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Revell 1/700 Type 42 HMS Manchester


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Well okay. The boring bit about myself.

 

I've been building 1/35 armour on and off for years, but this time around the block I thought I'd really try and challenge myself. And so a foray into ships! I've got to say I'm excited - I've always loved the idea of building miniatures of these huge chunks of steel and although I've owned ship kits for years, I've only once or twice managed to finish one. 

 

The kit I've chosen to learn on is the Revell rendition of HMS Manchester, put out in 1998 and supposedly a repop of a Dragon kit. 

 

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There are spaces in the sprues because the build has been going on for the last month or so. There are 3 sprues altogether, but one of them is taken up by the stand and name plate and propeller shafts ect. So in reality really only 2 sprues. 

 

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Part of sprue B, which is in the main weapons, more than half of which won't be used.  I only have armour kits to measure sharpness against these sprues; but I seem to remember Dragon being very crisp. These seem alittle hazy/chunky in detail. Any opinions?

 

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I used to love scratching pieces for my armour kits out of different materials; copper/tin foil, but mostly sheet styrene. But 1/700 means much less scope for that. Only one sheet, but having never built a ship using etch this will be a big learning experience. 

 

The build so far - major structures blu-tacked together. I've gone to the point where I need to get with the etch and start sticking it on. Or, I could procrastinate and paint the hull....

 

 

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CONS so far.

I am abit disappointed with the kit. There were some pretty huge sink marks in the upper hull, especially near the bow. The funnel, and a box just after the main radar post had minor, but annoying sink marks as well. I'm not sure as to the initial fitting out of the Manchester, but going by the pics I have (these are admittedly late in her career I think), there seemed a need to change the upper deck walkways (excuse the non sailor lingo); movement of the inflatable boats and their cranes to the correct position, deleting and adding different weapons. All this has also resulted in a fair amount of time on the sanding block, AND cutting sheet styrene in an effort to compensate. 

 

PROS so far

I'm enjoying the build. The stretch 42's just has to be one of the most eye catching of warship designs. It's a beauty, and it's slowly coming together. AND I'm cutting styrene again! Who'd a thought!

 

Gaz

 

Edited by agyoung33
pics reboot.
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Well done! This particular ship is a bit too modern for my taste (I prefer WWII and earlier) but looks very cool!

I especially admire the scratchbuilt pieces.

Edited by GrzeM
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Gidday Gaz, like GrzeM above I'm more into WW2 era ships but I agree with you in that she is an eye catching vessel. Plus I enjoy seeing (and doing) modifications to model ships, either for more accuracy or for conversions. PE however, is beyond me. Keep up the good work. Regards, Jeff.

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5 hours ago, agyoung33 said:

The stretch 42's just has to be one of the most eye catching of warship designs

Seconded (or thirded/fourthed), esp when compared against some other designs of this period (esp the 45s after...), but I think the Kirov beats it in sheer beauty. Tunin' in, and good job on the upper deck walkways.

 

David

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20 hours ago, GrzeM said:

Well done! This particular ship is a bit too modern for my taste (I prefer WWII and earlier) but looks very cool!

I especially admire the scratchbuilt pieces.

 

20 hours ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Gaz, like GrzeM above I'm more into WW2 era ships but I agree with you in that she is an eye catching vessel. Plus I enjoy seeing (and doing) modifications to model ships, either for more accuracy or for conversions. PE however, is beyond me. Keep up the good work. Regards, Jeff.

Thanks guys! I'll hopefully be moving on to some of the other closet cloggers in due course ~ there's afew Ww2 battleships waiting their turn! In the meantime it's back to the "answer"! 

 

I'll have to take a gander at some of your builds Jeff for ship wrangling tips! 

 

Chees

Gaz

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15 hours ago, Adm Lord De Univers said:

Seconded (or thirded/fourthed), esp when compared against some other designs of this period (esp the 45s after...), but I think the Kirov beats it in sheer beauty. Tunin' in, and good job on the upper deck walkways.

