KiwiKev Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 Every time I open a kit I am tempted to think of what it could be converted to. The 1:600 KGV was no exception, and a photo of one such vessel of that class alongside the Vanguard showed the similarities and got me wondering if a conversion would be possible.There are however a lot of differences, and the Airfix 1:600 KGV model is their best I've seen so far. It looks better in some ways than more recent offerings in larger scales by others, so I didn't really want to chop it up, unless I had at least two of this kit, which I don't.The other option was to scratch build Vanguard in 1:600. Not sure I even started this as a serious project but more of a prototype, so its a bit rushed and rough. The hull is card and balsa and I had hoped the card strips would mimic the hull plating but that didn't work out as good as i hoped. The deck is bare balsa marked up with a fine felt tip pen, another experiment that again wasn't perfect but showed some potential. I think a better result would be possible with a super fine ball-point pen, as the ink would tend to bleed less.Anyway here is the progress so far, based on some very rough drawings gleaned off the net and studying photos of large scale models. I'm sure some of you will be able to pick up some errors already. The forward superstructure was entirely cardboard, and I think next time I would build it in styrene which can be sanded and filed much easier. A few Airfix left-over parts and PE have been thrown in the mix, including B turret from the Airfix Repulse. The idea is that I can display this model eventually with my Airfix 1:600 fleet, that is if I don't give up in disgust first!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Very interesting. More pictures please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKev Posted April 23, 2022 Author Share Posted April 23, 2022 Very interesting. More pictures please!Not much more to show at this stage, although I'm prototyping the 5.25 inch mountings, and the deck houses for the super-imposed ones. Nothing is glued to the hull and I need to go back and add bilge keels, prop shafts and rudder.This shot shows the roughness of the hull, even though it's hull effort #2. I think my fantasy about getting good results with cardboard haven't quite been matched by reality. I think the anchor recesses also turned out too big and too low, but what you can't see is the unclad port side so there's always the opportunity of making a better job of that. If I do, all the photos will end up being from that side, ha ha!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jopres57 Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 Look forward to seeing your final result KiwiKev. I recently saw a short documentary about HMS Vanguard's last voyage to the breakers yard. Externally at least the ship seemed to be in very good condition and it seemed ridiculous that she was being cut up for scrap. It would be good if Airfix could do a model of this historically significant vessel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKev Posted April 25, 2022 Author Share Posted April 25, 2022 Look forward to seeing your final result KiwiKev. I recently saw a short documentary about HMS Vanguard's last voyage to the breakers yard. Externally at least the ship seemed to be in very good condition and it seemed ridiculous that she was being cut up for scrap. It would be good if Airfix could do a model of this historically significant vessel. I think it's a very interesting vessel. Very modern and up to date when completed with an amazing array of radar controlled AA weapons from the 5.25 inch mounts to the sextuple 40mm and 40mm STAAG. But she retained that link to the dreadnoughts of 30 odd years ago as well, with those refurbished 15 inch mounts. Have spent the day doing 5.25 inch mounts for one side. These are a little more involved than the Dido class and KGV mountings, being larger and more angular, but I'm happy with the results. Airfix kind of ran out of puff with their ships, but there are enough kits to do conversions. I'm thinking of turning the Suffolk into an Exeter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 If it's of any help/interest, Look at Life (film series) - Wikipedia (volume 2 disc 2) includes a feature on HMS Vanguard's decommissioning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jopres57 Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 The 'Look at Life' episode is the one I saw Kenneth. It's an interesting series that includes a variety of Military/Aviation/Naval themes. I didn't know it's available on DVD, I usually catch it on the 'Talking Pictures' cable TV channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKev Posted April 28, 2022 Author Share Posted April 28, 2022 Midships and aft superstructure blocks and secondary armament started. Not looking forward to creating 30 odd Carley Floats, but still have the template from the Nelson build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKev Posted May 1, 2022 Author Share Posted May 1, 2022 Work in progress. Second funnel fitted, boats left over from a number of 1:600 Airfix kits dry fitted. The jib cranes to be fitted are going to be 2 based on PE intended the HMS Victorious 1:600. Not perfectly accurate but close enough.The deck fittings will all have to be fully built and painted off the deck as I can't risk painting on the balsa deck. The forward breakwater is taking shape. There's a lot of cleaning up to do as my cutting and gluing precision with cardboard was not as good as I had hoped. I think this will end up looking Ok from a distance but not so great super close up, if you know what I mean!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKev Posted May 10, 2022 Author Share Posted May 10, 2022 First two breakwaters and anchor arrangements fitted. Scratch built forward turrets complete although now I've seen some micro-master offerings I'm tempted to try. Some roughness of the hull is evident and highlights the dangers of working with cardboard. To get a really good consistent finish all joints need to be well supported until the glue dries, which didn't always happen in this rush job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven_kerfoot Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 First two breakwaters and anchor arrangements fitted. Scratch built forward turrets complete although now I've seen some micro-master offerings I'm tempted to try. Some roughness of the hull is evident and highlights the dangers of working with cardboard. To get a really good consistent finish all joints need to be well supported until the glue dries, which didn't always happen in this rush job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven_kerfoot Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 For a long time I've been desperate for a 1/350, 1/400, 1/600 or 1/700 model of HMS Vanguard and it astounds me that no one has yet made one available. The last British battleship, this is a model that is ignored by manufacturers, aside from the very old 1/450 scale Hasegawa kit, which originated with another manufacturer back in the 1960s? I have to say, yours is a vast improvement on that old hulk of a kit, but the opportunity remains for Airfix to produce a 1/350 HMS Vanguard and a HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier in kit form. Nice work though. Oh, about the Vanguard, it was essentially an elongated KGV class, to accommodate an extra turret as well as improvements in living quarters, make the ship less wet with a raised bow, and of course even greater a/a armament, which would have been ideal for use in the Pacific, where it was designed to operate. She was truly a work of art. Thanks for bringing her to mind on a wet Friday afternoon :) Keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 I think the 1:450 scale Vanguard was one of the Frog/Hasegawa co-productions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKev Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 A shot showing the outline of the ship. Makes a very interesting contrast with HMS Hood with approximately the same armament, as the turrets are set much further back from the ends of the ship in Vanguard. There is only one main turret aft in this shot, and that is the borrowed from the 1:600 Repulse kit. Things have moved on since then and the other two main turrets have been completed and the fore deck almost fully detailed. Eight single 40mm Bofors are being built. Once one is fitted either side of B turret, next step will be to fully detail the forward superstructure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKev Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 Fore-deck details almost complete: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKev Posted June 18, 2022 Author Share Posted June 18, 2022 Basically complete, although 3 more single 40 mm Bofors could be added. I like the experiment with a wooden deck, that shows potential. Not so happy with the cardboard hull plating, but with more care better results could be achieved. Main and secondary turrets could be sourced in this scale (1:600) from Micro-masters. I think the next scratch build will revert to mainly plastic and styrene, however this is a cheap alternative if you're on a very tight budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 Looks great! Nicely done..... and to 1:600 too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now