HMS Vigo 1:144 scale

No, not simply a vanity project but an actual ship. The name is just a happy coincidence.

HMS Vigo was one of 26 Royal Navy Battle class destroyers built during and just after WW2. HMS Vigo was launched in September 1945.



Trawling the web for inspiration for a new project, I found this and thought... Why not?

The drawing is a shade on the small side but it's nothing I've not dealt with before. Scaled up to 1/144 and measuring a massive 740mm in length, she should sit nicely alongside HMS RobertCrombie that I built a while back.

Cue lots of frenetic CADding and lots of gratuitous smoke creation in the garage.

A couple of days later:


2x new motors and propshafts ordered and whilst I waited for them to be delivered I had a go at some of the deck features:




I've made the frames in such a way that when they eventually arrive, motors and shafts will simply slide into position. What I hadn't counted on was the fact that I'd ordered the wrong ones so they wouldn't 

A new order made and I'm now awaiting dellivery of those. Still, that gives me more time to mess about with other things like deck mounted torpedo launchers (2 of)


This was a couple of days ago and there's been more stuff done since then but I don't have any photos.

I've continued with bits of the hull cladding (4x100mm 1.5mm ply strips) as much as I can without interfering with the motor/shaft mounting and I've constructed a rather smart looking slightly overscale brass rudder.



More from the High Peak boatyard as and when.

Thanks for looking.


ps. This is the first actual build log I've done. I usually get carried away with other things and forget.

Hi Vigo,

Nice work, and great detail.
I will be following this build log with interest.
Keep up the good work.

She will be like a javelin through the water.

Martin555.

Hmmph. The motors were the right ones after all but not the shafts so I still can't do any more with the hull.

Superstructure then.

Progress so far:

Hi Vigo,

That is annoying, still with these temperatures you probably don't feel much like doing anything.
It Is looking good though.

Martin555.

In the dim and distant past, when Deans Marine had just started, I built their HMS Veralum, in the same class as Vigo I understand. One of my memories was making the eyebrows for the portholes. A length of plastic sprue was supplied which was wound around a pencil and then cut down the middle. The result was quite realistic, but as usual with Deans, the failed to supply enough sprue. It still made a presentable model though.
Excellent work Vigo, well done!

I've got hold of an etched brass fret of 1/144 portholes (and eyebrows) and loads of other interesting stuff so I'm sorted in detail bits department.

I've gone about as far as I can now without the correct propshafts  though. I've run out of things to build for above deck and I'm waiting for some more wood so I can replace the fore deck so the build is on hold for a few days. Unfortunately, straight after that I'm off to Spain for a couple of weeks so I'll probably attack this project with renewed vigour when I get back.

Anyway. Momentous Day!!

Fitting the main deck.


cos all this stuff is done too.
and surprisingly it all does what it's supposed to. I'm shocked.

Hi Vigo,

Great work.
Looking really good.
I can't wait to see her get her bottom wet.

I hope you have a fantastic holiday in Spain.

Martin555.

Hi Vigo

Great work again!

Are you visiting Vigo during your Spanish trip?

Cormorant

I don't think it will be much of a holiday, I'll probably end up painting the house again , which is about as far away from Vigo as you can get on mainland Spain.

Anyway. Back to the boat.
I know I said I wasn't going to do any more for a while but I've always thought a splash of colour helps bring things to life.


I couldn't help myself  and while I was at it I built a pair of torpedo davits - I felt adventurous

This should be the last update for a while, I'm off to sunny Spain this afternoon.

Last night I finally managed to get the foredeck finished. It's a different kind of wood than I normally use and the cutter wasn't having any of it. This is after 4 attempts and 3 A4 sheets wasted.



The shafts have arrived but the connectors haven't so I still can't go any further with the hull. Maybe it's just as well I'm going away.

Hi Vigo,
It is frustrating when you have to wait for parts that you order but it dose tend to push you into finding bits that you can do to keep the momentum going.

Hopeful everything will arrive and you will be able to continue with renewed vigour upon your return.

Have a great holiday.

