1/700 Flyhawk HMS Penelope Deluxe

[Gisbod]

Morning all,

 

Not really intended to be an in depth work in progress, but thought I’d share a few photos along the way. Running out of superlatives for Flyhawk kits!

 

Guy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gisbod]

...Just noticed the wonky PE panel on the forward funnel! That’ll have to come off... Damn this macro photography! 😆

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Photographs are brutal, but the reason I waste time posting model builds on forums like this is to peer pressure myself into trying to achieve some standard of quality

[beefy66]

Hey Guy have you ever thought of competing in the model olympics I  am sure you would be favorite for a gold medal  🥇

 

beefy

[Richard E]

Another potential masterpiece on the production line.

 

Give me a minute to grab a cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich to enjoy whilst you finish it

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Gisbod, of all the RN small cruisers of WW2 HMS Penelope is my favorite, I think. She suffered a tragic end. The detail of this kit looks superb to me, and you are building to the very best standard. Regards, Jeff.

[OutcastJoel]

9 hours ago, Richard E said:

Another potential masterpiece on the production line.

 

Give me a minute to grab a cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich to enjoy whilst you finish it

I think a bacon sarnie is about all we will have time for! @Gisbodis flying again!

 

Also, Guy please can you talk us through your PE technique? It is so clean and precise, what glue do you use? 

[Gisbod]

13 hours ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Photographs are brutal, but the reason I waste time posting model builds on forums like this is to peer pressure myself into trying to achieve some standard of quality

Agreed Jamie, I certainly do.

 

2 hours ago, OutcastJoel said:

I think a bacon sarnie is about all we will have time for! @Gisbodis flying again!

 

Also, Guy please can you talk us through your PE technique? It is so clean and precise, what glue do you use? 

 

 

That’s very kind of you Joel, I’m really no expert and no secret formula, quite frankly, I’m learning as I go along. That said I have invested in:

 

Some good tweezers

Hold & Fold 5 speed bending tool

Decent magnification optics (if there’s a secret - this is it)

Good lighting

Glue has been another learning curve! I’m currently using Loctite 406 Medium CA for bits that need bite, Gators thin blend acrylic glue when something is placed and Johnson’s Klear which is surprisingly useful and clean to flow into joins. Occasionally thin super glue using a needle with the eye half cut off which holds a tiny drop and again flows into a join. I’m getting a feel for what to use when.
 

Incidentally, I found out today that if you over super glue PE parts and want to start again, dunking them in Acetone just melts the glue away. 
 

Had the most modelling fun known to man this evening - sticking on my wood decks!

 

 

 

Guy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[robgizlu]

Guy - Super progress - early or late schemes?

 

Interesting thoughts on Glues and thanks for the acetone tip

Here's one back - couldn't do without them for application of CA glue...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/One-Box-of-100-Altra-Acupuncture-Needles-L-Type-with-Guide-Tubes/122557616197?hash=item1c8900d045:m:m3X2nU40Z2z1-PC35BzZ1jQ

 

I agree with all ofthe tool options - good lighting has made an enormous difference to me.  You left out cocktil sticks!!!

Keep it coming

Rob

[beefy66]

13 hours ago, Gisbod said:

Hold & Fold 5 speed bending tool

He has 5 gears that is how he builds them so quick  🤣

 

Wooden becking looking great Guy

 

beefy

[smyfe]

Hi Guy, I have not long built this myself, after seeing your progress and your Prince of Wales, I am now going to hide mine 😂.

[Gisbod]

4 hours ago, robgizlu said:

Guy - Super progress - early or late schemes?

 

Interesting thoughts on Glues and thanks for the acetone tip

Here's one back - couldn't do without them for appication of CA glue...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/One-Box-of-100-Altra-Acupuncture-Needles-L-Type-with-Guide-Tubes/122557616197?hash=item1c8900d045:m:m3X2nU40Z2z1-PC35BzZ1jQ

 

I agree with all ofthe tool options - good lighting has made an enormous difference to me.  You left out cocktil sticks!!!

Keep it coming

Rob

Thanks Rob - Just bought ‘em not many sizes left - I got 0.2mm x 30mm - that ok you reckon?
 

 

Thanks @beefy66

 

 

2 minutes ago, smyfe said:

Hi Guy, I have not long built this myself, after seeing your progress and your Prince of Wales, I am now going to hide mine 😂.

 Nonsense Smyfe, yours looking great!

 

 

Guy

[Gisbod]

Ps @robgizlu 

 

Early, or all over light grey anyway, there’s a Seafox in the kit too (along with a Walrus) which might look nice.

 

Guy

[robgizlu]

14 minutes ago, Gisbod said:

Thanks Rob - Just bought ‘em not many sizes left - I got 0.2mm x 30mm - that ok you reckon?

Guy

Perfect size Guy - They'll last you.

 

I checked out Loctite 406 - it's expensive.  I use Loctite Power flex Gel.  Do you reckon the 406 is worth tring as well?

Rob

[robgizlu]

4 minutes ago, Gisbod said:

Ps @robgizlu 

 

Early, or all over light grey anyway, there’s a Seafox in the kit too (along with a Walrus) which might look nice.

 

Guy

Phew - that's a relief - I've one lined up for the Norwegian  Fjord scheme 

Rob

[smyfe]

Guy, you should do the camo version, I chickened out and mine was finished in the grey scheme. Hope you will be rigging the Seafox 😛

 

[Gisbod]

2 hours ago, robgizlu said:

Perfect size Guy - They'll last you.

