Depending on what photo of the real thing you look at, the boot topping is indeed this thick. You have to remember this ship was designed with a floodable rear dock which lowered the waterline, so the black section was wider than usual to accommodate it.
You have done an incredibly beautiful job here mate. Much respect from a fellow modeller. What still baffles me is why none of the major model companies have produced either a 1/700 waterline, or a 1/350 full hull version of the Vanguard. Those are the two most popular scales. You can even get a 1/350 Montana which never got off the drawing board, but other than the weird 1/450 scale (probably Heller mold) kit, nobody is building one of the best and most beautiful battleships that ever sailed.
I've been watching your videos recently and have enjoyed them, but I have a question. Why the odd scale? while I do understand the Airfix 1/600 scale has been around for a long time, the Varity of choice and after market kits for 1/700 seems infinitely more? If its down to nostalgia I understand though.
At the time I got back into modelling, a few people online were saying that they preferred the 1:600 scale because it was a bit larger than 1:700. I also remember decades ago the last 3 Airfix models I had built, KGV, Repulse, and Prinz Eugen. Unbeknown to me they were probably the 3 best models Airfix had released, so they gave me a false impression of better quality. However I enjoy the challenge of upgrading these old kits, although there are many examples of people doing far far better work than I have done with them.
Another beautiful build. I really liked the details added to the torpedo housings. The 15cm mounts really look the part too. Looking at the panzerschiffe, there is no way people really believed it was around 10,000 tons. Not sure how they got away with it. 😇
Some subtle changes make all the difference for this and other old Airfix models. Some of the last ones they released are quite good OOB, such as KGV, Prinz Eugen, and Repulse.
I should have collected more Airfix HMS Tigers. That hull can be used for all sorts of British cruisers. Fantastic build. It really captures the handsome lines of the pre-hybrid Tiger and Blake.
Me too, I did turn a "spare" one into a Dido class cruiser, probably should have added some pictures of it at the end of the video. HMS Royalist was a pre-Tiger attempt at a modern AA cruiser but turned out too small so wasn't repeated. Basically completely updated with new bridge but used the 5.25 main guns and 40mm STAAG mountings. Got the same lattice masts and radar as Tiger.
OK… you are definitely a brave person. Making the old Airfix Bismarck look like Bismarck probably takes more work than a complete scratchbuild. Fantastic results though. I was thinking of using the 1:617 hull of the old Monogram Tirpitz/Bismarck, but the Atlantic one is not back in stock yet. Probably an easier conversion, but after seeing your Bismarck, maybe there is hope for the Airfix one.
I think it was the perverse sense of challenge that made me do it. One of my first builds since getting back into it. If I did it again it would be neater and with photo etch, but at the time I thought it turned out OK.
Ive converted an Iron Duke to an Indefatigable class battlecruiser, if that counts!! Only problem was there was quite a bit of filler in the hull due to blanking off the casemates, drilling out the port holes was not possible as their line happened to be olong a line of filler that tended to crumble, so had to paint them on. Might have to consider converting one to HMS Lion or Queen Mary.
That's a fine reconstruction. I wonder if Airfix will put this kit on the Vintage Classics lists. I do not recall many pre-Atlantic bow kits of Scharnhorst in any scale.
Nice work... off to check out your other 1:600 builds. Aside from the dearth of details on the superstructure, the missing bridge windows and the squashed main turrets, this ancient kit was not that bad. You did a fine job. 😀
Well they did do the modern HMS Daring in 1:350 scale, along with HMS Illustrious. They'd need to increase the level of detail on these kits if offering them as serious kits as opposed to "Vintage Classics". What would be helpful for the vintage classics would be a plan of detail that could be added, as researching the ships each time is quite time consuming.
