Hi Oliver
Believe it or not, it took me slightly over 2 months to build this model. But then I did put quite a number of hours per day into the project...what with the economy the way it is, there isn't a lot of work out there to distract me right now, you know, work, otherwise known as earning a living, that inconvenience that regularly interrupts the more important pleasures of life.
I didn't find the model particularly difficult to build; in fact my one complaint was the the rubbing strake, which was / is pre molded in the hull fabrication process by Deans, was extremely fragile, prone to cracking and chipping off, but even this was easily repairable.
I will admit to having a fairly comprehensive tool shop, as I tend to collect tools for all the various and sundry projects I get into, though Plasticard was a new medium for me...but in the end a sharp knife and a good straight edge was really all it took; oh, and a good tape measure. Take your time and enjoy the work. It took me a few too many years to understand, this simple fact...there is more joy in the actual work involved in the fabrication of such a project, than in the anticipation of a finished product; so don't be misled by that false promise of the finish line. While the above appears somewhat of a contradiction in view of the relatively short build time of this particular model, the hours put in were still quite numerous, and the effort was most enjoyable, many hours pleasantly spent.
I see that you are contemplating building a model of HMS Kelly, good luck; there really is a sense of accomplishment when completing one of these types of projects. Even if your time is limited, a few hours now and then, you'll eventually get there, though it has been my experience, that once you start to immerse yourself into a project like this, it sort of takes on a life of its own....or as Goethe, the German writer so eloquently said..."Waist not this day dallying, begin the thing, and let the magic take hold." Actually, that is a very bastardized version, but you get the drift, there is indeed a magic which springs forth when one undertakes a model project like this. Again, good luck, and happy building
