Illustrious to Invincible

[Daedalus72]

Apologies if this question has already been asked but here goes.

I recently obtained the Airfix 1/350 HMS Illustrious kit as I reckoned that it was high time that I tried a ship model.

I would like to build it as HMS Invincible pre or soon after the Falklands war (I could then legitamately include a Wessex V or two on the flight deck).

What would be the main modifications reqd to achieve this?

I am aware that the ski ramp was altered but do not know the extent of the work reqd to backdate the kit.

Thanks

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Open up the fo’c’s’le and reinstall the Sea Dart (Atlantic Models do an excellent resin conversion set for the Sea Dart), remove the CIWS and associated sponsons, backdate the island (particularly at the rear end, which was very different), reinstate the original (much narrower) catwalks, re-shape the main mast (adding UAA1 and 992).  There are almost certainly other things I have forgotten.

 

It’s not a small job, but it can be done. The original WEM PE set for the Airfix Lusty helps a lot, not least because it includes the catwalks, which is a huge help.

 

My (paused) build converting the same kit to 1988-era Ark might help you see some of the challenges.  Whatever else you do, you need good references - I learned during my build that the 3 ships were different in all sorts of whays I didn’t know - and I flew off two of them!  [Never Invincible, though]

 

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by Ex-FAAWAFU

[Martian]

You forgot to advise him to make sure that no extra-terrestrials go anywhere near his build Crisp. Especially when working on the flight deck.

 

Johnna of Mars 👽

[Daedalus72]

Gulp! 

The phrase ' bitten off more than I can chew springs to mind'.

Will have to assemble serious references before commencing this. 

 

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Definitely on the refs - but don’t be put off; it’s perfectly doable!  

 

The other her thing I would strongly recommend is a set of Jecobin plans - they do one of Invince as she was in 1980, which would be perfect for your purposes

[Daedalus72]

Thanks I will look for them.

As this is my 1st ship, not quite in reality but in model form, I will be out of my comfort zone.

[Chewbacca]

Fortunately, INVINCIBLE was about the most photographed ship of the entire conflict so there are lots of reference photos to work from and you can be certain of the timeframe.  I plan to do mine as ARK as she came out of the builders for contractors' sea trials and getting accurate references for her in that period (1984) is challenging. 

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Chewy - PM me to remind me and I’ll send you what I have (though it won’t be until the weekend at the earliest); my Ark build [see lonk above] is as she was when I joined her in 1987 (820 NAS first front line tour), and as far as I can tell very little changed between her 84 commissioning and 87.

[Chewbacca]

Thanks Crisp, will do.  There's no rush - I've got NEC all weekend for Classic Motor Show and my ARK build is at lest 12 months away.

 

Cheers

[Papa4ways]

Daedalus72

 

If you want Great Reference photo's of the three Carriers, Ark Royal, Illustrious and Invincible, you might try these pages I found, each list of photo's carried a Flight Deck Plan, which might help you as well

 

http://www.seaforces.org/marint/Royal-Navy/Aircraft-Carrier/R-07-HMS-Ark-Royal.htm

 

http://www.seaforces.org/marint/Royal-Navy/Aircraft-Carrier/R-05-HMS-Invincible.htm

 

http://www.seaforces.org/marint/Royal-Navy/Aircraft-Carrier/R-06-HMS-Illustrious.htm

Edited May 26, 2019 by Papa4ways