Ahoy shipmates. This is my first real boat build so I'm starting with something easy.
As usual for me it'll be built out of the box but I may add a few tweaks. I hope you'll allow me artistic license as I know very little about the subject and I'm happy to keep it that way![wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
![1000003751.jpg 1000003751.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359735-81beb92d32488419cba1c8fa1d6a8d59.jpg)
I'll keep the sprue shots as thumbnails, but at least they're here if you want to look
![1000004537.jpg 1000004537.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359739-5d38837bf059b11478083cc83f8a9bed.jpg)
The first few steps were super quick and we have a boat-shaped thing already. I found the included stand handy for building on:
![1000004552.jpg 1000004552.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359740-ba85579a1590ba4b2dcd510a1d21440e.jpg)
Next up was the cockpit / helmsman area. Pretty nicely detailed but I've left a couple of bits off for ease of painting:
![1000004554.jpg 1000004554.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359741-b5ea6dbe7f554757e0c70cc211356693.jpg)
These are the walls around that area. They were covered in large ejector marks that needed dealing with (this becomes a theme with this kit) I've left a couple of small one that will be hidden by later parts:
![1000004555.jpg 1000004555.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359742-8b4258a3f00b66d58b76987fab909579.jpg)
Then we come to this front area. It had some really visible moulding lines so these were removed and the corners rounded a bit to better represent the real thing.
I also added the two masts. The instructions suggest rigging them with stretched sprue but knowing how clumsy I am I've used copper wire, adding a few twirly bits at the ends. Not sure how accurate they are but I saw them in the build video I watched and thought it added a bit of interest:
![2023-09-26 12.40.12.jpg 2023-09-26 12.40.12.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359747-9713d9d541020e3ea754cfca328abbdd.jpg)
Next up was the bow turret. Again plenty of injector marks and I was unsure which would be visible, so dealt with them all:
![1000004569.jpg 1000004569.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359744-6a7be8b0fd5c01782db14f9dd85d9cc5.jpg)
I've also been knocking up some of the smaller sub assemblies to give them time to dry before clean up:
![1000004570.jpg 1000004570.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359745-7b046c8a95b7d41bcc36f1cf9f100acb.jpg)
And this is the armour shield for the aft MG showing more ejector pin marks. I've removed the ones on the left with lots of sanding. It thins the part a bit and softens the edges but I find it much quicker than waiting for filler to dry and should be unnoticeable once painted:
![1000004571.jpg 1000004571.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359746-5dcb78e71a7673e8d8c3d6ba32948ea5.jpg)
As usual for me it'll be built out of the box but I may add a few tweaks. I hope you'll allow me artistic license as I know very little about the subject and I'm happy to keep it that way
![1000003751.jpg 1000003751.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359735-81beb92d32488419cba1c8fa1d6a8d59.jpg)
I'll keep the sprue shots as thumbnails, but at least they're here if you want to look
![1000004534.jpg 1000004534.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359736-594286539814070516740742d66dbeb0.jpg)
![1000004535.jpg 1000004535.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359737-e300051a0718317e4e69b55ff66fc8c4.jpg)
![1000004536.jpg 1000004536.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359738-21043c80d6d2f1f107b2787317814c07.jpg)
![1000004537.jpg 1000004537.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359739-5d38837bf059b11478083cc83f8a9bed.jpg)
The first few steps were super quick and we have a boat-shaped thing already. I found the included stand handy for building on:
![1000004552.jpg 1000004552.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359740-ba85579a1590ba4b2dcd510a1d21440e.jpg)
Next up was the cockpit / helmsman area. Pretty nicely detailed but I've left a couple of bits off for ease of painting:
![1000004554.jpg 1000004554.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359741-b5ea6dbe7f554757e0c70cc211356693.jpg)
These are the walls around that area. They were covered in large ejector marks that needed dealing with (this becomes a theme with this kit) I've left a couple of small one that will be hidden by later parts:
![1000004555.jpg 1000004555.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359742-8b4258a3f00b66d58b76987fab909579.jpg)
Then we come to this front area. It had some really visible moulding lines so these were removed and the corners rounded a bit to better represent the real thing.
I also added the two masts. The instructions suggest rigging them with stretched sprue but knowing how clumsy I am I've used copper wire, adding a few twirly bits at the ends. Not sure how accurate they are but I saw them in the build video I watched and thought it added a bit of interest:
![2023-09-26 12.40.12.jpg 2023-09-26 12.40.12.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359747-9713d9d541020e3ea754cfca328abbdd.jpg)
Next up was the bow turret. Again plenty of injector marks and I was unsure which would be visible, so dealt with them all:
![1000004569.jpg 1000004569.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359744-6a7be8b0fd5c01782db14f9dd85d9cc5.jpg)
I've also been knocking up some of the smaller sub assemblies to give them time to dry before clean up:
![1000004570.jpg 1000004570.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359745-7b046c8a95b7d41bcc36f1cf9f100acb.jpg)
And this is the armour shield for the aft MG showing more ejector pin marks. I've removed the ones on the left with lots of sanding. It thins the part a bit and softens the edges but I find it much quicker than waiting for filler to dry and should be unnoticeable once painted:
![1000004571.jpg 1000004571.jpg](https://www.scale-models.co.uk/data/attachments/359/359746-5dcb78e71a7673e8d8c3d6ba32948ea5.jpg)