I did model quite a lot of stuff way back in the annals of time.
Perhaps nostalgia is making me try again.
So so far I have HMS Sheffield in Port - posted in thread on 1/700 ships.
I sold all my last lot, mostly to the USA.
HMS Fearless too.
Working on HMS Endurance.
From MT Miniatures.
Dodging Icebergs,
Two Wasp Helicopters from Starling Models in attendance.
Great work, I like the Wasps. I remember going onto Fearless along with Tracy and our children when she docked off Scarborough.
Next it will be HMS invincible from Dragon Models, again 1:700 scale.
This is a full hull kit and so I water-lined it.
I used the tape to protect the top part whilst scribing sawing and so on.
No, I am not that fast, this was built during the off time with the website.
No deck vehicles are supplied with the kit, attempt to scratch build the odd forklift truck.
Made from plastic card and some etched brass railings.
What glasses do you have? I'm off to get my eyes tested next week and could do with some like yours if you can work in such a small scale!!!
Amazing or what?
Quote from: cph64 on February 16, 2026, 02:42:35 PMWhat glasses do you have? I'm off to get my eyes tested next week and could do with some like yours if you can work in such a small scale!!!
Just a mark 1 eyeball and I take my glasses off.
Invincible now painted and pin washed, still needs a coat of matt varnish and the sea added. I have just watched a video of them unloading stores on HMS Hermes and so this led to the one delivering stores. Maybe I'll add some crew as well.
I think the radar mast may have had the black painted over, but this is to the kit instructions.
I also have just seen the Harriers being brush painted grey on the way down to the Falkland Islands as well.
Very nice, great work 👍
I ordered this from BNA models in Australia, it arrived in about a week.
This may prove to be my undoing, this looks like a very challenging and intricate kit. but here goes.
This is Orange Hobbies, 1/700 HMS Hermes.
This is a resin lit with lots and I mean lots of etched brass.
The first job will to be removing the pouring lugs left on the hull.
Luckily I bought some new blades for my razor saw whilst at the Elvington Model Show last year,
The last photo shows one side removed, just the other side to do.
Some sanding and filling will be needed round the bow area.
12 pages of detailed exploded views and a plan.
That'll keep you out of trouble. Should look amazing once done.
So hull sanded flat and the holes/bad moulded bits filled.
Lots of nicely moulded resin bits. Perhaps I will reserve judgement, the first bit I am working on is slightly out of register.
Lots of etched brass to deal with.
A great deal of work to keep you out of trouble!
Will look impressive with HMS Invincible alongside
The whole South Atlantic fleet is taking shape.
Great work Dave. I'm always amazed at the detail you get into this scale.
Well, almost 3 hours later and this etched brass is very nice but tiny, I may have to miss off some of the really small bits!!
Madness or what.
I am off for a lie down in a darkened room now.
More brass work, slow going,
Etched brass heaven or is it hell?
Good job I got some new tweezers!
Great work so far with the etched brass. I'm at the point with the Sea Vixen wingfold etch where I also need to lie down in a dark room!!!!
The detail is fantastic.
This is starting to get to me, very very fiddly and I think I may have some parts the wrong way round.
Absolute minefield.
A little more done, I am not putting the wipers on the bridge windows, they are smaller than small!!!!!!
That level of detail is extraordinary. You must have the patience of a saint to tackle all that etch brass.
Well done.
Yes the etched brass work is indeed amazing. Keep going Dave.
Fantastic work, well done.
Sea now added to Endurance and Invincible.
GREAT work - brass is excellent
Quote from: MSea on February 21, 2026, 12:32:50 PMGREAT work - brass is excellent
To be honest, there is too much and it's too small!
The results look good Dave.
Great work 👏 and a thumbs 👍 up from me.
This is very slow progress and extremely frustrating.
The parts are tiny and my hands don't seem to work.
I am finding it difficult to hold the model and add the parts without knocking other bits off.
All in all probably a step too far for me!!!!!!!!!!!
I will persevere and attempt to finish it, although some parts may get left off.
Those parts are definitely minute.
