This was the first kit my Dad bought me and helped me make after we went to see Belfast "in the flesh".. I've just ordered another one to relive the experience and create a way to remember him.
Kudos to you airfix. I love the way that you don't assume everyone has 100 years experience and have managed to buy every fancy tool and accessory that's ever been made. Especially as this is a gift set and most likely (but not exclusively) built by someone who is newer to the hobby or less experienced. Well done.
i got this ship , the normal one, many years ago....still not build yet, planning to do it when i am 60++ years old, too much free time by then and too lazy to go out.
Thank you for this video, mine arrived from Airfix today. Some great tips already, esp the primer and watering down the paint. Previous builds had me annoyed at how the paint was turning out, just returned to modelling after last doing it over 35 years ago.
Interesting way of building the ship. I looked at the Airfix website but couldn't find if the model represents the ship like she is now as a museum or as an earlier phase in her existence.
It represents the ship in 1943 (Battle of North Cape), except it includes the aircraft which had been left ashore by this stage as radars did their job spotting fall of shot. But they do look cool.
Airfix did warships in 600 and 1200 scale. I seem to recall 2400 was popular for wargaming. Guess it was a feet and inches thing 😂 Nice old kit though, built it back in the 70's
I have been modelling for most of my life so I know what to do. However, I can see that this sort of video will be of great assistance to the beginner or less experienced modeller. I think it would be very helpful, both to the customer and for your future sales, if you did more of this sort of video, especially covering kits that people are likely to pickup at tourist attractions. Well done!
The "radar aerials" are the masts. They did carry radars but the kit omits those as too small. Sorry, couldn't resist. Belfast is a wonderful kit, loved it as a child and I now seem to have 3 in the stash for various projects. Painting the classic Airfix ship stands black looks rather good, might do that.
Brilliant, I need to get this as whenever I visited my family in the south coming from Manchester I always insisted dad take me to the Thames to go on Belfast.
The 'prepainting' with the base colours along the edge of the masking tape is not a technique I remember ever seeing before. But it makes a lot of sense. (I also wonder if it works when painting walls and skirting boards....)
I remember this kit when from back in the day. I was always frustrated that Airfix choose 1/600, rather than 1/700. Meant that any Airfix ships I bought didn’t match other ships I had. If I could offer one bit of constructive criticism to the otherwise excellent video, you should never say ‘the’ before HMS, or a ship’s name.
I built one of these long ago, before acrylics. Its very good, and this is a very good instrutional video. My only suggestion for improvement is that the "cardboard sea" good be marked out (possibly underneath) for trimming so that it could sit at the waterline which would enhance the final result, rather than a "dry dock" appearance (which isn't right either, using cradles not keel blocks). Never mind its still pretty good.
Sorry to sound a tad negative over an overall superb video.....but, I DISAGREE with using glue straight out of the tube - you should give the choice of using the tray and an applicator AS WELL AS - I have had many injuries in my wrists and they are fairly useless with applying any pressure whatsoever to anything. It's highly likely that if I followed your instructions with the glue that it would of ended pretty badly with a completely useless application ending the hull of HMS Belfast with a Limpit Mine of glue., thus ending and exploding my £24 foray into an excellent kit as a failed sea trial in WW2. Not everyone knows about alternative glue application methods and you should be opening up the hobby to everyone not just blinkering your video to "what comes in the box"
