Hi again,
here is one of my latest ship builds, the delightful WEM/Atlantic Models 1/350 HMS Starling built as HMS Mermaid. I was tempted to do HMS Peacock as my grandfather (Royal Horse Artillery) was sent from Malta to Palestine in 1948 on her for a mission, according to my family, to rescue Mountbatten's polo ponies! The nice colour scheme of HMS Mermaid won out though. The excellent book "Sloops, 1926-1946" by Arnold Hague provides an excellent resource for those interested in this elegant and extensive class of ships. Some modification to the basic kit, apart from the usual updating/upgrading with after-market parts, was required, mainly to the shelter deck supporting B turret and the split Hedgehog mountings. The bulwarks were extended aft as necessary. It still needs to be crewed, but an order from North Star Models (allegedly sent early March) still hasn't arrived here in Kiwiland (as of June 6)
As for painting, I used my own mixes from Schminke inks. I had ordered the new range of Sovereign RN paints from Creative Models Australia primarily to use as swatches/matches to make/use acrylics but these took nearly a year to arrive, post this build. Using basic principles I obtained paint matches from my local Resene range, of neutral/neutralish greys with the appropriate reflectance values (all but one spot on, the exception being only 1% out) first by getting the accurate chips from brochures, then sample pots (see below). By iteration I made various mixes of Schminke white, pale grey (actually a bluish-grey, suitable as basis for the 507 series, B6/B15/20), and black (quite neutral) to achieve tones matching the reflectance values. By adding drops of prototypical ultramarine and/or chome oxide green it was possible to get colours that probably would be damned close. In fact, when the Sovereign paints arrived a few weeks ago I was really pleased with my efforts regarding B30, G10, G45 and B55.
Cheers, GrahamB
Noticed that the top aerial on foremast had pulled out of vertical- must fix that.
P1010452 by Graham Bird, on Flickr
P1010453 by Graham Bird, on Flickr
P1010455 by Graham Bird, on Flickr
P1010456 by Graham Bird, on Flickr
P1010457 by Graham Bird, on Flickr