Oh Blimey! You need to be a candidate to be in Honey I shrunk the kids, then things would be much easier to handle.
Super small etch there.
More etched brass and nautical language as well.
Very slow going.
What's in the racks? (great work by the way). First off I thought they were depth charges but zooming in looks like netting or life rafts.
Quote from: cph64 on February 28, 2026, 07:33:45 AMWhat's in the racks? (great work by the way). First off I thought they were depth charges but zooming in looks like netting or life rafts.
Life rafts.
It's not surprising this slow. Great work Dave.
More progress, I am leaving off some of the smaller details, my fingers/hands will not cope with them.
For some reason you only get 2 Harriers and 2 Helicopters in the kit, I will need to add some more.
Here are the bits to make the two Harriers.
It looks like delicate work Dave.
Another carrier wing in the making. The Sea Harriers look very nice.
Here are the Harries and Sea King helicopters, the last photo is of Starling Models Sea Harrier.
They will certainly make the deck look busy.
Looking good. Is that a decal on the rotor blades? I can't be,ieve you painted them.
Quote from: chriswil42 on March 02, 2026, 03:13:56 PMLooking good. Is that a decal on the rotor blades? I can't be,ieve you painted them.
I think it is just the etched brass reflecting the light.
I will be painting them.
Sloshing some paint about.
With all that brass, you probably want to get sloshed yourself! Hahaha
It's looking the part.
Well sloshed
I am having trouble finding this colour.
My brian is struggling - spelling intentional!!!
Quote from: zak on March 05, 2026, 03:21:33 PMI am having trouble finding this colour.
My brian is struggling - spelling intentional!!!
Maybe there is a FS number for it..............Somewhere??
HMS Hermes has had the decals added, a coat of clear and some oil pin washes, A few Sea Kings on the deck.
Just trying to make some deck vehicles.
HMS Coventry in attendance.
Looking very good Dave.
Your navy looking very ship shape indeed.
Could you make a HMS Dragon next, it will be finished before the real one takes sail.
While the sea dries, I have started a kit from Starling Models, this is a 3D printed kit
with etched brass detail.
HMS Glamorgan, a County Class guided missile destroyer.
That looks like an awful amount of etch to tackle.
It is and the 3d bits as well!!!!!
No instructions and advice on how to tackle either.
I used various saws and blades.
A whole multitude of different skills needed then, including dexterity and patience.
This is quite large for a destroyer - see comparison with HMS Coventry.
The size was to accommodate the Sea Slug missile at the rear,
Excocet missiles added to the front.
Good luck with all that etch, but by now you're a master at it.
Quote from: cph64 on March 10, 2026, 01:04:15 PMGood luck with all that etch, but by now you're a master at it.
I still think a lot of it is too small, and if I missed it off, who would notice?
More progress, hampered by some bits missing, I had to make do with what I could.
HMS Hermes, just about complete.
HMS Coventry awaits it's Lynx helicopter.
Nicely done Sir!
Very nice!
More fantastic work. I particularly like the stowed Sea King rotors, great job.
Thanks for the comments, much appreciated.
HMS Coventry with a Sea Lynx in attendance.
Must paint those missiles!!!!
Excellent - looks so real, all I need is the sick bag to counter the motion of the ship :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
Quote from: MSea on March 11, 2026, 10:02:35 AMExcellent - looks so real, all I need is the sick bag to counter the motion of the ship :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
I will bring you one.
Great work Dave.
More etched brass added.
Great attention to detail as usual.
Even more etched brass.
Unfortunately I have made rather a mess of the large radar array.
I wouldn't have known if you hadn't said. You're still far better at it than me, well done.
The assembly is complete, painted in various greys and the a coat of varnish and the transfers applied, still needs a dark oil pin wash and some dry brushing with lighter colour.
Now it is back to scratch building, the Bempton dockyard never stops.
I am going to attempt a build of HMS Atlantic Conveyor. This was a roll on roll off container ship and was converted to carry helicopters and Harriers to The Falklands.
There appears to be a kit available from Japan, but cost vary between £100-150, ouch!
So what cah I lose, how hard can it be.
So having sourced some plans and photos i made a start.
