Craig Nash still has the Espana that you built. I just have the hull. Once I get the garage cleaned up a bit more I will go and strip the sintra deck aand then order a deck rom Strike. I will have to inquire whether they will have a gun kit for this model.
Should be no problem to get a class 4 gun kit for this model Paul. I plan to arm my Konig and VU with my cannons and arm Graf Spee. I have enough valves and coil cannons to complete the job. These ships are more portable to transport too.
I liked the Espana but when there were no other 28 sec ships in NABS it was pretty much useless as a combatant. It was avoided and all opponents could out run it. Should be OK with a few other 28 sec ships available. Any ideas on when we'll have a build session? I'll be ready to install the fiberglass deck on the Rodney in a few weeks. Does anyone know what happened to the uncut purple Renown hull I bought from Rob and resold to Ian? I think he had it up for sale when I bought Hood back from him. Haven't been able to contact him. I'd like to get my hands on it instead of having to make a mold for the hull. Too bad Rob's mold was scrapped after only two hulls were made.
I've located the Renown hull - Ian still has it. I plan to buy it back in January and resume work on making the hull exterior smooth. When I bought it there were a lot of small gelcoat defects to fill and sand, and much of the surface had raised marks that appeared to be from mould release fluid that dried on the original hull plug. (Using mould release wax prevents that problem.) About 50% of the sanding was done when I sold the hull to Ian. It's a shame Rob disposed of the mould. A few hours of sanding with wet and dry paper could have given a smooth mould surface. Rob did a great job capturing the hull shape. If I can achieve a smooth enough hull I may take a mould from it - a few people want a Renown hull. I hope John can host a build session at his workplace in January. I need to glass a new rear wall on IJN Ibuki's shortened hangar and install the fibreglass deck on the Rodney hull. When those things are done I'll cut out the holes for props and rudder on the Vanguard hull and install its deck at the next build session.
Due to lack of signs of club activity in recent months I didn't buy the Renown hull back from Ian, haven't rearmed Hood or done any work on incomplete models ( Rodney, Vanguard, Profintern, and the CVL Ibuki for Treaty combat). The radios have been recharged and seem OK so HMS Minotaur and Gorgon only need new drive and receiver batteries to be battle ready. I spent a lot of time reworking the inaccurate Profintern (Russian CL) hull plug I'd commissioned in 2007. After the faults were corrected it was donated to Strike Models and Stephen Mogret said the hulls will be in production soon. Profintern/Krasni Krim has some great BB cannon installation options because the 15 main guns were in 6 bow and stern barbettes close to the waterline, as well as all over the topsides from bow to stern. I've received Profile Morskie 1/144 scale plans for the Frobisher Class heavy cruisers which Stephen and I think could be effective combat ships due to low quarterdeck mounted stern guns able to train out 15 degrees to either side with their muzzles a inch or so above the water. I plan to keep contributing hulls to the hobby and will build the Frobisher Class hull plug during the fall and early winter. Next on the list will be the Dutch Java Class light cruisers. I'm probably going to sell the set of I-400 submarine moulds to Strike in the near future.
