Jump to content

Recommended Posts

  • 3 months later...

Gidday All, now that I've completed my builds of HMS Hardy and DKM Seydlitz I can get back to HMS Onslow here, after a three month hiatus. Just a quick update, I've almost finished the foc'sle.

Onslw410 focsle done

Yesterday I screwed the model to a wood block for ease of handling. I do this now and it seems to make things easier.

     Last night I did the breakwater, which was built up directly onto the hull. This is the first time I think that I've added the triangular brackets that support it and I used a bit of discretion as to their number. They're a little bit rough I'm afraid. Also there are two low balustrades on the outer edge of the hull. Each gun position has these. I think ready-use 4.7-inch shells could be stored there, but not sure.
     Today I've done the deck stuff for the anchor cables. The hawse-pipes go right through the hull, I think I got the angles right. Then the scratch plates were glued to the deck followed by the bonnet covers that sit over the naval pipes. They're rather small, 0.75mm in all three directions. The naval pipes lead down to the cable lockers. The two plates just in front of the breakwater will support the capstans, which I'll add later.
     In the background is the fwd shelterdeck (or 'B' gundeck) getting some balustrading added to the 20mm Oerlikon positions. That piece is a bit blurred as the camera was focused on the foc'sle.

So that's it for now. Stay safe and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, just a quick update on HMS Onslow. Today I've been doing the blast screens. See below.

Onslw420 blast screens done

     These are the aft (background) and fwd (foreground) shelterdecks, or 'X' and 'B' gun decks. These blast screens protect the crews of 'Y' and 'A' guns below. 'X' gun deck is inverted here to show the supporting brackets underneath. As far as I can recall I've only scratched these once before, a simpler version of the 'X' gun deck screen on my build of HMS Hardy recently. These two have the side shields added. They were rather fiddly and it was a case of trial and error - mostly error. But they're done now. To indicate the size, those squares on the cutting mat are 1cm square. I've also slopped some paint on the hull decks but I'll wait until that job's complete before I post a photo.
     Thank you for your responses. Stay safe, and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, just another quick update on HMS Onslow. I've slopped some paint on the hull decks and when they were dry I painted the breakwater and anchor cable scratch plates.

Onslw430 hull decks painted

    The deck colour is Revell matt 77, since the tin was already opened - I used it for the steel decks of my recent DKM Seydlitz and it will probably go off in time if not used. I think it looks OK. The scratch plates are Humbrol 67, the same colour as the dark grey of the hull.
     In the background are parts that I've started to busy-up and paint. I'm finding that Revell enamels are better mixed and more consistent in their shades than Humbrol but they dry very quickly - almost too quick. It's easy to get brush marks if I'm not careful.
     Well that's it for now. I said it'd be a quick update. Thanks for your interest. Stay safe and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, it's past wine o'clock on a Sunday evening and time for another update on HMS Onslow. The aft deckhouse/shelterdeck ('X' gundeck) is glued on but the fwd deckhouse/shelterdeck ('B' gundeck) is just dry fitted at present. The blast screen overhangs 'A' gun further than 'Y' gun which I thought might make fitting the gun awkward if the fwd shelterdeck was glued. Most of the other structures are painted now also.

Onslw440 superstructures painted

     I've still got a lot of fiddly busying up to do besides making the anchors, director, torpedo tubes, DC stuff, masts - and the guns. On the wood block in front is my one and only spare 4.7-inch gun, but I need four so they're my next task to scratch build. In 'B' gun position is my trial gun I did this afternoon. It's a bit more complex than it looks because most of the facets of the gun shield are sloped but I think I know how I'm going to make them now. I also have to make a 4-inch HA (high angle) gun for that round bandstand, a quad 2lb pompom and four 20mm Oerlikons.
     So I'd better get back to work. Thanks for your responses and interest. Stay safe and regards, Jeff.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, I've done the heavy gun outfit for HMS Onslow. First I did the four 4.7-inch main armament and I had about four goes at it before I was satisfied. In the previous post in 'B' gun position is one of my later trials, one that was "almost there". I used 0.5mm rod for the gun barrel and it didn't have the indented face of the gun shield. These four have barrels made from sprue stretched down to 0.4mm and as you can see, the face of the gun shield is indented. The gun breech looks rather heavy duty but in fact these guns had counter-weights that sort of 'wrapped around' the breech and loading tray, hence it's bulky appearance. The gun at the top still has to be assembled, obviously. Each of these guns are made from 11 pieces, although not all are visible.

Onslw450 4.7inch guns being made


     And here they are, almost finished. They just need a bit more paint on them.

