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Ok, so I decided to buy some new ship. Initially, I planned to get Cleopatra (to make her or Carlisle) and maybe also Trumpeters Zulu or Eskimo. So I went shopping. And what I got? Well... 🤪 I went through topic here: http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=23454 and I am under the impression that Flyhawk model is generally good (I have correct deck). Are there any major issues I need to look into? I plan to paint her for march-may 1941. Is camo in instructions ok? It calls for 507C and black with grey underwater hull? At the start, I was considering making her in damaged state after 26th May'41 attack, but I squashed this thought as 1) I want to preserve graceful lines of the ship and 2) it is massive undertaking as is, I do not need more challenge. The start is simple. I glued lower deck into hull and added decks of all galleries on the sides. Anyone has tips how to paint all the openings in the hull and then mask it for painting main hull sides? I obviously also made one little plane - Fulmar.

Well I started back up again as the Northern Australian build up has started for this coming Wet Season and in the last few weeks we have seen about a 100mm at both of our rural properties here in Darwin as the dry/ fire season was a little loose and crazy is probably a bit of an understatement to say the least. Will post some footage and pic’s down the track. Anyway my plan of attack was to complete for this year was too finish of the J Class, Minelayer, the two L Classes and the Cruiser. Before starting some DKM ships, but I have no cans of Sovereign Colourcoats 507c to finish of my RN ships and I don’t have a micro saw to tart up my DKM ships. So the choice got narrowed down to a couple of Wiff’s but can’t find hardware on Shapeways aka Radars and Missile etc, so I had a look at paints and bits and pieces laying about with a bit of reading along the way. So the Illustrious Class Carrier hit the W Balderstone, Sons and Co Shipyard. I’m hoping to base this build on one of the Carriers around late 41 to early 42 in the Indian Ocean/ SEA Area of Operations. Including the one that hit a wee rock during its work up in the West Indies at the time. The first lot of pictures will be on the heavy side as I have been a bit busy with some DVA stuff and medical appointments also the RWC got in the way as well. Note none of my 3 teams got to the final Ireland, Wales and the AB’s. So here goes, First off I have drilled out a number openings the blanked out by using a number of drill bits by hand using a pin hand drill and then using a file. I got a little bit loose with the file and to use some modelling bog/ putty and after it cued over night some gentle filling and sanding. I’ve adding some .2mm, but mainly its .4mm plastic card as it seems to be the right thickness and created a bit of depth and shading by placing longitudinal strips which were section off. At the stern I had to a bit of bog to seal up the gaps around the quarter deck. (See below) I started this yesterday this part of construction. The first of many sectioned beams and a lot of sand with a little bit filling has gone on to attach this wee piece of card. Once it was dry fitted and happy with it I then wack it with a bit super/ CA glue. This part is going a tad slow and maybe 1to 2 pieces a day. (See below) Today’s main effort was fitting the spaces/ beams or whatever the are called around the bottom end of the Illustrious Class Carrier and I’ve bog up the very end bits which I will attack tomorrow for an hour or so. (See below) I never thought I would be doing advanced modelling techniques that this stage as I’ve only got back into modelling 24 so mths ago. I hope I do this model some justice along the way and hopefully do a period style B&W photo shoot once I have do the other models on those dark days in 42 in the SEA area of operations and what could’ve been if all dices fell the right way?

Can someone help me out on this on for my Illustrious Class Carrier build is it a part of the manufacturing process or someone’s half bottom attempt of a catwalk? If it is a catwalk how would one attempt to make the real McCoy and would the measurements be?