1/700 HMS Illustrious 1942

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July 18, 2022
This model comes with lots of boat with various design.
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July 18, 2022
The kit's searching light platform wasn't quite right
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July 18, 2022
So I rebuild the support for this platform with PVC sheet which looks much better now
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July 18, 2022
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July 18, 2022
Installing the hanger deck
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July 18, 2022
As the flight deck was extended from the back together with 2 addition platform, I am using AB putty to extended here
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July 18, 2022
Side View
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July 18, 2022
After the putty is dried, I sand papered it for nice curvature
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July 18, 2022
For the fullhull water base, I dag a hole in the form first. The carrier fit nicely as shown
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July 18, 2022
cut out some forms to make the weave look
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July 18, 2022
Gluing the side PVC
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July 18, 2022
Using clay to build the weave and other water base features
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July 18, 2022
Some PE work for the boat support
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August 16, 2022
Painted each wooden panel with different color (black, gray and white etc), and then paint wooden color with airbrush, the result looks nice after washing
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August 16, 2022
After some analysis on the ship's structure, I believe it is best to paint the camouflage first to avoid tedious masking process later on.
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August 16, 2022
The other side of the camouflage which is based on historical photos and information in <ship profile>
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August 16, 2022
Installing platforms, and two pompom platform somehow couldn't level with others, not sure if this is true for the real ship.
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August 16, 2022
The support beam for the crane seem more detailed with PE, but I still prefer the original plastic one as it is more three-dimensional
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August 16, 2022
The small boats are painted, lightly washed with tayami‘s panel line washer
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August 16, 2022
Same technique is applied here as the back deck. At this point, I realized these deck could hardly been seem after assembled. So I was a bit lazy with washing.
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August 16, 2022
Another view
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August 16, 2022
All plant forms and levels below flight deck are installed
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August 16, 2022
After assembled the flight deck, all the platforms can barely be seem........... A lot of seams needed be treated, which means a lot of works
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August 25, 2022
Extend the stern with PVC sheets and Tayami AB putty. Constructed two side platform with PVC and scrap PE from previous models
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August 25, 2022
The stern supports are constructed with PVD sheets and scrap PE. This took me some work as making the little triangle symmetrically inside the support is not easy.
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August 25, 2022
The supports view from the bottom.
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September 12, 2022
Now for painting the flight deck. Airbrushed the basic layout of the camouflage first.
Then I use a black marker to draw the welding line, and hopeful it would be barely seen after final airbrushing.
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September 12, 2022
Looks OK
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September 12, 2022
The welding lines are be seen slightly at distance.
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September 12, 2022
I applied a bit weathering on the flight deck first to see the potential effects before masking it for finalizing the painting on the ship's sides
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September 12, 2022
Now the majority of the painting work required for the ship's hull is completed. The portside view.
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September 12, 2022
starboard view.
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September 12, 2022
another portside view
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September 12, 2022
Now, it is time for weathering the ship's sides. I try to use shadow contrast to illustrate the welding lines and other features for the armor belts. So far, the result is not too great.
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September 12, 2022
The starboard is not any better, further works are required.
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September 12, 2022
The weathering for the area below the waterline is also a mess so far. Not too fond of the results.
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September 12, 2022
The flight deck is the most pleasing area at the moment. It is just not torn enough to match the overall weathering style.
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September 12, 2022
Ok, after a few more fixes and adjustments, this is the final state of the weathering before applying flat clear to seal everything.
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September 12, 2022
Portside View
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September 12, 2022
Starboard View
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October 9, 2022
Now is the water diorama session, I first painted the base with black and then apply sea blue as baseline color
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October 9, 2022
The next step, I applied lighter blue to area where strong waves are before I applied Acrylic Brilliant Gloss Gel for water text
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October 9, 2022
Now comes the hard part where I draw all the wave-like texture with airbrush. Took me several attempt for this result. I applied Acrylic Brilliant Gloss Gel after
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October 9, 2022
This is the photo after the diorama was adjusted for fitting the hull in.
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October 9, 2022
I applied transparent green paint with airbrush a bit for better color profile.
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October 9, 2022
After I try to put the ship into the diorama, I realize I fvcked up as it doesn't fit. So I have to redo the edges and repaint them...
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October 9, 2022
Now the ship can fit in fine, but the gapes in-between the diorama and hull are way too great... have to put a lot of cotton to stuff it ...
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October 9, 2022
Now I need actually draw the tips of waves with white paints with #00000 brush. I only managed finish the left-side of the diorama and you should be able to see the difference.
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October 17, 2022
Try to build the windshield with ABS sheets which is later found out to be historically incorrect after compared with refer
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October 17, 2022
redo the windshield with ABS shhe
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October 17, 2022
Using ABS sheets to make two Oerlikon platform which is ins
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October 17, 2022
The expansion kits come with PE structure for the forward mast, after comparing with historical photos and references, the original plastic part is more accurate
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October 17, 2022
The forward mast
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October 17, 2022
Other view
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October 17, 2022
The forward mast after install the tiny radar on top which is made with scrap
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October 17, 2022
After Painted with camo, haven't done weathering
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October 30, 2022
Install of the plastic Pom-Pom come within the kit nor the resin Pom-Pom come with the detail set, I bought some 3D-printed Pom-Pom gun. These little things aren't cheap in Chinese standard (8 RMB each), but much more detailed than anything else on the market.
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October 30, 2022
The detail set gives much better looking boardside masts, the flyhawk one has some design issue which can't be constructed properly without bending.
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October 30, 2022
Made some 20mm Oerilkon with spare parts from past builds. Add a bit more detail such as Handwheel.
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October 30, 2022
This photo really shows how small these Oerilkons are.
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October 30, 2022
Now the ship is pretty much completed and only planes left.
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October 30, 2022
I decided use the Flyhawk's plastic swordfish with additional PE parts from the detail set. The PE wings are looks terrible when compare to plastic one.
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October 30, 2022
I bulid a lot of them. In order to have enough swordfishes, I bought a bit more from second hand market (the box only come with 8 and I broke one)
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October 30, 2022
one more photo
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October 30, 2022
Painted the plane with standard camo.
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October 30, 2022
Now all the planes are ready
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October 30, 2022
It is time to paint 1/700 figures and other staff for more realistic deck operation
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November 5, 2022

