BUILDING HMS DARING, TYPE 45 DESTROYER,

[Haddock]

Here's the next project. I picked the kit up at Telford at a very attractive price, I don't think it's the most attractive or interesting looking ship but I suppose it should be in a collection of warships for completeness.
I've got the Trumpeter version which is differently engineered than the Airfix offering, according to Peter Hall, their both pretty accurate. IJN Mikasa ain't finished yet but I'm on with the sea which is a slow process so I can make a start on this one. The small picture shows the hangar and one of the boat-decks open.
More info to come later 

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[zak]

As always I look forward to seeing your progress.

[Kiteman]

The start of another masterpiece.

[Haddock]

        Progress to date folks. This is going to be a "quick build" so I aren't faffing around detailing the hangar and R.I.B. bays. There's more detail than I thought there would be but it's not too bad to fit, just time consuming. All the brass you can see comes with the kit so it could be that there was no need for the Atlantic Models set, although some of it is nicer than the Trumpeter stuff so I'll probably use it for railings, ladders and safety nets just cos I've got it. The first three shots show the main sub-assemblies, the second three give some idea as to what it could look like when complete, lots more stuff to go on yet.
Haddock. 

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[zak]

Keeping busy I see.

[OLVAR]

Great build!

[Kiteman]

Very clean work, a pleasure to see.

[Wizzel]

There looks to be a thin white stripe right at the bottom of the hull - is that a shim of plastic card you cut and sit the thing on for when you build the sea? 

[Haddock]

Something like that. I don't always do it but in this case I've added it after water-lining the hull to stiffen everything up, it's quite fragile without the plate added. It also helps to keep the hull flat if added with the hull clamped to something flat. The secret is to make sure the cut is in the right place, if the hull bends when the lower part is removed, this usually corrects the problem. I do have another method when I need to get inside the hull to add stuff like rigging. Hope this all makes sense.
Haddock.

[Haddock]

Bit more progress folks, some paint sloshed on.
Haddock.

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[Haddock]

I'm having trouble deciding which surfaces should be painted "deck colour" which should be "hull colour" and which should be black, I know Trumpeter's instructions are wrong.
I found a picture on an official MOD website. the pictures are in high definition so you can download free and blow them up with no loss of detail. Here is one picture blown up twice. As you can see, the detail is fantastic.
Haddock.

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[zak]

Great stuff, sloshing paint eh?

[Haddock]

It's supposed to be therapeutic but I sometimes wonder.

[zak]

Becomes more of a job than a hobby sometimes I think.

[Haddock]

No gain without pain!