Courageous Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Well, here we go with another WiP, this time it'll be a submarine. Now, don't expect a long epic build as they don't happen with modern submarine kits. The WiPs subject is the Vanguard Class SSBN in 1/350 by Bronco. The Vanguard class is currently in service with the Royal Navy after replacing the dated Polaris Class and its replacement, the Dreadnought, is already on its way. This is a big box, it's only that size due the length of the hull. Box contents: hull halves, one sprue, PE, base and instruction booklet. Eight page instruction booklet. Hull halves. The sprue. Like most submarine kits, even more so with modern types, has few parts to contend with, so this shouldn't take long. It will be interesting to the size comparison between the Vanguard and Polaris SSBNs. Stuart 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 While I wait for other subjects to dry and such, I thought I'd start on the hull. After cleaning up the mating surfaces, the hull halves were joined together. It wasn't straight forward as the halves didn't quite match up, so it was a case gluing, taping, gluing, taping along the hull line. So, here are, waiting for everything to dry before the sanding, filling process begins. Stuart 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 When I joined 819 NAS in 1994, as part of the handover we went down to Barrow (because one of the roles my squadron undertook was helping to keep the protestors away when the boats left the yard on sea trials etc; the entrance is a tad tight, to put it mildly). So I went and stood underneath Victorious when she was being built. Oh. Em. Gee. They are absolutely MASSIVE. I'd seen stats about their displacement and even seen Vanguard on the surface, but nothing prepared me for that; I have never forgotten it! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 They're are huge and a Typhoon is even more so...like man-made icebergs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massimo Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Nice so see you back with something so different! Interesting subject . I'll be watching!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefy66 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Looks like a good start 👍 beefy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 Cheers for the encouragement guys. As I said in the beginning, these submarine kits are kits of few parts and shouldn't take too long. They're designed to be sleek and purposeful, the 'detail' is internally. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 Interesting subject Stuart. I'll tag along on this as well. Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Aris Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 I spent 8 years on HMS Repule (Polaris) and Two years on Vanguard, and perfered the older type, My primary watchkeeping role was after planesman so basicly i was there to keep the required depth, having retired now frpm the RN of which i did 34 years 28 of them in subs i have no desire to visit one again or build one lol, but love seeing others do so 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 5, 2018 Author Share Posted September 5, 2018 Let's pull-up a bollard and swing a light... I served 9 years in subs; first years on Courageous (Hunter killer) in the torpedo room but spent duty time on the forplanes, last years was on Renown, in MCC. For the last couple of holidays in Cornwall, I have been trying to visit Courageous (a museum now) in Devonport but never seem to be able to fit into their bloody timetable. I enjoyed my naval career and thought it was befitting to build a couple of British subs. Shouldn't take long as their are relatively few kits and the kits have few parts. Stuart 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 6, 2018 Author Share Posted September 6, 2018 A quick update before heading to Cornwall for a well deserved break. A bit of time was spent filling and sanding the hull. I'm sure it'll need a bit more attention once the primer goes on. Forward view with sail and forplanes fitted. A number of the holes on the top of the sail will be filled once I've decided what masts will be raised. Two missile hatches can be seen, not sure how to present these but current thinking will have both hatches open; one tube will be empty and t'other will have a Trident fitted. Stern view with rudder and aft planes fitted. Not sure what the pointy-sticky-outy bit is, towed-array maybe? And here she sits awaiting a little filler for the top of sail. The little tray contains the rest of the kit bits being used; masts, propulsion and a Trident. Stuart 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robgizlu Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Nice work Stuart - nothing if not a straight-forward build! Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 7, 2018 Author Share Posted September 7, 2018 As I mentioned above Rob, being an ex-submariner I almost feel obliged to build RN subs. They're straight forward enough but they are somewhat lacking in detail. I would like to display them in their proper environment ie the sea but bulk at the idea of submerging 2/3rds of kit! Once all available RN subs are built, I suppose things could get a little more exciting as conversions/ scratch builds take form. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacca Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 On 05/09/2018 at 07:54, Courageous said: I have been trying to visit Courageous (a museum now) in Devonport but never seem to be able to fit into their bloody timetable. As a Sea Cadet we were affiliated to COURAGEOUS and went on board many times when she was in the refit complex in Chatham. I had no idea she was a museum - I'd assumed she was tied up with all of the other old SSNs waiting for someone to decide how to deal with the reactor. In fact my time spent on board her and talking to her ships company convinced me to become a submariner when I joined up and so on day 1 at BRNC as a spotty Midshipman I was a volunteer for SM. That stopped mid way through the first term when an O Boat came into the Dart for a few days day running and all those of us who were volunteers were offered the chance to go to sea. I was throwing up from the smell of the diesel before we go to the mouth of the Dart and became a Wafu instead. