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HMS Illustrious in 1/350 scale by Airfix Kit# 14201

Jeff Head — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:18:23 GMT

My Review and Build of Airfix's 1/350 scale Kit #14201,
HMS Illustrious, R06, Aircraft Carrier

Introduction and What's in the Box - May 3, 2013

Overview - The Royal Navy's Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers:
The Invincible class of light aircraft carrier is operated by the Royal Navy. Three ships were constructed, HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal, with all three commissioned between 1980 and 1985. Each of these carriers followed the following specifications:

Displacement: 23,000 tons
Length: 695 feet
Beam: 118 feet
Speed: 20+ knots
Propulsion: 4 TM3B gas turbines (COGAG), 2 shafts
Crew: 1,270
Aircraft: 22 VSTOL, Rotary
Armament:
- 3 X 30mm CIWS
- 2 X 20mm guns
Elevators: 2

The Invincible class carriers were initially dubbed "through deck cruisers" for political and funding purposes, and were the first successful VSTOL carriers in the world, employing the British Harrier aircraft. Nonetheless, after approval and commencment of work, they were threatened with cancellation and being sold off by politicians at the time who felt the UK no longer required the services of aircraft carriers. However, miltary planners garnered enough support to see the the development, launching and commissioning of the intial vessel, HMS Invincble, and were about to commision the second, HMS Illustrious in early 1982.

This proved to be very critical to the UK because of the outbreak of the 1982 Falklands War with Argentina. Agrentina invaded and took the Falkland Islands and the UK was forced to respond. The Royal Navy dispatched a large task force with two aircraft carriers, one the HMS Hermes (later sold to India to become the INS Viraat), and the other the newly completed HMS Invincible. By May of that year (1982) the task force had accomplished two of its initial tasks; the movement of the troops safely to the South Atlantic and the establishment of control of the seas around the Islands.

The role of the VSTOL carriers then became crucial through the remiander of the conflict, providing air defence and the means of attacking enemy ships and ground positions, while their helicopters provided constant anti-submarine protection, support and resupply of the troops ashore. The Invincible and her air wing performed well, despite some losses to both aircraft and supporting ships to Argentine air attack, and the islands were recaptured and the Argentine forces defeated. At that time, the second carrier, HMS Illustrious, which had been rushed throught trials, relieved the HMS Invincible and Hermes in the area, and the effectiveness and the need for these vessels was firmly established.

The carriers were originally designed without the now characteristic ski ramp. However, during operational tests it was discovered that using the ski ramp provided the Sea Harrier with much better performance, allowing it to carry more fuel and weapons, making it a far more versatile aircraft for fleet defense, attack at sea, and ground support missions. The upgrade to the F/A 2 Sea Harrier was a great success for the fighter, and allowed it to do its job very capably in many different operations around the world, including its combat roles in the South Attlantic and the Mid-East. The Harriers were retired in 2010, and will be replaced by the Joint Strike Fighter for use in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm on the new, full-deck HMS Queren Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

In that regard, by June of 2011, all but one of the Invincible class carriers had been decommissioned and disposed of to make way for the two new, full deck, conventional carriers the United Kingdom is now building. These carriers served their nation and it's interests very capably for over thirty years. This leaves only the HMS Illustrious active, which now fills a helicopter aircraft carrier role, which it will continue to fulfill until the first new carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth is launched..

Introduction - HMS Illustrious, R06:
HMS Illustrious is the last active Invincible Class aircraft Carrier. She has had a distinguished career with the Royal Navy, and was the seond of the three Invincible Class carriers. She is known by her crew as the "Lusty."

She was laid down on October 7, 1976, launched on December 14, 1978, and was provisonally commissioned on June 20, 1982. Her commissioning was three months early and was rushed into effect because of the Falklands War of 1982 with Argentina over the Flaklands Isnads which the Argentines had occupied and which the United Kingdom sailed to take back. Illustious'sister ship, the HMS Invincible, R05, had been sent with the task force to the southern Atlanitc Ocean to implement that strategy, and for which the Illustrious would stand as a back-up and replacement if the Illustrious were damaged, or as a relief durong or at the end of the war.
As it was, despite numerous losses to the Royal Navy, the HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes percervered and won the war, and the HMS Illustrious relieved her on station in the South Atlantic on August 28, 1982, in a moving and unforgettable steam past as the Illustrious took up her duty and the Invincible returned, vistorious back to England.

