The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

Drill into the centres of those pesky circles you don't want on the wooden deck area ... Fit a small wire bent to a circular eyelet shape and they become depressed tie down points.

As for paint colours the green/grey on bottom photo looks pleasing and contrasts with oxide red on sides. I would use that for a scheme if it were me...

Green certainly makes more 'real-life' sense - would buff make a good complementary colour for that though?

I could rename it the Howard's tanker

Agree, if I went with green or green/grey then I'd stick with the black sides, both hull and deck structure.

The hull halves have been solidly glued, with a reinforcing strip down the center. I have to sand the seam yet, then test fit all the decks.



I also glued some tabs into the bridge deck top-piece that forces the two pieces to stay in position. This will help when I have to do that and clean up the seam. I think I will paint the wood poop deck, seal it, let it dry then cover with tape before I start gluing the two together. The tape will protect the deck during all that and while painting the cabins themselves.

Cool stuff, I love ship builds

Wonderful work,really enjoying it.

Here we are ....



The main cabin has been glued, here it is drying. You can probably see the join line running through the portholes. It did not go easily. I have since run some white putty along the join and will start sanding it all flat tomorrow. All the portholes need to be rounded also. This isn't easy ... or did I say that already ...

In the background you can see the assembled hull, and if you try hard, a coat of red on the lower hull. Next is to paint the black sides and the white bulwarks, etc. I cannot find my waterline drawing tool and had to jury rig one. Most of the hull is OK, but the part under the stern has some extreme curvature and I will need to correct the red by adjusting the black a bit ....

Making the joint go through the portholes is a stupid design. What the heck were they thinking?

The Revell USS Montrose I built recently was the same. Easier to tool it that way than moulding the portholes complete; that would require each side to be moulded separately.

Still a PITA though!

Incidentally, where did you get those clamps John? They look very useful!

Which clamps, the light-blue or the dark-blue/yellow ?
The light blue came from Micro-Mark, there are several sizes, but they are not as handy as they look.
The others are Irwin from a DIY shop. The clamps are padded to prevent damage and they pivot a bit to be useful on curved surfaces. I have all sorts of sizes from smaller than shown to huge for and use them for modeling and home projects.

It was the light blue ones I liked the look of; a plastic 'F' Clamp equivalent.
I have some of the Irwin ones myself, for modelling and cabinet making

They aren't particularly gentle and not much use on other than a flat square surface.
I do use them, but ...

The subject of clamps could be a whole thread on it's own .......or possibly an entire forum section

You're doing a great job with the assembly on this kit John. Getting it right at this stage will make all the difference. Shame about the seam running through the portholes but things like this are a feature of old kits. Its part of their charm

Coming along well, John. The photo that I posted was of a model built by Peter Hall, who did all the etched frets for White Ensign. He has his own range out these days. Atlantic Models.

Etched set.
http://atlanticmodels.net/photo-etched% ... cales.html;

http://atlanticmodels.net/index.html;

Looking good. A bit reminiscent of the Banner USS Arizona.