Model cobber Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 (edited) Here is my partially completed model of the Airfix High Speed Launch, depicting HSL 128 at Malta in 1942. The model has been on the Shelf Of Procrastination for several years, but its back on the go now. It's slow going, so I thought I would put it in Work in Progress. I've never done a WIP before, so...bit scary. All the modifications to the kit are based on photos of the actual launch. The red cross and yellow doped deck was added by the crew after HSL 128 and sister launch HSL 129 were attacked by enemy aircraft. I need to tidy up the red cross. There are some firsts for me here- using epoxy to sculpt, and tapering and soldering brass. Other modifications: Foot rails scratch built Brass masts Blocks added for scramble nets New foot rails on cabin roof from Evergreen strips Windlass detailed with plastic New splinter matts to conform to the matts shown in photos of HSL 128 and give the characteristic droop. Made from Milliput New handrails from plastic rod and strip Forward turret modified without Perspex, but with some sort on windshield- presumably canvas. The Perspex was was removed from the forward turret, with some sources saying it was damaged by enemy attack No weathering yet Brass masts Blocks added for scramble nets New splinter matts to conform to cabin New Handrails Droopy side splinter matts More splinter matts Front cupola without Perspex Edited January 19, 2023 by Model cobber Clarification 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitriy1967 Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Beautiful work! Is it 1/72 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 Yes, it's the Airfix 1/72 RAF Air Sea Rescue Launch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 I also carefully cut off the mushroom vents at deck level, drilled new holes in the deck at the same spots and replaced the vents into the holes, making them shorter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bissyboat Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Smart looking vessel with the yellow deck. ⚓👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted January 23, 2023 Author Share Posted January 23, 2023 Turret depression rails/guard rails bent into shape and soldered. My first ever attempt at soldering. I still have to clean them up- I'm not the neatest solderer! Two sets of rails. One set for HSL 128 and one set for HSL 127 which is also WIP. I'm doing two models at once. First photo- the rear turret rails. As per the shape of the plastic part in the kit: Second photo- the front turret rails: These are not symmetrical. A close look at various photos of HSLs shows that the front rails were highest off to the starboard side, not directly in front. This is presumably to prevent the guns doing injury to the skipper in the conning hatch, whereas it was probably ok, even desirable, to be able to shoot straight ahead. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrzeM Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 Super cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bissyboat Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Nice job soldering the gun turret rails. ⚓👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted February 1, 2023 Author Share Posted February 1, 2023 Thanks for the nice feedback. Next time I'll use a smaller solder tip and hopefully spread less solder around. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foeth Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 I use DCC concept's flux (and their solder without rosin, both available in Australia) and that really helps letting the solder flow nicely. I add a drop by brush on the brass, put a bead of solder on the joint and add heat. Smaller tips do no necessarily help here, sometimes a larger tip helps heating up the material quicker. Also, I do not use a cleaning sponge as this caused tip burn and then no amount of flux will help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robgizlu Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 That is hugely impressive and sets a standard for this build - well done for the rails I attempted to build a jig to form but got nowehere near as close as you. So far - it's the best effort I've seen and kuds for your scamble net holdrs that look the Bizz. If I have one small critiicism and I feel unworthy stating it, given the standard of modelling, is that the splinter mats are slightly too deep. Keep it coming Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Gunthwaite Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Great work. Hope these are useful. I was over at the Yorkshire air museum at Elvington a couple of weeks ago and made a bee-line for the air gunners hut to photo the Armstrong Whitworth turret. So having just signed up to Flickr and sorted how to upload... Cheers Al 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 15 hours ago, robgizlu said: That is hugely impressive and sets a standard for this build - well done for the rails I attempted to build a jig to form but got nowehere near as close as you. So far - it's the best effort I've seen and kuds for your scamble net holdrs that look the Bizz. If I have one small critiicism and I feel unworthy stating it, given the standard of modelling, is that the splinter mats are slightly too deep. Keep it coming Rob Hi Rob Thanks for the comments. I agree, some of the mats are to deep. My first attempts at sculpting. I think I'll have another try at a couple. All part of the learning experience. MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 2 hours ago, Al Gunthwaite said: Great work. Hope these are useful. I was over at the Yorkshire air museum at Elvington a couple of weeks ago and made a bee-line for the air gunners hut to photo the Armstrong Whitworth turret. So having just signed up to Flickr and sorted how to upload... Cheers Al Hi Al Thanks, that will certainly help. MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted March 2, 2023 Author Share Posted March 2, 2023 (edited) First attempt at brass mast filed to shape and soldered. Not all that happy with it. I might try again. Edited March 2, 2023 by Model cobber corrected spelling 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 Gidday @Model cobber, from what I see here, I'd be happy with it. But ultimately it's you that has to be happy. 🙂 Regards, Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robgizlu Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 55 minutes ago, ArnoldAmbrose said: Gidday @Model cobber, from what I see here, I'd be happy with it. But ultimately it's you that has to be happy. 🙂 Regards, Jeff. I'm with Jeff Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted March 8, 2023 Author Share Posted March 8, 2023 Hi Geoff and Rob Thanks for the positive comments. I'm probably being too critical of myself. The solder is a bit blobby and I scratched the brass a bit trying to clean it up. It would be ok, but I've had another try and made two more masts. I am happier with these. The solder is neater, and I've rounded the ends of the yardarm better. All part of the learning experience. This gives me two masts for the current projects, and one more for HSL 177, if I ever get round to it. MC 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 19 minutes ago, Model cobber said: All part of the learning experience. 👍 And yeah, they do look good. Regards, Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted March 10, 2023 Author Share Posted March 10, 2023 Rear turret cupola modified to take twin Vickers K guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted May 23, 2023 Author Share Posted May 23, 2023 Well, life has been busy! I've just got back to the modelling projects. When I went to attach the depression rails to the turret bases, I felt that they were just too wide, even though I had based them on the plastic rails from the kit. So...out with the soldering iron again. Here are the new, smaller rails, the front rail attached to the turret base with epoxy and a bit of super glue. The rear rail is in the process of being attached. Also I sanded back a bit of primer on the cabin, so I could glue a representation of the join between the two halves of the hatch, and the hinges to same, both from Evergreen strip. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model cobber Posted May 23, 2023 Author Share Posted May 23, 2023 The front turret rail is not symmetrical, fore and aft. It is highest off to one side at the front, where it can presumably protect the skipper's conning position. Here is the rear turret rail, held in position with plastic strip and blue tac for gluing. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-boat 55 Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 Nice work on upgrades to the rails etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacca Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 Only just caught up with this. Nice work. Your comment that intrigued me though was this: On 18/01/2023 at 22:30, Model cobber said: The red cross and yellow doped deck was added by the crew after HSL 128 and sister launch HSL 129 were attacked by enemy aircraft. I wondered what was going through their minds when they did that. Were they trying to portray themselves as a Hospital Sip? To be granted such protection under the Geneva Convention, the ship has to be painted overall white with red crosses and crucially have no armament on board. To me it looks more like an "aim here" marker! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 The depression rails look so good that you will now have to replace that little mast and its lantern. But I bet you were already planning that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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