A number of firsts!

[Oliver]

So here are my first ships models ever finished Sunday just past, talk about a steep learning curve! Started with building the Tamiya 1/700 HMS King George V with some etch, metal barrels, 3d models 20mm guns and Pom Poms and a wood deck, but then wanted to display it, enter the display case that was too big for one ship! So then decided to add in a destroyer, which is IBG's 1/700 hunt 2 class HMS Middleton (really like this little kit). Both are fully rigged too, also a first for me, both using different methods (streched sprue on the Hunt and Uschi rigging on the KGV).and have a mixture of 3d printed and etch figures (argh these drive you insane!)

 

Then a sea base was required, another first, using acrylic gel.

 

I did modify HMS Middleton to match pictures that I had seen of her, with the extra part of the mast, but i did make this a little taller than it should be.

 

All in all for a number of firsts I'm pretty happy, sorry that the pictures aren't that great, but hope you like them.

 

[Bitzer]

Very nice job on the ships and base. 1/700 ships are difficult to keep from looking toy like, but you brought them to life.

[Aginvicta]

Two great looking ships and seascape. The Hunt class kit is a good one,

 

Andy

[Rob 1]

They look great, particularly good for first 1:700 ship models with all the 'trimmings' - excellent.

[beefy66]

Great looking builds and seascape

 

beefy

[Oliver]

Thanks for the kind comments all, next I'm going to try my hand at a flat top, leaning towards HMS Colossus, but Eagle and Victorious in their post war guises are also options.

[Clogged]

Love the results. Great work. How did you create the sea base? what layers below the acrylic gel did you use?, and which paints did you use? And finally which year is the diorama based on?  Hope you dont mind the questions.

[Oliver]

Hi Clogged,

 

So it's set in 1943, with HMS King George V on route to the med with HMS Middleton providing an escort at least some of the way (at least this is what I am thinking). Can't speak for accuracy here as it was mainly to test the waters, so to speak, to see if I could manage 1/700 ship stuff, like camouflage, rigging, sea base, PE etc. PE was eduard, which I probably wouldn't use again for a ship model as I find WEM and Starling Models PE to be a lot more comprehensive just for the basic stuff alone in comparison, with the eduard stuff even missing small things on what is there. The PE that came with the Hunt class, whilst not containing everything you need, was a dream to work with in comparison to the eduard stuff.

 

The paints for the ships are all Lifecolor's acrylic Royal Navy sets 1 and 2, think I only used set 1 on both ships, which I really liked as they were very nice and easy to brush paint. Detailing was done with a mix of MiG armour and AK Interactive ship weathering sets, most of which can't been seen in the photos at all! Oh I also did a wash on the wood deck as I thought this looked too pale, but this came out a bit dark so lesson learned.

 

The sea base was surprisingly easy, especially after all the different techniques I had read about. All I did was use tamiya US neutral grey all over the display base, then misted on some tamiya US navy blue. Once that was dry I just lathered on a thinish layer of Vallejo clear water texture acrylic gel and then added wakes and flattened bits that looked to high with a spoon. Finally I used Vallejo snow/sea foam to highlight the peaks of the wakes and the edges of the ships. For the next build I'll try to make the the sea scape more uniform in terms of the direction of the waves.

 

I hope that helps to explain and happy to answer anything. I know they are far from perfect but as I said they were one hell of a steep learning curve after onyl doing 1/72 aircraft and armour before this, but a challenge I did enjoy and learnt so much and its been a while since I enjoyed building something.

 

Also if you get an IBG Hunt, which I highly recommend, watch out for the decals as soon as water touches them they are ready to use. I wasn't used to this and so held them in some water too long and lost them so had to hand paint the L74 on the destroyer...fun times.

Edited May 17, 2017 by Oliver

[Martin Ford]

Wow. So glad I logged on to have a quick browse. What a superb model. Such dedication.

I love it.

Martin

[robgizlu]

Very impressive builds and setting - thanks for the quick SBS, I think the sea looks really authentic.

Outstanding!

Rob

[Bugle07]

Really good work on both ships, and the rigging looks just right.

 

Good Work!

 

Geoff