Well I have made a start . Trumpeter Arizona put on hold for a while .
Norman Ough Plans arrived on CD from GBT £15 plus cost to enlarge to 1/96 at my local printer £12. (A bit cheaper than the Maritime Museum )
Hull arrived from Deans , a nice clean moulding complete with armour plating moulded on , slight difference on comparing with plan prop shaft outlet markings are slightly too far aft so I fitted shafts to plan position , scratchbuilt A frames and fitted .Stand constructed to support model during build . Once running gear was in place and deck beams fitted to strengthen hull I took down to Setley Pond to test running gear and ballast hull , (too big to fit in bath at home ) test showed that it needs a total of 7lb of lead to bring down to waterline . On return to workshop I have cut out main deck shapes from plasticcard and and cut out access openings below foreward superstructure and rear gun house, a removable centre section for access to main operating gear etc has to be cut out , hopefully the join will be disguised by the deck planking . The decks are all planked so quite a lot of wood to be used on top of plastic card decks ,( I am using the same method as Glyn Guest on HMS Skirmisher in Model Boats Magazine).
The plan is for the ship in her 1917 layout and as I am modelling her post her 1938 conversion to an anti aircraft cruiser a lot of research has been required , as well as the replacement of all the guns the bridge was remodelled, new gunnery directors fitted, flag deck remodelled, main mast moved further forward , early radar fitted to top masts and searchlights resighted and some removed . Lots of photos of the ship pre 1938 on the web but later info has been a bit harder to find . I hope to get some photos on my next post .
