Borodino

Great work Matt!

That rear stack rigging is based on some material from the Gold Medal Models rigging instructions along with some internet resources. Earlier I posted a link to a line drawing of the stack stays which was used heavily.

I do have to ask- all that rigging jumping up from the rear stack cap?Where did you get that?

I really like the details you've done on this build. I also like the color scheme - seems like it should be getting ready for action!

Mike

Very nice work, the detail is excellent.  Looking forward to your next project.

Marcus

Almost five months from the start date this one is now done and sitting on the aquarium with the rest of the 1/350 fleet.

My bench has some of everything going on it; 2 ships, 1/48 F4D-1, 1/48 F-16, 1/48 resin Ruth, 2 different 1/6 anime girls in various states of undress and a 1/48 C-47. Looking at kicking of a 1/24 1926 Mack tanker truck as well.

Eh ?

  Wut's wrong wid de bench bein da shipyard ? The planes get builded too ! An The car merdels as well . So Dere !  LOL  .LOL. LOL.

The kit lacks material or direction for any boarding ladders. I cobbled mine together from the spares box and other leftover odds and ends. Thinking about posing a steam launch there on a clear peg when all done.

And then there is more rigging.

Better gathered from her brush than having snuck up behind her with a pair of scissors .

Mike

Fore mast rigging about 60% complete. The antenna hanging from the lower yardarm are actually hair from my wife's hairbrush

Now that the U-Boat is off the bench I have room to start working the Varyag kit. I'm really glad I did this as it is adding to the Borodino build and here is how: Obviously with the GMM PE set we are pushed towards buying the Varyag just to not let good PE go to waste. However being the slave to AMS that I am I ended up acquiring the Eduard set for the Varyag as well. Now here's the rub, the Varyag boat hoists have plastic molded in place hooks which are not bad however the Eduard PE set has really awesome hooks to replace these. The Borodino boat hoists have no hooks whatsoever and I was not looking forward to scratch building all those little 1/350 buggers. Now I can upgrade the Varyag with the Eduard hooks and blocks, salvage the original plastic pieces and transplant them onto the Borodino improving the quality of that build and making my life just a little easier. So if you are building or planning on building the Borodino get the Varyag and definitely get the Eduard PE set to help both builds. I would still get the GMM PE set as well. Yes I know it is an additional cost but seriously, once you've come this far whats a few more dollars? You'll just end up spending them on something silly like food.

Since I seem to be on my way to building a small 1/350 scale navy I had thought to add a WW2 U-Boat as a size reference piece. With that intent I acquired the AFV Club V-II B U-Boat a while ago and was working on it while waiting for stuff to dry on the Borodino. Tonight I finished the U-Boat. Soon the Borodino will join it and my other completed 1/350 ship over and around the aquarium in the family room.

Spent a couple evenings working on the small life boats.

Hi Swanny,

Been away for a while and glad I checked in on your progress.  It looks fantastic.  Mikasa would look good next to it.

Scott

The Hasegawa Mikasa is in transit right now. Not sure when I'll get to build it as I think the next ship I start with be the Varyag.

Swanny

Just ordered the 1907 HMS Dreadnought from Squadron. Seemed reasonable that I have the ship that ended the pre-dreadnought era of battleships.

You should build the Hasegawa Mikasa. That is the far away best pre-dread kit I have ever seen.

The one you have coming is ok, but that Has is a really nice model.

Just ordered the 1907 HMS Dreadnought from Squadron. Seemed reasonable that I have the ship that ended the pre-dreadnought era of battleships.

You are welcome, I'm always happy to help.

Matt,

Thanks for the picture, I really appreciate it. And thanks again for the tutorial on bending PE.

Steve

Thanks for the drawings, they will be most usful in the future.

That's pretty much the same ship of course so this build should be useful reference. Speaking of reference,

I found a really nice line drawing showing where all these stack stays and a lot of the mast rigging connect to the superstructure. I'll post a link later for that.

Matt,

Thanks for the information. In know the only way I am going to learn how to work with PE is to actually do it. I also have the EtchMate bending tool and love it, I do a whole lot better using it than bending with a razor alone, although I am getting better.

Your Borodino is coming along beautifully so I might have to bump my Knyaz Suvorov up the queue.

Steve

Steve, when bending the curves I use a variety of odd things. Sometimes I will use paint brush handles or round toothpick but in the case of those crows nest railings I used the handle of my jeweler's file. I also have an Etchmate for working with ladders and box like structures. I'm really liking the GMM brass over any of the other stuff because it is slightly beefier and holds the bends very well. I have a couple sheets of Chinese stuff like Orange Hobbies and that is very foil like. Real thin and flimsy willing to bend out of shape at the least provocation.

Ordered it yesterday. I need help.

Bought that Hasegawa Mikasa?

Matt,

Thanks for the tip on the jeweler's pliers, I have the Tamiya PE pliers but will look into the jeweler's since some of the bends look fairly small. Also, I wanted to ask you how you are bending the curves so nicely? Are you using dowels to get the curve or what? I am getting close to doing some of the railings on my Dreadnought and feeling a bit nervous.

Steve