Topic: HMS Zulu build

[mikearace]

nicely married up joe.  When I did mine I did remember a lot of sanding, filling, sanding and more sanding to get it as rounded and flush as I could.

[paul swainson]

She is coming along nicely Joe, and you are now working well into the plans. Still watching form sunny parts!  Paul

[colin]

with the help of a heat gun

same Principal as how vacforming is produced     its the only way to get plastic to bend round tight corners without breaking.. 

super job Joe

[radio joe]

Thanks guys, your input and encouragement as always is appreciated, finished the aft foc'sle break, next I make the mortar station rooms/deck, in photos the corners look to be rounded so I'll form these the same as the hanger. Joe.

[radio joe]

Made a bit of progress with the mortar station, the cat walk area on top is different to the plan and instructions, it's more like my interpretation of some photos of the area, I'm sure anyone serving on Zulu would say it's all wrong but hey, it looks OK to me, I'm adding detail to this module, as it's the only superstructure bonded to the deck and easier to do off the boat. Joe.

[Tanzy]

Very nice Joe . . I was a sparker so never went round the airy fairy domain! Looks good to me. 

[radio joe]

Thanks guys, they are electrical conduits Dave, probably a bit over scale but when the area is painted grey they will blend in.

[mikearace]

Looking very good Joe.

[radio joe]

Thanks Mike,      Before I bond any module to the deck I thought I'd scribe the planking on the wood deck areas, it would have been easier to do these before bonding on the deck, but I wanted to fit the superstructure in place to mark the margins around them, with all the modules in place she is starting to look like a warship. 

[mikearace]

Nice Joe.  I scribed my decks then painted with tan deck and put a thin light dark wash over then wiped off which left the wash in the scribing lines showing the dark caulking.  Allegedly!!  But it didn't look too bad although shes looking a little aged these days but she is over 10 years old since her build.  I didn't know very much those days - not that I know a lot more these days - and I like to think if I did another build of her I would do a little better this time.

[radio joe]

Well she may be 10 years old, Mike, but she looks dam fine to me. Joe.       

[mikearace]

Thanks Joe.  She does still look okay but I wouldn't go past ok lol

[paul swainson]

She is looking good Joe,  not seen any New Zealand Navy ships  yet have that to come. 

[radio joe]

I made a bit of a mod to the bridge wings accesses, in some photos of the area I could just make out they had gates on them so I added some gates along with some panels on the landings instead of railings, I know this is not "as built" but after all I am in charge of this ship yard LOL.
now that all the basic superstructure modules are built I have now started at the bow with the recessed bullring and the anchor hawsers and plan to work my way along the boat adding detail, well that's the plan but I'll no doubt think of something to do on the stern and do that.

Thanks Paul, knowing you, you'll probably bring one back with you  

[radio joe]

Adding some detail to the bow, I drilled out the compressors so the chains would pass though to the anchors, a bit fiddly but worth the effort I think, No fittings supplied for the entrance to the chain lockers so rather than just a hole I made some from brass tube, I think these finish off the chain runs a bit better, also added the breakwater and a few more fittings.