After the fighting, until the RAF airfield on the Falkland Islands was repaired, air defence of the area was the responsibility of the Fleet Air Arm. Once Illustrious relieved the Invincible (the Hermes had already departed fro England) in August of 1982, the 809 Naval Air Squadron embarked on the Illustrious provided this air defense coverage. In march of 1983, Rear Admiral Derek Reffell commanded the relief task group from Illustrious .and with the RAF airfield then repaired, Illustrious returned to the UK and was formally commissioned on 20 March 1983 into the Royal Navy.

During the remainder of the 1980s, Illustrious received several enhancements during refits, including a steeper ski-jump to enable the Harriers in the air wing to take-off with a larger payload. During one Extended Defect and Maintenance Period, numerous modifications were made to the ship including the removal of her Sea Dart missile defences at a cost of twelve million pounds. This allowed for extra deck space that enables her to carry more aircraft (increased to 22), including the Harrier GR7.

In 1986 she suffered a catastrophic gearbox failure which almost ended her naval career. POn the night of her beginning a "fly the flag" around the globe trip, at about 23:30 that evening, while powering up to full engine revs, the oil vapour surrounding the gearbox exploded causing a fire that was not put out for over four hours. At one point the captain made preparations to abandon ship, but he was overruled by the fleet admiral at the time who believed the ship could be saved. There was no loss of life or serious injury, but the trip was put off for several months while the ship was taken out of service for repairs.

During the 1990s, the main task of the aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy, including the HMS Illustrious, was helping maintain the no-fly zone over Bosnia during the Bosnian conflict. All three of the Invincible carriers rotated through the area. During that time she also served in the 1st Iraq war, Opertion Desert Storm. In 1998 she operated in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, which was the enforcement of the no-fly-zone over Southern Iraq.
In 2000 Illustrious led Task Group 342.1, a naval task force comprising HMS Ocean, Argyll, Iron Duke, and Chatham along with numerous RFA ships in Operation Palliser, which was aimed at restoring peace and stability to Sierra Leone. Then, in September 2001, a large British exercise, Saif Sareea II, was taking place in Oman of which the HMS Illustrious was a part. During the exercise, on September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked and the World Trade Center destroyed by Al-Qaeda. Illustrious and her escorts remained in theatre while other elements of the task force returned home. Illustrious had Royal Marines on board, ready for any possible combat operations in Afghanistan. However, before she left, no deployment was made and she was relieved by Ocean in early 2002 and returned to Portsmouth after seven months at sea.

In mid-2003, the ship underwent a large refit at Rosyth Dockyard. This refit involved the total rebuild of the ski jump, the adding of better communications sensors and equipment, and reconfiguring the ship to enable it to more quickly switch between the light aircraft carrier and helicopter carrier roles. It proved to be a fortuitous move as shall be shown. The refit lasted for months and precluded the Illustrious involvement in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 2nd Iraq War which began in 2003..

In 2006, Illustrious along with HMS Gloucester helped in the evacuation of British citizens from Beirut as a result of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. Then, in January 2008, Illustrious set sail from Portsmouth as head of the multi-national Task Group 328.01, Operation Orion 08, which carried out exercises and diplomatic visits to twenty ports in the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East, and south-east Asia from January until May 2008 .

Throughout this time an up until 2010, her airwing of Harriers served as an effective instrument of The UKs national interest and power projection capabilities. As part of Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Harriers were all retired in 2010, along with Illustrious' sister ship, the Ark Royal. In addition, at that time, it was announced that Illustrious would be transformed into a purely helicopter aircraft carrier. In May 2011 Illustrious was made operational after a �40 million refit, and she was handed back to the fleet after sea trials in late July 2011. She took over the helicopter carrier role for HMS Ocean while the Ocean undergoes a amjor refit herself, due for completion by 2014.

In March 2012, Illustrious took part in Exercise 'Cold Response' with HMS Bulwark, RFA Mounts Bay and other Royal Navy vessels. This was a NATO winter war game exercise conducted in northern Norway, where she showed her capabilities as a helicopter carrier The Illustrious was awarded the Bambara Trophy, the trophy is given to a unit each year with the best flight safety record, during Cold Response.

