Building the Airfix Air Sea Rescue Launch

1
July 17, 2020
The kit´s fit was quite OK, with minimal filler needed at the wheelhouse corners and at the rear of the superstructure.
2
July 17, 2020
For the windscreen, I made the framework from styrene and the rotating discs from PE handwheels, with all but one spoke carefully sawed away.
3
July 17, 2020
I redid the rear window, adding framing to the wheelhouse roof and making the pane of the window from a blister pack.
4
July 17, 2020
The mast needed a rebuild to cope with the tension of the rigging.
5
July 17, 2020
I was quite happy with the kit´s representation of the Oerlikon, I just added some leftover PE and tubing.
6
July 17, 2020
I added the cooling water outlets to the transom and some representation of the diagonal planking to the hull sides.
7
July 17, 2020
The deflectors around the turrets are represented as solid parts, whereas they consisted of tubing in the real thing. I remade them from annealed wire and styrene.
8
July 17, 2020
In comparison, the difference between the kit parts and the homemade deflectors is obvious.
9
July 17, 2020
My first base, smallish and greenish, and only with churned water right behind the vessel. Mostly like a photo from Wikipedia. But I wasn´t quite happy with it.
10
July 17, 2020
To mount the hull to my vise, I added styrene rectangular profile.
11
July 17, 2020
My second base was larger, with choppier waves, and a bluer hue, and more churned water around the vessel. I fancied it looked better.
12
July 17, 2020
I tried to make the grey of the deck and superstructure a bit varied without overdoing it, using three shades.
13
July 17, 2020
Masking the many panes of the machine gun turrets was tedious, but had to be done. I fantasized about 3D printed frameworks that would only need painting and glazing with white glue ...
14
July 17, 2020
My first cage aerials ever, made after Ulf Lundberg´s method as described here: modellmarine.de/inde..modelle&Itemid=1
15
July 17, 2020
I was a bit concerned about the decals, but they held up well and covered well, too.
16
July 17, 2020
The vessel as completed and weathered.
17
July 17, 2020
So this is what I arrived at - and didn´t feel comfortable with.

Comments

4 17 July 2020, 15:08

Hanno Kleinecke
Extraordinary job, especially the mast and rigging look really good ! The teaser pic for the project file really brings out the beautiful lines
of this whaleback . Legendary good old Airfix kit......

17 July 2020, 20:53