The hull is a balsa block faced with plastic card.
There was a windbreak (I presume at the front and a cargo door at the rear.
The Atlantic Conveyor was one of two roll-on roll-off container ships that were requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence for service in the Falklands War during 1982. England was short of carriers and these ships were converted to handle harriers and helicopters. The ship had it's deck turned into a makeshift flight deck with a row of containers arranged along the sides to provide some shelter for the aircraft. A landing pad on the stern and on the bow allowed for flight operations. The ship embarked eight Sea Harriers, six Harriers GR3s, eight Wessex 5 helicopters and five Chinook helicopters. Below deck in the roll-on roll-off part of the hold were vehicles to support the Falklands invasion.
The ship was rushed into service, but was not supplied with any defensive armament partly due to it's merchant ship status. She sailed south to help retake the Falkland Islands from Argentina. After she arrived the Harriers were flown off to the HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible. On May 25 a pair of Argentine Super Etendard aircraft fired their Exocet missiles at the ships in the British task force. One locked onto one of the Frigates but was diverted from it's target by chaff. The missile then locked onto the Atlantic Conveyor and hit her in the port quarter. A huge fireball erupted from her stern and the ship burned uncontrollably. She was abandoned and the fire reached the bow where more fuel and cluster bombs were stored. When these blew up the bow was blown away and the ship later sank with all but one of her helicopters going down with her.
Twelve men lost their lives including Captain Ian North.
The plans were resized to 1:700 using my printer and then stuck together again.
Glamorgan looks great. Atlantic Conveyor looks like it will keep you busy for a while.
Quote from: cph64 on March 14, 2026, 12:30:57 PMGlamorgan looks great. Atlantic Conveyor looks like it will keep you busy for a while.
Ditto.
I have been so engrossed with the build, I forgot to take many photos, Here is the progress to date.
Excellent
You certainly have a flair for making not often seen models, and this one is another scratch built lesson to us all.
Excellent modelling skills.
Exquisite Dave. Great work!
Where do you get all the etch brass from? Mega stash of accumulated spares or did you buy more?
Quote from: cph64 on March 15, 2026, 04:55:26 PMWhere do you get all the etch brass from? Mega stash of accumulated spares or did you buy more?
From accumulated stash and I bought some from Trumpeter a few years ago.
The containers were made from card, I may try something else as I am not too happy with them.
Trying to get the placement somewhat right!
I have just watched a video about the ship and learnt a lot about what I have got wrong.
Look here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdS-T1GeyKU
Lots of other ship video/information too
Looking great.
Coming along nicely.
The video link was interesting to watch, thanks.
HMS Glamorgan now complete.
In the end I made the containers from square section wood.
Just working on the heli-pads now.
Looking good and I also enjoyed the video.
Looking great Zak.
Atlantic Conveyor finished.
It will be onto her sister ship Atlantic Causeway now.
Lesson were learnt during the Conveyor conversion and the conversion of Causeway was somewhat different.
Looks brilliant, even two chinooks on the heli decks.
Quote from: Bigkev on March 19, 2026, 10:26:14 AMLooks brilliant, even two chinooks on the heli decks.
Thanks for the comment.
Here is the Atlantic Causeway under construction.
Working on the front hangar.
Excellent Dave.
Impressive building work.
More progress on the superstructure, it is removeable at the moment to allow spray painting.
Painting and adding various bits, due to my very unsteady hands some repainting is required.
Looking good Dave.
Great
Nice work Dave.
Always like following your 'themes' as we get to hear some history and facts about whatever your making together with showing some great modelling skills.
Here it is and the two together.
Excellent work Dave.
My next build, if all goes to plan will be the MV Contender Bezant, this was a RoRo container cargo ship taken up from trade (STUFT) and some conversions made for the carrying of aircraft and helicopters.
The ship would also function as a full hospital ship, in the role of Primary Casualty Receiving Ship (PCRS), she was not recognised as a hospital ship, due to her other roles.
Built in Italy be SIEB,
The doors were located on the starboard side, one aft and one forward.
She was later purchased and became RFA Argus (Royal Fleet Auxiliary).
