Ships by Class/Type: Battleships
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Mikasa 1902 with Pontos 1/200th.
RedDuster
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Posted: Saturday, February 01, 2020 - 07:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The lady taking shape now - what a lovely ship you are making Si - hats off!



Thanks Thomas,

II love the ships of this era, especially before they went grey. fitting the fore and after bridges has felt another stage done.

Cheers

Si
JJ1973
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Posted: Sunday, February 02, 2020 - 06:44 AM UTC
Si,

catching up with MSW once more - impressive work since I last checked. She looks absolutely awesome, the details in the bigger scale really are different as compared to 1/350 or 1/700...
Finishing line is in sight I would say!

Cheers
Jan
RedDuster
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Posted: Sunday, February 02, 2020 - 10:27 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Si,

catching up with MSW once more - impressive work since I last checked. She looks absolutely awesome, the details in the bigger scale really are different as compared to 1/350 or 1/700...
Finishing line is in sight I would say!

Cheers
Jan



Still a way to go yet Jan,

Main turrets, that is the simple bit, then the mast structures, with their fighting tops (with 4 47mm in each), derricks and rigging. Then there is all the boat davits, four more boats, a few minor bits and pieces, then the final push which will be the extended torpedo net booms, and the nets.

Appreciate your support along the way. With a bit of luck will be finished mid year.

Cheers

Si
RedDuster
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Posted: Monday, February 03, 2020 - 09:49 AM UTC
A bit more progress.

The main turrets.

The difference between the brass & kit barrels.



The moulded detail on the base plate on the turret, the detail on the upper one has been removed to be replaced with etch.



the mounts for the brass barrels fitted.



and the barrels in placed.



The fit of the mounts is nice & tight, and will support the weight of the barrels at a preset angle, but in order they don't get lose, they have beem glued.

The gunhouse test fitted.



etched gunport rims and roof plate fitted.



The gunhouses fitted, along with the vents.



The detail fitted to the baseplate, along with the ladders up the sides.



Test fitted in place.





Paint on these, then the masts.

Cheers

Si
d6mst0
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Posted: Monday, February 03, 2020 - 11:21 AM UTC
Si,

Great job on those turrets they look awesome!

It is good that you went with brass barrels as those kit ones look awful.

Mark
GazzaS
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Posted: Monday, February 03, 2020 - 01:27 PM UTC
Now she looks like a warship! Great work on the turrets, Si.
RussellE
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Posted: Monday, February 03, 2020 - 06:29 PM UTC
ooo-those guns look good!
RedDuster
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Posted: Tuesday, February 04, 2020 - 08:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Si,

Great job on those turrets they look awesome!

It is good that you went with brass barrels as those kit ones look awful.

Mark



Hi Mark,

I was disappointed with the kit barrels, quite clumsy compared to some kits from the Hobby Boss stable. If hadn't got the brass barrels I would have hunted some down.

The etch is quite simple but is does add quite a bit to the loo of the turrets.

Thanks for looking in.

Cheers

Si

RedDuster
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Posted: Tuesday, February 04, 2020 - 08:37 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Now she looks like a warship! Great work on the turrets, Si.



Thanks Gaz,

When I test fitted the turrets it was a "real progress" moment. Still quite a way to go.

Cheers

Si
RedDuster
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Posted: Tuesday, February 04, 2020 - 08:40 AM UTC

Quoted Text

ooo-those guns look good!



Nice bit of brass Russ,

She does look touch and compact with the main turrets in place. Once I have some paint on those on with the masts.

Thanks for looking in.

Cheers

Si
RedDuster
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Posted: Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 08:36 AM UTC
Last weekend' progress.

The main turrets sprayed.



The business end of the guns, with the inner ring picked out in steel, and some black wash down the barrel.



and a wash on the upper vents.



An overview with both completed turrets in place.



The Masts

The kit parts against the brass.



A couple of things that will need adapting, in 1902 the Mikasa had derricks on both masts, shorter and mounted higher up than the mainmast derrick of the 1905 fit, also she had too large fighting tops each carrying four 47mm guns.

The fighting tops first.

Using Masking tape and the kit mast, the height of the top is is defined on the brass mast.



The join on the two part lower masts is right on the level of the tops, which makes it easier.

The height checked forward and aft.





In order to ensure that the tops sit square, some thin plastic strip has been glued at the bottom line of the tops.




tops fitted and masts test fitted in place.



The solution for the derricks will be kit parts.

Cheers

Si
RussellE
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Posted: Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 10:13 AM UTC
Did Pontos supply the masts with their set?

Interesting that they wouldn't provide a machined step to correctly locate the viewing platform?

Nice work around though, mate.
GazzaS
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Posted: Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 10:30 AM UTC
Excellent work, Si! Love the way the turrets came out and the beginnings of the masts look promising. I have to admit that I quail when it comes to fine details and brass. CA is rarely my friend, and trying to add the fine details to the brass bits usually makes me question my effort.

