HMS Warspite was a famous ship, serving in both world wars, and earning the most battle honours ever awarded to a British ship. These battles included the famous battles of Jutland and Matapan. She also held the record for the longest range hit on a moving target from a moving ship on an italian battleship at a range of a whoping 26,000 yards.
An enjoyable kit, seemed like less parts than the HMS Belfast that I did recently even though it's a bigger ship. There was a lot of flash, but nothing that couldn't be dealt with easily. As I always do with these kits I had problems with the little boats hanging over the side.
This picture ahows the relatove sizes of a few ships from my 'fleet' from top to bottom we have the light cruiser HMS Belfast, the Battleship HMS Warspite and the carrier HMS Ark Royal.
I have an urge to do another battleship now and I'm torn between a HMS Nelson and a HMS (technically a battlecruiser I know, but close enough).
Hi Keith,
ReplyDeleteNice job on the Warspite. I've had this kit (along with most of the Airfix 1/600 range) in the 'to do' pile for a few years, it's great to see how it can turn out.
I'm guessing you're torn between the Nelson and the Hood. IMHO it's got to be the Hood! The Hood kit is more detailed than the Nelson kit, plus the Hood just has so much more character and history. I'll admit to being biased here, I built the Hood twice as a kid so it's my favourite ship kit. A few years back I started on a third Hood with major scratch built modifications and the White Ensign photo-etched detail set, it faltered because I couldn't find enough time but one day...
Other suggests...
HMS Iron Duke is also WW1 so it sits nicely alongside the Warspite, and is probably of similar kit quality.
KG5 reasonable quality, good subject
Repulse, best quality of Airfix 1/600
Bismark reasonable kit quality captures the sheer brute force of the original.
Hi Dr Zoff and welcome to my blog.
ReplyDeleteyeah I'm aiming to do the hood next, but we'll see. If I don't get it done before the new type 45 destroyer model, due out later in the year, comes out it'll have to be the destroyer next. We'll have to see if I can fit it in amongst my other projects.
Hi Keith,
ReplyDeleteThe new type 45 was news to me, I'll reserve judgment on this one (I thought the 1/350 Invincible looked rather poor and sparse on detail, and as for the ancient 1/400 Hood kit... it's awful!).
Word of advice if you ever get the Airfix KGV, the deck sits very high and needs a lot of thinning to get it to sit correctly.
Well I'm hoping the type 45 turns out good, I really love the design of the ship, I've only built ships in 1:600 scale so far, but unfortunatly they don't seem to be doing a type 45 in 1:600 scale
ReplyDeleteI remember painting the old 1:600 airfix kits (been around since like the seventies!)
ReplyDeleteI remember getting the scharnhorst and bismark on christmas 99...
simonfisherrofl.blogspot.com
@ Simonster, I didn't realise that they're that old! unfortunatly I wasn;t born in the 70's :)
ReplyDelete@ Dr Zoff, HMS Hood arrived this morning, clearly it'll take a little time, but it should be appearing on the blog in the not too distant future.