It has been a couple of years or more since I last did a "What-If" but here is one I have just finished. It is a conversion of the Airfix 1/600 RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 to a "Harrier Carrier".
The background story is that the Falklands Conflict did not end with the surrender of the Argentine forces on the Falklands but it became a much longer war with Argentina. The Royal Navy found itself in need of more amphibious ships and aircraft carriers. HMS Bulwark was to be brought out of mothballs and recomissioned as a stop-gap but due to her age and poor condition of her hull it was necessary to find another way to fill the gap. It was decided that the QE2 would be dropped from it's role as troopship and converted to a "Harrier Carrier" but with an amphibious dock at the stern.
The conversion entails removing all decks above the weather deck, building an island to starboard, building sponsons either side, with davits on the starboard side for landing craft, cutting out a stern dock and fitting a flight deck with lifts.
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_072.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_073.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_074.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_075.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_076.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_077.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_078.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_079.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_080.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_081.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_082.JPG)
(https://www.davecov.org/modelling/models/pictures/ships/QE2_What_If_GB/QE2_What_If_GB_083.JPG)
White metal Harriers and helicopters came from Tumbling Dice. Landing craft were made from plastic card and apart from the Airfix QE2 there are parts from another six Airfix kits.
Dave
That's a very, very interesting model :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Another six kits ?! Wow ! That's a lot of parts and it certainly turned out in our favour ! Love the sleek look of her, and the mixed flight deck, especially the SAR Sea King ! Great job on the landing craft as well those look perfect !
:wub:
Very impressive, :thumbsup:
Thanks, lads. ;D
Dave
That's VERY clever. :thumbsup:
I like the way you kept the QE2's original funnel as it shows the ship's origins very well, but almost everything else looks SO different. Great job.
Great concept. Well done
Thanks, lads :thumbsup:
Quote from: PR19_Kit on February 17, 2017, 01:57:26 PM
I like the way you kept the QE2's original funnel as it shows the ship's origins very well, but almost everything else looks SO different. Great job.
It was difficult to keep any QE2 bits but I was able to use the funnel, foremast, bridge and cranes externally and some of the QE2 decks internally.
Dave
Wow :thumbsup:
Great idea & a fascinating model! :thumbsup:
I thought the funnel looked unusual for a warship but now I know why! Nice touch. :mellow:
Once again, thank you for your comments. ;D
Dave
Well that's different. :thumbsup:
That looks so right, it really does :thumbsup:
Chris
Thank you lads.
Dave
Very nice and just in time for 35 years since Falklands conflict in which QE2 served....with troops and helicopters.....link to photo...https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=qe2+falklands&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=inmv&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&fir=waSeOVS9raanhM%253A%252CWkj-JOm4GM1UGM%252C_%253BZAUU7QSUMtFHrM%253A%252CWkj-JOm4GM1UGM%252C_%253BEwRdNf8awQ1xJM%253A%252CaVu4A3_DfZrSAM%252C_%253BojLKJpL3T5i0eM%253A%252C97ZzpLQQbJ1dnM%252C_%253BfFbNhlHCmSR4NM%253A%252CWkj-JOm4GM1UGM%252C_%253BbJDmkd5YlVjAAM%253A%252CJxIhkV-usKjohM%252C_%253BWYsKWtfBHhmbCM%253A%252CH9DUn4XaZ3Eo5M%252C_%253B6gszdQmD_gYv-M%253A%252CI6ApQg0-nhOYzM%252C_%253BU-RjTGtYLyV11M%253A%252C9qO-OfwcE7emMM%252C_%253BkrnNgqFMumJFFM%253A%252C9qO-OfwcE7emMM%252C_&usg=__hz-hKy2VVh_7YaItquR1qDTezpk%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiH0uuL_ODSAhWjLcAKHdAtAdkQsAQISg&biw=768&bih=984#imgrc=bJDmkd5YlVjAAM:
Hell's bells, it really IS 35 years too! :o
Great link ! Thanks for that. Can never get enough Sea King action !
:wub:
Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 18, 2017, 02:26:15 PM
Hell's bells, it really IS 35 years too! :o
Yup, scared the living daylights out of me when I saw something the other day :o
Quote from: NARSES2 on March 19, 2017, 06:38:34 AM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 18, 2017, 02:26:15 PM
Hell's bells, it really IS 35 years too! :o
Yup, scared the living daylights out of me when I saw something the other day :o
I was with an old friend in N Ireland much of last week and he was down there setting up the RAF's radar sets. We spent much of Friday swapping 'war stories', his about the Falklands, mine like a succession of Kit's Kolumns from the newsletter. ;D
Les told me he and his mates were totally knackered after hauling the radar sets up the hill above Port Stanley and they couldn't find their accommodation site afterwards so they kipped down in this handy house that was lying empty, Les lying on his sleeping bag on a big table.
Some hours later Admiral Sandy Woodword shook Les' shoulder and suggested he get off as they wanted to sign the surrender on that table. ;D ;D ;D ;D
For more look up STUFT...ships taken up from trade....one link is here http://www.nickmessinger.co.uk/STUFT.pdf
More what if grist for the mill
Further.......https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_naval_forces_in_the_Falklands_War#Ships_taken_up_from_trade
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Well done...
Thank you! ;D
Dave
Oh my....what an inventive build....great stuff, love it.... :thumbsup:
Just found this and love it! Plenty of room up front for a big VLS too...fire off a nice salvo of Tomahawks to soften up the target before sending in the Harriers and troops!