 

I checked out Loctite 406 - it's expensive.  I use Loctite Power flex Gel.  Do you reckon the 406 is worth tring as well?

Rob

Apologies, it’s actually 402.. it’s good but it’s probably no better than bog standard super glue. I have heard it said you’re better buying cheap small ones as having it fresh is best - rather than a big bottle. The 402 was recommended by Pontos but I really can’t tell the difference if I’m being honest!

 

12 minutes ago, smyfe said:

Guy, you should do the camo version, I chickened out and mine was finished in the grey scheme. Hope you will be rigging the Seafox 😛

 

 

Too late! And tbh, camo scares me on ships - I wouldn’t know where to start! 
 

Guy

[Andreas.R]

1 hour ago, Gisbod said:

Apologies, it’s actually 402.. it’s good but it’s probably no better than bog standard super glue. I have heard it said you’re better buying cheap small ones as having it fresh is best - rather than a big bottle. The 402 was recommended by Pontos but I really can’t tell the difference if I’m being honest!

 

 

Too late! And tbh, camo scares me on ships - I wouldn’t know where to start! 
 

Guy

Hello Guy,

 

I don't prefer camo because it somehow hides the details and lines of the ship.

 

Regards

Andreas

[Gisbod]

8 minutes ago, Andreas.R said:

Hello Guy,

 

I don't prefer camo because it somehow hides the details and lines of the ship.

 

Regards

Andreas

I agree. I’d like to have a go though, just can’t see how I’d do it to the same standard.. 

 

Guy

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

It certainly complicates matters. The 1942 type designs are very attractive though.

[Gisbod]

As usual, I seemed to have pushed on and forgotten to take many more update photos. Tbh, she’s nearly done. 
 

Just the rigging and Seafox to go.

 

Here’s a peak at where I’ve got to:

 

 

 

 

And here’s probably the biggest challenge - getting this to look acceptable in macro photos - Not easy! I didn’t manage it with the Walrus.

 

 

 

 

 

Guy

Edited May 30, 2020 by Gisbod

[ArnoldAmbrose]

21 hours ago, Andreas.R said:

I don't prefer camo because it somehow hides the details and lines of the ship.

Gidday, that was the whole point of it I think, to give a false impression of the ship, her course and speed. And for a model as good looking as this it is natural to want to show it off at its best. My builds however are nowhere near to this standard of perfection and detail, but I have built quite a few, so I like to do some in either different shades of grey/blue and some in dazzle camo (disruptive camo) for a bit of variety in the model display cabinet. I find that dazzle camo can extend the duration of a build though. Ultimately, of course, the decision of camo or not is up to the individual modeler.

     And Guy, you may be running out of superlatives for Flyhawk kits but I'm doing the same for comments on your standard of build. Plus I've learned something from this build - although I researched this ship rather extensively (so I thought) for my own model of it I never realized that she originally carried aircraft. I thought she was too small.

Regards, Jeff.

[Francis Macnaughton]

Superb result to judge by that latest shot, especially when you are working in 1/700th!

 

I reckon you did well to use the Home Fleet grey scheme ( which is presumably how she looked at the start of WW2) as the scheme the kit is shown in on the box top is a bit of an oddity as it was only applied after Penelope had grounded in the Norwegian fjords and  had limped to a repair area in order to be prepare for towing back to UK and therefore not really a fighting unit.   There is some suggestion that by early 1940 she was in a Flotta scheme, possibly with green and brown,  to provide better protection while anchored at Scapa but   there is no picture known to date to show what this actually looked like.

[Gisbod]

Thanks Jeff & Francis,

 

Yep, although I prefer the clean lines of a light grey, I’m not against camo, just my own limitations I guess. I have the Scharnhorst kit (1943) which has a camo scheme and I’m tempted to have a bash at it for the challenge, but I think the only way would be to brush paint parts and I can’t see that turning out well... 

 

I’m kind of leaning towards a pre war look for this build. Hence the Seafox in pre war colours. I’ve seen pictures of one on her. Re her size  -The Walrus would look quite big on her, although I haven’t seen any pictures depicting one on board.

 

Here’s my best effort with the Seafox. I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to finish an aircraft in this scale that will look how I want it to in macro. To be fair even Dai Sasara’s aren’t flawless! But, I’m learning on each one. 
 

I’ve gone for the simpler, but more clunky look of using some of the PE for rigging, over scale, but it does look ok to the naked eye (honest!)

 

Guy

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2020 by Gisbod

[Andreas.R]

15 hours ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday, that was the whole point of it I think, to give a false impression of the ship, her course and speed. And for a model as good looking as this it is natural to want to show it off at its best. My builds however are nowhere near to this standard of perfection and detail, but I have built quite a few, so I like to do some in either different shades of grey/blue and some in dazzle camo (disruptive camo) for a bit of variety in the model display cabinet. I find that dazzle camo can extend the duration of a build though. Ultimately, of course, the decision of camo or not is up to the individual modeler.

     And Guy, you may be running out of superlatives for Flyhawk kits but I'm doing the same for comments on your standard of build. Plus I've learned something from this build - although I researched this ship rather extensively (so I thought) for my own model of it I never realized that she originally carried aircraft. I thought she was too small.

Regards, Jeff.

Hi,

it depends very much of the type of camo applied, 

the more camouflage on the superstructure, the more difficult the painting and the details become less visible.

 

Regards

Andreas