Hi All

Needed to complete my deck work and rigging :-

1. Gun turret for twin Bofors (I believe Frazer-Nash may have supplied the full-size originals ?).

2. Radar scanner or reflector (mast mounted). Scanner would operate via a mobile phone 'trembler' motor + gears.

I have some 1/48 German airmen figures from Revell and this scale looks about right.

Also, an old 12v car stop /tail bulb looks right, but, trying to get the gun barrels in without shattering the glass is proving problematical. Could drill out the base and fill the bulb with something clear to support the glass before drilling /filing…

Any ideas welcome

Dave

I think I've worked out a way of doing it using another stop /tail bulb.

Need to paint up a 'gunner' to go inside first (ship-in-a-bottle tricks?).

I'll post up some pic's in due course as things proceed – assuming a degree of success !

Dave

It was indeed Chris. After painting the hull white waterline today, I plucked up courage to tackle another bulb. (First one went 'ping&#39.

Finished painting the gunner (he needed to look more 'RAF' and less German). Much work on the bench grinder got me through the brass base, but, alas his arms are too splayed at the elbows – may need a bit of surgery there to fit him inside.

Found some documentation on the original Type 2 turrets (Armstrong-Whitworth), so, am now convinced the overall shape is right. Decided not to drill /file through for the gun barrels but cyano (industrial strength) them on from outside. The gunner will then have to 'carry' the rest of the guns with him when he finally goes inside the turret.

At 1/48th scale the turret might rotate but will not be powered….(not until I get up to speed with Arduino anyway !)

Pic's soon,

Dave

Sorry, image re-sizing went a bit 'wonky' this time. Will try again when work is further advanced…

Dave

New turret and gunner :

Front starboard side :

I think I've worked out how to make the Clear Views and the AA Padding (at least I think that is what it is !).

But, if anyone has an idea /drawing etc of the radar side I'd be very grateful.

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks both:

Ashley – Yes the light bulb was a fight (wrecked the first one !), had to do a bit of surgery on the gunner's right arm to get him in, then 'ship-in-a-bottle' stuff…unfortunately, got some cyano inside the glass, so when Mk 3 is made (if ever), I'll anticipate this when making the motorised version.

Thanks for the tip on the AA padding, I was going to use soft balsa and hack it about, but your idea sounds better. May use balsa first anyway just to get a feel for thicknesses etc.

Ray – Your 'clearview' looks better than mine. As above, got cyano inside one (will I ever learn !), but used epoxy on the port side. I rough-sawed a piece of 2.5 mm acrylic sheet, tidied it up on the bench grinder and then put it into the Dremel to turn down to size after drilling a 2mm hole through the centre. It's probably over-scale but seems to look ok. I used a small nail head for the centre 'pivot'.

'Sea trials' start soon. Radar reflector is setting on the bench – should be finished this week end with luck. Then we'll see if the step in the hull works. Ashley has his doubts (so do I !)…

Dave

Ashley

The ones in my documentation are a grey rectangular sort of padding (bit like a mattress /giant pillow), with a 'hot-cross bun' pattern on the front face. Maybe they aren't A-A but some sort of flotation device ?

They look to be canvass covered and are usually arranged just under and around the wheelhouse /gunner /sickbay areas…

I'll see if I can locate a photo or two.

Dave

Ashley

I think you can see them under the wheelhouse windows and just behind the forward deck lockers in the above Airfix box art…

That reminds me, I probably need to make a search light as well !

Regards,

Dave