davecov Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I am just back from a very interesting and rewarding visit to the Navy's latest aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth which is building in Rosyth Dockyard. The purpose of the visit was an Airfix/RN PR event where the HMS Queen Elizabeth model I made for the ship was handed over. We were given a briefing ashore before being taken on a two hour tour of the ship. Very exciting! Here am I with Darrell Burge and other Airfix staff along with Alfie Ramsay (blue shirt) of Babcock who helped me with the plans for the build along with two of our Navy hosts, Lt Cdr "Monty" Montgomery (right) and WO1 Nic Covey (left): After the briefing, it was off to the ship dressed in appropriate gear - hard hat, goggles, overalls and big boots! As well as outside the ship, we were shown around the hangar (below), forward bridge, ops room, weapon loading bays, sick bay, galley, dining hall and a lot of passageways and ladders! After the tour, Darrell and I were introduced to Captain Simon Petitt, Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth. He asked me how accurate the model was and I just said it is for others to judge! For me, an ex-matelot, it was a brilliant occasion which will remain in my memory for a long, long time. Dave 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Super cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar2 Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Great photos, and a very nice trip, you lucky so and so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravens Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Thanks for sharing these Dave. Do you know if the lifts have been installed yet? Regards, Ross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastic Bonsai Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Will the hull paneling be re-producable in 1/350th? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) Thanks all. The lifts were installed in the month prior to the naming ceremony on 4th July and are suspended from their edges by double sets of chains (covered in green material). You can see the chains/lifts in photos 6-8 above. The lifts are huge as you can see in photo 8 showing the hangar entrance and they can take two aircraft at a time. Dave Edited September 3, 2014 by davecov 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff_B Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Great visit to have Dave althought i bet when you were being asked to pose holding the model on the flight deck you wished you had done it in 1/600 or 1/700 scale instead . Hopefully with Airfix's involvement in this one off model, that they have also secured the rights to do a proper kit or two 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 What a great experience and well done on the model it looks great Oh and thanks for posting the pics of your tour . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravens Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Thanks all. The lifts were installed in the month prior to the naming ceremony on 4th July and are suspended from their edges by double sets of chains (covered in green material). You can see the chains/lifts in photos 6-8 above. The lifts are huge as you can see in photo 8 showing the hangar entrance and they can take two aircraft at a time. Dave Ah, I see it now, that is big! Do you know where your model will be displayed? Ross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 On 9/3/2014 at 9:26 PM, Geoff_B said: Great visit to have Dave althought i bet when you were being asked to pose holding the model on the flight deck you wished you had done it in 1/600 or 1/700 scale instead . Hopefully with Airfix's involvement in this one off model, that they have also secured the rights to do a proper kit or two It was quite heavy, Geoff, weighing almost 5 kilos including base but at least we had four or five people taking turns carrying it to the ship! Originally, I was asked to make a 1/1200 scale version which would have been a lot lighter: - but the RN wanted a bigger one! Personally, I prefer the 1/350 version! On 9/3/2014 at 9:43 PM, Ravens said: Ah, I see it now, that is big! Do you know where your model will be displayed? Ross. There will be on permanent display in the Wardroom along with memorabilia from the previous HMS Queen Elizabeth (the battleship) and other gifts given to the ship. Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamS Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I love the way in photo 4 the name of the ship is written on the side - just in case you forget which ship is which! Great photos, thanks for sharing. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Blimey, the plating on the hull looks oil canned already and she hasn't been battered by the sea yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Great photographs Dave and Model looks superb I would buy one for sure if Airfix kitted it,however I could,nt help noticing a complete lack of aircraft and the model has none either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Nice one Dave, and well done on an exceptional model, Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Lovely model of a very odd looking ship... wonder when she'll have aircraft able to fly off the deck... maybe this decade? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 On 9/3/2014 at 11:13 PM, stevej60 said: Great photographs Dave and Model looks superb I would buy one for sure if Airfix kitted it,however I could,nt help noticing a complete lack of aircraft and the model has none either Thanks. There are model aircraft and helicopters on the model but they are hard to see in the photos above: First flight trials will take place in 2018. Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 Airfix issued a press release today about the visit on Wednesday - http://www.airfix.com/news/airfix-visits-the-hms-queen-elizabeth/ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Just out of curiosity... Why "Queen Elizabeth" and not e.g. "Queen Elizabeth II". Is she named after both queens? Just a question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Thanks for the well written and interesting post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 (edited) Thanks. She is named after the previous ship, not the monarch. The name follows on from the previous HMS Queen Elizabeth which saw service in the 20th Century. At the time she was in service there was no Queen Elizabeth II on the throne. BTW, the Cunard QE2 was only given the "2" because her predecessor was still afloat (at least until she caught fire and sunk in Hong Kong). The latest Cunard Queen Elizabeth was not given a "3" either. Hope that makes sense! Dave Edited September 6, 2014 by davecov 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich2010 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Please Airfix design/ manufacture/ produce/ market/ sell a kit of this! I'd buy two off of you: build one out of the box & the other converted to a conventional carrier (no silly ski-jump!). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Thanks. She is named after the previous ship, not the monarch. The name follows on from the previous HMS Queen Elizabeth which saw service in the 20th Century. At the time she was in service there was no Queen Elizabeth II on the throne. BTW, the Cunard QE2 was only given the "2" because her predecessor was still afloat (at least until she caught fire and sunk in Hong Kong). The latest Cunard Queen Elizabeth was not given a "3" either. Hope that makes sense! Dave Ah, I see, makes perfect sense. Thanks Dave, much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete610 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Actually (according to the excellent recent BBC 'Clydebuilt' and other sources) the QE2 name only came about at it's launch - the current Queen unexpectedly said - 'I name this ship - Queen Elizabeth...the second' - which perplexed the shipbuilders no end - but actually neatly solved the complication that the 1930's built ship could retain its name - a little longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 Live and learn! Thanks Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanM Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 That has to be the ultimate jolly from this hobby! Nice one and thanks for sharing those pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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