Steve's Models

[Sailor Steve]

Black hulls started. In the course of their careers they received different paint schemes, but always the same white, black and buff. I decided to paint them to represent all the different versions. Some will have the original black hulls, white sides and guns. Some will have black upper sides, barbettes and guns, and at least one will be in between, with the black extending halfway up the superstructure, covering the barbettes but not the guns. In addition I modified Anson to have the larger signal mast forward, which I don't see on any photos of the other ships.

So far the initial black is on. Still to be done are the wood decks, buff funnels and masts, the water and some touch-up work.

[Sailor Steve]

Painting's all done. I still have to do the water, labels, and flags.

[Sailor Steve]

The 'Admiral' class barbette ships.

Line Abreast.


Side view of Collingwood.


Line Astern.


HMS Collingwood, as she appeared shortly after completion, July 1887. Four 12" guns.


HMS Benbow, June 1888. Two 16.25" guns. As she appeared mid-career, about 1895.


HMS Rodney, June 1888. Four 13.5" guns. Also about 1895.


HMS Anson, May 1889. Four 13.5" guns. As she appeared late in her career, about 1899, with enlarged signal mast.


HMS Camperdown, July 1889. Four 13.5" guns. As she appeared early in her career.


HMS Howe, July 1889. Four 13.5" guns. Also early on.

[Jimbuna]

Very nice....best wishes to the admiral

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

The 'Admiral' class barbette ships.





HMS Rodney, June 1888. Four 13.5" guns. Also about 1895.

really absolutely lovely details! seems a trifle short of lifeboats (6-8) though?
HMS RODNEY (enlarges) Keepin' it small here! Footnote to sneaky planning: She was a development of the design of Collingwood, but carried 13.5-inch (342.9 mm) calibre main armament as against 12-inch (304.8 mm) in the earlier ship. This necessitated an increase of some 800 tons in displacement, and an increase of some 18 inches (46 cm) in draught. This in turn produced a significant increase in the immersion of the armour belt, which was further increased when the coal bunkers were full. While this meant that under full-load condition the top of the belt approached the water-line, the view was taken that combat with a heavily armed enemy was very unlikely in the immediate vicinity of a British port, and steaming to a more distant potential battleground would use enough fuel to reduce the draught and bring the top of the belt well above water. Given that hopeful thinking, those life boats were important!

[Sailor Steve]

Next project: A Nieuport 12. The 12 was a development of the 10, with a 110hp Clerget engine and a longer upper wing. It is recognizable by the V-strut, which is vertical on the 10 and sloped outward on the 12. The N.12 was never built in a single-seat version, the plane being so much more powerful that the two-seat 12 outperformed the single-seat version of the 10. Originally meant to be a well-armed reconnaissance plane, the 12 ended up serving as a two-seat fighter.




There was a resin kit made for awhile, but examples are hard to find and quite expensive. I found a pair of them for a fairly good price and ordered them back in May. A month later I sent an email enquiring about them, and the supplier said he would look into it. I sent him a couple more emails and never heard back. A couple of months ago Jim called him for me, and the guy talked about supply and delivery problems related to the current immigrant crisis. He said he'd do what he could, and let me know one way or the other. I still haven't heard from him. I already had one of the old vacuform kits and managed to find another. I've pretty much given up on the resin kits, or of ever getting my money back.

Sometimes life just happens.

[Sailor Steve]

Well, after a month of travelling trip troubles, working on my ship game, doing new research and studying the airplane in question, I finally got back to the Nieuport 12. I had previously cut out all the interior pieces. Yesterday I sanded them down and put them together. Today they got painted.

[Sailor Steve]

Some more delays, but I finally got some work done. I originally bought two N.12 vac kits years ago. I converted one to a Nieuport 10, and planned to build the second as a 12. Along the way I sort of scratch-built a single seat 10 for a friend, and borrowed the fuselage of the second kit to make it easier. Not so long ago I bought the two plastic kits for my N.10 project, and rebuilt my original 10 for a later version.

I recently bought a third vac kit in order to make an early and a late model N.12. Since the older kit is missing the fuselage I needed to scratch-build a second one. The picture I posted earlier was of the interior of the kit body with interior installed. Once I had that together I had to use it for a guide to cut sheet plastic to make the second body. That is partially assembled around the interior.

[Sailor Steve]

Another ten days gone by, andI finally have the second fuselage together. Now it can go back in the box and wait however many months it takes for me to get back to it.

[Sailor Steve]

Tailplanes and lower wings installed.

[Sailor Steve]

Another two weeks of delays, or just not bothering. In two months I've done maybe ten hours of work. I was seriously considering setting it aside for real and starting something new. Today I made a small effort and finally got the landing gear installed.

[Sailor Steve]

Upper wing halves cut out, sanded and glued together.



The early versions of the N.12 had windows in the upper wing center section to aid the pilot's view. The original kits had a clear plastic piece with the windows molded in, but I've long since managed to lose both of them. The new kit I bought didn't have it. After all these years they were probably yellowed anyway. This means I'm going to have to attempt to make it myself. We'll see how it goes.

[Sailor Steve]

My original plan was to cut a section out of the center of the wing and add framing, but the best photographs I have show that most of them had the fabric removed from the entire center and covered with a clear material. I ended up cutting away the entire center and building the framing for the whole section. The main spars are plastic with all the smaller frames and ribs being thin brass wire.

[Sailor Steve]

Yesterday was spent tearing apart and rebuilding the open framing, because it was too wide. I couldn't just narrow it, because then the top wing would be too short. I had to move the two outer wires closer and add thin plastic inserts to close up the gap so the cabanes would fit.

Today the cabanes went in and the first test coat of paint. The 'French Yellow' is just a little too dark, so after the finish sanding is done the second coat will be lighter. The upper surfaces will be camouflaged anyway, so it doesn't matter too much, but for future use I want it a tad lighter.

[Aktungbby]

Wow! new one for me; what was the 'clear' material?