Monday 30 January 2023

1/700 WW2 Naval gets its Convoy On

 

I've not put anything on the blog for a while and in the meantime the 1/700 WW2 Naval Project keeps on growing. 

First up is a Trumpeter Models kit of the Liberty Ship, John W Brown. I've done it with a basic paint job.

I've upped the weathering on this ship to give it that back and forth, about to structurally fail look ! There is some discussion about the Cargo booms being out like they are on the model whilst at sea. Contemporary pictures show both extended and stowed, this is how the kit comes so that's what you get.

As a bit of fun I've added some 1/700 crew figures (from Eduard) in a couple of places on the ship as a bit of a try out. The picture above is my best effort at showing the dance moves from YMCA (although In the Navy would be more appropriate 😉)

To make a decent Convoy I will need a whole bunch of these but every journey starts with a Liberty Ship 🚢 

Next up is another Trumpeter kit, this time its HMS Eskimo one of the Tribal Class Destroyers and probably the best British small ship of the War.

I've gone for a Western Approaches Scheme for this ship, the Green was a little but wierd looking when I first put it on, but after a bit of weathering I think it looks the business.

Definitely an upgrade for my British fleet, if I get my gaming mojo back I am looking forward to getting it on the table.

There is a second Destroyer to add to the Fleet, this time its HMS Javelin.

I picked up Mal Wrights book on British Destroyer Camouflage of WW2 and picked out this pattern for the ship. The model is HMS Jervis from Aoshima another of the J Class.

The dark Med Blue was another colour I wasn't sure about but again after getting it on the model and adding a bit if weathering it's definitely growing on me. I think it's years of painting smaller ships in grey that makes these so different for me.

I think the joy of this scale is the ability to really do camo schemes justice, I've tried this sort of thing in smaller scales and it never quite looks right. Sure 1/700 isn't particularly practical and I'm sure the comments section is already full of "have you got a car park to play in" comments 😆

And finally (Ester) I have done a second Liberty Ship this time from the Trumpeter Jeremiah O'Brien kit.

This time I've jazzed it up a bit with a Measure 32, Design 11F paint job, who said Liberty Ships can't be exciting 😁

No crew on this one (yet) but I might add some at a later stage. There are some subtle differences between this model and the John W Brown one at the top of the page, mostly minor changes to the gun layout.

Hope you've enjoyed this update on the Project. I am having a whale 🐋 of a time putting these together and there is plenty more to come !



13 comments:

  1. Wow, they look superb old chap!

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  2. Great looking ships. Nice to see merchants portrayed. Is the plan for submarines or surface raiders to be the villains?

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  3. Impressive detail and paint job!

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  4. Amazing project, a high quality brush work. One of my favourite projects in the Challenge this year

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  5. Lovely! And have you a car park to play in, or are you going have telescoping distances or something?

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    Replies
    1. My club own an old Cinema, space isn't an issue 👍

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