Author Topic: HMS Illustrious.  (Read 363530 times)

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Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #420 on: 14 May 2017, 15:56:52 »
All repair work completed and she has been kitted out with some of the detail which will be fully installed later.  I now have to kit out all the minor decks and install them in position. once done the main flight deck and hangar deck will be worked on to install.

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #421 on: 15 May 2017, 12:33:40 »
Thanks for the great advice Ron, the plastic primer worked wonders and saved me a lot of heartache. ^^^

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #422 on: 23 May 2017, 19:21:56 »
Made a little more work on the hull and painted all the decks dark green.  Also made up the port side forward deck and installed all the railing.  Just need to install the lighting when I have finished off the running gear setup.

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #423 on: 23 May 2017, 23:13:28 »
I thought I would show how the port deck was constructed within the hull so that it did not take up too much room and would allow the hanger deck to be installed when being shown.

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #424 on: 23 May 2017, 23:22:17 »
Some photos of the outrigger decks having been painted dark green, which was the color she was painted in 1940

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #425 on: 24 May 2017, 17:46:20 »
Starboard forward upper and lower decks now completed with all the work required to encase the decks ready for lighting.  Much the same as Port side, with one exception.  There is a small cabin to the rear of the lower starboard deck.  Was planing to put that in, but found that I could not install and seal the deck with it in place due to lack of space.  So left it out and do not think anyone will notice, just me.

I was wondering how to fit the four large search lights so they could rotate by hand and found the centre of each light base had a recess into which I cut down a 11 mm wood pole and then sanded down till level with the base of the light.  Will bond the wood section to the deck and then place the searchlight onto it.  This will hold it in place and allow for it to be rotated and removed when taking to the lake and shows.

I did the same with the 6 pom pom guns which I am painting at the moment.  Each of them has a circle at the base.  Measure the circumference and then using a compass marked out the circle and then cut with a fretsaw from 3 mm thick marine ply and then using my dremel made 6 perfectly circular mounts to which I can bond to the decks and Island and again they can been seen to rotate and remove for transporting.   

Will post photos later when the guns and search lights are in place.

Offline Troy Tempest

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #426 on: 26 May 2017, 14:56:55 »
I am really enjoying watching progress Paul, she's looking lovely

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #427 on: 28 May 2017, 21:17:27 »
Thanks Troy for your comments glad you're enjoying the build.  She soon be ready for water test for balance and water line check, before I put on the deck and start with the lifts.  Paul

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #428 on: 30 May 2017, 17:51:16 »
The last of the side decks completed and ready to be installed into the hull.  That leaves me the quarter deck and the chain deck to do.  Pom pom's are all painted and ready to be mounted on the finished model.

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #429 on: 05 June 2017, 18:33:39 »
Here is the photo with the above deck installed and all looks well.

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #430 on: 19 June 2017, 19:43:39 »
The forward lift cage has been made and positioned in the hull with the lower deck supports in place to obtain the lift height.

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #431 on: 19 June 2017, 19:50:25 »
First set up for the lift platform which did not work.  I had even gut two slide grooves for the end sections top and bottom of the lift to slide but it was not going to work.

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #432 on: 19 June 2017, 19:58:43 »
So now working on the plan I drew up earlier the only change is I will replace the bolt with a 4mm square center point and attached to it a 100 mm rack which will then be pulled down or pushed up by a pinion attached to a drive motor with top and bottom stops fitted  will post photos when the rack and pinion arrive and has been fitted.   The reason for the change from the 6 mm bolt as in the photos is that the pinion teeth will not mess with the bolt with out jumping.

Offline paul swainson

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #433 on: 23 June 2017, 16:14:20 »
Took Lusty down to the pond and carried out a water line test and make sure there was no water leaks.  She floats fine and the weight I put in is about right as I still have the two 12v 7 amp dry cell batteries to install and the deck with all the aircraft and the island.  If I need any more weight I can install some lead flashing to finisher her off.   Photo of her on the pond to come when I remove them from my phone SD card.

Offline Troy Tempest

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Re: HMS Illustrious.
« Reply #434 on: 26 June 2017, 13:34:43 »
...and suddenly she looks small!  :grin1:
Funny how a model that almost seems to fill your garage suddenly seems to shrink on the water, still she'll be lot larger than most other models that she will meet on the pond when sailing I daresay
I bet that feels like a good stage to have reached Paul?  ^^^