 

David

Thanks David! Yeah, those bloody walkways... I've already broken them afew times now! 🙄😅

 

Kirov's? Absolute stunner of a design. There's one in the closet too.... 

 

Cheers 

Gaz

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Gidday Gaz, thanks for the vote of confidence but don't hope for too much. Most of my models are Airfix 1/600 scale, which are not overly detailed. They are (or were) relatively cheap when I used to be able to get them so I guess you get what you pay for, but I like them because they suit my very average level of skill and my modest bank balance. I don't buy aftermarket stuff so my scratchbuilt parts are sometimes somewhat crude but I enjoy making them.

     I'm looking forward to seeing more progress with your HMS Manchester, plus wondering what WW2 battlewagons you have waiting in the wings (or should I say, the shipyard). Regards, Jeff.

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On 27/07/2021 at 00:15, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Gaz, thanks for the vote of confidence but don't hope for too much. Most of my models are Airfix 1/600 scale, which are not overly detailed. They are (or were) relatively cheap when I used to be able to get them so I guess you get what you pay for, but I like them because they suit my very average level of skill and my modest bank balance. I don't buy aftermarket stuff so my scratchbuilt parts are sometimes somewhat crude but I enjoy making them.

     I'm looking forward to seeing more progress with your HMS Manchester, plus wondering what WW2 battlewagons you have waiting in the wings (or should I say, the shipyard). Regards, Jeff.

 

Hiya Jeff - it's all tools in the "tool bag" - something will pop up and if the tool is there - sweet - so don't sweat it mate! I've always felt scratch was the imprint of yourself into a project; it makes it unique so that's always cool! Each to their own! 

 

I was around Perth for a few days about 2yrs ago - had a job up in Kalbarri for afew months. Beautiful countryside but hotter than sin! Perth is a beautiful city too - its got a vibe different to the eastern seaboard.

 

Cheers

Gary

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Looking good so far Gaz, nice work with the additions. 

 

The Revell and the Skywave/Pit Road boxing of the streched 42's (and the batch 1) just don't seem as crisp or as fine as the Dragon ones, it's like they've been on a diet of takeaways for 18 months in comparison (I know the feeling).

 

I made Exeter a couple of years ago from the Shywave kit, then got the Dragon kit and it's like chalk and cheese. The PE makes a huge difference to the kit tho, great fun as well!

 

Best o luck with the rest of the build!

 

Geoff

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On 01/08/2021 at 10:18, Bugle07 said:

Looking good so far Gaz, nice work with the additions. 

 

The Revell and the Skywave/Pit Road boxing of the streched 42's (and the batch 1) just don't seem as crisp or as fine as the Dragon ones, it's like they've been on a diet of takeaways for 18 months in comparison (I know the feeling).

 

I made Exeter a couple of years ago from the Shywave kit, then got the Dragon kit and it's like chalk and cheese. The PE makes a huge difference to the kit tho, great fun as well!

 

Best o luck with the rest of the build!

 

Geoff

 

Thanks Geoff!

 

Yeah I had a decent look online at the sprues, and sure enough - it wasn't just my deteriorating eyesight. In other news, I note, with a shake of the head, that Cyberhobby are putting out a 3 in 1 box of Sheffield class destroyers. Build any ship from all 3 batches.....

 

Anyway, we'll keep on with this since I've started! 

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Been a long week of work, which has dragged on into the evenings in most cases. However, I did manage to do some research, and found a rather decent pic and article on the transom flap that the Manchester was fitted with, circa 2007. 

 

Here's the link for interested parties.

 

https://autodocbox.com/Diesel/66084315-Retrofit-of-transom-flaps-to-rn-warships.html

 

It's about halfway through the article, which starts with similar work done to a Type 21 (I think?)

 

Please excuse the sometimes substandard photography. I used to have a camera I could focus manually which was fantastic for getting into the nooks and crannies. The pics that follow are me experimenting with a "zoom focus" app on my phone. So far, its crashed after each pic....

