Topic: My build of HMS Solebay.

[paul swainson]

Thanks for the information Robin.   Your thoughts are along the line I had.  I will do the decks first and then the superstructures.   I have bonded some deck fitting but not all.  And I have painted a lot of items off the ship so that will help.   The forward turrets A has to be on the ship to tight to fit after so will work around that problem.

[paul swainson]

I did some more detail work over the last few days.   Was not happy with the racks for the flowting rope, to purchased some others and made them up, they look a lot better then the others.   When talking to a chap who server on her he said the actual used them to store wood beans with floats.   So I cut up some nice oak wood into small strips and then wiped them together with black cotton.   Not bad me thinks.  The first photo shows them basket primed and the next the completed job.

[paul swainson]

Then I turned my hand to the torpedo loaders,  with a small turning hand wheel added and a small hook and eye joined with some black Cotton another improvement.

[paul swainson]

Finlay I added the turn hand wheels to add detail to the anchor chain lock from the hull to the capatan.

[ship's doctor]

Some great details!- particularly like the torpedo davits. Are they from the Dean's 'destroyer' etch set?

James

[paul swainson]

Yes James I have used items from this set to improve the look and detail.   Not all of it will suit as it was really made for HMS Kelly.

[paul swainson]

Well after a period of silence from me I have had my head down and got on with the painting of the superstructure and all the other items I have in small parts to help in the painting.  So I have started with the deck and uper sections befor I got on with the hull.   So here are some photos of my handy work.

[paul swainson]

Once the hull was dry and the basic tough ups done I then mounted the smaller sections to see how she is looking.   I still have to paint the aft and forward decks as I do not have the paint code 73 to paint them. so have ordered and will do when the paint arrives.  I hope you like what you see as she is beginning to look great now.

[paul swainson]

The next few photos show the rear gun deck completed and varnished to finish off that section of the boat.

[paul swainson]

Have now varnished all the guns for the mid deck and AA deck, the main mast and funnel.  All the search lights and boat davits as well as the TT davits.   All the smaller items have been painted and are ready to be installed once I have all the lift raft dingy painted and all the small boats for the davits.  I have changed the could scheme of the boats to white tops, black hull and red bottoms.  Just to add some colour and using the not at war look

[radio joe]

Hi Paul, she is looking good, nothing like a bit of colour to bring a model to life, I took my Solebay down to the lake this morning, great conditions, and tried out her new props she dose look magnificent at flank speed, large bow wave and kicking up a wash at the stern, you have this to come I know you will be impressed.  Joe

[paul swainson]

I still have to weigh the ship to see what weight I will have to add.   Sailing weight is surpose to be 4.1kg, did you weigh yours?

[radio joe]

Never actually weighed it, just did the water line as per plan and added ballast till it looked right,  it takes more ballast than you would think,   

[colin]

Hi Paul,
all coming together nicely there 

have you chosen to use a brush or have you part sprayed and part brushed the paint..?

as Joe has already said, i would do the same, finished ship in the Bath and then add ballast until she sits on her water line, and ignore the specifications as to sailing weight...

[paul swainson]

Morning Colin,

I have sprayed all the small parts and the supperstructure to reduce the build up of paint on these items.   The large area like the decks and the hull I purchased the very best quality paint brushes and used them to apply the paint.   ( I found the air brush with a 0.3 size nozzle would not work well to cover large areas and would clog with the paint so thin.)  The lacquer on the rear gun deck was applied with brush and did not lay very well so looking at cans of vehicle spray lacquer (acrylic) to see if I can acquire a better quality finish.   The first sample I tried the spray cans on there was a yellowing effect.   So going to try a lighter coat and apply two or three layers at about 9 inch from the subjet test item to see if that reduces the yellowing effect.

The whole model can be effective if the painting is not a quality finish.   All the hard work in building can be undone with a poor paint finish.   I hope mine looks good, and will post close up shots of the paint work when she is complete.