Building HMS Roberts

[Bigkev]

Hi Haddock,

I am sure it will look great. In fact those who are not aware of the problem won't even know its there, it only us modellers who criticise and see our faults rather more than the onlookers.

Keep going matey.

Bigkev   

[Haddock]

Not bothered about the appearance, it's just that there's clay, filler, super-glue and Johnsons up to now, on top of that will be paint and two sorts of acrylic gel,not sure how all these different products will react with each other. I'm doing a dummy run first of course.
Haddock.

[Haddock]

Bet you all thought I'd gone to sleep.
Managed to get some paint sloshed on. Not quite sure about the colours though, here's the story.
     In July 1945,HMS Roberts left Liverpool after a quick refit. As the war in Europe was over, she was despatched to the Indian Ocean to take part in the war against  Japan. With the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima and the surrender of the Japanese,she was no longer needed and was ordered home for paying off, a journey of some 16,000 miles with not a shot fired in anger.
     During the refit, her AA armament was upgraded by the addition of eight 40mm single Bofors, some of the 20mm twin Oerlikons were removed to accommodate this change. This is the weapons fit as provided by Trumpeter, however,Trumpeter would have you believe that with this weapons fit, she would be wearing an Admiralty light disruptive camouflage scheme. With a great deal of help from Tony Wilson, we have discovered that she was painted a very light colour, probably light grey, there is a picture in one of Tony's books that would confirm this. The picture is taken as she was passing through Malta on her way home. There are a couple more shots taken round about the same time and the colour is light grey, so don't argue or you'll be in bother!

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[Bigkev]

Hi Haddock,

Looking good!

I will not argue with you regarding colour, for two reasons..................................

I know that you and Tony Wilson will have pawed through every available reference to check!

The other is, your not as tall as me, whereas Tony Wilson is, so by my reckoning I could get a real good bashing at varying height levels, not something I want to risk!!

Joking apart, a truly great build, enthralling, informative and entertaining, will it be making an appearance soon at the club?

Brilliant stuff,

Bigkev 

[Haddock]

Hello Kevin and anyone else who is watching.
      Probably won't make an appearance till it's complete, don't want to tempt fate. Meanwhile,here's some more, the foredeck is starting to look busy, still more detail to add.
      I have had some problems with paint, I'll put something on the forum a bit later.
                Enjoy, and may the bird of paradise fly up your nose.
Haddock.

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[zak]

Still watching, but babysitting and entertaining duties are still getting in the way of modelling etc.
You have been a busy little engineer haven't you?
Dave

[Haddock]

       Know what you mean about entertaining. we are due to have relations shortly so I have special permission to make hay while the sun shines, cost me a bit in flowers though.
     Apart from problems with paint, it seems to be going well though I had trouble with a gritty finish and airbrush blockages. I've put it down to contaminated paint, my own fault.
      I mixed light grey and white for a very light grey ( AP507C Admiralty light grey ) I added some light grey blue to get rid of the chalky appearance, all mixed in a clean glass bottle. I thinned it for airbrushing ( all were model-air colours ). Initially, it air-brushed beautifully although it was a little too thin for brush painting,  multiple coats worked fine.
     I think what has happened is when the bottle was open for brush painting,a thin skin formed on the surface of the paint, when I shook the bottle again,the skin was broken up and dispersed into the paint. Model-air does dry very quickly.
      I suppose the only way to prove this is to mix two lots, model-air for air-brushing and model-colour for brush painting.
       Or I could just plod on with what I've got and try something different next time. 
     

[Haddock]

         The size of some of these parts is getting beyond a joke, this one is 6mm high, wish I knew what it was. At least I don't have to worry about brush-marks!

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[Haddock]

          Phew! getting that fighting top looking something like was testing, needed a few dry runs before committing to glue. Starting to look more like Roberts now. Still a long way to go. If it's painted, it's stuck in place.
         Need to practice taking decent pictures.
  Haddock.
    something looks wonky on no 4, must be the perspective.

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[zak]

Just keep it all in perspective.

[Haddock]

I would if I knew what it meant, that came from the grand-daughter!

[Haddock]

Here's another mind-bender.............................................that's it fitted!

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[Haddock]

And if that's not enough, here's another instrument of torture.

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[Haddock]

Something a bit bigger for a change.See the difference.

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[Haddock]

I suppose that's not a bad weeks work, my staff probably deserve some praise and a small bonus, not too much though, don't want them getting ideas above their station.
Haddock.

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