Hood Build - Week 47/51

It's been a while again, I've still been working on the model but parts have taken time and I was not going to rush it, I think the hold up was trying to figure out a way to incorporate metal barrels, instead of jumping in and not thinking I took some time out and had a look around at how other modellers have approached the subject.

I've also got myself a new camera (Fuji T200) which has given some excellent results, it's only a small compact but it does have some manual setting and as I workout what they do I can hopefully better my pictures and quality.

What about the live stream the other day at 2844metres down in the Denmark Straight, that was fascinating, for those not aware there is a expedition to recover HMS Hood's bell, located in the debris field of the stern area, the last footage I've see was the ROV come within 10cm of the bell with superstructure overhanging, unfortunately they had to abandon the dive due to bad weather, I hear it starts again on 28th.

To start things off I wanted to cover myself with a small card template of the area that will hopefully soon sit the decking, I was holding off adding the quarterdeck sides due to this problem - lack of room to work. So after a few attempts to get the correct shape I now have a template both Starboard and Port that I can use to help cut/trim if needed the decking to be added. The centre image shows the thickness of the card I used, just in case anyone wants to know.

(top left) I've taken some time to carefully check to make sure this part was flat and even before gluing, again take your time to get everything ready to hold it in place as the glue sets. (top right) adding the small angle piece  this picture shows all the levels of planking so far, Ive got no idea how they (Hatchette) will work this, but what I do know is that the piece needs to be fitted at some point..might as well be now. (bottom left) A small scrap (good quality) piece of wood laid across the part glued and the previously built section to make sure they are even at the top, another scrap of wood held in place with a pin to push the lower part in while it dries. (bottom right) Before the glue dries carefully take the whole deck section of and check the small piece has glued properly.

(top left) Finishing off the other side of the model, again scrap wood to prevent movement. (top right) Now starting to add the brass P/E material, after spending time to be 100% sure I know where this part lies, nothing will be covering this part up so I have to get it 100% spot on. (bottom left) The other side panel (with Hood's name on it) is positioned and checked before gluing, just as a point of interest I decided to add some of the card underneath this brass section to lift it a little, why? I felt once the decking comes the door will be far too close to the printed deck..my personal choice. (bottom right) Again I decided as I was working on these brass panels I wanted to finish this area now rather than wait to be told too, the brass has been available for some time and it is obvious where it goes, a little trimming and it sit nice a snug, again my choice to do this now.

(top left) With this brass end plate I noticed the wood it sits on was not completely flat, so I added some tape just to lift it outwards. (top right) A side on shot and you can see what I mean. (bottom left) Now these are the jobs a like doing the most on models, adding things that are not on the 'out of the box' model. On most if not all the models I've seen (except this one) in the location shown by the red circle there is from 1920 up till 1940 (please correct me if I'm wrong) a vent, have a look around and you'll see what I mean. But after one of her later refits this was covered, I noticed it more on the colour footage, after doing some research I discovered it was covered what I though was a simple flat piece, but most of the pictures I've seen there is a shadow, on looking closer I have interpreted it as the picture shows. Nothing is glued yet but I am more than happy with it. Notice one end is open and facing towards the stern. (bottom right) A top view showing what I though was just a flat piece added here.

(top left) This picture taken in September 1940 shows circled that vent cover. (top right) The colour footage again shows the cover, notice the shadow. (bottom left) Taken in March 1941, a big thanks to the Hood Association for allowing me to use this picture. (bottom right) My attempt at this cover, again not glued in position. I have searched the copyright owners for some of these pictures but unable to find anything, please contact me if you are the copyright owner and I will amend them.

(top right) So this is how I did the covers, using some litho plate I marked 2 square's. (top right) with some care cut these out with the addition of two side and a back, using the P/E bending pliers shape them. (bottom left) After shaped I decided to add a small scrap of wood inside it so the glue has something to stick to on the brass panel. (bottom right) As you can see it's small...they are slippery little bugger's.

(top left) Now on the the 'big guns', a surprise to some that we have these turrets so early but it does give us a break from planking the hull. A top and a bottom plastic turret with some nice P/E. (top right) Laying the turret on top of the plans, seems about right too me. (bottom left) Some time ago I got hold of some metal barrels, they cost a few quid but let's face who thought a part-works series would supply anything other than plastic? I think a wise investment. (bottom right) A nice load of plastic addition to be getting on with.

(top right) I wanted to see how the 'plastic barrels' went together to give me a comparison of size against the metal ones. using a cocktails stick sand the muzzle. (top right) With the same cocktail stick offer the muzzle up to the main barrel. (bottom left) And here we go..plastic vs metal...no contest for me. (bottom right) Now this part took me the longest, to come up with an idea not only to hold both barrels the correct distance apart but how to attach them to the main turret...I used a small drill bit and made to holes in a scrap piece of wood and stuck the barrels in, they stayed in and seemed quite tight without glue. After comparing both the McKay plans and the Morskie plans I managed to drill the holes in another piece of wood to give me the correct distance apart.

