Stupid Boy

Progress Motorboat under construction Decking underway Anchor deck getting there, one more capstan to complete, planking here well underway

So, finally the Stbd side painted and overall light coat of washed out grey to tone things down, Turrets painted after adding front vent doors and rear doors, Ladders to be added yet, and may yet add rivets. Have made a different antenna fr'd of funnel more akin to a Yagi type. Long way to go yet. Port windows came out ok as did my armoured ones which I scratch built in the upper aft superstructure. So to now make various wooden deck boats, carly floats Oerlicons, plank the wooden area's finish the aft .5 vickers mount and observation room on superstructure.... the list seems to grow rather than diminish!!!!!!!!!

The wine here is world class, but not very condusive to making scale models, however a few too many can make a person take on something like a 1/72 scale light cruiser!!!!!

Not water tight.... for paddling, regretting not making it a floater, would be too complicated now I fear. Besides if she rolled over and sank I'd cry!!!!!!

Looking forward to getting some planking down but still a way to go before that, next major construction is to finish catapult and start and complete crane. from there the cutters and whalers need construction.

Sand bags in place around bridge I also now have this area a bit better narrowed down

So while a little quiet things are progressing slowly, All port windows Port side in place and final colours in place awaiting a light overspray and weatheringMain 6" turrets coming together with X and Y more complete and detail being added. Camoflage was a bit of a challenge, as well as a bit patchy but once weathered this will fit in with how I want to present her.

P.S. Nice to know that I am not the only nutcase doing this...... Hmmm yeh 1/35??? odd choice me thinks.

Yes Marlborough, plenty of wine nearby to help me ponder the imponderable!! I am still trying to flesh out the missing detail mine is based on drawings in a polish publication by Zvonimer Freivogel, with each of the Leanders being different from the deck upwards it has been a challenge. I have nearly completed a catapult but may end up scrapping it as I now suspect my powder charge (guess work version) should actually be gas or steam. Look forward to seeing your efforts,

Hah...... mmmmmmmm......... Doh Probably Acrylic case and on display at Marlborough RSA. After a small amount of family time. Bit rough in places but it helps also make her look real, thanks to all for support and encouragement

3D has cost me about $400 NZ but worth every penny, I couldn't reproduce them accurately enough for that, however I drew the line at what you can see apart from some watertight doors and armoured windows. I made an early decision to try to do as much as possible myself as it would loose the faith with being Scratch built!!!!

A little more progress, currently on it's side placing portholes on Port side, what a misssion. 3D printed Torpedo tubes, 4" guns and three Quad .5 vickers

Three greats, so where's Ajax? At some stage want to build all four in 1/350 scale

Hah, Im a bit rip Sh####t and bust.... Filler is my best friend!!! and then hide it with paint

This is the colour scheme I plan to finish her in

Thanks for the link, it actually is very helpful so many thanks... 2.3m roughly, The gold foam hull plan form in 50mm deep (x 4) I had cut two years ago by one of my suppliers, But I started gluing them together about seven months ago and then shaping the hull, so now at this stage. Walrus a wreck I had given to me as when I started I could not for the life of me find one in 1/72 and I was probably too tight to import one, It was an old airfix one that had been glued together with what appeared to be an entire glue bottle and missing some struts and a float.... so I cleaned it up cast a new float and made new struts.... It's ok not perfect. The rigging lifts it. !/72 allows a bit more room to move with the ship though space is an issue. Have nice 3D printed .5 Vickers Quads coming, 21" torpedo tubes and 4" deck guns. I have drawn the line there though as apart from watertight doors and windows everything else will be scratch built. NO SKILL REQUIRED, its amazing what rubbish can be found that works!!! Yeh Interweb and things just hate me!!!

Many thanks for the welcome Hmm yes the scale was my ego getting the better of me. The subject matter a personal love as my Father was a Chief Stoker on her. Even so I also believe that Achilles and the Leander class Light Cruisers were some of the best looking. My model aeroplanes are missing me in the mean time!!

Catapult and Walrus a work in progress, still trying to work out the piston and the cartridge mounts and where or how they might be mounted, hence bracing is incomplete. Every catapult I have looked at seems very different and not one close to Achilles.

Sorry about detritus on foredeck, will have to talk to the Captain, Nothing up top really nailed down yet as I still have port lights to add the acetate, brows and reinforcing around anchor hole as well as a couple of ladders etc. Will be finished in a short lived camouflage.

Wow I made one stick!!!

Thank you both, as I am not a big post my life on the internet person this will take some doing!!! but hopefully will get there!

How on earth do you add images????😆

As soon as the Stupid Boy can figure out how to add pictures you will....!!!!!!!!

Just over 6 months into 1/72 scale build of HMNZS Achilles, What a Stupid Boy!!, Based on drawings from Polish print Leander book and my Dads photos and anything else I can glean from anywhere. When I figure out how to post images I will do so. This project has a lot of detail issues not easily resolved so in the odd place I have had to go with gut instinct.