Airfix 1/600 HMS Hood

29/01/2023

Well after briefly perusing the an exellent website (The Hood site") on the HMS Hood have decide to give her a shade of lighter grey. Often Tamiya XF-80 is used, but I have decided to give it an even lighter shade of grey out of one of Tamiya's rattle cans. The lighter grey scheme represents, I think the Hood on service "abroad" not in home waters which I believe would have been a dark grey scheme. And now she will put into moth balls until moving-house project is completed. Hopefully by mid-February.

Hood BB.jpg
 
pugwash said:
Airfix's only foray into 1;1200 scale was their 'Sink the Bizmark' series which was recently re-released as a boxed set. Somewhere in my loft stash I have dozens of those little 'Cossack' destroyers!

The destroyers and Bizmarck are the weakest of the set, but the rest are lovely little kits (The Hood is a nice rendition but needs screwing down due to a built in warp, but as they are all waterline, that's a doddle)
Click to expand...
Had a look at this set, and indeed, I think they were the destroyers I have built many moons ago in the seventies. The set looks quite exiting and what a nice collection of ships. Not available here in South Africa unfortunately.
 
04/03/2022

At last. Moving house is done, all the pictures and paintings are against the walls, met some of the neighbours, so I could say the moving is done and dusted and we are settleling in.

Work on the Hood was delayed as I had to restore and fix broken off pieces to an Italeri 1/720 KMS Lutzow. I have also added some weathering and other small paint jobbies on her (picture attached).

And... work on the Hood has resumed. She is masked to receive her water line. I am using acrylics and I am going old school, by hand brushing the waterline. Hope it turns out OK. I have also lost the instructions when moving from the hotel to the house, so if some one has a spare set, could you help out with some pics of the instructions???

Oh man it is good to be back again!

Hood Mrch 2.jpg

Hood Mrch 1.jpg
 
Yo!
Glad your move worked out well and great to see you here again.
 
12/03/2023

Hi there.

Work on the Airfix Hood continues.

Since the last posting the lower hull was sprayed (Tamiya rattle can) a darker grey, and the waterline pianted in using an acrylic paint from a tube. A very dark grey. I have decided to brush paint the deck/wooden areas. Oh man, still not a 100% and it felt a mammoth task. I nearly shelved the project until further notice, but decided to push through. In this case I have used a Mig acrylic paint - never again on such a large surface. The covering of the paint is just very bad. I think I have put on seven or eight coats and still it is not a 100% covered and is still blotchy an unevenly covered. I have attempted to dilute it (first two coats), but it was a disaster and just used the paint straight out of the 17ml bottle. I am learning...I hope. The next step is to fit the shafts and to rework the paintwork on the lower hull. And maybe to start a bit of weathering as well.

Hood CC.jpg
 
Keep it up.
'Stay calm and carry on'.

I brush painted all my Airfix ships using Humbrol satin paints. One coat out of the tin was fine.
 
19/03/2023

This is where we are now. The the paint job on deck is done, let's say 75%, as it could do with a final coat. The shafts were also fitted and today I worked on some small parts. Even on these small parts there is a lot of cleaning up, sanding and filling to do, and it really takes a lot of time to make them at least decent.

What will be next is masking the hull (again) and redo the darker grey part of the hull, then the shafts will also get a coat of paint from a Tamiya rattle can. Hopefully the masking will also help to improve some of the rough lower edges of the waterline.

Hood DD.jpg

Hood EE.jpg

Hood FF.jpg
 
15 April 2023

It has been a while cince I have posted here. Since my last post and today there was some progress on the old lady.

It needs to be said that a lot of time goes into the cleaning up of the parts. But then I have only worked on her on and off as well and had to survive a visit by family members for nine days. Yep, there are some disadvantages living near the sea.

So, to recap; the prop shafts were painted and fitted, the props received their first coat of brass (Tamiya gold [enamel] from their small bottles), the basic paintwork on the hull was completed, and work started on the life boats. As you can see there was quite a lot of filling and sanding done on these small parts. Oh and the main guns received some blast bags, made from white glue and tissue paper. Did not come out as well as I have hoped, but it has to do. The primary aim is now to complete the Hood and move on to another projects.

We carry on ...

Hood HH.jpg

Hood GG.jpg

Hood FF.jpg

Hood II.jpg
 
23 April 2023

The end is in sight.

Today the all life boats were fitted, as well as the propellars. And then the champagne moment (at least I am going to have a glass of Blanc de Blanc) - the fitting of the two forward turrets!

Tha aft turrets will be fitted later this evening. During the coming week touch up of paint work needs to be done, as well as the painting of some details, and then a coat of semi-gloss varnish and then the weathering. If all goes well she will be done by next week-end.

Hood KK.jpg

Hood LL.jpg

Hood MM.jpg
 
13th May 2023

The end is in sight... I have done the painting and a light bit of weathering.

Also started on the rigging today. First ship that I have attempted to rig.Challenging, but at this stage going better than I have expected. I got some excellent ideas from Pugwash on how to do the rigging, and now rigging does not seems so undaunting ... I think. I am using 0.3mm rigging thread from Ammo productions

Hood OO.jpg
 
12 May 2023

I am calling this project done ... after many months and two relocations.

Many points to ponder, the ensign is too faded and too large for this scale, but it must do for now. Rigging perhaps not complete but some of it is there.

This is my second completed ship and I have learned a lot. Mainly this was meant as an OOB project with some added bits and extras. It feels as if this kit battled me all the way; soft detail, lots of flash to clean up, missing location holes, some parts with poor fit and, and, and...

Did I enjoy the project ...? Yes

Will I do another Airfix 1/600 ...? Yes

I am glad this lady can now go into the display cabinet.

And then, not the best picture, apologies for that - too much light and background clutter.

And Pugwash, thanks for all your valuable information.

Done Hood 1.jpg

Done Hood 2.jpg
 
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