Illustrious is currently the oldest ship in the Royal Navy's active fleet and she will be withdrawn from service and will be replaced by the new, large 65,000 ton HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier after she is launched in 2014. The UK Ministry of Defence has announced that Illustrious, as the last of the Invincible-class aircraft carriers, will be preserved as a memorial to the nation, "in recognition of the service given by these ships in protecting the UK over the last 30 years.".

What's in the Box:
The 1/350 scale Airfix HMS Illustrious aircraft carrier (kit #14201) comes in a large, very well built and very nicely, full-color depicted box. It shows very nice pictures of the actual aircraft carrier and the completed model on both the top and bottom of the box.

Inside the box, you find five large spures of plastic injection molded parts molded in grey. These five sprues contain over 270 parts. I purchased an additional aircraft set, making well over 300 parts in total for my build. In addition there is a very fuldecal sheet, and two booklets. The 26 page instruction booklet, and a 20 page, full color informational booklet about the Illustrious itself which is very nice and makes for a good read.

The decal sheets consists of over 100 decals, which are very extensive, and look to be high quality water-slide decals which will add significantly to the completed model. The parts appear well modled with little or no flash, and few seams. The landing deck is a single piece, and the above waterline hull comes in two pieces, with a mid-deck piece for the deck housing the hanger and other areas of the ship.

You can build a water-line version of the vessel, and the lower section is contained in a single large piece as well. Dry fitting shows these pieces to fit relatively well together. (More on that during the build). Here's how the kit looks out of the box:

The kit has a very nice, full color painting scheme (as shown) showing the colors in several views along with paint manufacturers part numbers for those colors. The instruction are quite lengthy given the total part count, but they are very logically laid out and look intuitive to follow. As a result, the instructions are very detailed and very exacting for the building of the ship. It consists of 26 pages of instructions laid out in 110 steps that cover all options and contigencies.

I am seriously considering adding a lighting system to the hanger bay, even though there are no deck-edge elevators through which to see it. Just the elevators on deck. I may cut some passage ways into the hanger deck from some of the sponsons and openings around the vessel, if I can research and find where such openings may actually exist.

Here are the instructions and the information booklet pages:

This looks like it is going to be a really fun build. I have been looking forward to it for some time, and intend to build the model in its latest configuration, but retaining the Sea Harrier aircraft...and, if I can find some 1/350 scale examples of them, perhaps even placing some UK JSF aircraft for the Royal NAvy being tested or embarked aboard her as well.

Tally Ho!

SCHEDULE for Future Activities - May 12, 2013

- By Jun 15, 2013: Complete HMS Illustrious CVL.
- By Aug 15, 2013: Start the JMSDF Carrier Group Centered on Fujimi's JMSDF Hyuga.
- By Oct 15, 2013: Start the French Carrier group centered on Heller's Charles de Gaulle.
- Dec 15, 2013, Start the US ARG centered on the USS Iwo Jima and USS Sommerset.

The completion of the PLAN Carrier group, centered on the already completed Trumpeter's 1/350 scale PLA Navy's Aircraft Carrier CV-16, Liaoning, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168. If a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, is ever released, I will add two of those, propbably LPD-998 Yuzhao and LPD-999, Jinggangshan, add the PLAN- DDG-139, Ningbo, and perhaps the PLAN DDG-115, Shenyang, and build a PLAN ARG.

The completion of the US Carrier Strike group, centered on the completed Tamyia's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) included Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. When a 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-80 (or any Gerald R. Ford Class) is released from Trumpeter, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser. Whatever Ford Class coms out, I will build her as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.

The UK Group will feature the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious as its centerpiece until a 1/350 scale Queen Elizabeth carrier is released, when I will then add that carrier to the group as its centerpiece. It will also include two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs, two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates, and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will us eit to create a Royal NAvy ARG.

The French CSG will be centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle (which I already own). I have purchased the 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Duquesne, D603 DDG which is an anti-air multi-purpose DDG, and the French Aconit F713 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These five vessels will round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale S606 SSN is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will purchase two of them and replace the De Grrasse and Duquesne with them, and then save those two for when a Mistral Class LPD is released so I can create a French ARG with those vessels.

The Japanese JMSDF group will be centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181, which I own. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG and the JMSDF, DDG-178, Ahigara (which I own), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami (A Takanami Class DDG which I own), and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu (which I own), one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soon as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group.