 

Anyway here is my "rendition" of the transom flap in plastic.

 

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I found that the transom wasn't "flat" on the model, and had to build it up alittle for my plastic bits to fit properly. 

 

Another round of plastic cutting occurred when I thought it would be a good idea to have the helo hanger open. A chance to put some innards in.

 

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The etch has gone better than expected. I went out and got a decent pair of tweezers, rather than stick with the clapped out ones I have. And using a tooth pick end after dabbing it into a ball of blu-tac seems to be the way to pick up small bits of brass hassle free. 

 

My present thinking in terms of build order would be - build the etch yard arms and set them aside. Tape the hull up and spray primer to simulate hull plating and then continue applying the deck colour. Mask and apply light grey to the sides etc.  Glue the railings and etch radar - I can't see myself not knocking off railings etc, if I was to build them at this point.  What do you think?

 

Gaz

 

Edited by agyoung33
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  • 4 months later...

Well, it's been a long time coming - apologies for that. Life etc has been busy and I'd forgotten just how obsessive modelling can be.....

 

Anyway, this set of photos will show you the progress I've made since last August. I delayed the full blown onset of etch for as long as possible, trying to do small increments which would help train my fingers and tweezers. I've got to say I wasn't expecting just how susceptible the brass is to being bent out of kink. Ah, the pleasures of doing something over and over again. Thankfully, the WE models brass set for the Sheffield class includes 2 of everything. What I messed up could either be recovered, or if frustration got the better of me, retried using the second set. 

 

Well, what have I been doing then? Alot of photo study. One thing led to another in this case. I first wanted to add detail to the open deck below the helicopter pad. Then the photos gave me a kicking when I realised that the transom is considerably squared off when compared to the batch 1+2's. So, I squared that off before continuing in my search for the elusive space below the helo pad. I ran through what must have been 100 pics, slowly getting an idea of what may have gone where. The only thing I'm sure of is the ladder, and 2 of the 3 door positions. 

 

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I had to carve away into the back wall to get it to sit at right angles to the deck. I doubt if this is at all visible when everything else is in place but, you know.....It also kind of struck me that it would've been easier to have puttied and sanded back the stern before putting the fragile detail in. I blame the glue.

 

I decided to get the rails up in the heli bay as a way of acquainting myself with the my journey into further brass nightmares. 

 

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There's a fair bit of wonk, but I comforted myself with the fact that nobody will ever know.....And it was good practise.

 

This led me on to the fore and mainmast. Found these incredibly hard. How you are to fit 3 spindly legs that each piece rested on to the masts was certainly at that point out of my league. So, I cheated by only using 1 leg and the base. 

 

 

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Again, the photos relating to the actual ship meant having to improvise, as the number of yards changed as the ship was upgraded. This was the spot where I was thankful for the "spares" found in the PE fret. As an added bonus, it initially took about 2hrs to attach a pair of yards, getting quicker as I got used to it.

 

Emboldened, I added detail onto the stack as well. Except it isn't covered by the PE set, so I decided to invest in some home made metal wire I had lying around. (ball point pen spring flattened and annealed). This seemed to do the job and was easier to handle than the soft brass of the PE set. Abit thick, but I wasn't caring too much for that at the time. It will handle the rigging.

 

 

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Progress is slow, but getting quicker. I fitted the fairleads and the towing hook (since the kit didn't have them) and replaced the mooring bollards, all from plastic sheet and rod. 

 

As she stands without small detail bits.  

 

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I've started detailing the 4.5in gun installation. More bits of plastic sheet, a piece of rod for the barrel and PE ladders I'm afraid. I've also experimented on the next builds hull - a plating "thing" using primer and masking tape. I wanted to go for more detail on this kit - I still want to simulate some form of "oil canning" and may have come up with an idea to get it subtly done.

 

Till next time and hope you had a nice break. 

 

Cheers

Gary 

Edited by agyoung33
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Hey Jeff and Rob, thanks for the encouragement! I think what drives me to try building ship models is the challenge of "looking closer". Making the illusion of noticing more detail than at first, second and third glance! 

