Nick's Notes

[NARSES2]

Every time I look at that I think it's a 3 wheeler 

[Nick]

My next build is something rather different and challenging. It's a ship, HMS Liverpool from the Dragon 1/700 kit.
This includes lots of Photo Etch which I've not had much use for in the past 

This is for my clubs competition - the annual Ship Build.

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I've also been looking at the news of the last Royal Navy Hawk flight https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-60852025
This has me wondering if a Fleet Air Arm T-45 Goshawk would have been painted black for carrier landings?
I have a near completed T-45 on the table so it might go into the Black or a more traditional DSG over White scheme.

[Nick]

I made a start on the Type 42 last night. This is likely to be the only 1/700 ship I ever build. The parts are so tiny that some are actually smaller than the connection to the sprue. I can't even hold the parts to test fit them.

The Lynx helicopter is the size of my thumbnail and comes in 6 parts. One of the landing gear pods has already pinged off into the great unknown. And I've broken off one of the rotor blades. At least there's an etch set for the rotors too.

[Mossie]

I made a start on the Type 42 last night. This is likely to be the only 1/700 ship I ever build. The parts are so tiny that some are actually smaller than the connection to the sprue. I can't even hold the parts to test fit them.

The Lynx helicopter is the size of my thumbnail and comes in 6 parts. One of the landing gear pods has already pinged off into the great unknown. And I've broken off one of the rotor blades. At least there's an etch set for the rotors too.

Get some locking or reverse tweezers.  I tried my hand at the USS Independence LCS a few years back and pinged so many parts I had to give up.

[Nick]

The ship is on the slip. The helicopter is in the skip 

Dragon / Pit Road did a nice job with the details on this kit. The sprues have the parts for all three batches of Type 42, British and Argentine. This means I have a bundle of spare guns and radar pieces for anyone who builds 1/700 sinky things. 

The part numbering leaves a lot to be desired and the instructions are vague. The PE set looks lovely but there are 8 pieces of deck railing all numbered MA2 and in 3 different lengths. The mast parts look nothing like the ones in the drawings and they've mixed up the PE numbers for the Lynx with the main radar parts. There's no real direction as to where they go so I spent a lot of time staring at pics of HMS Edinburgh over on Britmodeller.

I gave it another coat of primer after the last photo below and will be brush painting it with Tamiya XF-80 Royal Light Gray tomorrow night. There's a pair of ships boats to sort out too.

First shot is the basic kit.


This is after I added more detail and the PE rails.

[Nick]

I have finished the painting and decaling of what is now HMS Southampton. I also identified the main problem with the kit. The box art shows HMS Liverpool in her modern shape but the actual kit is for a Batch 1 or Batch 2 Type 42 pre-Falklands - that is before they were rebuilt with CIWS installed and the ships boats were replaced with RHIBS.

There are also not that many good images of early Type 42s on the internet to get some accuracy. This glorious model has been my best guide so far 
https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-66040





I might look to replace that flag and mast with better versions in the near future.

[Rick Lowe]

Nice!

[NARSES2]

Come out well Nick 

[PR19_Kit]

We could do with a Scale Reference Cat in the pics, but if it's 1/700 that has to be a VERY small model!

RESPECT! 

[Nick]

To top it all off I got 2nd place in the club competition   

[NARSES2]

To top it all off I got 2nd place in the club competition   

Well done mate. Drinks are on you at MK ? 

[McColm]

Great work 

[Nick]

I blew some dust off my desk last night and got on with the F-4E that's been sat a while. I pressed on with the LF masks which seem to peel themselves off in the heat and curl up at the edges. The coat of tan went on OK, the dark green looks a bit glossy but otherwise it'll be ready for unveiling tonight.

Will need a touch up of light grey underneath but that's to be expected. As planned this will be in RNZAF markings. I see this as part of a Joint Phantom Force (Phantom Phorce!) with Australia where the training and maintenance costs are shared between the nations.

[Nick]

Unwrapped the F-4 last night and as predicted it needs another coat of grey on the underside. The cockpit also needs building up and pilots adding.
The dark green is a bit too glossy and the masking shrank so there are some odd outlines. I'm going to give the whole airframe a light sanding to simulate wear and tear as if she's due for a proper repaint.

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I've also worked out what to do for the One Week build even though I'm working nearly all of it. I was looking at the Hunter for the LHC build and researching ideas online. Then I looked at a file sent to me years ago by Martin or Geoff with a list of proposals and Intentions To Buy by various countries - all recorded in aviation magazines over the years.

Lebanon - Agreed to purchase 10 Gnat day fighters and 2 twin seat trainers.

I have the kit, I have the paint, I have some Lebanese decals. I just might have the time   

[zenrat]

Cool.