Airfix 1/350 HMS Illustrious, R06 Aircraft Carrier OOB Review & Buildup, Kit# 14201
My Review and Build of Airfix's 1/350 scale Kit #14201,
HMS Illustrious, R06, Aircraft Carrier
Introduction and What's in the Box - May 3, 2013
Overview - The Royal Navy's Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers:
The Invincible class of light aircraft carrier is operated by the Royal Navy. Three ships were constructed, HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal, with all three commissioned between 1980 and 1985. Each of these carriers followed the following specifications:
Displacement: 23,000 tons
Length: 695 feet
Beam: 118 feet
Speed: 20+ knots
Propulsion: 4 TM3B gas turbines (COGAG), 2 shafts
Crew: 1,270
Aircraft: 22 VSTOL, Rotary
Armament:
- 3 X 30mm CIWS
- 2 X 20mm guns
Elevators: 2
The Invincible class carriers were initially dubbed "through deck cruisers" for political and funding purposes, and were the first successful VSTOL carriers in the world, employing the British Harrier aircraft. Nonetheless, after approval and commencment of work, they were threatened with cancellation and being sold off by politicians at the time who felt the UK no longer required the services of aircraft carriers. However, miltary planners garnered enough support to see the the development, launching and commissioning of the intial vessel, HMS Invincble, and were about to commision the second, HMS Illustrious in early 1982.
This proved to be very critical to the UK because of the outbreak of the 1982 Falklands War with Argentina. Agrentina invaded and took the Falkland Islands and the UK was forced to respond. The Royal Navy dispatched a large task force with two aircraft carriers, one the HMS Hermes (later sold to India to become the INS Viraat), and the other the newly completed HMS Invincible. By May of that year (1982) the task force had accomplished two of its initial tasks; the movement of the troops safely to the South Atlantic and the establishment of control of the seas around the Islands.
The role of the VSTOL carriers then became crucial through the remiander of the conflict, providing air defence and the means of attacking enemy ships and ground positions, while their helicopters provided constant anti-submarine protection, support and resupply of the troops ashore. The Invincible and her air wing performed well, despite some losses to both aircraft and supporting ships to Argentine air attack, and the islands were recaptured and the Argentine forces defeated. At that time, the second carrier, HMS Illustrious, which had been rushed throught trials, relieved the HMS Invincible and Hermes in the area, and the effectiveness and the need for these vessels was firmly established.
The carriers were originally designed without the now characteristic ski ramp. However, during operational tests it was discovered that using the ski ramp provided the Sea Harrier with much better performance, allowing it to carry more fuel and weapons, making it a far more versatile aircraft for fleet defense, attack at sea, and ground support missions. The upgrade to the F/A 2 Sea Harrier was a great success for the fighter, and allowed it to do its job very capably in many different operations around the world, including its combat roles in the South Attlantic and the Mid-East. The Harriers were retired in 2010, and will be replaced by the Joint Strike Fighter for use in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm on the new, full-deck HMS Queren Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
In that regard, by June of 2011, all but one of the Invincible class carriers had been decommissioned and disposed of to make way for the two new, full deck, conventional carriers the United Kingdom is now building. These carriers served their nation and it's interests very capably for over thirty years. This leaves only the HMS Illustrious active, which now fills a helicopter aircraft carrier role, which it will continue to fulfill until the first new carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth is launched..
Introduction - HMS Illustrious, R06:
HMS Illustrious is the last active Invincible Class aircraft Carrier. She has had a distinguished career with the Royal Navy, and was the seond of the three Invincible Class carriers. She is known by her crew as the "Lusty."
