This weekend I read “The Tsar’s Last Armada”; the story of the Russian 2nd Fleet’s travel to destruction at Tsushima.
So I broke out the 1/350 Zvesda kit of the Prince Suvorov, and got it going.
A nice easy to build kit, with a WEM etched set.
I’m still working away on the Victory, but this will be a quick diversion.
I’ve also ordered brass barrels from BMK.
Please send us pictures of your completed project.
Montani semper liberi ! Happy modeling to all and every one of you.
Crackers [8-|]
I repainted my hull Tamiya Hull red. I sprayed the decks tan, and then picked out some of the planks with other colors I had, tan, brown, white. 
] I am cleaning up the hull and adding details.
This weekend I made steady progress, in between trimming the tree and cooking a couple of good dinners.
The decks are in, along with the various houses and fittings. I used the portholes from the PE set, very nice.
Next up is the boat beams and catwalks, the stacks and start to install rails from the top down. I’m waiting on gun barrels- the turrets may well get plugged in last.
Those old battleships really had an interesting shape! And you model will be a fine representation, from what I see at this stage. Keep up the good work and have a nice day
Paweł
I’ve moved up to the spar deck and the boat beams. Catwalks in place and the gun platforms painted and installed with etched columns and hammock racks.
very nice work. How did you do the porthole frames? They look excellent.
Will
Thanks Will. They are part of the PE set that I got from White Ensign. Still waiting on the brass barrels.
Building up the bridges. I have switched from two bar at the upper gun deck and bridge to three bar. The bridge decks are red linoleum. I’ll dull down the glue spots at the end with matt spray.
very nice build you got there!
im not familiar with the russian navy,although it got a very special appearence.
what year was this ship built?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borodino_class_battleship
Borodino was launched in 1901, one of five in her class built between 1899-1905 to a French design. A signature is the pronounced tumblehome. Three (Prince Suvorov, Borodino and Alexander III) were sunk at Tsushima, Orel was captured. Slava was launced in the same year and survived till late in WW1, where she was lost.
This is the Zvezda/ ex Eastern Express model in 1/350. It’s a very nice model and a real bargain at about $ 30 on eBay. There’s a great thread over on Shipmodel forum if you are interested with lots of good pictures and links to Russian websites.
Tonight I built the masts. There’s no way the kit system with three sections butt jointed end to end will ever hold up to rigging. The mast parts have a nice taper though, so I drilled them out and pinned them together. Seems solid…
Cut off the strakes and added the prop/ rudder assemblies to the steam pinnaces. Looks nice, and I’ll scrape the paint off the props when I have finished painting the hulls.
Otherwise just about wrapped up with the railings topside, and ready to start on all of the details.
Wish those barrels would show up…
I’ve made a lot of progress. I replaced the kit funnels with 7/16" brass tube, which eliminated the cartoonish plates and seams. I scratch built caps using plasticard and the etched grilles from the WEM set, although I cut off the ring surrounds on those and shaped them into a dome over the end of a drafting pencil.
I used Marker Yellow paint, it is pale and has a faintly green tinge that I think looks pretty accurate.
All the boats are in place. There’s a lot of shiny CA showing, but it will dissappear under a couple of coats of dull varnish.
Next is to rig the masts and yards.
Wish those main armament barrels would come.
I’m working on the hull fittings now- the casement doors are in place and the torpedo net booms. Also the davits. After I install the net platforms there will not be much more to do except rig her.
Yeah the 12" barrels came today. They are in the paint shed, and I will get the turrets built and installed this week.
The light at the end of the journey is beckoning…
Wow, bondo! That is one good lookin’ ol’ boat!
Thank you sub. A major learning greased pig is modeling a black ship. The Dolphin mods get my respect, although I have modeled steam railroad for a long time. But it’s really hard to get things to look ok. One has to kind of play up the details, in this case the ship’s boats. Added the footboards on the bilges, did a whole week of white/black/brown.
Mind this thing is all of abt 11" long and is soaking up detail. Think I found my ground tho; love 20th century ships.
Here is the completed Zvezda Borodino. A very nice kit that can be made quite a bit better with a little work.
Beautiful, Bondo. I hope mine looks as good.
m@