This could be a challenge as the bow was raked with a flare.
She carried two large gantry cranes.
This will be a lot of estimations as I am unable to find any plans, Lots for RFA Argus but none for the Falklands conversion.
Another interesting ship there Dave. You'll soon have the whole fleet.
This is a great theme, I'm learning a lot from following the thread, so thanks.
I suppose the 'flared' bow of this one will bring a further challenge to overcome, but I'm sure you'll find a way.
No doubt you'll do this one justice too. Great models and info.
Quote from: cph64 on March 24, 2026, 05:23:02 PMNo doubt you'll do this one justice too. Great models and info.
I don't know about that Chris, I am finding it more and more difficult to get things square!
More progress on the superstructure.
Quote from: zak on March 25, 2026, 08:53:31 AMQuote from: cph64 on March 24, 2026, 05:23:02 PMNo doubt you'll do this one justice too. Great models and info.
I don't know about that Chris, I am finding it more and more difficult to get things square!
Does your Mk.1 eyeball need rebooting?
Reboot available yoho yoho
It still looks great - soon have more ships than the Royal Navy - sorry you allready have ????
Quote from: Bigkev on March 25, 2026, 07:00:01 PMQuote from: zak on March 25, 2026, 08:53:31 AMQuote from: cph64 on March 24, 2026, 05:23:02 PMNo doubt you'll do this one justice too. Great models and info.
I don't know about that Chris, I am finding it more and more difficult to get things square!
Does your Mk.1 eyeball need rebooting?
I just need some new ones!!!
More progress on the gantry cranes and the on board hangar,
Nice work, will be a very different type of ship once complete.
Painting and so on, a slow process, the hands could be steadier!!
Wow! Fantastic models, Dave. Very impressive.
Jon
While I await the paint drying, I have made a start of scratch building HMS Broadsword.
Mainly from plastic card and the spares box so far.
The Bempton shipyard is on overdrive!
Nice work.
More containers and a few deck vehicles added. More painting and touching uo.
Sea colour added.
Looking good Dave.
Looking good indeed Dave.
While the sea dries, more work scratch building HMS Broadsword.
Bits and pieces used from anywhere and everywhere.
You must have built up a good selection of spares with the amount of 1/700 ships you've put out. Great work so far.
HMs Broadsword, deck and hull/superstructure painted different shades of grey.
HMS Broadsword with HMS Antelope alongside.
Are you going to build the whole fleet Dave?
Both are very nice models.
Looking very good together. Surprising to see the difference in beam of both ships despite being similar in length.
A super collection being created.
Quote from: Bigkev on April 11, 2026, 02:27:16 PMLooking very good together. Surprising to see the difference in beam of both ships despite being similar in length.
A super collection being created.
The type 21 Frigate is shorter by some degree, must be the photo angle.
Type 22 -445 ft, beam -48 ft 5in
Type 21 -384 ft, beam -41ft 8in
HMS Broadsword F88 - type22 frigate and HMS Antelope F170 - type21, now complete.
The top view is for Kevin, to show the relative sizes of the ships.
Quote from: zak on April 12, 2026, 09:17:53 AMHMS Broadsword F88 - type22 frigate and HMS Antelope F170 - type21, now complete.
The top view is for Kevin, to show the relative sizes of the ships.
Famous last words, the helicopter deck needs some markings, whooops!!!!!
All looking great Dave.
This is RFA Blue Rover, a small fleet tanker, designed to replenish ships at sea with fuel, fresh water, limited dry cargo and refrigerated stores
If you fancy a 'What if' there's a kit of a Cold War update of the Yamato in 1/700, but if I remember correctly it's a 3 figure kit!! You could always build something yourself?
Quote from: zak on April 12, 2026, 09:17:53 AMHMS Broadsword F88 - type22 frigate and HMS Antelope F170 - type21, now complete.
The top view is for Kevin, to show the relative sizes of the ships.
Hi Dave,
Thanks for including a shot from above showing both together so I can compare the differences between them.
They look very nice and great additions to your growing fleet.
More random bits of plastic and other stuff added.