Steve Jones
Steve Jones Scale Modelling Site
Good to see you back at the bench John. A lovely tidy build. Looking forward to seeing how you get on with the wet stuff
HMS ZULU 14 SEPT. 1942. ( FOR SIMON ).
- Thread starter JayCee
- Start date
Hello, all you good folks. What is probably the slowest ship build in history has moved on a bit further. I have been spending time buried in my book of blueprints that I posted earlier. This is a good book in that it shows me everything that Trumpeter has got wrong or missed completely. On the other hand it is a bad book as it shows me EVERYTHING that Trumpeter has got wrong or missed completely. A couple of details missing from the kit are the trunking for the fire control aerials from the foremast and a 12inch diameter skylight in the wheelhouse roof as per this.
After scratching my head for a while as to how I could portray the trunking I remembered that I was replacing the main armament with A/M parts. This left me with unused gun barrels which turned out to be almost the correct shape and could be cut to length to suit. This is how they look after fettling and glueing in place.
However, after all this, once the bridge wings are installed the damn things are all but completely hidden. At least I have now got the correct location for the ends of the aerials. Here you can also see my attempt at the skylight.
Most of my work has been on the armament. As stated the main gun mountings have been replaced with A/M ones. The armament fit is another of Trumpeters mistakes. The box gives the fit of the ship as 1941, however after the shock given to the Navy by Luftwaffe dive-bombers in the Narvik battles ( April 1940), the Admiralty decided to upgrade anti-aircraft armament across the whole fleet. In August 1940 Zulu had her X mounting removed and replaced with a twin 4inch high angle mounting. Trumpeter have missed this completely and just armed her with 4 twin mountings of 4.7 inch guns as originally built. Another of Trumpeters "mistakes" was to equip Zulu with an 8 barrelled Pom-Pom. These weapons were never fitted to Destroyers, they were just too heavy. The weapons used were the 4 barrel versions. A/M to the rescue again! Most all these items are by Black Cat Models in France. The detail is just amazing in this scale. There is even ammo in the magazines. My painting does it no favours, touch ups definately needed.
The orange blob is the head of a dressmakers pin ,to give some idea of scale. The whole thing is smaller than my thumb nail.
To further compound Trumpeters mistakes, in June and July 1941, Zulu was in a shipyard in Falmouth having repairs done and also a refit. At this time additional A/A guns were fitted. The half inch Vickers machine guns between the funnels were replaced by 20mm Oerlikons. Two more were placed on the aft superstructure and two single Pom-Poms were placed in the lower bridge wings.
To conclude this chapter here are some photos of her as she stands at the moment. Still lots to do.
Stay safe, one and all. I am going for my second jab on Friday.
John.
After scratching my head for a while as to how I could portray the trunking I remembered that I was replacing the main armament with A/M parts. This left me with unused gun barrels which turned out to be almost the correct shape and could be cut to length to suit. This is how they look after fettling and glueing in place.
However, after all this, once the bridge wings are installed the damn things are all but completely hidden. At least I have now got the correct location for the ends of the aerials. Here you can also see my attempt at the skylight.
Most of my work has been on the armament. As stated the main gun mountings have been replaced with A/M ones. The armament fit is another of Trumpeters mistakes. The box gives the fit of the ship as 1941, however after the shock given to the Navy by Luftwaffe dive-bombers in the Narvik battles ( April 1940), the Admiralty decided to upgrade anti-aircraft armament across the whole fleet. In August 1940 Zulu had her X mounting removed and replaced with a twin 4inch high angle mounting. Trumpeter have missed this completely and just armed her with 4 twin mountings of 4.7 inch guns as originally built. Another of Trumpeters "mistakes" was to equip Zulu with an 8 barrelled Pom-Pom. These weapons were never fitted to Destroyers, they were just too heavy. The weapons used were the 4 barrel versions. A/M to the rescue again! Most all these items are by Black Cat Models in France. The detail is just amazing in this scale. There is even ammo in the magazines. My painting does it no favours, touch ups definately needed.
The orange blob is the head of a dressmakers pin ,to give some idea of scale. The whole thing is smaller than my thumb nail.
To further compound Trumpeters mistakes, in June and July 1941, Zulu was in a shipyard in Falmouth having repairs done and also a refit. At this time additional A/A guns were fitted. The half inch Vickers machine guns between the funnels were replaced by 20mm Oerlikons. Two more were placed on the aft superstructure and two single Pom-Poms were placed in the lower bridge wings.
To conclude this chapter here are some photos of her as she stands at the moment. Still lots to do.
Stay safe, one and all. I am going for my second jab on Friday.
John.
Jim R
SMF Supporter
Hi John
WOW! Wonderful work showing great research and detailing.
Jim
WOW! Wonderful work showing great research and detailing.
Jim
scottie3158
SMF Supporter
John,
Great attention to detail.
Great attention to detail.
Fantastic research and building. Exactly as Mr T would have approached it. Great tribute!
boatman
SMF Supporter
HI John your build is lookin good can i ask you a question where did you get the brown sqaured plastic stuff whats in your bridge floor as i need some for my tiger an if you wont mind could you put on a link to it
cheers
chris
cheers
chris
Outstanding. PaulE
boatman
SMF Supporter
OK John thanks for the reply
chris
Yes Richard, if I am doing a project I like to have reference material. This book being the original builders blueprints is the holy grail as far as Zulu is concerned. I just hope I can do justice to the missing items (or my pockets are deep enough to afford all the things I need).
John.
John.
Hello, one and all. Another small update to this marathon. The last of the guns have been fitted. These are the 2 Pounder single Pom Poms in the lower bridge wings. 
OMG. Don't these photo's show how rough my painting is? Some serious touching up needed. These look fine to my Mark 1 eyeball !
