| The cruiser Méndez Núñez was a ship
of the Spanish Armada built in Ferrol in 20´s and that by its design
and obsolete arms and technical characteristics would be able to say that
was born at the wrong time. The ship was modernized extensively between
1944 and 1949 to become antiaircraft cruiser, being reformed almost completely
the covers and superstructures, and with an armament something more harmonious
with its new status. Although its qualities military nothing had
to they do with its counterparts of other navies due to the restrictions
that sufring our country during this reconstruction, the most important
assignment of the ship was forming to the future marine generations, being
one of the most beloved ships of ours Armed. |
| The Model |
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| I decided to build this model because still being a great
stranger, in my opinion is possibly one of the prettiest Spanish warships
. The model is reproduced in the scale 1/350, leaving from the Naval
Museum of Madrid plans. Due to the little graphic information that
exists of this ship, her construction was extended more than expected (10
months), in part also by the modifications suffered during the construction
and that themselves they are not shown in the plans. Her construction is
entirely in plastic. The vignette shows anchored during the end of
its operating life, at the beginning of 60`s. |
| This model is a small homage to all the old sailors that
served in this ship, without whose aid with difficulty had undertaken this
project. |
click images
to enlarge |
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| To build the hull we start taking a strange way, modifying a
Heller`s Colbert, reducing the long and elevating the bow. |
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Once the hull is in correct sizes we glued the new deck in place ready
for attachment of new staff.
New deck and all the new components were scratching with different
Evergreen items. |
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| Next step is added the fine railings (Tauro ref. 350/04) and paint
the deck using different brown and sand tones, in this ship the real deck
was realy dark. |
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| After painting, the deck was completely covered with masking tape for
apply base color of the hull. |
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With the finished hull started building superstructures,
for this we use different types of Evergreen.
Following the plans and patience this work is fun.
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| To detail the superstructures with doors, windows, stairs
etc. .. we used Tauro Models items Nº 350/06, 350/07, 350/10.
After placing all photoetch apply primer and paint these parts. At this
time the ship's profile begins to show its final form. |
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| Upon completion of the superstructure attached them to
the ship's deck and paint the hull with the final color, now the picture
of the ship is impressive. |
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| The funnels were built also in Evergreen, these were probably
the most difficult pieces for me and were detailed with photoetch stairs,
railings and wire pieces of different thicknesses. |
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In the following photo shows several small pieces as boats, masts,
and light weapons, which was very easy to get as it is the same used by
the Kriegsmarine in ww2. |
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| With all the equipment of the ship finished and painted model preparing
to put in a mold fill transparent resin to the feeling that the ship is
floating. This work is convenient to do so by layers of 5 mm or less so
that the heat of the resin will not break the model, each layer will give
tapped applied to remove bubbles. The effect of the resin is quite realistic
but needs to be done before some tests to be sure of the result. The final
effect of the sea surface is performed with Woodland Scenics Water effects,
applied directly on the resin and dried. |
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| After all this work put only need boarding the crew and
put them in the right place to enjoy the boat regatta. Sailors are resin
1/350 L `Arsenal, and photoetch 1/350 Tom Modelworks`s. The painting of
the ship is made simple just a little weathering and rust in some areas
to make it realistic. |
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The final gallery shows a real and compelling story that happened in A
Coruña in 1956 during a parade Miltar and had as one of its protagonists
to Mendez Nuñez A.A Cruiser. |
