Thanks Walter, appreciated.....

Progressed to making up the 3 hatch covers, the process is the same for all.. Using a 2 x 5mm strip and cut the required amount of lengths for each hatch cover. Cleaned up the edges and glued together number of lengths to give the correct size for each hatch cover. Left to dry and sanded the surface of each to give a smooth finish.

Used a 1 x 3mm strip and cut lengths to fit around the perimeter of each hatch, sanded smooth and glued into position, left to dry. Gave each hatch cover a coat of primer before applying coats of our lovely bright red....

Took 12 brass eyelets and attached a brass ring to each before applying a blackening solution. Once the effect was achieved, washed the eyelets to remove remaining blackening agent, then cut the stem of the eyelets down to a length of 2mm. Drilled a 1mm hole 2 mm from each corner of the hatches and glued an eyelet into each hole, left to dry.

Glued the hatches into position on the deck, left to dry. This brought to an end stage 21. Until next time, happy modelling all.....

Regards

Alan

You were right about more bright red, certainly not a drab ship 😎

Which paint are you using for the red?

Jase

Thanks guys, appreciated.....

@Jase, not using anything special in terms of paint, red I'm using is Daler Rowney System 3 Acrylic, Vermillon Hue 588. Comes in a tube....

Regards

Alan

This stage of the build has us fitting the next deck. This started by test fitting the two forward deck sections and happy to say that only very minor adjustments were necessary to get a good fit. Once happy, removed the sections and turned them upside down. Marked off and masked the areas outlined in the instructions, this where the deck is supported and the masking is to ensure the areas are clear of paint giving a good gluing surface.

Out came our trusty red paint again and painted the underside of the deck, left to dry before gluing the deck in place. Then test fitted the two rear sections, again only minor adjustments were necessary for a good fit. Once happy, glued the rear section into position. This brought an end to stage 23, the next stage has us planking the deck just fitted so until then, happy modelling all....

Regards

Alan

Hi Gibbo,

Thanks for looking in, appreciated... I'm constructing this build as per the instructions and asked myself the very same question, it is what the instructions tell us to do so it was done. What I did notice afterwards though and its not very clear in the pics, is that there is a distinct red hue now to the lower deck area, a hue that wasn't there during the test fitting of the decks....

Cheers

Alan

Thanks Chris, she is bright and colourful but the more I do the better she actually looks with all this colour..... .. Nice change to be working on something like this.....

Regards

Alan

Very nice work Alan , really loving this build

Martyn

Mark, Martyn, Ian thanks for looking in and the kind comments, appreciated as always.

In this session we move onto planking the second deck. This was done using 0.5 x 4mm veneer strips, giving the edges of each strip a very find sand to ensure they marry against each other nicely. Starting from the centre join line of the deck sections, laid planks to cover the centre section of the bow area moving onto to covering the centre section of the stern area. Made sure I marked any necessary cutouts for the masts etc.

With the central deck area completed then moved on to complete the decking on the port and starboard sides, trimming and filling gaps where necessary up to the bulwarks. On the longer lengths the strips were staggered at frames 6 and 11.

This ended stage 24 and by the looks of things stage 25 will be another short one.
Until then, happy modelling all...

Regards

Alan

Nice work on the deck planking

I can see that red hue now, lovely job on the planking Alan.
Regards
Paul