Another job completed with slightly more than a little cussin is the funnel guys.
More touching up needed. Finally for this instalment I have been able to make a start on the bridge. This has been a saga in itself. The A/M parts were ordered on 28 December. I received an Email to say the items had been despatched on 8 January. They finally arrived last week ! As everything you need is not available to buy this is a mix of A/M and John's bodges.
There is still plenty to do on the bridge, Rangefinder/Director, Windscreen Etc. Pus all the other things I need to sort, such as masts.
Cheers for now. C&Cs welcome as always.
John.
OMG. Don't these photo's show how rough my painting is? Some serious touching up needed. These look fine to my Mark 1 eyeball !
Another job completed with slightly more than a little cussin is the funnel guys.
More touching up needed. Finally for this instalment I have been able to make a start on the bridge. This has been a saga in itself. The A/M parts were ordered on 28 December. I received an Email to say the items had been despatched on 8 January. They finally arrived last week ! As everything you need is not available to buy this is a mix of A/M and John's bodges.
There is still plenty to do on the bridge, Rangefinder/Director, Windscreen Etc. Pus all the other things I need to sort, such as masts.
Cheers for now. C&Cs welcome as always.
John.
Airborne01
SMF Supporter
John,
I have followed this with avid interest, I just love the Tribals - they look like warships unlike modern, sleek and featureless monstrosities. I am in awe of your ability to handle small PE, your attention to detail and your persistence! Best wishes for your continuing health, look forward to the continuance of the build and then perhaps a Daring class?
I have followed this with avid interest, I just love the Tribals - they look like warships unlike modern, sleek and featureless monstrosities. I am in awe of your ability to handle small PE, your attention to detail and your persistence! Best wishes for your continuing health, look forward to the continuance of the build and then perhaps a Daring class?
boatman
SMF Supporter
HI John it only needs a few touch ups here an there an i know its difficult to get your brush into the gaps but gently does it an it will come out fine as its looking a very fine model indeed as ive got all these problems still to come on my tiger build but as she is a bit bigger with more space it should be easyier for me just more to do so im looking forward to seeing your model
chris
chris
Gerry, Rick, Steve and Chris, many thank for looking in and your kind comments. After spending the last 3or 4 years painting figures you would have thought that I could master detail painting. I should also have learned not to take such close-ups. My figures never looked this bad, my skill level has obviously gone downhill. The 2 foot rule is seeming better and better. Some more PE and bodging over the weekend and maybe finish painting the decks.
John.
John.
Well folks, another small update to the marathon. All of Zulu's armament is now on board with the installing of the stern depth charge rails and spare charges. The spares for the depth charge throwers have also been placed. Here is the stern.
And here is the Thrower and spares.
The throwers were originally on top of the superstructure, but during the 1941 refit they were moved down to deck level and replaced with 20mm Oerlikons. Another item of deck furniture not in the kit is the electric winch. This is a quite indistinct blob on the model, especially as it is partially underneath the between funnels gun platform. This was an important part of the real ship as it operated the boat davits and the torpedo loading davit. A/M parts for this are non existent. Steam winches are available but not the electric one. After trawling all the A/M sites I found a US Navy winch which, with careful use of a razor saw and sanding stick turned into a reasonable representation.
The other things I have been working on are the searchlights. There is a 20 inch signalling light on either side of the bridge and a 24 inch on the appropriately named searchlight platform on the aft superstructure. This platform was also the emergency steering position, so was equipped with a wheel, compass binnacle and voice pipes. This is the platform minus the searchlight.
Trumpeter would have you use the same part number for all three of these light although they are two different sizes. This photo is just a comparison. On the left a correct scale 20 inch light, on the right the kit item. If my measuring and maths is correct the kit item works out to 41 inches !!
Finally the foremast has been stepped. No stays or rigging yet, although I have got the Jacob's ladder on.
As can be seen from the photo's the decks have had their first coat of paint, all Vallejo slapped on with a hairy stick. The grey is the painted steel deck and the brown is the rubberised anti-slip coating . Mucho tidying to do !!!
As I have just managed to break off the top of the mast, level with the crows nest I am going to take a rest before I do some irreparable damage
Al C&Cs welcome as always.
John.
And here is the Thrower and spares.
The throwers were originally on top of the superstructure, but during the 1941 refit they were moved down to deck level and replaced with 20mm Oerlikons. Another item of deck furniture not in the kit is the electric winch. This is a quite indistinct blob on the model, especially as it is partially underneath the between funnels gun platform. This was an important part of the real ship as it operated the boat davits and the torpedo loading davit. A/M parts for this are non existent. Steam winches are available but not the electric one. After trawling all the A/M sites I found a US Navy winch which, with careful use of a razor saw and sanding stick turned into a reasonable representation.
The other things I have been working on are the searchlights. There is a 20 inch signalling light on either side of the bridge and a 24 inch on the appropriately named searchlight platform on the aft superstructure. This platform was also the emergency steering position, so was equipped with a wheel, compass binnacle and voice pipes. This is the platform minus the searchlight.
Trumpeter would have you use the same part number for all three of these light although they are two different sizes. This photo is just a comparison. On the left a correct scale 20 inch light, on the right the kit item. If my measuring and maths is correct the kit item works out to 41 inches !!
Finally the foremast has been stepped. No stays or rigging yet, although I have got the Jacob's ladder on.
As can be seen from the photo's the decks have had their first coat of paint, all Vallejo slapped on with a hairy stick. The grey is the painted steel deck and the brown is the rubberised anti-slip coating . Mucho tidying to do !!!
As I have just managed to break off the top of the mast, level with the crows nest I am going to take a rest before I do some irreparable damage
Al C&Cs welcome as always.
John.