Topic: Oliver's HMS Kelly

[hotjava]

Hi,

Hope everyone is well.  Here are more construction photos of the bridge of HMS Kelly.

The walls of the search light platforms are made with 0.5mm sheet styrene and the little support strips ( I don't know what they are called ) were cut from 1.09mm x 2.29mm strips ( HO Scale 4x8 ).   


Based on the location found on the plans and the Langtree book, the support strips were glued in place. 


All the support strips nicely in place.  They'll be covered with 0.5mm sheet styrene.


Here's the bridge with the deck.  Notice that the bridge has two support rails where the deck will glue in place.  The top of the deck is raised with a PE walkway.  This is a best guess from the limited references that I had.


More PE for the raised light sight.


Here are all the platforms and the PE in place.


Adding little details to the front of the deck.  Much of it guesswork and from what I could garner from John Haynes HMS Ashanti and the photo by "ship's doctor."


The deck glued to the bridge.


More little details added.


The bridge is glued to the gun deck.  The windscreen and it's base is now glued on.


The nearly completed bridge with shelter sides in place.


The PE grates or "barbecue grills" as I call them are from Masterpieces in Miniature.  These are used for radar or walkways on American warships.  Besides the kit's plans, Robin's HMS Kelly and Christopher Langtree's The Kelly's ( which I frequented with a magnifying glass! ), bridge details are from John Haynes' HMS Ashanti and the photo posted by "ship's doctor" on this thread.  Admittedly, much of it is guesswork as I did not pursue other references ( ex. John Lambert's bridge drawings for the J/K/N destroyers ).

Happy Spring Sailing!
Oliver

[Tommydean]

Oliver if u like John Haynes makes a VERY nice director for the aft part of the bridge, got one myself and wow!  he also makes P.E deck greating as well

[hotjava]

Hi Tommy,

Hope you are well.

Yes, I saw the John Haynes director and grate.  They are very beautiful, but I am on a budget and I am trying hard to source accessories locally. 

How is your HMS Javelin coming along? 

Take care,
Oliver

[karlgalster]

Looking very good Oliver. By the way I trust you are going to throw away the vacuum formed director as supplied in the kit. From photos the actual director is very much sharp edged and the kit item is unfortunately round edged due to the limitations of the manufactuaring process. I made mine from a short length of 2cm diameter electrical plastic conduit and 0.5mm sheet styrene for the flat surfaces including  the top.

[colin]

coming on along nicely    

this might even convince me to build one of the Gray Fleet one day..   

[Tommydean]

Hey Oliver.. all is good.  had to take a break for a while.....its called finishing the basement and still not done...  am starting work on my Javalin , the hull will be set up for running in a few weeks.. I would do what Robin sugested if your on a tight budget, the director in the kit kinda needs a lot of work to get it right. 
Tom

Also i am getting info for my next project. I bough the HMS Amethyst kit and will convert it to the HMS Starling   cant wait for this one

[hotjava]

Hi Robin and Tommy,

Thanks for the advice on the director.
Langtree's book has a good diagram of it.  Let's see what I can do.  Perhaps, the kit supplied one can be "hacked" to make it look right. 
 
Colin, yes building these are fun and interesting.  I cannot wait to get this all done and put her in the lake!

Take care everyone,
Oliver

[Tommydean]

Oliver there has to be some other ship modelers close to you that might have a lathe. you could turn one out of PVC real easy.. there was no way i could get the kit director to ever fit together let alone look good.. are you near San Fran?

[Mark]

Hi Oliver,

This maybe a long shot  , but if you have access to a 3D CAD system, you can produce very good, hollow, items now by using the site below;

www.shapeways.com

I have been experimenting with some turrets for the G3

http://www.shapeways.com/model/227907/6_inch_turret_redesign1.html?gid=a321

and they are looking very good from the sample I have produced.

The weight is light and they paint well.

Mark

[Tommydean]

were inspiring Colin         so which one would you build......

[colin]

can only be one of the early 1900's... (eg Hannibal or Sentinel) 

then again, HMS Bramble would be towards the top of my list for the modern types..

[hotjava]

Hi Tommy and Mark,

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone with a lathe and I have zero CAD skills ( Mark, the site you sent me is amazing ).  In the worse case, if I'm unable to fabricate the director, I'll buy one.  Let see where this goes.

Good sailing and building!
Oliver

[karlgalster]

Hi Oliver,
Use the Deans Marine director base made of compound base as it looks pretty good. For the director top housing find a d.i.y. store for the electrician's plastic conduit tube of the correct diameter, (Ok may have to compromise here a bit but give or take a millimeter nobody else will know shhhhh!). The rest is easy with styrene sheet etc.
As you said the "kellys" reference book has a good drawing of the director.
Regards
Robin

[hotjava]

Hi Robin,

Thanks for the information!  I'll check that out!

Oliver

[Ben]

Hows it going Oliver??
It's been a while now 
Ben