Hang Li
Update 2022/08/16: Finally got some time for update this, I had recorded few weeks back but was too busy with work to update them here (on business trip for commissioning, got a day off due to food poisoning ...). Anyway, the next step would be reconstructing the stern which was extended in 1941. After that, probably paint the flight deck and finalize the camouflage.

16 August 2022, 00:47

Jörg Schäfer
Ein vielversprechender Anfang, da bleibe ich dabei.👍

16 August 2022, 06:18

Hang Li
Update 2022/08/25 reconstructed the stern of the ship by extension for the 1942 version. The stern support and platform are also constructed.

25 August 2022, 05:11

Dietmar Bogatzki
Great start and the PE Part5y fantastic 👍

25 August 2022, 05:50

Hang Li
Update 2022/09/12 The painting and weathering for the hull are pretty much completed. At least it is good enough for now. The next step would be finalizing the water diorama and building the bridge. I find my language skill had some drawbacks as I found it is difficult to describe what I was doing for each photo.

12 September 2022, 10:00

Hang Li
Update 2022/10/09 Well, I was busy with work for the past few weeks so there isn't much progress. However, I still managed made the water diorama bit to near completion.

9 October 2022, 04:39

Hang Li
Update 2022/10/17 Nearly completed the bridge and the ship is pretty much done. Now just need spend time on adding more details (boxes, containers, drums, etc.) and build all the swordfishes.

17 October 2022, 04:34

Christian Abraham
A really great work so far

30 October 2022, 09:37

Hang Li
Thank you Christian and others for supporting. It is finally nearly finished, and I think I will be able to take some proper photos the coming weekend and uploaded here.

31 October 2022, 03:52

Dave Flitton
Excellent work! Lots of fine details.

1 November 2022, 17:47

Hang Li
Thanks Dave! I will upload more photos later today.

5 November 2022, 01:17

Hang Li
Thank you everyone for the support, I finally completed this project with most goals achieved (I think). So this is the final update and I think I am happy with results. This kit isn't as good as the previous Flyhawk kits I asseabled in the past which had many issues, but still the best opition if you are interested in building a 1/700 illustrious class carrier. All in all, please enjoy the final photos and feel free to ask if someting wasn't clear in my recording photos. Cheers

5 November 2022, 10:00

Hanno Kleinecke
Love the incredible depth in detail, a very convincing paintjob and one of the most realistic depictions of water and wake I've ever seen 👍

5 November 2022, 10:19

Jörg Schäfer
Wow, that's a little masterpiece.👍

5 November 2022, 10:25

Lex Jassies
Woow 😮 Incredible detailed for this scale. You must be a Micro Surgeon by Profession? 🙂 I like it very much 👍

5 November 2022, 11:53

playtime 222
Jaw droppingly good product from what I assume is not the best kit on the market.

5 November 2022, 11:55

Hang Li
Thank you Hanno, Jorg, lex and playtime 222! I work as a process engineer actually, so my job deals mainly deals with vessels and pipelines 😉 I find modeling is a relaxing hobby which also improves my focus (hopefully).

6 November 2022, 06:08