally, thanks for the extension! I won't be able to finish - busy real-life times ahead once again, but one additional months of fun with this fine campaign, highly appreciated!

Cheers,
Jan

And a quick update on HMS Hood - working the small stuff again...







Cheers,
Jan

Thanks Jan, now I have a good chance of finishing within the extended deadline.

Nice work on the winches mate.

Cheers

Si

Big push is really on.

Spraying sub assemblies.



37's detail painted and fitted, after four here.



Ralings on the shelter deck aft of the catapult.



5.9" fitted.



4.1's basic assembly on the front 4



Overview with everything test fitted.



Couple more big pushes over the bank holiday, and completion in time is doable.

Cheers

Si

Quick update on the armament.

The 10.5cm mounts built and ready for spraying.



basic work on the main armament, and test fitted in place.





Cheers

Si