Tom,
very nice and swift progress, you’re doing a fine job overcoming the errors Trumpeter put in. She looks very smart!
Cheers
Jan
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Normally i am not so crazy about fixing errors but this time i just have the perfect references.
Details like missing bulleyes or missing stairs are easy fixable, but hullshape and the height of the bridge spoil the appearance of the ship for me.
The good thing is: researching and finding reference photos is a big part of the fun for me. 
Cheers
Tom
2 Likes
Agreed Tom! Luckily we have good references for these ships available to us
I had a bit of clumsy fingers this week 
I installed the aft superstructure after adding more bulleyes and correcting the doors. There are only 2 doors each side and they are not symmetrical. Its still not 100% correct but acceptable for me.
In the empty space forward of gun “Y” I put two “thingies” made from sprue. They should represent the shell hoists. II assembled one of the kit guns to check this. As the “thingies” could be barely seen I did not care too much how they look, but there is at least something.
I glued the deck on top, but unfortunately the freshly glued superstructure deck slid out of position 
. So i had to cut it off carefully and glued it more carefully again this time.
Then I had the brilliant idea do open up the top of the funnels with my dremel and created some “shotholes”. If you don’t have enough work you can create some for yourself…
While looking over the funnels I found that the steam pipes on the front funnel are not correct (later more about this) and that the end of the forward superstructure on the main deck is not correct. This matters because there should be 2 large stairways which cannot be fitted in the original condition.
It should be also a bit higher. Under it is the galley which probably needed more height for ventilation or hanging stuff.
Next will be the fore funnel and the platform for the AA guns. Then i am at least finished with the main parts and changes and can start with the lovely 3-d printed accessories.
More soon!
Cheers
Tom
5 Likes
Slowly moving forward. Installed the funnel and added 2 steampipes at the aft end of the forward funnel.
The deckhouses between the funnels are quite wrong. There is one bigger one under the middle of the platforms. This is housing boiler room fans and an entrance door to the boiler rooms. Forward of this is a smaller room aft an empty space whe a manual pump is standing
Under the bridge I added the searchlight platfoms. The structure under it is closed at the forward side to offer wind protection the doors into the superstruture and probably the signaldeck.
At the aft end of signal deck you can see the flag lockers.
Bridge stairs and ladders installed (spares). I opened the bridge under the sloped part because there are a window to the chart table and some instruments, not a wall.
Generally I try to add all the plastic parts before I start with the PE and the more simple 3-d printed.
So far for today 
Cheers,
Tom
4 Likes
Looking good. She is coming along nicely.
What year are your building her as? WW2 or pre-war?
@ Mc Runty: Prewar in the Mediterranean with the coloured stripe on “B” gun. Giving her a bit color, as she is otherwise plain gray.
Cheers
Tom
Very nice. That splash of colour will look great.
No spectacular update today. Always take a bit time to compare instructions from White Ensign, Black Cat, Trumpeter and the original plan
I put in most of the original plastic parts and started with some of the PE
I installed all of the ladders and stairs. You can see that there are actually 4 stairways from the main deck to the fo’c’sle deck There should be a passageway leading into the foc’s’sle but i realized it too late (I thougth there is a door) I simulated it with a black square 
The mast is just loose too check the legs clear the stairs.
The platform for the rangefinder and the fire control tower are from Black Cat. Really Nice!. I just shortened the column for the rangefinder a bit. It looked to high for me.
I installed the small gallery on the aft funnel and the aft steering platform from PE parts
Next will be all the nice 3-D printed small ammo boxes.
Cheers
Tom
5 Likes
Excellent progress Tom.
So, it seems that Trumpeter have made another major blunder with this kit (the bow being the other)… The kit that just keeps on giving 
At least we have your trailblazing efforts to point out all the flaws in the kit…
I still think you’re going to end up with an excellent rendition though, thanks to your skills 
Hi Russel
Its not major, you will probably not see it later due to the stairways. I also interpreted the drawings wrong. Most ships I know would have a bulkhead with a watertight door there…
I will list at the end of the blog the corrections I think useful. In the moment I think its actually only 3 bigger ones. The many small things are sometimes just my personal craziness.
Cheers
Tom
2 Likes
'Evening All,
@nd post on this board…with regards to the Trumpeter Tribal kits, apart from the already well documented errors and omissions with this kit, has anyone noticed the angle of the funnels? The after funnel looks to be at a slightly different angle compared to the fore funnel, and I’m thinking they should both be the same angle, as I can’t think of any reason for them not to be. This is also the case with the Iron Shipwright resin kits. Thoughts?
Cheers,
Chris, in Victoria, BC
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@ Chris: I checked the angle on my drawings, they are parallel (and they are on my version). Maybe its an optical illusion because the aft funnel is shorter and thinner?
What I corrected was the hight of the upper bridge because the funnels appear too short in comparison with the bridge. Acc. to my measurements the bridge is abt 2-3 mm to high. It is surprising how much this changes the appearance.
Cheers
Tom
1 Like
Hi Tom,
No question about drawings and their accuracy. When I start my kit, I’ll recheck the funnel angles and confirm. In addition to the other issues about the bow and sheer lines up forward, and German ship’s boats vs 27’ Whalers and 25’ Motor Workboats, and octuple Pom-Pom rather than a Quad Pom-Pom, the Bridge height was also a problem to address.
Your build looks excellent - looking forward to seeing her when she’s finished.
Cheers,
Chris
@ Chris: Wait until i mess up the railing or the rigging, 
Cheers
Tom
1 Like
Hi Tom,
Looking forward to seeing the finished build. Great work so far. Here’s a photo of my build of HMCS SIOUX in 350th scale, using a WEM kit of HMS JANUS as the starting point. This model was for a friend who’s dad served on her during the war. I now have the Atlantic Models kit of HMS VIXEN for my SIOUX build for me.
Cheers,
Chris
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a dream kit! 
Hi Russel,
I’m still going to build it - nothing insurmountable with the kit, and it certainly looks like a Tribal. I’ll be doing one of the late-war RCN ships - probably HAIDA.
Cheers,
Chris
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me too, Chris… Planning on Punjabi as my build. Kit’s in the stash with lots of AM correction sets residing alongside
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@ Chris Real nice conversion 
I was thinking of something similar , making a J-class out of the Tribal, but had no good references and found that there were too many subtle differences and some components i could not obtain easily. If you do HAIDA you will have a perfect reference and there are so many pics on the net which I am using even if she is converted quite a bit.
Maybe to make it clear: The Trumpeter kit is far from unbuildable. Even out of the box it looks like a Tribal and fit is generally very good. I just like my models to be more precise from historical and shipbuilding point. Most corrections are quite simple. You can do much more details then i do if you really want. Don´t get discouraged, just do what you think is necessary.
Cheers
Tom
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