One thing I've always wondered: Does anyone make AM tampions to go with those big guns?
d6mst0
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Posted: Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 02:54 PM UTC
Si,

Nice finish on those turrets. She is really a colorful looking ship, but I guess it was the norm for navies at that period?

Mark
RedDuster
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Posted: Friday, February 14, 2020 - 09:20 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Did Pontos supply the masts with their set?

Interesting that they wouldn't provide a machined step to correctly locate the viewing platform?

Nice work around though, mate.



Hi Russ,

The masts are provided in the Ponots set, but their set is based around the 1905 fit, by which time those tops had been removed.

I could have used the kit masts, but the brass masts are so much nicer.

Cheers

Si
RedDuster
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Posted: Friday, February 14, 2020 - 09:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Excellent work, Si! Love the way the turrets came out and the beginnings of the masts look promising. I have to admit that I quail when it comes to fine details and brass. CA is rarely my friend, and trying to add the fine details to the brass bits usually makes me question my effort.

One thing I've always wondered: Does anyone make AM tampions to go with those big guns?



Hi Gaz,

I generally use extra thin gator glue for smaller parts, and bigger parts I tack with CA, at least that way I have a chance if it goes wrong.

I haven't seen any after-market tampions, a few etched sets include the facias for the Tampions, and that is really all you need.

Cheers

Si
RedDuster
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Posted: Friday, February 14, 2020 - 09:41 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Si,

Nice finish on those turrets. She is really a colorful looking ship, but I guess it was the norm for navies at that period?

Mark



Thanks Mark,

It was, the US Navy had the Great White Fleet, The French Navy, black hulls and buff upperworks, the Royal Navy had it's famous Black, white & buff; there were others too. The Imperial Japanese Navy of this period took it's influence from the Royal Navy, hence the scheme is similar, except for the black funnels.

The masts will black up the top of the fighting tops, and I reckon some sort of buff above that.

Cheers

Si
RussellE
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Posted: Saturday, February 15, 2020 - 10:25 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Did Pontos supply the masts with their set?

Interesting that they wouldn't provide a machined step to correctly locate the viewing platform?

Nice work around though, mate.



Hi Russ,

The masts are provided in the Ponots set, but their set is based around the 1905 fit, by which time those tops had been removed.

I could have used the kit masts, but the brass masts are so much nicer.

Cheers

Si



I hear ya mate: Brass masts trump styrene everytime
RedDuster
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Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 05:27 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Did Pontos supply the masts with their set?

Interesting that they wouldn't provide a machined step to correctly locate the viewing platform?

Nice work around though, mate.



Hi Russ,

The masts are provided in the Ponots set, but their set is based around the 1905 fit, by which time those tops had been removed.

I could have used the kit masts, but the brass masts are so much nicer.

Cheers

Si



I hear ya mate: Brass masts trump styrene everytime



Too right Russ,

Would have been a shame to put big chunks of brass like that in the spares box. The adaptation for the earlier fit is proving fun.

Will get Sunday's update post a bit later today.

Cheers

Si
RedDuster
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Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 09:15 AM UTC
with what time I found last weekend, got some work done on the masts.

The lower sections of mast have been sprayed black, the upper section was masked off. Two reasons for painting this way, The lower sections being black, I did not want that dulling the upper colour.



The etched brass searchlight platforms.



Another issue of fitting the fighting tops, some of the ladders are too long.



fixed.



Ladders, platforms and topmast mounts fitted.



The lower sections masked, as the tape could be attached to the plastic tops, no danger of pulling paint off the brass.



The upper masts sprayed buff (Citadel Zanzari Dust straight out of the rattlecan.)



Looks reasonably close to the Buff colour used by the Royal Navy in this period, and as the Imperial Japanese navy was modelling itself on the RN at this time it works for me.

Test fitted.





Next jobs, searchlights for the masts and bridge wings, the eight 47mm guns that sit four on each fighting top. Ladders on the lower section of the masts. Fitting and rigging the lower sections.

More soon.

Si



d6mst0
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Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 11:18 AM UTC
Si,

Very nice work on assembly and painting of those masts.

Mark
RussellE
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Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 03:47 PM UTC
Hot diggity dawg! Looks great Si
PlasticTragic
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Posted: Monday, February 17, 2020 - 05:30 PM UTC
Si,YOU are a machine!! Not content with 1 build, you have to pursue 3 at once!! Well done...
RedDuster
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Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 08:38 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Si,YOU are a machine!! Not content with 1 build, you have to pursue 3 at once!! Well done...



Hi Andrew,

welcome aboard, Most of my building is usually done in one full day session over the weekend, so by working on more than thing at time I don't sit around waiting for stuff to dry, I move to another project.

Thanks for looking in, new shipmates always welcome.

Cheers

Si
RedDuster
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Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 09:04 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Si,

Very nice work on assembly and painting of those masts.

Mark



Thanks Mark,

A bit more to on the lower sections, the fun is adapting them for the earlier fit.

Cheers

Si