Onslw460 heavy gun outfit

     To get the barrels a little thicker at the breech end I applied a number of coats of paint, before applying one over-all. I think I need to add just a bit more to the barrels where they enter the gun shield.
     The white gun in the foreground is the 4-inch AA gun that goes on the bandstand. It's rather basic, only 10 pieces. 🙂 I made it this evening and will paint it tomorrow. Behind it is the main director that sits atop the rear bridge. It still needs radar made and fitted to it.
     The light grey gun to the left is the spare gun from a Hotspur kit. The gun behind it is one of my trials, the gun in the previous post. To thicken that barrel I tried PVA glue, only one coat applied. I think that idea will work with a bit of fine tuning (glue consistency) but I didn't want to risk it on my completed guns this time.
     Well, that's it for now. I've still got quite a bit to do, making DC chutes, torpedo tubes, the light gun outfit, masts, anchors, the funnel grill and a lot of busying up. Thank you for your interest. Stay safe, and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, Thanks for your comments and responses. Just a quick update on HMS Onslow. I've glued on another deckhouse which I believe is the emergency steering position. The stanchions and Carley floats are also glued on, as is the bandstand for the 4-inch HA antiaircraft gun.

Onslw480 tubes and AA gun 1

     I think there is a binnacle and steering wheel mounted on the centre platform and a searchlight behind it. The two outboard tubs contained single 20mm Oerlikons. This area needs to be busied up a bit, plus the two depth charge throwers and reloads are fitted here too. All of this I still have to do.
     The torpedo tubes and 4-inch gun are scratch built and are only dry fitted at present. In the foreground is Airfix's set of torpedo tubes - rather basic. To be fair I think the Cossack kit was one of their earliest kits done about 60 years ago. Some of their other kits, the German Narvik Z28 for example have quite good tubes. In the background and blurred are my attempts to make anchors.
     Well that's it for now. Thank you for your interest. Stay safe and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, here's another quick report on HMS Onslow. I've attached 'A' gun and the fwd shelterdeck, or 'B' gun deck. I usually leave the guns until later but a combination of the blast screen overhang, the size of the gun's breech and the gun's mounting pin prevented me from sliding it under the blast screen, hence it had to go on first.

Onslw500 fwd shelterdeck fitted

     I've also scratch built the anchors and glued them on. They still need painting though. Those white blobs on the foc'sle are the bonnet covers which cover the naval pipes. Naval pipes lead down from the foc'sle deck to the cable (chain) lockers below. I had a go at making the capstans this afternoon but I botched them so I'll have another go at them later.

     Well that's it for now. Stay safe and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, I've been plodding along with the small stuff for HMS Onslow. The funnel is just dry fitted for the photo but all the other structures you see on the model are fixed.

Onslw510 fittings being made

     From bow to stern - I've made and fitted the capstans (cable winches) but I think they're a bit tall so I might have to bonsai them a little. The bridge is glued on, as is the small structure behind it. It's not on my drawings but photos of the ship at about the time I'm portraying her show it. I'm not sure what it is but my guess (and I stress the word 'guess') is a radar office. The director is made but not the radar that goes on top of it. Those little black things on the white sticks are the signaling lamps that will be mounted in the sponsons on either side of the bridge. The funnel needs a grill on top which I haven't made yet and a platform at the rear which I have made. The pompom is done and I'm currently working on the four 20mm Oerlikons. The pedestals and shields of two of them are on the wood blocks in the foreground. The boats, davits and searchlight are painted and nearly ready for fitting. The launch and searchlight came from a HMS Belfast kit and were both modified slightly.
     Most of the depth charge stuff is done but I forgot to include them in the photo, and the heavy guns and torpedo tubes you've already seen. I've still got quite a bit of busying up to do, and then the masts.
     So that's it for now. Thank you for your interest. Stay safe, and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great progress! Agree that small structure is very likely a radar office. Appears on the ship in mid-late 1942 at the same time the bridge oerlikon positions were moved. The structure immediately below it is labelled rdf office on the nmm plans

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Ships doc said:

Appears on the ship in mid-late 1942 at the same time the bridge oerlikon positions were moved.

Gidday @Ships doc, Thanks for your interest. I didn't know about the Oerlikons being moved. Were they moved a little further aft? If so then that explains some discrepancy in drawings and photos I've seen. My drawing has them directly under the signaling lamp sponsons, as do some models of the ship. I mounted mine a little further aft as they appear in some other photos - while they're not very visible in photos taken from abeam the Carley floats mounted on the stantions underneath them gives away their position, and they seem to be a little further aft and closer to the break in the foc'sle deck than my plans indicate. I'd imagine that the signaling lamp sponsons may have masked the firing arcs more when the Oerlikons were mounted directly underneath them. My thoughts anyway.

    Thanks for the tip-off.     Regards, Jeff.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Jeff, I agree - as fitted onslow had twin 0.5in machine guns (very unusual for a destroyer) below the signal lamp bridge wings. These were changed to 20mm oerlikons by Feb 1942. As you say these positions look quite restricted (noticeable when building at 1/96), there were support posts for the bridge wings immediately behind. So I guess they moved them aft for better arcs of fire. This happened mid-late 1942. The Os had a range of AA guns depending on what was available. As you say a few models & plans miss this detail! 

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, time for another update on HMS Onslow. I've made and fitted the funnel grill.

