HMS Indefatigable

Prototype test builder James Hatch completes (well, almost) Vanguard Models’ magnificent new 1:64 scale kit

Following on from last month, the remaining work on the main structures (from the internal bulwark walls with their staggered port openings to ensure they could be levelled out evenly and horizontally to the installation of the engraved decks) I found to be very straightforward.

Before adding those exciting touches to the decks, though, a series of strips and composite strips need to be attached to the external hull to create the various rails. For this job, I tend to use Gorilla Glue CA gel, as this product allows a few seconds to realign things if they appear to be wrong. At this stage, the pre-cut gunwales, which require no adjustment in shape or curve, are installed too. Even though this kit is classed as ‘Master’ in Vanguard Models’ newly deployed skill level table, with ‘Master’ being the top of the food chain, there are still many parts that come pre-cut.

This means you don’t have to start taking strips and bending them into shape for such things as gunwales, which really takes the slog out of things.

Coppering and painting

This is certainly the biggest hull I’ve ever painted, and one where on completion there’s no trace of the building material colour left on show. I opted to paint the whole hull down to below the waterline in yellow ochre paint so that any flaws I may have previously missed, despite numerous checks, would be immediately visible –and, inevitably, there were still elements of sanding and repainting to be done. I also masked out the vulnerable areas and the deck areas so that my airbrush didn’t catch them. Eventually, I attained a nice even coat onto which I could then mask off a band of ochre, which, I must confess, was a little fiddly, as it didn’t fall in line with the ports and rails as it headed towards the stern. This done, the remainder of the hull was airbrushed in black. After peeling off my masking tape, just a few areas needed touching up. The ugly area of the hull’s underside remained, but the copper would take care of that.

It had been many years since I’d tackled a coppered hull, and here 6mm wide selfadhesive copper tape would be used. A few bench sessions later and I had around 2,400 tiles to apply! Fortunately, I found this gentle repetition to be quite therapeutic. I initially added a silver waterline to the hull just below the actual level and then proceeded to copper to about 5mm above it, before adding the correct waterline in light pencil. A sharp knife was then run along the waterline and the excess copper above was peeled away. Et voila! The same process was employed for the rudder.

After fitting out the hull timberheads and grate, the not yet permanently fitted figurehead was painted up ready for the final stages.

Galleries, stern and channels

Focal points of many period ships are the quarter galleries and the stern. Indefatigable didn’t have the same elaborate carvings of the ships from a generation before; in this respect she was very much like HMS Victory

The gallery roof areas of the model are fitted with laser-cut card shingles, overlaid against each other, and I have to say the ochre rails I ran along these and around the stern area look very striking against the black. I added ochre columns between all the windows too, while the lower gallery areas were fitted with 3D-printed parts and painted to suit.

Indy’s stern area can be fitted out with the series of finely engraved PolyBak décor parts that come with the kit, and, naturally, I painted mine in ochre. Also added was the custom-made Eduard ‘INDEFATIGABLE’ decal that comes with each kit.

Acetate windowpanes are supplied for the stern and gallery openings, as are the photoetch window frames that overlay them; an option here is to pose your stern windows either open or closed. I opted to portray a couple of them open, just so the cabin interior and all its furniture can be viewed and enjoyed. The 3D-printed lanterns I fitted to the stern with PE and shaped brass rod. Fitting the channels is very easy. These are