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 7, 2018 Author Share Posted September 7, 2018 They are an acquired taste but nuclear boats don't smell at all. I was looking forward to showing my partner my old boat...may be next time. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Aris Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 10 hours ago, Chewbacca said: As a Sea Cadet we were affiliated to COURAGEOUS and went on board many times when she was in the refit complex in Chatham. I had no idea she was a museum - I'd assumed she was tied up with all of the other old SSNs waiting for someone to decide how to deal with the reactor. In fact my time spent on board her and talking to her ships company convinced me to become a submariner when I joined up and so on day 1 at BRNC as a spotty Midshipman I was a volunteer for SM. That stopped mid way through the first term when an O Boat came into the Dart for a few days day running and all those of us who were volunteers were offered the chance to go to sea. I was throwing up from the smell of the diesel before we go to the mouth of the Dart and became a Wafu instead. The 8 years i spent on Odin (diesel powered) was some of the best times in my life, On 05/09/2018 at 07:54, Courageous said: Let's pull-up a bollard and swing a light... I served 9 years in subs; first years on Courageous (Hunter killer) in the torpedo room but spent duty time on the forplanes, last years was on Renown, in MCC. For the last couple of holidays in Cornwall, I have been trying to visit Courageous (a museum now) in Devonport but never seem to be able to fit into their bloody timetable. I enjoyed my naval career and thought it was befitting to build a couple of British subs. Shouldn't take long as their are relatively few kits and the kits have few parts. Stuart Sorry i started to reminisce Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 8, 2018 Author Share Posted September 8, 2018 I have no issues with thread drift on my topics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 7 minutes ago, Courageous said: I have no issues with thread drift on my topics. Maybe even a bit of "sprint and drift" on this particular thread Stuart? 🙄 Terry 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 Back from a brief summer break, so time for a mini update. Everything has taken a hit Halford's grey primer, the main hull has had two coats. Little bits have also been done; propulsion has been coated bronze, the Trident has been coated white and the missile tube innards and hatch undersides have been painted white. Next job...painting. Stuart 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarkas Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Looking good. To bring this thread back on course 😁, was there much of a problem with the seam where the hull halves were joined? I once built a Hobby Boss 1/700 Typhoon, and the thing that I hated was the pattern of raised lines denoting the anechoic tiles on the hull. How you were supposed to hide the hull seam with that there, deponent knoweth not. Luckily, I didn't have to worry about it because I was using the hull for something else and masked the seam, but I am interested in what might need to be done about the seam if and when I actually build a sub -- like the 1/350 Astute that I have in the stash... 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 4 hours ago, Tarkas said: was there much of a problem with the seam where the hull halves were joined? The seam did wander in and out. It was the case of only cementing the correct areas first before skilfully clamping the hull, then cement again, move on to the next bit, just be methodical. 4 hours ago, Tarkas said: anechoic tiles Fortunately their is nothing that denotes the 'tiling' on this sub or my copy of an Astute by Hobbyboss that is yet to be built. Others who have wanted to show the wear of these tiles use paint or decals, I don't intend to do either as I build my 'boats' as new. HTH Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 24, 2018 Author Share Posted September 24, 2018 Hi guys, slowly plodding along on this between other builds and killing/ raking moss from my back lawn. The instructions show the lower hull as a lighter tone to that of the upper and this is confirm by images on the 'net' but I only have one shade of black (indeed their is only one shade of black) so I've the darkest grey I've got and that is Tamiya's German Grey XF63. Lower hull was masked off and everything else was painted using a rattle-can of Halford's Satin Black. Next stop will be a localised coating of Klear prior to 'stickers' going on. Stuart 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 A little further down the road. Painting and stickers done. Bow view, German grey for lower hull and Halford's satin black the rest. Masked off the front end and Klear coated the bow sonar. Same black paint but showing the contrast between satin and gloss... Top view of the bow. Again, same black but this time, the satin black for non-skid deck is sprayed with Tamiya flat varnish and shows the contrast between satin and matt... Next step will be the sticky-outy bits, then the base...nearly there. Stuart 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Aris Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 love the contrast 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 2 hours ago, KEVIN_ARIS said: love the contrast Thanks Kev. British subs are quite bland and this methods works for me so far but Astute may have to be different. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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