 

Hey Stuart go for it! Mind, I've always been one for adding detail that the manufacturer decided wasn't fit to see the light. It's made for some very lengthy armour builds in the past. Hopefully this one can be quicker in execution! 

 

Cheers

Gary

 

 

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That's looking really good. Despite your comments at the start about there not being so much scope for scratching extra details in this scale you seem to have found quite a lot of opportunities! I'll follow your progress now with great interest.

 

One of the difficulties I found when I was doing my 1/1250 model of HMS Manchester is that the T42s went through so many minor modifications, adding, removing and moving equipment and changing platforms as required that it is hard to find enough images of the same ship at the same time to really nail things down. All part of the fun, I suppose.

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Hey thanks bud! 

 

It surprises me! I think if I'd just left it as a box build I'd just end up kicking myself in afew years. Besides, some of the molded on details are pretty spartan and blocky, and I'm not quite sure what they where meant to represent. It doesn't help that the the kit is basically a marriage of Batch 1 and 3 particulars. I never did manage to get the original from Dragon, (there's a Premium edition of a batch 3 out now though), but the Revell sprues look abit tired to me. 

 

Oh!, 1250 scale must be tiny - kudos to you on that! Yeah, I've had that exact problem with reference pics for this. I don't have a set of plans for the "Busy Bee", so it's pics and videos on the net. If I couldn't get a good pic of some detail I searched for Gloucester pics to see if the corresponding detail was present there. There are also afew sad vids of T42 hulks being towed to Turkey and the scrappers yard - I managed to take screen shots which helped, even if they weren't of the Manchester.  But you're dead right - it's playing detective which adds to the fun,.

 

Gary

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  • 2 weeks later...

Howarya?

 

Just a small update today. I'd talked about an idea I'd had to get some oil canning on the kit and this update is that idea going into action....

 

I had a window that allowed me to get little bits of tape stuck all over the hull of the kit. Not one of the most exciting things I've ever done, but spread over 2 days it wasn't as mind numbingly boring as it looks....It only feels that way. 

 

 

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Ofcourse, spreading it out meant that there was an inconsistency in tape width/length etc. So much so that I went and redid the port side. It kept me off the streets I keep telling myself.

 

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I'll take it as a lesson in patience. 

 

I used a car primer from the local which I'd experimented with earlier. I found the coverage to be good, too good in fact. I'd guessed that I'd only need 2 passes before it got too thick. 

 

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What goes on must come off. The tape. Tortuous at first, but quicker as I found a more efficient way of getting it off.

 

Despite only 2 passes with the rattle can primer, I found the ridges to be too high - I could feel them with my fingertips.  So it was an hour or two or scrapping with a blade, and a final light sand with some 1200 grit. I think it came out ok, I was after a sort of irregular conformity. Subtle, but definitely there when looked for. All I want from those ridges and lines was a place for the paint to catch when I get around to weathering etc. 

 

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Anyway, that's my take on oil canning! I am SO looking forward to sometime getting the airbrush going again!

 

Cheers

Gary

Edited by agyoung33
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Here I thought buying a template would make it a tedious process, I have an inkling this could turn out particularly well. I'd be interested to know how much of those 2 days was spent sticking down tape compared to reaching for the scotch? Either way, good exercise and - as you say - keeps us off the streets!

 

David

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Hi Stuart and Jeff - I enjoy the painting process as much as construction. Trying to get the blending of paint just right, using multiple shades of whatever colour I was using - I used to preshade and all that other stuff to get colour depth on my armour models.  If this comes out as it does in my minds eye, I'll be very happy! 

 

Jeff, I'm considering an Invincible class carrier right at this moment! I'll pipe down and get back to the "Might Manc" and hopefully that itch will go away! 

 

Hi David; yes I thought of a "reverse" mesh, object that would allow me to tape it to the hull and get those ridge lines up. But all my pondering came to nothing - it was the little squares of tape method that was the first thought in this, and the last.

