some progress today.

The reason for no updates last weekend.

The shipyard has undergone a refit, my little Sister bought ne an A1 sized cutting mat for my birthday, gopd reason for a tidy up.



back to business, the kit torpedo tubes.



Some compressed air bottles and plumbing added, couldn't find any good drawings of this type of lount, so left it at that.



The WEM quad 0.5" assembled, not fantastic, but nothing else in stock.



The rest of the armament sprayed.



detail painted and fitted.



Next job, some more crew.

Hope to be back in at the bench tomorrow.

Cheers

Si

Good to see this one moving along Si

Thanks Russ,

Quite a few minor mods in the fit from the kit.

Got a bit further today, more on that in today's update.

Cheers

Si

Yesterday's progress.

Another mod, photographs show the Hesperus in early '42 with a type 272 radar lantern in place of the DCT, and the damaged bow from ramming U93.

A spare from a WEM Flower class fret was sourced, not sure what the white metal trunking was intended to be, tail of an RAF 250ib HE I think.



searchlight with etch fitted and painted, will glaze with Krystal klear.



Bit of "creative gizmology to go under the lantern and all painted.



all assembled.



fitted in place.



the ladder up to the bridge comes form the infini models RN ladders set,



Good value, and lots of different lengths and widths.

More in a week or two.

Cheers

Si

Nice progress on the dio.
And I am envious of the cutting mat, never seen an A1 size before.

cheers

Michael

Hesperus is looking good in her warpaint, Si! Was she as clean as the model looks now or are you going to add more weathering as things progress? Either way, this is going to be a great dio!

Thanks Tim,

There will be a bit more weathering, but I am wary of overdoing it. from what I can glean, she was repainted from the grey splinter scheme and the 272 radar fitted a couple of months before the sinking of U93.

The real tester on this project is going to get the seascape right though, that will make or break it.

Thanks for looking in and your support so far.

Cheers

Si

Si,

Nice work my friend. Looking forward to seeing her floating in the ocean blue.

What are your thoughts on the Infini ladders?

dave

Hi Dave,

I like them, they are nicely detailed, and half etched through at the steps, so they fold smoothly. good variety of lengths, including a few quite long ones, and some very short ones, three different widths as well.

Think I will keep a fret in stock.

Cheers

Si

A little progress today, mostly around adding the crew.

The bridge and B Gun.



before adding crew around superstructure, the nameplate needs painting and fitting, painted with a wood brown acrylic and a knife blade run over it to bring out the lettering.



fitted, with some of the depth charge crew sheltering on the opposite side of the superstructure from the U boat's 20mm.



12pdr has some of it's crew too.

quad 0.5" and torpedo tube crews in place.



Few more men needed on deck, them on with the rest of the build.

Cheers

Si

More progress with the crew, and the depth charges.



Throwers on.

Ready use rounds and davits added.



Stern racks fitted, rarely do I say this of a WEM / atlantic models kit, but they are not the best. they will do for the time being, until I can find better.



Cheers

Si

A bit more progress on Hesperus.

The pulling boats, one as moulded and one with the etched thwarts and rudder fitted.



All boats sprayed, along with the davits.



Davits and ladders down from the foredeck fitted.



The pulling boats painted and detailed,



All boats in place,



More soon.

Si

Great work Si-really looking busy with all those crew on deck!

Thanks Russ,

Great fun painting them, and trying to get the slight non uniformity in uniform common on photos of WW2 destroyers in action.

Cheers

Si

Small progress today,

Found some chain for the anchor cables, a bit overscale, but better than the etched stuff.



Anchors in place and weathered, also fo'c's'le ralings in place.

a little rust weathering powder on the cable as well.



Next job will be starting work on the base, so sketching everything out.



more soon.

Si

Yesterday's progress.

Fitting the lashings on the boats.





cable reels from the spares box fitted, one by each boat.



Base with some structure added and covered in foil.



carley floats in place, and main deck railings under way.



I prefer to fit short lengths of railing even where full lengths are provided.

Overall view of the ship so far, only masts and rigging to go. They will be done after the base is complete to avoid the risk of damage.



The base sprayed varying shades of blue, green and grey with the vessels test fitted.



next job final fitting of the vessels, and on with the seascape.

Cheers

Si

It is looking real good so far!

Cheers,
Joe

I love the all action crew on board Hesperus. Looking forward to seeing the seascape finished.

cheers
Michael

Thanks Joe,

The getting the sea right is going to be the tricky bit though.

Cheers

Si

Thanks Michael,

Getting the wakes right is going to be fun, hope to getting cracking on that at the weekend.

cheers

Si

On with work on the base

Bought some of this stuff at southern expo, thought I would give it a try, the colour is a bit stark.



Building up the layers.

First layer on wet.




Having dried overnight,



Base layer of wake painted on.



Next layer of sea, have tried mixing with some Tamiya clear green & smoke to make the colour more like the atlantic.



Not quite dry when this was taken. a few more layers of wake and Sea to go on before it that is done.

More soon.

Cheers

Si

More on the base.

next layers on.





Final layer of wake to go and I am calling it done.

Cheers

Si

Paintwork on the base done.



Might add a bit more 3d stuff between the ship and the boat, if I can make something work.

Weathering touched up on the Hesperus,



Next job, masts & rigging on the Hesperus.

Cheers

Si

Hi Simon,

Now that really took shape......looks FANTASTIC!
Cheers,
Joe

Thanks Joe,

Getting there, the base is always the trickiest bit with projects like this.

Cheers

Si