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This build thread describes the construction of a 1/350 scale model of HMS Prince of Wales (R09) which was displayed by Airfix at SMW 2019, Telford where I am shown with Darrell Burge, Hornby Brand Manager: Background to this build In April 2014, the Royal Navy contacted Airfix to commission a model of HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) that was under construction in Rosyth Dockyard. Airfix asked me to scratch-build a 1/350 model which was subsequently displayed at the naming ceremony of HMS Queen Elizabeth in Rosyth on 4th July 2019. Thereafter it’s permanent home was the Wardroom of HMS Queen Elizabeth: Pic 001: In April 2019, I was again commissioned by Airfix, this time to scratch-build a 1/350 model of HMS Prince of Wales, the second of the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. It would be shown at SMW 2019, Telford and thereafter it’s permanent home would be the Hornby Hobbies Visitor Centre in Margate. I hope that you enjoy following this build which may seem a bit unconventional in some parts. There were some problems to overcome but the worst difficulty was having to cope with severe concussion that I suffered five weeks before Telford. It was touch and go as to whether I would complete it in time but I only managed it by leaving off photo-etch and some other small details. To use an old Chinese proverb “a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”. This is the first of many sheets of plastic card used in the build: Pic 002: Although this build would be constructed mainly of plastic card, I would be using a Tamiya 1/350 USS Enterprise hull to give it some inner strength. The hull was shortened in length, all sponsons removed and keel removed and openings blanked off with plastic card. Plastic card was used to fill in the missing parts of the sides and clamped. Note that I have used the cut out section of hull to brace the new join of the midships and aft sections of hull: Pic 003: Forward section (bow excluded) glued in place: Pic 004: Putting aside the hull to dry, I cut out the Flight Deck. Being 80cm long, it would be a right handful in the confines of my modelling den: Pic 005: This situation was made worse by the fact that I was building two at once (a waterline version for myself) Pic 006: Once the hull had dried, I drilled four holes which were fitted with four 80mm M6 bolts epoxied in place. The model was then secured to a temporary chipboard base that would be used until the final day of the build (the Flight Deck hasn’t been glued in place yet): Pic 007: The most complicated part of this build is the construction of the Forward (Ship Control) and Aft (Flyco) Islands. Because of this, I decided to build the islands for both ships at the same time. Here are the Aft Islands: Pic 008: The plastic card is rather thin (0.20mm) and requires plenty of framing to prevent "dishing" of the panels: Pic 009: Pic 010: Here the two islands have been placed on the Flight Decks of the two builds. You can see the full-hull version to the rear: Pic 011: Bit more work: Pic 012: I do like using lots of filler: Pic 013: Sanding of filler was completed and then I moved onto the assembly of the Flying Control Rooms: Pic 014: I did consider having acetate glazing but after some experimentation I decided that it would not be easy to do a good job: Pic 015: Another view showing the multiple facets of the Aft Island: Pic 016: View from ahead: Pic 017: Having applied filler to the Aft Islands again, I started construction of the Forward Islands (Ship Control): Pic 018: I just can’t leave the Aft Islands alone. The filler around the Flying Control Rooms (FCRs) has been sanded and I have been adding some of the many platforms: Pic 019: Filler applied and sanded again. You can see that I have also added window wiper boxes above where the FCR windows will go: Pic 020: I then cut some "T" section plastic strip to go around plastic card discs to represent the platform for the Type 997 Artisan 3D Radar. Hopefully, when painted the ends of the "T" will look like thin rods like on the original: Pic 021: They were then glued in place and I started on the platform on the starboard side of the Aft Island: Pic 022: Once the platform had been sanded I started on the overhang of the Bridge on the starboard side. As you can see, I have glued strips of plastic card to the bulkhead first and built the overhang around them: Pic 023: One of the islands once the overhang has been completed: Pic 024: Green blobs on the Aft Island denote the locations of watertight doors: Pic 025: WEM watertight doors have been glued in place on the Aft and Forward Islands. Note that the watertight doors do not sit flush with the bottom of the bulkheads but are raised slightly: Pic 026: Taking a break from the island activity, I turned to the stern. The transoms for both versions were fabricated and the various openings cut and drilled: Pic 027: Turning to the hull briefly, I screwed hardwood dowelling inside the hull to give it some rigidity, a necessity as the plastic card is more flexible than the original dark grey plastic. The silver fitting at the stern is only temporary and supports the stern ensuring that the top of the hull remains horizontal. It will be removed once the ship is bolted to a temporary base: Pic 028: The full-hull version will be permanently mounted on a base 800mm long and here I am drilling the locating holes for the 80mm M6 bolts. The base won’t be fitted until the very end of the build: Pic 029: I have started to apply mahogany stain. So far I have applied three coats but I will need another two coats. Once finished the base was stored safely until needed: Pic 030: Now the base has been fitted I turned my attention to the Flight Deck and here I have marked the outline of the hull: Pic 031: I glued pieces of plastic card to the underside of the Flight Deck which ensure that the hull will be correctly aligned: Pic 032: First piece of Flight Deck glued in place. Note the plastic card "tab" glued to the front of the Flight Deck that will support the midships section of Flight Deck: Pic 033: The midships piece of Flight Deck glued to the hull and clamped. I couldn't resist putting the Islands on: Pic 034: Bow section of the Flight Deck has been glued in place: Pic 035: That's all for now. Dave