Hi there.
Well work has commenced on this,ahem!, Lindberg model of HMS HOOD.
First I have decided that all I want is a reasonably HMS HOOD model to muck about on the pond with this spring and summer. It would be nice if the model were atractive to display when out of the water as well.
I have done quite a bit of on-line research since my posting earlier regarding the irony of the HMS HOOD kit by Lindberg.
Some thing else I found last night that struck me as particlarly Ironic was that HMS HOOD was the *THIRTEENTH* (and last)Battle Cruiser ordered for the Royal Navy.
I have found quite a bit of information online both text and images including 11 *COLOUR* photos of the 1/64 scale 'Builder's Model' which portray HMS HOOD as she was *PLANNED* to be built.
I have decided I will be building this kit as HMS HOOD appeared in the
1920s. The secondary armament and the smaller guns included in the Lindberg kit are more suited to this time period.My model of HMS HOOD is going to be radio controlled. The 2 outside kit props, attached to 1/16 in brass rods, will provide the driving power via direct drive provided by 2 inexpensive electric motors coupled to the shafts. I might add the 2 inboard motos at a later date. I will be constructing them the same as the 2 outboard shafts when I do them.
Because of the 1/64 scale 'Builders Model' images I now know what the
15 inches turrets are supposed to look like. I have reshaped the Lindberg turets to more closely resemble these. I have also made 8 guns for the 15 inches turrets from brass tubing nestled inside each other. Even unpainted they look good. I might make them out of aluminium tubing instead since last night I found photos showing that in the 1920s the 15 inches guns were brightly polished near the muzzles.I have already started the 4 new 15 inches main turret gun mounts. The Lindberg kit as built out-of-the-box would have 'A' and 'Y' turrets sitting flush on the decks. I have found 4 plastic bottles that once had tubes of CA glue in them that are exactly the right diameter. I will be adding some detail to them. I have another plastic bottle that is slightly smaller in diameter and is tapered that I have glued some sand paper on to. I am using this to ream out the holes on the fore- deck and the quarter deck for the 15 inches gun mounts.
I am off to the hobby store later today for some i/16 in brass rod and the tubing that it will fit into so I can start the drive shafts. I think I will get the aluminium tubing for the 15 inches gun barrels too.
I have found enough ships boats that are close enough in size to outfit the boat deck.
All in all it looks like this will be a fun project after all.
I'll be testing the model in the tub and will run it in the pond once the ice covering it has melted.
I am off now to commence scribing the deck planking on the fore deck, the quarter deck and the boat deck. The planks will be about 1/32 in wide in this scale. Not exact perhaps but close enough.
Cheers from Peter