She was laid down on October 7, 1976, launched on December 14, 1978, and was provisonally commissioned on June 20, 1982. Her commissioning was three months early and was rushed into effect because of the Falklands War of 1982 with Argentina over the Flaklands Isnads which the Argentines had occupied and which the United Kingdom sailed to take back. Illustious'sister ship, the HMS Invincible, R05, had been sent with the task force to the southern Atlanitc Ocean to implement that strategy, and for which the Illustrious would stand as a back-up and replacement if the Illustrious were damaged, or as a relief durong or at the end of the war. After the fighting, until the RAF airfield on the Falkland Islands was repaired, air defence of the area was the responsibility of the Fleet Air Arm. Once Illustrious relieved the Invincible (the Hermes had already departed fro England) in August of 1982, the 809 Naval Air Squadron embarked on the Illustrious provided this air defense coverage. In march of 1983, Rear Admiral Derek Reffell commanded the relief task group from Illustrious .and with the RAF airfield then repaired, Illustrious returned to the UK and was formally commissioned on 20 March 1983 into the Royal Navy.During the remainder of the 1980s, Illustrious received several enhancements during refits, including a steeper ski-jump to enable the Harriers in the air wing to take-off with a larger payload. During one Extended Defect and Maintenance Period, numerous modifications were made to the ship including the removal of her Sea Dart missile defences at a cost of twelve million pounds. This allowed for extra deck space that enables her to carry more aircraft (increased to 22), including the Harrier GR7.
In 1986 she suffered a catastrophic gearbox failure which almost ended her naval career. POn the night of her beginning a "fly the flag" around the globe trip, at about 23:30 that evening, while powering up to full engine revs, the oil vapour surrounding the gearbox exploded causing a fire that was not put out for over four hours. At one point the captain made preparations to abandon ship, but he was overruled by the fleet admiral at the time who believed the ship could be saved. There was no loss of life or serious injury, but the trip was put off for several months while the ship was taken out of service for repairs.
During the 1990s, the main task of the aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy, including the HMS Illustrious, was helping maintain the no-fly zone over Bosnia during the Bosnian conflict. All three of the Invincible carriers rotated through the area. During that time she also served in the 1st Iraq war, Opertion Desert Storm. In 1998 she operated in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, which was the enforcement of the no-fly-zone over Southern Iraq. In 2000 Illustrious led Task Group 342.1, a naval task force comprising HMS Ocean, Argyll, Iron Duke, and Chatham along with numerous RFA ships in Operation Palliser, which was aimed at restoring peace and stability to Sierra Leone. Then, in September 2001, a large British exercise, Saif Sareea II, was taking place in Oman of which the HMS Illustrious was a part. During the exercise, on September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked and the World Trade Center destroyed by Al-Qaeda. Illustrious and her escorts remained in theatre while other elements of the task force returned home. Illustrious had Royal Marines on board, ready for any possible combat operations in Afghanistan. However, before she left, no deployment was made and she was relieved by Ocean in early 2002 and returned to Portsmouth after seven months at sea.
In mid-2003, the ship underwent a large refit at Rosyth Dockyard. This refit involved the total rebuild of the ski jump, the adding of better communications sensors and equipment, and reconfiguring the ship to enable it to more quickly switch between the light aircraft carrier and helicopter carrier roles. It proved to be a fortuitous move as shall be shown. The refit lasted for months and precluded the Illustrious involvement in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 2nd Iraq War which began in 2003..
In 2006, Illustrious along with HMS Gloucester helped in the evacuation of British citizens from Beirut as a result of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. Then, in January 2008, Illustrious set sail from Portsmouth as head of the multi-national Task Group 328.01, Operation Orion 08, which carried out exercises and diplomatic visits to twenty ports in the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East, and south-east Asia from January until May 2008 .
Throughout this time an up until 2010, her airwing of Harriers served as an effective instrument of The UKs national interest and power projection capabilities. As part of Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Harriers were all retired in 2010, along with Illustrious' sister ship, the Ark Royal. In addition, at that time, it was announced that Illustrious would be transformed into a purely helicopter aircraft carrier. In May 2011 Illustrious was made operational after a £40 million refit, and she was handed back to the fleet after sea trials in late July 2011. She took over the helicopter carrier role for HMS Ocean while the Ocean undergoes a amjor refit herself, due for completion by 2014.
In March 2012, Illustrious took part in Exercise 'Cold Response' with HMS Bulwark, RFA Mounts Bay and other Royal Navy vessels. This was a NATO winter war game exercise conducted in northern Norway, where she showed her capabilities as a helicopter carrier The Illustrious was awarded the Bambara Trophy, the trophy is given to a unit each year with the best flight safety record, during Cold Response.
Illustrious is currently the oldest ship in the Royal Navy's active fleet and she will be withdrawn from service and will be replaced by the new, large 65,000 ton HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier after she is launched in 2014. The UK Ministry of Defence has announced that Illustrious, as the last of the Invincible-class aircraft carriers, will be preserved as a memorial to the nation, "in recognition of the service given by these ships in protecting the UK over the last 30 years.".
