HMS Zulu

Sprue shot 

Priming and decide to give out some texture for the hull. Just to give some impression than bland hull. 

Priming and decide to give out some texture for the hull. Just to give some impression than bland hull. 

Lines of contour been done with mr.surfacer 500, base prime is with mr.surfacer 1000
 

Lines of contour been done with mr.surfacer 500, base prime is with mr.surfacer 1000 

Some weathered pre-shading with white through stencils. Based with flat black. 

Hull in general is done 

The contour is still preserved. 

Primed most of the parts while on the sprue. main superstructures are separated. Deck paint is a mixture of XF-53 and C365 with 2:1 ratio (or 3:1 I forgot) 

Pre-shading on the deck with white, overall to give some dirty and wet look. 

Repainted it again. 

 

Superstructures painted with XF-80. 

Trying out to preserve the railing paint through masking. I think it goes pretty clean. 

Trying out to preserve the railing paint through masking. I think it goes pretty clean. 

assembly of small parts on most superstructures. 

Preparing for wooden deck painting, very small patch! 

1st layer with Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown 

2nd layer with XF-78 Wooden Deck Tan, mixed slightly with XF-64. 

3rd layer with Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan. masking line is removed. 

method of painting small parts with blu tack. 

varnished for most parts. 

Masking off the main gun for black painting on the mantlet, based on what I've seen on most pictures. And to make it less bland. 

Masking off the main gun for black painting on the mantlet, based on what I've seen on most pictures. And to make it less bland. 

Mid-section 50. caliber AA Tower is assembled. 

Other armaments to be painted and finished. 

Test-fitting, again. 

Assembly of the bridge section, many fiddly parts here and some fragile PE. 

Assembly of the bridge section, many fiddly parts here and some fragile PE. 

Assembly of the bridge section, many fiddly parts here and some fragile PE. 

Test fitting of the bridge superstructure, decided to leave the railings for later. Fixing up the main gun rotation. 

Drilled hole for the smoke funnel exhausts, as exampled here. 

I decided to saw off the rear funnel as HMS Zulu in this scheme to be modified like this for better AA angle. At least to keep it a little faithful for the real thing. 

Result of the sawing. 

Smoke funnels are done, alongside with its flimsy PE. 

Front section is properly fixed. 

Mid-section is properly fixed 

Rather than using the PE parts for the anchor chain, I used a spare chain from my previous RN Pola project. 

The chain is glued and painted. 

Rear-section are properly glued. Each section is washed slightly with Tamiya black panel liner. I 'modified' the Octuplet Pom-Pom from the kit into Quad 40mm by cutting the barrels (I know it is not accurate nonetheless). 

Rectifying some details of the real thing, there are identification strips for the funnels that is added. Flagpole for white ensign is on the rear. Rigging pole is attached to the searchlight tower. 

Liferafts are to be painted. 

 

Applying the main masts. 

 

I applied the decal first. After conforming well, I started the streaking process and refining it. 

Decal set on the other side, and properly. I varnished it after. 

Added some weathering on the starboard side of the ship. 

Trying out to set the ensign in foil. Not perfect, but there is always a first time. 

Trying out to set the ensign in foil. Not perfect, but there is always a first time. 

Probably the meticulous of the most, some rigging. 

Probably the meticulous of the most, some rigging. 

Lifeboats painted and assembled later. 

Aftermarket PE for RN Railings. Flimsy but it will make do in the long run. And definitely will spice up the model. 

Trying to make it into shape for the ship ass section. mostly by hand or some strange round object nearby as bending tools. 

Trying to make it into shape for the ship ass section. mostly by hand or some strange round object nearby as bending tools. 

Ship is overall finished, varnished by layers of X-22 and XF-86 for the last. dissolved by Lacquer Mr.Leveling Thinner and the other with X-20 Acryllic Thinner for extra protection (from my own befalls). 

Don't forget the nameplate painting. Painted with X-12 Gold Leaf. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple. 

She is done! I actually thoroughly enjoyed it as an amateur modeler. Although it is prone on accuracy issues. I think for serious builder there are plenty of aftermarkets out there to make her perfect. Overall, the kit itself builds up quite simple.