Martin555.

It's an elegant looking ship what made you choose 1:144?
Enjoy your holiday do your best to deplete the Sangria lake that covid lockdown has created.

Sometime last year I made a model of HMS Roberts/Abercrombie in 1/144. My reasoning for that was that I also do model railways in N gauge and that's more or less the same scale so detailing wouldn't present insurmountable problems. I figured that Vigo would make a fitting stable mate for the RobertCrombie, especially in the same scale.

Also, the completed model(s) will actually fit inside a standard Mercedes SLK boot with the roof retracted. I have to consider transportation even if they don't work (these two do though).

I recall now you told us about the SLK i can sympathise I've got an MX5 mk 3 which just about accepts a Revell Corvette in 1/72nd

Progress:





According to photos and drawings I've found, it's supposed to have rails all round. This is a particular bugbear of mine because I've never found a suitable way of making them in such a small scale. I suppose I could bite the bullet and actuall buy some ready made but that would cost about 40 quid which is about as much as the build's cost to date so I'm a bit reluctant.

Anyone got any tried and tested methods?

Hi Vigo,
I hope you had a great holiday.

As for your hand rails the only way is to make a jig for the stanchions and rails that you can use for all the strait sections but leave long tails so that you can bend then around the different angles/slopes and connect then to the next stanchions on the next strait section.

Martin555.

Hi vigo,

I don't know if this will help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2vZTAfxPs4

Martin555.

That's an interesting video, if a bit long winded... and I really wish she wouldn't keep calling it sodder
Still, it gave me a kick to dig out my 40 yr old Weller.


A bit rough and ropey and about 2x as big as it should be but it got better as I went along. Not too bad for a first serious attempt though.
Note to self - measure and plan properly next time.

In other news, HMS Vigo is all but finished. I need to build a pair of Oerlikon AA guns, about 8 feet of railings  Oh and fit some boats (they're on order) and then blast the whole thing with a couple of cans of satin lacquer but other than that it's getting to the stage where I traditionally think about the next build.

Anyway. Pictures. Everyone likes pictures






Thanks for looking.

Hi Vigo,
As you say thinner material should do the trick.
But from what I can see there is no reason to worry, as you are more than capable of making the railings with ease even at that size.

Martin555.

Railings: Take 2

Thinner material (0.5mm brass) and a bit more practice with the Weller.



I think they're getting better, should be just about right by the time it's finished

Hi Vigo,
That looks much better.
As you say by the time you have finished the railings you will be an expert.LOL!
Great work.

Well, after a full afternoon playing with the Weller, I think I've got the hang of this soddering thing.













Just 2 anchors and 2 small decals to fit on the side of the bow then she's finished.

I was looking through my build photos and I reallised that I made the first cut for this ship on August 1st, that's 59 days ago. If you take out the two weeks I was in Spain that means this build has taken 45 days - almost Liberty ship numbers!

Hi Vigo,

Well you have been a busy boy.
And as for the speed of your build It is amazing how you build such a quality model in such a short amount of time.

Excellent work.

When will she be getting her bottom wet.?

Martin555.

As soon as I can find somewhere suitable. That's the problem around here, there's plenty of water but it's all private fishing, full sized sailing or nature reserves

As I said earlier, this one's small enough to fit in the boot of the car so a trip to Spain's not completely out of the question.....

Hi Vigo,

Maybe you should of built a Spanish galleon LOL!!

Martin555.

I think I'll leave galleons and the like to you mate.

Hi Vigo.
You only say that because you know that the mast's will put holes in your car head linings LOL!!!

Martin555.

As hinted at earlier, it's time to think about the next build.

I quite like the looks of this - a simple Polish freighter:


I don't know why, it just looks so utility.

As is becoming my norm now, it will be in approx 1/144 scale making the model roughly 650mm long. I (and my car) can live with that and now that railings are not a problem, detailing should be a doddle.

More on this elsewhere later.

Hi Vigo,

I think you will find it would make a nice change from warships and the colour grey.
And with your skills it would look fantastic.

Martin555.