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HMS Illustrious


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Few more pics of progress, they're a bit random as I wasn't intending to do a WIP but might be of interest. Can anyone point me in the direction of a reference for rigging?

Cheers

Nick

Footrails round the bridge windows with WEM wipers. The rails are lengths of 'half railing' that came in the WEM Repulse fret.

foot%20rails_zpswtuv1mdo.jpg

Superstructure before painting, again WEM PE

Superstructure_zps6iv8hu0s.jpg

And after painting, ready for handrails and weathering

Superstructure%20painted_zps9wmqq6l9.jpg

The hull and flight deck after assembly, lots of filling and touching up to do unfortunately. I glued a strip of I beam where the superstructure goes to try to keep that area flat for ease of assembly later not sure how effective that's been yet.................

Hull_zpsilc7up79.jpg

Flight%20deck_zpsx7qjrqfe.jpg

And some modified liferafts ready to paint. Not exactly as the WEM instructions as I didn't want to separate each individual raft but it makes them look a bit more lifelike.

liferafts_zps6slwf7ts.jpg

Edited by Nick Charnock
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Hey Nick have you been working on this project long because if you have not then you are having to be related to speedy Gonzales :shrug:

beefy

It's been about 4 months, I snapped occasional pics as I went and decided to post some the other day. The ones of the hull and liferafts are today so a bit to do yet. Next build (type 23 to be mounted on a base with Illustrious) I'll try to be bit more structured recording it.

Cheers

Nick

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Few more pics of progress, they're a bit random as I wasn't intending to do a WIP but might be of interest. Can anyone point me in the direction of a reference for rigging?

Cheers

Nick

Footrails round the bridge windows with WEM wipers. The rails are lengths of 'half railing' that came in the WEM Repulse fret.

foot%20rails_zpswtuv1mdo.jpg

Looking good. Excellent idea for the foot rests under the bridge windows; I had a similar idea but am yet to try it, so thanks for proving that it can be done and look so effective!

Refs for rigging are hard to come by - the Jacobin plans are your best bet, but they're an expensive way of doing it if all you want them for is the rig! Ref photos might be your best bet - but make sure that you only use photos from the time you are modelling. That might sound obvious, but my Ark Royal build (soon to return) has taught me a ) that the 3 ships were never quite the same at any point and b ) that each one changed a lot - not just the obvious major refits, but constant little tweaks and changes throughout their life.

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Looking good. Excellent idea for the foot rests under the bridge windows; I had a similar idea but am yet to try it, so thanks for proving that it can be done and look so effective!

Refs for rigging are hard to come by - the Jacobin plans are your best bet, but they're an expensive way of doing it if all you want them for is the rig! Ref photos might be your best bet - but make sure that you only use photos from the time you are modelling. That might sound obvious, but my Ark Royal build (soon to return) has taught me a ) that the 3 ships were never quite the same at any point and b ) that each one changed a lot - not just the obvious major refits, but constant little tweaks and changes throughout their life.

Thanks for the ideas on the rigging, I think photo's are the way forward as it's a bit late and quite an investment for the plans at this stage.

I know what you mean about the little tweaks, I think my Illustrious may end up being a bit generic as it's hard to pin down changes to dates.

I also saw one post about GR7/9s not being embarked at the same time as SHARs but want to show a busy flight deck with both aircraft types - not sure if that's correct?.

I even found the 'L' identification marking on the aft flight deck in different positions in different photo's!

Decided to go for the position shown on the pic below. The decals took forever but it was quite a satisfying job in the end.

Cheers

Nick

IMG_1649_zpsyxajc167.jpg

Edited by Nick Charnock
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Hi Nick

Nice build and beautiful work on the choppers and Harriers. My best mate in Gibraltar who I work with for a week or so every month served on the Illustrious and Ark Royal during his time with the Navy.

If you have any questions to help you with your detailing, drop me a PM and I'll ask my expert for you.

John

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Thanks for the ideas on the rigging, I think photo's are the way forward as it's a bit late and quite an investment for the plans at this stage.

I know what you mean about the little tweaks, I think my Illustrious may end up being a bit generic as it's hard to pin down changes to dates.

I also saw one post about GR7/9s not being embarked at the same time as SHARs but want to show a busy flight deck with both aircraft types - not sure if that's correct?.

I even found the 'L' identification marking on the aft flight deck in different positions in different photo's!

Decided to go for the position shown on the pic below. The decals took forever but it was quite a satisfying job in the end.

Cheers

Nick

IMG_1649_zpsyxajc167.jpg

That's looking nice - apart from anything else, you seem to have got a nicely un-warped version of the kit (some of them had some very bent hull and flight deck pieces). The L did move about, and I think disappeared altogether once Invince & Ark had been paid off. You might want to check out the Hawk Graphics set of decal (http://www.hawk-graphics.com/images/decal_images/3530_invincible.jpg); they provide a proper size L (unlike Airfix).

She's coming along nicely, though. I am pretty sure GR7s embarked alongside FA2s at some point - but even if they didn't, they might have done. The RAF must have had GR7s before the FA2 was phased out, surely?

Edited by Ex-FAAWAFU
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  • 1 month later...

Update on progress on HMS Illustrious;

IMG_1708_zpskcsspych.jpg

Flight deck with a light overspray and pastel weathering

IMG_1709_zpsnfeozie4.jpg

Bow with some railings and weathering and a couple of storage boxes

IMG_1721_zpsaofo3qen.jpg

Cable reels being 'loaded'

IMG_1818_zpssmxl4qua.jpg

And fitted

IMG_1819_zpspislhmbt.jpg

Along with deck edge nets

IMG_1727_zpshrvy7fgc.jpg

All the main components are about ready to come together after a wash

IMG_1814_zpssirrjeqv.jpg

IMG_1816_zpst3kp55fi.jpg

IMG_1817_zpskv6senc0.jpg

IMG_1815_zpsukkhekki.jpg

Replaced the aft funnel wip antennae with stretched sprue. The forward funnel crest are the WEM PE, primed, ends painted red and gently sanded back to brass, worked a treat, same for the ships nameplates.

Should all be assembled in the next few days.

Cheers

Nick

Edited by Nick Charnock
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Thanks for the comments guys, bit more progress, finally got the superstructure on with the aid of some clamps;

IMG_1822_zps5bnfn0vb.jpg

I left the funnels off to give a good surface to clamp onto.

d1_zpszknyqd11.jpg

d3_zpsivjfjuyl.jpg

Masking tape on the stb side is for cleaning up and spraying the join for the stb CIWS deck

dry%20fit_zpsg0khnivf.jpg

Joint cleaned up and funnels dry fitted

I've seen the WIP on Ark Royal - scratch building way beyond my level, but it's inspirational to see!!

Cheers

Nick

Edited by Nick Charnock
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