Jump to content

HMS Exeter, Battle of the River Plate, Trumpeter 1/350


Recommended Posts

After the Graf Spee, what else could I assemble but the HMS Exeter. I got the kit several months ago, and have been adding some aftermarkets for a better experience, like:
1. Eduard Big Ed PE,
2. Infini models Brass Masts,
3. Scale Chain
4. Master Model 8" barrels
5. Master Model 4" barrels
6. Wooden base (same as used for the Graf Spee) it will be a waterline model

 

H80HaK1l.jpg

 

tbB6Bdll.jpg

 

The length of the HMS Exeter vs the Graf Spee surprised me, it does not seem too much shorter.

0oeKLP2l.jpg

 

CQHBd04l.jpg

Marco

  • Like 20
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well thank you for your opinions, guys, this is really encouraging specially coming from whom it comes!!!  Will do my best not to disappoint you!

 

Marco

Edited by Marco1965
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

About to start this one, got a doubt.  I was about to order the 507C Light Gray from Colourcoats, but I see that is shows up as "discontinued".  Is there an equivalent within the same Colourcoats range? 

 

And if not, are the colours suggested in Trumpeter instruccions appropriate?

Mr. Hobby H338,  Acryvision N338, Vallejo 907,  Model Master 1732, Tamiya XF-14 or Humbrol 147.

 

Marco

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, Marco1965 said:

About to start this one, got a doubt.  I was about to order the 507C Light Gray from Colourcoats, but I see that is shows up as "discontinued".  Is there an equivalent within the same Colourcoats range? 

 

And if not, are the colours suggested in Trumpeter instruccions appropriate?

Mr. Hobby H338,  Acryvision N338, Vallejo 907,  Model Master 1732, Tamiya XF-14 or Humbrol 147.

 

Marco

 

Hi Marco. We discontinued the entire RNxx range due to inaccuracies. We needed to overhaul the entire Royal Navy range in line with newer and more complete research and updating the RNxx paints was giving lots of headaches for our distributors and indeed customers who wanted the new ones not the old ones.

 

So, RN03 is discontinued. It was replaced by NARN22 in 2018:

https://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk/collections/colourcoats-sea/products/narn22-1936-light-grey-507c-g45

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

So let´s set sail on this one!  I bored open all the skylights, not difficult (this is only my 2nd ship, and in the previous one I did not bore them open).  

AkBYXmhl.jpg

 

c2cT1Rnl.jpg

 

Thanks to several scale modelers who have posted their assembly process of the HMS Exeter before, I knew right away of the many corrections this kit needs.  I scribed the planked deck around the bridge, still need to see how it looks like under a coat of paint.  Then I increase the width of the corridors around the bridge with plastic sheet, an proceeded to cut the openings for the passage below the bridge.

uwpS43el.jpg

 

And covered the planking around the forward boat area with green putty to simulate the antiskid material.  Will sand it later to obtain a smooth surface, want it to actually be at the same level as the planked deck level, no big step around it.  Up to now, the three updates that I did shown clearly in this picture: antiskid area, passage openings and increased width of corridor around the bridge.  So far, so good.

 ebkwF0pl.jpg 

 

Passage does not look good as it is, needs an inner structure, I used plastic sheet for the interior walls, and will open some doors or something for a better appearance.

YUtNMISl.jpg

 

And finally the bridge interior needs some work.  With those big windows, and the skylights bored open, some kind of structure has to go inside.  I will issue a floor and walls for the upper level, pure "educated" imagination, don´t have the slightest idea of how the interior looked like (checked on a couple pictures of HMS Belfast, though...).  I have a pretty good idea of where the stairs are located (and I just noticed that I have drawn them facing backwards, steps should face forward), I will add them as well.

GdkNXnyl.jpg

Marco

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Issuing the interior of the bridge was fun, no references, HA!  according to my own discretion.

m1RiCzvl.jpg

 

Not empty anymore, still neet to paing the interior.

9bq2kbql.jpg

 

Some details in the tunnel under the bridge.

zZ4xqO6l.jpg

 

And this is how it looks currently, made the openings for the ladders going from the commanding level to the bridge upper deck, will add ladders later.

Yb2OIKzl.jpg

 

I corrected the number and position of the reinforcements of the barbettes.  Trumpeter provides 8 per barbette, but there should be 12 for barbette 1 and 3, different positions, and 8 for barbette 2, in different positions.  I chiseled and sanded off the molded one, and added the correct number/position made of plastic sheet.

UK075Izl.jpg

 

ZEARQUpl.jpg

 

And here they are, much better than the scarce original ones, will see how they looked when finished.

rhjkRGql.jpg

Marco

  • Like 15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, the figures for the inside of the bridge are leftovers from a Fujimi IJN kit, in that scale, hard to make the difference.  But My intention is to get one set from NothStar Models for the rest of the ship (currently shipping costs are prohibitively high).

 

Marco 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 09/11/2020 at 12:35, Marco1965 said:

Thanks, the figures for the inside of the bridge are leftovers from a Fujimi IJN kit, in that scale, hard to make the difference.  But My intention is to get one set from NothStar Models for the rest of the ship (currently shipping costs are prohibitively high).

 

Marco 

Thanks.  Agreed with the North Star shipping costs.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Some advances on the HMS Exeter.  I finished issuing the notches for the main turrets to rotate, I don´t like just inserting them in the barbettes.

ZyFdxCdl.jpg

 

I started painting the bridge, "corticene" came first (50/50 Military Brown/Rust), and the interiors gray blue.

wQhZpLVl.jpg

 

Dpx4NDcl.jpg

 

As I had bored open all the skylights on the hull, I added cheap black plastic in the middle of the hull, to avoid the totally unrealistic situation of looking at the light of the opposite side skylights.

IEJEWrel.jpg

 

Same as with the main turrets, I issued notches for the torpedo launchers.

1OAAuWYl.jpg

 

5y33z3Ll.jpg

 

And finished assembling the torpedo launchers.

FrAwNrPl.jpg

 

Glued rear deck in place, perfect fitting.

GO0Fhgcl.jpg

 

I added a bulkhead at the front end of the rear deck.  Don´t know if it was actually there, but didn´t like the view into the deep hull.

RDA32t1l.jpg

 

Then started the painting process of the Deck.  I wanted to pre-shade at least two different tones of wood planks.  For that, I masked several planks and sprayed them in MIlitary Brown.

iAgPsDYl.jpg

 

F7R54aul.jpg

 

I repeated the process, this time using Dark tan, instead, pattern became more dense.

qKYmn2yl.jpg

 

Finally airbrushed Colourcoats "Teak C01", taking care not to completely cover the "pre-shading" of the decks.

wMHvLN3l.jpg

 

The upped deck, which had be scribed, looks much better now!  I am quite satisfied with the results, still pending are washes and some retouches.

zXO1l3sl.jpg

 

xaQ94Krl.jpg

Marco

  • Like 15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, S-boat 55 said:

Looking very good, I'd not thought of preshading the deck, I'm doing mine post as oppose pre the main colour, might try you way next time 

I tried that approach with my Graf Spee, I like how it looks, just wanted to try some techniques common on airplanes kits to ships, let’s see!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday Marco, I do a similar thing with my main turrets now. I like to be able to lock them in yet they're still removable if required. It never occurred to me to do the same with torpedo tubes. Maybe next time. The decks look good. Regards, Jeff.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...