The last couple of shots of the Ben Ain below show the progression of the construction of the model itself. The additional riveting around the forward bulkhead can clearly be seen. To get the match correct with the plate straps on the bulwarks, which were supplied with the kit, I decided to drill and insert individual dress making pins. Obviously this took some time but I again think the result was worth it.
In the absence of actual drawings I tried to think about how the area would be constructed and scribed the plate lines accordingly. Almost certainly curved plates would be separate from straight plates and an appropriate plate size was considered as about 6 ft by 2 ft. One of the doors was left open to give the area a bit of interest so the rear was boxed in to maintain the watertight integrity.
The anchor windlass was made according to the instructions and was finished in a semi-gloss black with a light degree of weathering. One point of interest is that I wore away the paint on the winch warping ends to look the same as a real unit. This is where experience of real ships pays tremendous dividends, as I have been lucky enough to see first hand how things look with normal wear and tear and how then weather over the years. I did a similar thing with the bollards, which will be finished with a crewmember and some realistic ropes as the model finishes.
Finally, as I work away from home for three months at a time, I always try to take the odd piece with me to continue the project. Such things as crew figures are ideal to work on in my cabin and keep the interest in the project. I am using a combination of the kit figures and some additional ones to bring the ship to life when it will be completed. Never having painted figures before I had to learn some new techniques, practise on bits and bobs and give it a go. Some came out better than others but I am particularly happy with the Captain who will probably end up adorning the upper bridge. |