What's in the Box:
The 1/350 scale Airfix HMS Illustrious aircraft carrier (kit #14201) comes in a large, very well built and very nicely, full-color depicted box. It shows very nice pictures of the actual aircraft carrier and the completed model on both the top and bottom of the box.
Inside the box, you find five large spures of plastic injection molded parts molded in grey. These five sprues contain over 270 parts. I purchased an additional aircraft set, making well over 300 parts in total for my build. In addition there is a very fuldecal sheet, and two booklets. The 26 page instruction booklet, and a 20 page, full color informational booklet about the Illustrious itself which is very nice and makes for a good read.
The decal sheets consists of over 100 decals, which are very extensive, and look to be high quality water-slide decals which will add significantly to the completed model. The parts appear well modled with little or no flash, and few seams. The landing deck is a single piece, and the above waterline hull comes in two pieces, with a mid-deck piece for the deck housing the hanger and other areas of the ship.
You can build a water-line version of the vessel, and the lower section is contained in a single large piece as well. Dry fitting shows these pieces to fit relatively well together. (More on that during the build). Here's how the kit looks out of the box:
The kit has a very nice, full color painting scheme (as shown) showing the colors in several views along with paint manufacturers part numbers for those colors. The instruction are quite lengthy given the total part count, but they are very logically laid out and look intuitive to follow. As a result, the instructions are very detailed and very exacting for the building of the ship. It consists of 26 pages of instructions laid out in 110 steps that cover all options and contigencies.
I am seriously considering adding a lighting system to the hanger bay, even though there are no deck-edge elevators through which to see it. Just the elevators on deck. I may cut some passage ways into the hanger deck from some of the sponsons and openings around the vessel, if I can research and find where such openings may actually exist.
Here are the instructions and the information booklet pages:
This looks like it is going to be a really fun build. I have been looking forward to it for some time, and intend to build the model in its latest configuration, but retaining the Sea Harrier aircraft...and, if I can find some 1/350 scale examples of them, perhaps even placing some UK JSF aircraft for the Royal NAvy being tested or embarked aboard her as well.
Tally Ho!
The Build - Initial Flight Deck, Island, and Hanger Deck Work- May 12, 2013
Alright, it's been a good ten days since my last update and between taking grandkids to movies, yard work, and other activites, I have not been able to make as much progress as I would like on the Illustrious build, but I have progressed somewhat nonetheless and I thought I ought to go ahead and document that.
1st, I have ordered White Ensign Model's (WEM) photo etch detail kit for this model. It contains a lot of photo etch parts for all of the railing, sensors, hanger bay items, and for the aircraft. I am looking forward getting it (hopefully this week) and it will hold me up on completing the hanger deck (as we shall discuss here in a minute) until it gets here.
I started working on the model by painting the main carrier deck (and I chose Model MAsters Nuetral Gray) and adding the detail for the side panel (all vertical panels will be Model Master Light Gray) where the ski jump angles up at the bow. I also did the basic construction of the island, including the main structure, the funnels, and the bridge area. On the bridge, there is actually a deck so I went ahead and added a number of personnel in there that can be seen through the windows.
I then started working on the hanger deck and made a decision to add lighting to this deck. Now, there are only two elevators, and both of them are in the middile of the deck and not deck edge, so they are totally enclosed. I intend to have the forward one positioned up for take off air operations, and the rear one in the completely down position, with either a helo or a Harrier on it. This would hide the vast majority of the nice detail that could be added to the hanger with the model built and delivered as it is. However, there are numerous inset decks all along the port and starboard side of the vessel with doors and hatchways that would lead to the hanger spaces, and on the fantail, a corridor that leads there as well (which is not included in any options for the model as built by Airfix).
So, I decided to cut numerous openings along either side and leave some of them completely "opened" into the hanger spaces so that with the lights on, you will be able to see in there. This neccessitated using my Xacto Knife, Dremel tools, files, sand paper, etc to make these openings. I believe it is going to produce a very nice effect when they are all detailed and set up with the lighting, and will allow me to put some good effort into detailing the hanger.