Onslw520 making funnel grill

     I made it off the model by taping the thin rods to wood then a bit of glue at the join. Once the glue was dry I simply laid it onto the funnel then pushed each leg of the star down with a touch of glue. The fore-and-aft leg is always on top. This is because the others under it cause it to be slightly dome-shaped, which in fact the grills usually were. It's made using stretched sprue of about 0.2mm diameter. Any thinner and the glue melts it. I tried another with thinner sprue and PVA glue but it didn't work. Maybe superglue would work but that's for another time. After the photo was taken I trimmed the excess then painted it black. You'll see it later in another post. Most of the photo is blurred because the camera was focused on the funnel grill.
     The hole in the deck near the funnel is for the foremast tripod leg and the two holes near the edge are for the boat davits. These were done before the funnel was glued in and got in the way.

     I've also been busying up the model with vents, lockers etc, starting from aft.

Onslw540 aft gun decks done

     As you can see I've added the depth charge rails and two racks of reloads, rather basic. Those grey drums on the shelterdeck (X gun deck) could be smoke floats. I don't think they're vents. The plan I'm using just shows them as circles. Those rectangular lockers I'm assuming are for RU charges. The shells lay alongside those very low screens. And in case you're wondering - the locker that's a bit skew-if is not an error on my part. The drawing shows it like that. 🙂 That brown 'thing' is a scrambling net I think. There's another on the other side. Again all a bit basic and as usual the close-up photo shows my rough workmanship warts and all.

     Well that's it for now. Thank you for your comments and interest. Stay safe, and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, thanks for your comments and interest. Here's another quick update on HMS Onslow. I've scratch built the four 20mm Oerlikons and two depth charge throwers (actually I did eight throwers, spares). In the background you can see a bit more busying up of the ship, the sharp end this time. Try not to look too closely at my rough workmanship.

Onslw560 20mm, DCs and focsle

     The white Oerlikons will go on the bridge wings obviously and the blue guns on the searchlight platform further aft. Each mounting is rather basic and is of 7 parts. The guns are 3.5mm long and the pedestal is 2mm tall. The twin shield is 2mm wide and 1.5mm high. I painted the Oerlikon's cartridge collection bags brown and the magazine drums light grey. These are interchangeable fittings to the weapons and I wouldn't imagine the crew would be too concerned about colour matching the ammo drums while replacing them during an air attack, hence the neutral colour.
     You can see some additions to the bridge and fittings added to the forward gun decks - vents, lockers etc. I've still got more to do however.
So goodnight all, stay safe and regards, Jeff.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gidday All, I've been doing extra odds and ends for HMS Onslow to busy her up a bit more, and a couple of days ago I made the masts and the radar (type 285 I think) that was mounted on the director.

Onslw570 masts being made

    The peg on the top right contains the main mast, which is a generous description I think. It will be stepped from the searchlight platform and I think was deliberately kept small so as not to mask the firing arcs of the 4-inch AA gun. I think some destroyers may have had it removed completely for that reason.
     The foremast is to the top left, and as you can see has the lookout's crows nest fitted. The other two rods are the foremast tripod legs, and I'm adding base plates to them. These base plates will be trimmed much smaller and rounded.

     You can also see the radar I've added to the director.

 

     A few days ago I was asked on another forum how I get things square. I draw lines on a block of wood with set-squares, tape either the mast or yard to the wood (usually the mast), nick the place I'll be gluing the yard with a very fine file then glue on the other bit. I also often reinforce the join with a little dab of epoxy glue after the styrene cement has done its job. Below is a photo of the radar antennae being made. This will be fixed to the top of the foremast.

Onslw580 making radar antennae

     Please excuse the shadow in the foreground. That often happens when I place the camera very close to the subject.
The main rod is 0.5mm styrene rod and the two antennae are stretched sprue, each 6mm long, about 0.2mm in diameter and attached 2mm apart. I drew lines on the wood (MDF board in this case) and taped the main rod to it. Then I placed a finger-nail at one of the locations where the cross beams will go (the antennae in this case) and ran that fine file a few times across the rod to make a small indent. Then I simply added a dab of glue and placed the antennae across it, made sure it was square with my lines and pushed it down a touch. Then I did the next. Due to the short length of the antennae I simply judged the midpoint but in the case of doing yards that are longer I marked the midpoint.
     That file you see is in fact the finest of a set of gas welding nozzle cleaning rods. They work a treat on soft styrene.

These bits of stretched sprue of 0.2mm diameter are about the finest I can work with. Much thinner and the glue melts them. I tried using PVA glue on very fine styrene but it didn't take. Does anybody know if super-glue (CA glue?) would work on very thin styrene?

     Anyway, I fitted the masts last night plus all the fittings I'd made (guns, torpedo tubes etc) then touched up the paint. So I think I can call this done.

 

So Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present HMS Onslow as I think she appeared on 31st December 1942 at the Battle of the Barents Sea.

HMS Onslow Dec1942 jm4

Thank you all for your responses, comments and interest during the build. I'll post more photos in the RFI section shortly.

     Stay safe, and regards to all, Jeff.

  • Like 2
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...