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Airfix HMS Victory 1/180 from the very beginning


kev_1962

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Hi guys I'm right at the beginning of this build. Not even having two parts cemented together yet. I'm concentrating 100% on the parts prep and boy is there plenty of shaving, filling and sanding with this horror. My plan for this kit is to take my time and come away with a nice tight fitting and tidy build. I'm going to be hand painting and will generally be sticking to the listed paints...wether historically correct or not. This is my 2nd attempt at my 1st rigged warship if that makes sense...my last Victory was consigned to the rubbish tip in disgust some 10 yrs ago and I'm already regretting not having kept it for spares but I didn't so nothing I can do about it now.

I'm currently filling and sanding the 72 gunport shutters as my 1st step...I will in due course be adding pics of my progress once there's something worth seeing. If anyone can let me know how to insert pics here I'd appreciate it....thanks in advance

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This has often crossed my mind, partly as I remember having a go at one many years ago, and partly as I've seen a few good ones built on this forum. Anyway, will be interesting to see progress on yours in due course Kev.

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I did one some years ago and found the ratlines supplied are a bit short, especially the lower sections.  Since then, photoetch alternatives have been released along with lots of other upgrades if you are willing to splash out on them:

 

https://www.scalewarship.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=196_197

 

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I've just splashed out on the toms modelworks photoetch set for my minicraft 1/350 titanic Francis so don't think it's on the cards for this one also. Have made a bit of progress this evening...having found out just how poorly the shiny brown plastic this kit is made of takes enamel paint I've primed the hull and decks with Halfords grey primer...another first for me as I've never primed  models in the past and I'm impressed with the result so far. I've also built and painted my 1st of the deck mounted canons. One thing I feel I must mention is my lack of knowledge of nautical terms I  know the bow and stern are not 'the pointy end' and 'the blunt end' but that's pretty much it, I  guess I'll be learning some terminology as I  go along. Hopefully add a couple of progress pics very soon

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Hi Kev_1962.

I used the scalewarship one's for my build.

They do make a difference and some I must admit are very fine, but the shrouds are a nice touch and so are the hammock netting, but best to solder them.

Did a build here but deleted it as my photo's were getting to bulky.

Since learnt that I could have had more space for nothing,Durrrrrr.

Will be taking a seat on this one too.:rolleyes:

 

foxy B)

 

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Still not got to grips fully with posting pics...when I try pasting the link it's not being accepted... do I paste the whole link or just the bit between the  the 2 sets of img brackets?

Edited by kev_1962
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Have had a go at a bit of painting...beak head bulkhead. The blue used was humbrol french blue but it's a gloss finish which I don't want so I've toned it down with a lick of matt varnish, i've also touched up the bit of 'wobbly' blue paint

DSC_0257_zpsh8bem5hm.jpg

Edited by kev_1962
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I'm approaching quite a decision now. I've near enough completed the lower gun deck and will be starting the main deck after that and I have 3 questions

1...do I cement the hull before fixing the decks in place?

2...the instructions for some reason lead me into thinking the decks are joined together before going into the hull...is this correct or do they go in individually?

3...if the decks go in individually how the hell do I get those little support poles to line up and join the two decks?

 

I'd really appreciate any advice on these matters....this next step could be the make or break of this model as I don't want it to resemble a botch job

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I remember that as being the trickiest aspect of the kit.  I would suggest that you don't glue the hull halves together first, rather try a dry fit of the two decks and make sure both will fit in place and the hull halves can go together around the decks.  Then try glueing the lower deck to one half and just fit the other hull halve over it to hold the deck level until the glue sets.  Take the second hull halve off and then glue the support columns in place and then the upper deck, making sure it fits onto the first half correctly along the deck edge and again place the other hull halve over the top until the glue sets.  This should allow you to finish off any touch up etc painting with everything in place before the hull halves are finally glued together.

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The lower gun deck going in. The hull sections are not yet cemented but are just clamped together and rather than me trying to hold everything together I thought I would try using strategically placed zip ties. The deck has been cemented in place on the starboard side and a toothpick had to be used as a prop as the deck insisted on dropping above the portside entry way for some reason. Hopefully it's not going to spring apart when I cut the ties tomorrow.

20161114_210735_zpsqryxj3ag.jpg

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Both decks now in place. I was really worried about the supports not being strong enough and possibly getting broken or not lining up and although not lining up 100% perfectly with just a little bit of tweaking they're not too bad at all really. I did however manage to 'pop' 4 cannon barrels so they need re glueing...so far things seem to be going together reasonably well20161115_234404_zpsyaoianiq.jpg

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The main deck now has 2 coats of paint...I hate trying to get a good finish when brush painting a relatively large open area but the 3rd coat should provide a better finish. For the colour of the decks I did try the suggested humbrol oak no.71 but I wasn't over keen on the look so opted instead for humbrol light stone no.121. Hopefully I made the right choice. 

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Anyone owning this kit is most likely aware of some of the moulding issues. The one I'm dealing with today is oversized holes that are supposed to take the cannons

20161117_131507_zpswdjuajhe.jpg

 

I considered using filler to sort this out but thought it would be too difficult to sand so I came up with this solution... I took a piece of sprue from my collection and sanded it down to the diameter of the oversized hole and then drilled a hole into it, I was fortunate in that my largest mini drill bit is just the right size to take the cannon

 

20161117_131533_zps0sbsgiih.jpg

 

I then shortend the piece making a plug glued it into place so I am left with a socket for the cannon to be fixed into...problem sorted😊

20161117_233510_zpsvxz2xkql.jpg

Edited by kev_1962
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The hull is now being joined...and once again I've managed to 'pop' a pair gun barrels and a full canon 😠. I'm finding these canons to be a bloody nuisance...a real weak spot

20161120_105238_zpslhieshps.jpg

Edited by kev_1962
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