Hms lion (1910) 1:250 (jsc)

**jrt55555** · #1 02-06-2015, 05:50 PM

So I recently won a copy of the JSC card model of HMS LION, the 1910 British battlecruiser which served as the flagship of the Grand Fleet's battlecruisers throughout World War I, seeing action at the battles of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland.

I have a personal connection to the ship due to my great-great-grandfather serving on her, joining her as a stoker on her being comissioned on 4 June 1912 through to 12 April 1916 when he was 'invalided' out of the Navy for injuries sustained having reached the rating of Acting Leading Stoker.

Due to the connection, I couldn't resist having a go at putting this one together and at the 1:250 scale it should produce a nice size model (according to other reviews around 85cms long).

This is a complex model with quite a lot of parts, so it's not going to be a quick build but thought I'd set up a build thread for a bit of support along the way!

Will post pictures once I have the necessary permissions!

**elliott** · #2 02-06-2015, 06:46 PM

Have you made a model like this before? If not, I'd strongly suggest you make a copy of her and do a test build before using the actual model. You can make all the copies you want, but once that original piece is used it's a goner. Not trying to discourage you. This is a special model for you and you want to make your mistakes before building the real thing.

Looking forward to your build thread.

**Vermin_King** · #3 02-06-2015, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elliott

Have you made a model like this before? If not, I'd strongly suggest you make a copy of her and do a test build before using the actual model. You can make all the copies you want, but once that original piece is used it's a goner. Not trying to discourage you. This is a special model for you and you want to make your mistakes before building the real thing.

Looking forward to your build thread.

ditto, and welcome to the forum

**jrt55555** · #4 02-06-2015, 07:56 PM

Thanks guys - can't profess to have built something of this level of detail before but have been researching and planing it for a number of weeks and have been practicing with some smaller free models.

I'll take your advice and take some copies. My plan is to go slow and steady and think everything out carefully before making cuts/sticks.

First thing I need to do is find a suitable building board as the board I was planning to use is a bit too flexible I think - I dont want to ruin the hull by warping it. Ideally I need quite a long piece of wood as I'll need to pin some parts of the hull down - any suggestions what's best to use here / where to get it from?

**jrt55555** · #5 02-06-2015, 08:03 PM

Also, any idea when I am allowed to post images?

**Royaloakmin** · #6 02-06-2015, 08:54 PM

Build it on a sheet of glass and use weights to hold things in place.

**jrt55555** · #7 02-07-2015, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royaloakmin

Build it on a sheet of glass and use weights to hold things in place.

Thanks for the tip - that sounds like a plan. My biggest fear is if the board is not totally flat the hull will twist slightly and put the whole model off kilter. Ill go down to my local b&q and see if I can find something suitable. Due to the size of the model it'll need to be the size of a small window!

Any tips for what to use as weights?

**Royaloakmin** · #8 02-07-2015, 11:25 AM

Almost anything small and heavy. I have used rubber erasers, the small rectangular ones. Doesn't have to be real heavy.

**db-sa** · #9 02-07-2015, 12:01 PM

Small spots of pva glue will hold the base piece to glass for the build and are easily prised off the glass later. Smooth surfaced melamine or laminate covered particle board, say 19mm up, also works in place of glass.

**jrt55555** · #10 02-07-2015, 12:28 PM

Thanks.

I have obtained a piece of glass for my base today - I first went to my local B&Q (hardware store) but ended up just going to a local glass merchant who cut me a piece of glass to size - should provide a good, flat, inflexible base.

I was planning to use small spots of glue to fix the hull outline to the base as well, but then was slightly worried by the instructions saying:

"Cut out the waterline and place them on the board along the ship's axis. They can be fastened to the board by pins but they can't be glued to it!"

But reading ahead I can't see any reason why I'd need to lift the hull back off the board, so using small dots of glue to hold it to the glass which I can later pop off with a razor blade should be ok right?!