This is the WW2 Ark I'm referring to, I'm sure one of you boffins will have the answers for me! (Fingers crossed anyway...)

1. I'm using the WEM photo-etch set, which includes a batsman's screen. Unfortunately it's not covered in the instruction sheets, and not even John Snyder or Pete Hall know where it should go (!)

I would guess port side aft, but beyond that I'm stuck...

2. Flight deck markings - what would she have had in mid-1941???

Cheers

Hi Graham,
It's a guess, same as yours, but I also would think portside aft from the stern to somewhere around the 4.5" mounts.
Look for a small extension of the flight deck in that area. The screen would be on the forward edge of this running across the ship so the 'bats' could be seen against the same background (think of a wind break)
As I said a guess but I hope I've helped.
Tom

Thanks Tom, that makes a lot of sense. Any idea if the screen would have been the same grey as the rest of the upperworks, or painted differently to help the bats stand out?

Sorry Pal, not a clue
Tom

Okay, thanks anyway

nice one! i'm building the same ark royal with the same p/e set. the batsmans screen was a puzzle and i was'nt going to use it at all. there is a little deck projection right where you say. on the subject of deck markings i went with whats on the following pics, don't know how strictly accurate they are, but as far as i can tell they are "about right"

Looks nice so far Phil. Wasn't sure about the green deck, I was going to use grey, but it looks right on yours. How did you mask for the white circle on the aft flight deck?

How have you found WEM's PE set? I had a right job getting the flight deck lift surrounds on. Also forgot to add the anchor chains before gluing on the deck, but you can't see that they're missing anyway!

Btw I've got a stack of 1/600 aircraft roundels from Dom's Decals, PM me if you want some and I'll pop them in the post.

hi graham! the way i did the deck markings was to blast a broad white stripe end to end, then using a metal ruler i cut a strip of tamiya tape to the width i wanted, then i measured across the deck at three points (stern, middle and bow) then divided each of those measurements in half to make sure it ran stright down the middle. with the line of tape in place i then sprayed the deck green (at this point i wasn't going to put the circle marking on) i then had a change of mind, and sprayed a broad circle onto the deck, like so

i then used a compass cutter to cut first a circle, then a ring in a piece of frisket film, stuck this down, after drawing a line bisecting it, again to keep it in the middle, sprayed the green over, and when all the masking was off that was my end result.
i'm sendin a pm about the roundels, that would certainly save me a job!
cheers, phil

Thanks for the info Phil. Guess I must get myself a compass cutter! And what on earth is "frisket film"?!

Have got your PM ref the roundels, I'll post them this week.

Finally, any more pics of your Ark available please?

hi graham! frisket film is a low tack roll of masking, i think that frisket is a trade name and you can get it from any arts and crafts shops i.e. hobbycraft. i found the pieces i cut at the back of my bench, so heres a little montage-

my roll of frisket film, compass cutter, and the "ring" i cut for the circle mask

this pic should give you a better idea of how i cut out the mask

and as requested another pic of my ark, her air wing is taking shape!

Thanks for that Phil, looking forward to seeing her finished!