by Peter Hall
1/350 HMS Ark Royal IV (Scratchbuilt)
After building the Tamiya USS Enterprise in 1/350 scale in 1990, I thought why should I settle with the largest American Aircraft Carrier. I wanted to have the largest British Aircraft Carrier in 1/350 scale as well.
And so it was that I built HMS Ark Royal IV from scratch in 1995, using plastic card as the main material, with Milliput here and there to fill out the areas with awkward curves. It took about six months to get the main part of her built, but I then ran in to problems with the fine bits and pieces, namely the large 965 Double bedstead radar antennas.
A friend suggested that I design my own as flat images that could be converted in to photo etched parts, so while I worked on that I constructed some temporary antennas out of plastic strips and bits of net curtain so that I could at least finish the model off.
The aircraft were another challenge, as there were no Buccaneers or Gannets available in 1/350 so I had to scratch build those as well. The Buccaneers fuselage is not an easy shape, and I needed more than one. I managed four before I gave in and opened a packet of Tamiya 350 scale aircraft to get the Phantoms needed to help pack out the flight deck. The Sea Kings were also obtained from the same source and modified up to the Royal Navy versions. To finish off I then managed to scratch build a Gannet AEW and a Wessex SAR Helicopter.
The squadron markings for the most part were painted on with a very thin brush.
About six months after I had finished the model, I completed the designs for the radar antennas. I didn't know where or who could process the images; which were hand drawn on paper at that time; into photo etched brass.
So I sent the images in to White Ensign Models and asked them what they could suggest. Dave Carter replied by asking if I could do any more photoetch design work…..
The rest is history, Mad Pete is still at it!