As you can see, I have openings in three places along each side, and have cut corresponding openings in the proper locations into the hanger enclosures. I also have created the opening in the enclosrue to the fantail and painted a corridor that I will add walls and a ceiling to back to the aft end of the hanger which you will be able to see through the openings in the fantail.
Nice.
Now, I will continue with some of the detail work I can do for the various decks along the port and starboard sides (ships boats, davits, etc) and begin building the aircraft and equipment I inted to put in the hanger. In addition, there is quite a bit of work I can do on the island before I get the PE parts.
Once my PE set from WEM comes in, I will detail the actual hanger enclosure with its railing and other equipment and then put all of that together, and then detail the island.
Hopefully a good portion (or perhaps all) of that will be done with my next entry. Then, I will do all the elctrical work for the lighting system, devising how I want to run those wires so they will fit into the construction of the ship, and probably then be terminated in the stand with an "on/off" switch. it will be a 9v dc system.
At that point I can actually start thinking about putting the hull together and getting it attached to these two decks I am completing.
SCHEDULE for Future Activities - June 30, 2013
- By Jul 31, 2013: Complete HMS Illustrious CVL.
- By Sep 31, 2013: Start the JMSDF Carrier Group Centered on Fujimi's JMSDF Hyuga.
- By Nov 30, 2013: Start the French Carrier group centered on Heller's Charles de Gaulle.
- By Jan 31, 2014, Start the US ARG centered on the USS Iwo Jima and USS Sommerset.
The completion of the PLAN Carrier group, centered on the already completed Trumpeter's 1/350 scale PLA Navy's Aircraft Carrier CV-16, Liaoning, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168. I recently pre-ordered a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, announced by Trumpeter and due out in october, 2013. I will end up adding two of those, propbably LPD-998 Yuzhao and LPD-999, Jinggangshan, add the PLAN- DDG-139, Ningbo, and perhaps the PLAN DDG-115, Shenyang, along with the PLAN Weifang, FFG-550, and for a PLAN ARG.
The completion of the US Carrier Strike group, centered on the completed Tamyia's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) included Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. When a 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-80 (or any Gerald R. Ford Class) is released from Trumpeter, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser. Whatever the Ford Class coms out in 1/350 scale, I will build the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.
That US ARG will include Tamiya's 1/350 scale, USS Iowa, BB-62(which I have already completed), Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Sommerset, LPD-25, Bronoc Models 1/350 Scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Acadamy's 1/350 scale USS Rueben James, FFG-57, and another Flight IIA US AEGIS class detroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Lassen, DDG-82...all of these models which I already own.
The UK Group will feature the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious as its centerp[iece until a 1/350 scale Queen Elizabeth carrier is released, when I will then add that carrier to the group as its centerpiece. It will also include two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs, two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates, and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will us eit to create a Royal Navy ARG.
The French CSG will be centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle (which I already own). I have purchased the 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Duquesne, D603 DDG which is an anti-air multi-purpose DDG, and the French Aconit F713 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These five vessels will round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale S606 SSN is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will purchase two of them and replace the De Grrasse and Duquesne with them, and then save those two for when a Mistral Class LPD is released so I can create a French ARG with those vessels.
The Japanese JMSDF group will be centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181, which I own. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG and the JMSDF, DDG-178, Ahigara (which I own), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami (A Takanami Class DDG which I own), and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu (which I own), one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soon as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group. Should a 1/350 scale Osumi Class LPD be relased, I will add to of those vessels and create a JMSDF ARG.
Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which I own) the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter (which I own), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udaloy DDGs (which I own), Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN (which I own), and the Russian Alfa Class SSN, which I have already completed. Some time in the more distant future when a 1/350 scale Russian version of the French Mistral class comes out (which is building in real life right now), I will add two of those na dbuild a Rissian ARG.
Recently I purchased Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, using steam catapaults. I will build the model as the Sao Paulo and thus start a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and the FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present. I have however purchased a set of 1/400 scale A-4 Skyhawks and S-3 Trackers to build a suitable airwing for the Sao Paulo.
Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Carrier Strike Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Carrier Strike Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Strike Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian Carrier Strike Group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier, the Vikrant, and their Kolkata class DDGs and Shivlak class FFGs would also be nice.
Years worth of work!
You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifictions at my site:
WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
...and most of their surface escorts at:
AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD