Airfix Illustrious progress
Komentarzy
14 January 2012, 06:43
![](/profiles/img/10800-888-s.jpg)
Thanks, Michael,
I´m working on it and am currently tackling the crane and ship´s boats.
Frank
14 January 2012, 10:01
![](/profiles/img/10800-888-s.jpg)
Thank you all!
I just added an image of the Coles Crane, which was detailed with styrene and putty around the driver´s cabin, the PE supports are included in the aircraft PE fret. Apart from that, I did a number of cable reels, the floddlight gantries and some other small stuff over the weekend. Needs painting, accentuating and installing now ...
16 January 2012, 10:56
![](/profiles/img/10800-888-s.jpg)
Last weekend´s poor weather helped the project a lot. The ship proper is now done, lightly weathered and flatcoated. Now´s the time for tackling the deck vehicles and aircraft - plus enlisting enough crew members to give the flight deck a credible look.
25 January 2012, 12:29
![](/profiles/img/10232-810-s.jpg)
Hell, yeah, looks great so far! I love the way, the watereffect comes out!
25 January 2012, 13:19
![](/profiles/img/11067-733-s.jpg)
Waaaw impressive display Frank, this will look very realistic with vehicles, aircraft and crew. I hope the weather stays poor over the next few weeks so we can enjoy the pics of the finished carrier soon ... 😉
Very well done !
25 January 2012, 14:11
![](/profiles/img/10800-888-s.jpg)
Well, folks,
all sorts of commitments slowed me down, but I managed to do some work on the aircraft over the last weeks. The latest images show my first attempt at arranging a part of the aircraft complement on the deck. The idea is to show the ship prior to commencing the day´s flight ops. The plane guard and AEW helo will take off presently, and then the twelve Harriers will follow. Two spare helos will be parked on the foredeck, a third (the one currently on the fore lift) will be parked near to the island. I also have a number of deck vehicles, and will have to get together a credible number of personnel, too. Currently, I´m stumped by the lack of drop tanks. I know you can make them from 1:144 Mk. 82 Snakeeye bombs, but canßt lay my hand on the Italeri A-6 Intruder kit which contains them. So I´ll probably wait for resin replacements before I finalize the model (as in glue all the iffy stuff to the deck).
All the best from
Frank
2 March 2012, 16:07
![](/profiles/img/10232-810-s.jpg)
Cant you make the tanks yourself from any other material? Maybe from putty and pe rest´s? Or will a toothpick make it? After extencive sanding, certainly? I try to imagine but they are so small!
2 March 2012, 18:26
![](/profiles/img/10800-888-s.jpg)
Hi again - and thanks for your kind comments!
I might do the tanks from scratc, but admittedly I´m too lazy for that. I´d need a few dozen of them, not just to put them under the a/c, but also as props lying around on deck - so having readymades would be far more preferable.
I did complete the remaining five RAF Harriers in the meantime, and having done the vehicles that leaves this project on hold for the time being. I´ll bring her to Heiden on 31 March, and will most probably have no figures up yet, but I´m very sure I´ll have the whole thing wrapped up for Telford.
Frank
2 March 2012, 21:04
![](/profiles/img/10232-810-s.jpg)
Hello Frank! I´ve read the pe review on modellversium. Even the weapontrolleys are included! This means a lot of work to you, to realise all the detail!I would love to see pix about it from Telford!
2 March 2012, 21:11
![](/profiles/img/11289-303-s.png)
Splendid work Frank.
I know how much work is in this kit because I work on it too.
I get it for free from a friend who gave it away because the fitting was so poor.
I needed a half tube of Revell Putty to close the gaps and a big file to adjust the deck and remove the old paint.
18 June 2012, 18:35
![](/profiles/img/10800-888-s.jpg)
Hi all,
I just logged in here for the first time after quite some while, sorry for not posting earlier. Illustrious is still awaiting completion, but I do have the machined brass drop tanks for the Harriers now, and I secured two boxes of prepainted 1:350 naval figures from PitRoad during my visit to NNT models during my vacation. So - provided I get the workbench clear of the quite complex Academy Warspite with Pontos set - I´ll see ot it that this model will be completed in the near future.
Once I make progress, I´ll post it there.
Kind regards
Frank
6 August 2012, 18:13
![](/profiles/img/11130-s.jpg)
Wow, what a joy to watch this diorama of yours of the HMS Illustrious!!!! Excellent job ! Must have taken a while to complete it.
1 April 2013, 09:35
![](/profiles/img/10800-888-s.jpg)
Thanks for the kind words!
I started this kit in November, 2011, and had it mostly completed by April, 2012. I had to wait a while for the brass droptanks, so it was September, 2012 until I could install those and mount the aircraft, vehicles, equipment and personnel on deck.
1 April 2013, 09:55
![](/profiles/img/11289-303-s.png)
Duncan Cook I need to build on my Illustrious again, but it's a real putty queen.
1 April 2013, 12:04
![](/profiles/img/10800-888-s.jpg)
I heard that quite often, but I didn´t perceive it as such. I always need putty, am never able to do without, and had quite some work in mating lower and upper hull, but not much more than with, say, the Trumpeter HMS Hood. Two modeling pals of mine regarded the fit of their kits as pretty nigh on atrocious, I seem to have been lucky with a better fitting kit ...
1 April 2013, 13:53
Album info
Some limited images showing work on this kit.
- Heavy tools were used to shape the base (40 mm insulation styrofoam)
- A bit more than gentle pressure was needed in the mating process 😉
- Spraying the base - only two shades were used over the white
- Tedious but necessary - the start line wasn´t dark enough in the decals and needed masking and respraying - plus protection for the numerals
- The catwalks, a delicate combination of kit parts and loads of PE
- The entire ship about a week ago
- "Ultimate stealth" - or the invisible ship. The completed model will be slipped into the base cutout and remaining gaps be sealed with acrylic gel.