Chris Hewitt

Pictures of HMS Naiad 1/350 coming from Trumpeter,looks like coming with P.E.

Yes running the Services is very expensive, good example was the type 42, the batch ones were a cut back and turn to not be very good sea boats,thats why the batch 3 were built with extra 30 metres.

Brillant build all round ,I thought your last build was superb ,but to take a kit and do what you do is above even scratch building.

Superb .excellent build on KGV ,the best I have ever since.I missed at Telford ,they had closed the the competition for judging and was only there for the day . Congratulations again on the win .

Superb build ,thanks for sharing.Amazing model, like the crew ,shows how big these ships where.thanks again.

Superb build ,I only build 1/600 and 1/350 versions and I have found 5 books on Leanders.

Excellent work ,superb display ,thanks for sharing.

Superb work ,I have one of these in my collection,will be using this one as a guide ,thanks for sharing.

My copy of the Dutch Leander has arrived ,highly recommended.Tons of pictures and details on their midlife upgrade.

Great to another build on an Airfix Leander,me I have built two,first the same here I use 3D parts from shapeways and photo etching from Peter Hall,Atlantic Models,the second the resin kit plus P.E. the 1/350 Leander from Atlantic Models as HMS Hero,from the TV series "Warship" drama set in the 1970,s,there was 4 series,sadly only series 1 and 2 are available on DVD.Next one to be built will be another 1/350 Leander ,this time a Dutch one from Navals Models based in Holland. I have 4 books on Leanders see below and another coming soon for the Dutch Leander.

Superb builds ,thanks for sharing.

Love the build ,didn't want to have the tug to be by itself and found this picture,so guess that's my next project.

Bit of history on why there was to versions. The design was budgeted with a ceiling of £19 million per hull but soon ran over budget. The original proposed design (£21 million) was similar to the lengthened 'Batch 3' Type 42s. To cut costs, the first two batches had 47 feet removed from the bow sections forward of the bridge, and the beam-to-length ratio was proportionally reduced. These early, batch 1 Type 42s performed poorly during the contractor's sea trials, particularly in heavy seas, and the hull was examined for other problems. Batch 2 vessels (Exeter onwards) embodied better sensor fits and slight layout modifications. The ninth hull, Manchester, was lengthened in build, as part of a design review. This proved a better hull form at sea and later hulls were built to this specification. Strengthening girders were later designed into the weather deck structure in the batch 1 and 2 ships, and the batch 3 ships received an external 'strake' to counter longitudinal cracking.

One of my favourite class of warships ,two handy books to have if not already.

Just released from neomega-resin from looks like their first 1/350 scale ship,check their site out. Director Class Paddle Tug resin with 3D parts and photo etching. I have already bought one ,nice little tug,check out "work in progress" by Faraway already started his. The "Directors" had EXCEPTIONAL handling characteristics because (like all independant paddlewheel driven tugs) their turning moment was clearly on their paddle shaft axis rather some fuzzy point determined by a rudder. Their twin Paxman-powered diesel electric systems coupled to very wide paddle floats (overall beam almost 60') made them extremely powerful...with a respectable bollard pull of 10... but with a difference...the paddles being alongside the hulls reduced the stalling effect of a propeller wash close to a large hull. Combine this with the centre of effort being AHEAD of the tow hook pivot point (unlike a propeller which would be ASTERN of the hook) and you reduce the very dangerous possibility of being capsized by your tow. (the nautical term for this disasterous tug conditon completely escapes me at the moment). This made them eminently suitable as berthing tugs for the Royal Navy's huge Aircraft carriers and the tugs were stationed in major Royal Navy Ports. "Faithful" and "Favourite" in Devonport, "Forceful", "Grinder" and "Griper" in Portsmouth with "Dexterous" and "Director" stationed for much of their service lives in Gibraltar and Malta respectively. The tugs had folding masts which would allow them to slip close under the overhangs of the aircraft Carriers during berthing "pushes". The remarkable "Tractor" type tugs which replaced the "Directors" were apparently a propeller development of them. (thrust from AHEAD of the towing pivot point) The 7 'Directors" had a very short service life of barely 20 years and were destroyed either by torches or missiles (shamefully as target practice!) during the early 80's. Ray Brigden of Model Boats Magazine visited the last survivor "Forceful" in 1980 and found her still to be in excellent mechanical and physical condition. Surface missiles apparently fired at her on Aberforth Range in 1980 made pretty short work of this beautiful ship..and actually the pinnacle of Paddle Tug technology! It's such a shame not one of these "modern" paddlers could have been preserved to mark the end of an era! I guess this is what we do when we build models of them and talk about them in email groups!

Excellent result on a horrible kit,lot a work has gone into this model,superb,yes would love this in 1/350 and a Barham or Malaya would be good also.

Google black cat models or Starling models.

Picture of latest Trumpeter announcement is 1959 configuration of HMS Belfast in 1/700th,would love this in 1/350 ,we are never happy. 🤣

Just superb, thanks for sharing.

WOW to take a model and change is so much and the level of detail ,just blow away ,its one ship I would buy if there was a kit ,not brave enough to do what you are going .Keep the photos coming.

Just Superb ,thanks for sharing.

Try the 1/700 H class battleship by Very Fire ,l bought the kit plus an etching kit that comes with a wooden deck .The tug comes from combrig.The last picture is the H class hull beside a Bismarck class to show how much larger the H class would have been if it had been built .The 16in guns ended as coastal battery on the Norwegian coast.

Great to see someone building something different,I have built their Dutch cruiser from the 1950's De Ruyter built and have the Dutch destroyer 1/350-02 B-Fighter – Hr.Ms. Friesland to build.Check out Naval models ,a small tip, email then before ordering anything for a price it always comes back a bit cheaper,their email.

Great build ,wish this model got retooled ,its an old kit ,first released in 1979 and reboxed by Revell in 2012 ,needs updating now .First is the hanger which I didn't realise ,too low and too much space between the rear funnel and the hanger were the seacat launchers go, I built my Tiger as a what-if ,that she had been recommissioned after the Falkland's War 1982 and then some years later, back dated her built before the BOX was fitted .This was helped by shapeways 3D parts and the photo etching from Peter Hall. If what to go mad there is the superb 3D parts from Micromaster ,I have bought many parts and just excellent ,never been had to pay import tax either ! Link for rear superstructure https://www.shapeways.com/product/5NUH6FZ78/hms-lion-aft-super-structure-1-700-scale?optionId=43682687&li=shops Link for replacements turrets and other bits https://www.shapeways.com/product/RTAQWQX3Z/hms-lion-detail-kit-1-700-scale-for-matchbox-rev?optionId=41854406&li=shops Photo etching https://www.atlanticmodels.net/photo-etched details/1-700 scale.html Link for 6in turret from micromaster https://micromaster.co.nz/collections/royal-navy-weapons/products/1-700-royal-navy-6-50-15-2cm-qf-mk-n5

More pictures of HMS Ajax,1/700 Flyhawk ,found on Ebay,two versions.Standard kit and one with P.E. Also link to Scalemates Very interesting. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/flyhawk-model-fh1110-hms-ajax-1939--1343454