(top left) Now working on how to add these barrels to the turret, or in this case the base of the turret, After taking of some plastic I found this could give me some working space to build up and lay the wood & barrels to give me a good angle. (top right) I simply played around with various thickness of wood to find something that was right, no measuring was done in the making of this modification, just trial and error. (bottom left) My barrels and its wood housing laid over the Morskie plans, they were in fact identical to the McKay plans, so for ease I used Morskie.  (bottom right) Now by laying and pressing down the barrels rise to the angle shown in the picture, to say i was happy was an understatement..BUT..after leaving it for a while and coming back i felt the barrels were to low down on the base, they needed to go up a little more.

(top left) Again I didn't like the very small lip that was on the main turret top that would sit the base, too small and once glued if your working on it my heavy hands would push it through, so I added some scrap wood all the way around, this give the base something more to adhere to. (top right) All metal barrels secured in wood with the correct distance between. (bottom left) By adding the turret top (dry fitted) you can see what I mean about being too low, not much but too low. (bottom right) This was my first attempt and holding the barrels at the correct angle..Green Stuff, I'm sure most of you have heard of this, you mix up yellow and blue to make green, the more blue the harder it goes, the more yellow the more time you have to work with it and it is also softer to work with. I used 50/50 here.

(top left) Both turret tops with wood surrounds completed. (top right) Another go at raising the wood by adding a small section in the middle seemed to have done the trick. (bottom left) Barrels laid in top of the wood and 'GS' (Green Stuff) moulded around with some wood to keep position. (bottom right) The finished turret, I think that's about right to my eyes, the range finder is added to the top un-glued at this stage, the more I keep off the turret while I work on these barrels the better, leave the 'GS' for 24 hours to completely cure.

(top left) The range finders seem to match the plans ok. (top right) Once again some modifications, opening up the view finders here, I'm not going to attempt anything other than what you see, if I made a mess it's a big job to correct, so this will do, start with a small drill and progress to a bigger one.
(bottom left & right) After drilling the holes in the main turret I squared out the middle one ok, but the two on either side were a problem, so I drilled a hole bigger than I needed and made a 'plug' out of a cocktail stick and used some 'Milliput' to stuff in the hole and use the 'plug' to create the square's you see, leave it overnight and lightly sand to clean it up.

(top left) Back onto the barrels, everything is ready, both sets of barrels are cured with some generous amounts of 'GS' and turrets are ready. (top right) After gluing the turret base to top there was some touching up to do, the join needs some 'Milliput' (bottom left) And after filling a light sand. (bottom right) I checked the base and filled the small gaps, this wont really be seen but as I still had some 'Milliput' I used some.

(top left) This is my first attempt and using 'GS' let alone creating a canvass blast bag on a large scale warship model...no pressure eh! I'm sure there are folk out there that can sculpt anything but for me I found this HARD to get the shape I wanted, I started with some 'GS around the barrels first and added the top and bottom bits. (top right) As it was drying after a few hours I went back and started to mould the canvas 'wrinkles', keeping the sculpting tool wet. At first I was happy..ish, In the back of my mind was there is too much 'GS' (bottom left) I decided to lay some thin paint to get rid of the green colour and see how it looked, ok! (bottom right) Onto the next one..Arghhhh!!! for some reason I couldn't match what I had on the first one, right so think about it...I walked away and had a beer. I started to sculpt the canvas creases on the second turret and noticed it looked better, a lot less 'GS' than the first, at a distance they both looked superb, but this is my ship and I wont be looking 'at a distance' I slept on it.

(top left) After 24hours I looked again and decided..nope, take 'em off, didnt like it, in fact what needs to happen is 2 things, first is wait until all 4 turrets are ready for blast bags so I can do them at the same time, and second use a lot less 'GS'
(top right, bottom left, bottom right & centre) With all the books I have I sat and flicked through them to find what I think are the best representation of Hood's blast bags, notice how there is in fact not a massive amount of canvas and the creases/wrinkles change depending at what angle the barrels are. So with this in mind I will wait until all 4 turrets and barrels are complete before going for it again, I think 'GS' works well, just that I need to practice a bit more.

(top left) a front shot of the completed 'Admirals quarters' looks good eh! (top right) I'm glad I did the template for the decking, if the decking needs trimming then I wont have to go anywhere near the P/E, just use the template. (bottom left) final shot of the Admirals quarters before more work begins with the doors and vents, oh don't forget we do have the window shutters. (bottom right) work still to do.