 

I did think of fortifying the system once or twice. There's a nice bottle of beer in the fridge and it's quite hot Downunder at the moment....

 

Thanks for the encouragement guys, be back shortly with an update.

 

Cheers

Gary

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I've had the pleasure of getting some more done on this over the past week or so, and thought it might be a good idea to post it up (come to think of it, your mileage may vary on whether that's a good thing).

 

I made what I'm going to call a signal lamp that sits on the roof of the helo housing at the stern of the ship. I won't bore you with pics of it, but suffice to say I had to make certain parts multiple times as they "pinged" away from my tweezers. 

 

But as I was going through reference pics on the 'puter, I noticed a descrepancy between the model and the real thing. There's a prominent lip, or ledge on the forward superstructure that's not meant to be there. I thought that's easy, I'll just file it away and get onto making the bridge windows more prominent which due to the age of the kit (I suspect) are on the bleary side of definition. 

 

I used .25 plastic sheet and cut into thin slithers. Put them on, and slapped some liquid surface primer into the gaps.  I'll let it harden overnight and get some fine grit on it tomorrow. 

 

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Thinking everything was going sweetly, I sanded off the little ledge I'd mentioned earlier below the front of the bridge. I test fitted the modified bridge and discovered that there now was a significant overhang. Sigh. 

 

The bridge front is flush with the front edge of the structure - I checked an overhead view of the Gloucester, and it did seem to indicate that the neck between the forward radome and the main radar housing was shorter than depicted in the model. The correction would be easier than you'd figure, and the width of the saw blade was just about right to eliminate that pesky overhang. So, saw between the front radome cover and the main radar housing. 

 

 

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Must be overhanging by a solid mm or so....

 

 

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Arrggghhh - what have I done!!!!

 

There's still a small overhang, but I can handle that with some fairing in using some plastic and filler. 

 

 

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The cut was thankfully very clean and by the looks of it won't require too much filler to hide the join. 

 

Oh yeah, before I forget, I finally found some detail pics of those black rectangles that you see on the bridge wings facing forwards. They look to be wells housing signal equipment (a guess). Anyway, I got to drilling and backing those out as well. Lucky guy that I am. 

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

Cheers

Gary 

 

 

Edited by agyoung33
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Well back again for the 3rd(?) straight weekend. That must be some sort of record. But in keeping with the older posts, not a lot has been achieved. I've certainly not cracked open the paint. I have however managed to look at the 4.5in turret and gun and seen what my sweaty little hands could possibly do for improvement. It's a never ending story, I just feel inclined to do it - must be genetic. 

 

I had a look at the gun, and figured that's the first thing I'll replace. It's overscale, and by the looks of things, not quite round either. 

 

I remember an article I'd read in the past about using tape to simulate fume extractors, or perhaps it was the buckles and seat belts to cockpit interiors. Whatever it was, I thought it'd be easier to do that than try to drill out plastic rod. 

 

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The original is to the right - it's been cut away from the base. I'd planned to reuse it but it went "ping" and that was the end of that. 

 

After what seemed an epoch I'd finally managed to wrap the tape around a spare piece of brass rod that I have. I got some CA and reinforced the tape, and, setting it aside on the cutting mat it began to bind with the mat...oh the hilarity.  

 

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There's a wee door on the back of the gun housing- suspect it's a maintenance hatch. There are rectangular shapes on the bottom edge, so I tried to add those as well.  (they're quite evident on all the turret pics I have of the ship).

 

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Afew pics with the thing fitted. It's sitting high at the moment (due to the blu-tac), but the kit part as it was sat too low. I'm still debating whether I should put a blast bag around the gun or leave it as is. 

 

Annnnddd if you've not noticed, the pics I've been taking are significantly better now! I finally remembered the detail settings I used to photograph model kits in the past! Finally; but that foc'sle looks a mess don't it? 

 

Thanks for looking in,

Gary

Edited by agyoung33
(sp). To put the bloody pics back in!
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