It has been quite a while since I posted an update on this build, I have been tinkering with it on and off, the Corvettes have been keeping busy and a couple of Fleet Air Arm projects. Finally finished adding the plethora of small parts to X Gundeck, X turret has been added along with the railings..
There has been a bit of a hiatus at my bench, family stuff has got in the way, I won’t bore you you with all that suffice to say it did cause a loss of modelling mojo, it is starting to come back, I have a small progress on the Naiad, a few photos might follow in the next week or so.
Finally have got the masts up, the main structural parts of the masts quite finely moulded. I was very tempted to replace the mast and tripod legs with brass rod, in the end used the kit parts. This is just my opinion, the etch was a little disappointing, the type 281 radar aerials were a little basic, and the starfish rigging supports for the topmasts were not the easiest to fold into shape, and very fragile. I end up cutting up some left over bits of etch from the Langley to make new ones.
Wow Si, how have I missed your build, looking good, just ordered the HMS Argonaut as a birthday present to myself. Ok time to go back and check out all your posts to see if you point out any pitfalls with the kit.
Oh also got HMS Colombo coming.
Russ I wish some one would do a new tool KGV with the differences between PoW, KGV, DoY, Anson and Howe covered (different after conning stations, directors, AA fit and boat decks to name a few) the Tamiya ones are showing their age.
It is an interesting build, park benches and all, when I can get hold of some better 281 aerials I might replace the kit ones. another rummage in the spare etched box.
Thanks for looking in. Most of it is a very nice build. there are one or two, but nothing major. The Colombo is a nice kit, I have one sat on my shelf. I think the Calcutta is good value, I have built as second ship based on the same, HMS Cairo, not a big job, just a bit latter fit, MkIII HACS, the quad 0.5" gone replaced with single 20mm and a few others.
I’ll have a look into the sister ships of Colombo as i need to do a Blackcat order anyway. I pulled my 1/350 Iron Shipwrights resin HMS Ajax out of the stash, most of the smaller detail needs a helping hand so the smaller including the 4" armament will get replaced.
Should have a bench/dry dock back in action by next month, until then it’s a coffee table.
I gotta say Si, RN Radar fit outs make for some of the most delicate and frustrating PE/Brass model making I’ve ever experienced… I’m paranoid about anyone going near my KGV for just this reason alone…
Kudos Sir on a job well done on yours! Looking great and can’t wait to see more!
Thankfully there’s PONTOS that provide all the AM fit outs for all the ships of the class…
I’m wary of anyone re-kitting the class… I could just imagine if some of the “B” teams of a certain brand got hold of it made it awful like a certain destroyer class…
Think I’d rather stick with the Tamiya tooling and PONTOS and instead of a new tool KGV class, how about some more RN flat tops in 1/350… EG Illustrious class from WW2
Thanks for looking in, I agree some of the RN aerials are a right pain, some of the USN radars can be tricky too in etch, we are seeing more of those 3D printed.
Not much more to do on the Naiad, I will get her finished in the not to distant future. I will be looking at get something new started, something small. Naiad has been mostly a very enjoyable build on the whole.
An up to date tooling of the KGVs is long overdue, and as you say covering the entire class. Anson or Howe in late war fit when they were part of the British Pacific Fleet, that is two I would really like, the other three would be welcome too. (as long as it accurate.
The often overlooked sisters Anson and Howe have long been subjects I’d like to build. These drawing show some of the differences between the sisters. If I remember correctly Anson and Howe also had different HA directors compared to the first three ships.
Si
