I bought this kit some 15 years ago and, other than gluing the hull together and fitting a propshaft, I hadnt done anything with it since!!!
However, it has been sitting on the bookcase taunting me all this time so now I have decided to do something about it.
Now, this wont be your usual 'run of the mill' converting the plastic Revell kit to r/c project - oh no..... You see, when I bought the original kit, I was quite taken by the idea of using the D J Parkins 'Great Little Ships' range of detail etched brasswork to enhance the model. Pound for pound, I think this range of detail frets is excellent value and should really be contemplated by anyone looking to build this model. If you go the whole hog and buy the complete set, then very little of the original plastic kit is used.
This is the road I intend to take................
An overview of the brass detail sets: (please excuse the photo quality - v difficult to photograph brass in artificial light with a phone camera!!)
It is recommended that you start off with the Deck Fittings Set as all the other sets fit to this:
Bags of whitemetal fittings as a part of the Deck set:
The brasswork of the Deck set:
Type C bridge set:
2 pounder MKVIII gun and bandstand:
4" MKIX breech loading gun:
Hedgehog anti-submarine weapon:
So far - and it isnt much I admit - I have removed the first part of the deck set and started preparing it. This sits on top of the hull edges as opposed to within the hull like the plastic kit:
It will need further support underneath!
Prior to this being fitted, there are a number of stages to go through. The first of which is to transfer the rivet detail from the rear of the part to the front. Very small indentations are etched into the rear face of the brass and to get the impression of the rivets on the deck, a blunt pointed punch is gently pressed into the etched marks. This then produces the rivet head on the front face:
The rear of the sheet showing the etched rivet marks:
The front of the sheet in the same area following the gentle punching of the rivets:
Now I just have to find my brass folding machine as I am going to need it before I can press on!!!
More soon