The completion of the US ARG will include Tamiya's 1/350 scale, USS Iowa, BB-62 (which I have already completed), Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Sommerset, LPD-25, Bronoc Models 1/350 Scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobbies USS Independence, LCS-2, Acadamy's 1/350 scale USS Rueben James, FFG-57, and another Flight IIA US AEGIS class detroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Lassen, DDG-82...all of these models which I already own.

Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which I own) the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter (which I own), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udaloy DDGs (which I own), Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN (which I own), and the Russian Alfa Class SSN, which I have already completed.

Recently I purchased Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, using steam catapaults. I will build the model as the Sao Paulo and thus start a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and the FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present. I have however purchased a set of 1/400 scale A-4 Skyhawks and S-3 Trackers to build a suitable airwing for the Sao Paulo.

Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier the Vikrant and their Kolkata class DDGs and Shivlak class FFGs would also be nice.

Years worth of work!

You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifictions at my site:

[b" target="_blank">WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS[/b]

...and most of their surface escorts at:

[b" target="_blank">AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD[/b]

The development of Chinese civil society

Player 0 — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:56:59 GMT

China Rising - Episode 2 : Power and People - YouTube

An excellent look at rural life and civil participation in government.

Though second part in this series this is an excellent look at how China's developing at a grass roots level, creating a culture of social-civil participation and awareness among the people.

This is an extremely important social development for China as a country, and imo not explicitly political, i feel its very important that this aspect of China, which doesn't normally get very much coverage, should be looked at and we should dedicate a thread to following this development.

Philippines Vs Taiwan... Troubled Waters

no_name — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:17:30 GMT

Apparently Philippines forces opened fir on a Taiwanese fishing boat operating in open sea, killing one Taiwanese fisherman.

Taiwanese fisherman killed after fired upon by PH Navy, Chinese media report

Quote:

A crew member of a Taiwanese trawler was killed Thursday morning after being fired upon by a Philippine Navy ship in the disputed area of the South China Sea, media reports in Taipei and Beijing said.

The online Taiwan News said the incident took place at 10 a.m. “about halfway between the southern tip of Taiwan and the Philippines’ main island of Luzon, in an area where territorial rights overlap.”

The report identified the fatality as Hung Shih-cheng, 65, father of the captain of the vessel Kuang Ta Hsing 28 registered in Pingtung County.

The other crew members included Hung’s son-in-law and an Indonesian citizen, reports said.

Tsai Jih-yao, deputy director-general of the Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture, said the fishing trawler, which was fishing for tuna, was so severely damaged it lost engine power.

No official statement has been issued by the Philippine government.

Sought for comment, officials of the Navy, Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said they have not received any such report, a news account in Taiwan said.

"If warships were involved in such an event, we would be the first one to receive the news," the report quoted an Armed Forces of the Philippines officer as saying.

The report also quoted a Philippine official as saying, “The incident happened in waters far away from the shore. We don't have any ship over there.”

According to Taiwan News, the Taiwanese government has asked its representative in Manila and the Philippine representative in Taipei to provide more details.

The Philippines, which adheres to the One-China Policy, has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but the two countries maintain economic and cultural offices in Manila and Taipei which serve as de facto embassies.

A Xinhua report said the spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, Yang Yi, strongly condemned the killing describing it as “barbaric.”

“We are in deep mourning over the fisherman's death and express condolence over the shooting," Yang said.

The fishermen’s organization in Pingtung urged Taiwan government to protest to Manila and demand compensation. They said the ship had been effectively destroyed, with its engines and nets completely destroyed, Taiwan News said.

Taiwan, like China, claims the whole of the South China Sea where the Spratlys consisting of some 160 islands are located. Some of the islands are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia. Taiwan occupies the biggest island, Itu Aba.

Thursday’s encounter happened two days after the Philippines warned China against trespassing its maritime borders after it was reported that China was sending a flotilla, including 30 fishing vessels, to the Spratly Islands.

Taiwan News said another fishing ship was on its way from the Pingtung County harbor of Tungkang to provide assistance to the trawler, which is located 180 nautical miles southeast of Erluanbi, the southernmost tip of the island of Taiwan and still had a crew of three on board. The Coast Guard was reportedly also sending a ship to help out, reports said.

(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”)

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This is a hot subject.. follow the forum rules.

Especially these..

Quote:

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Posts containing personal attack, swearing, foul language(damn, hell & ass are permissable), political propaganda, and commercial advertisement better know as spam.
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The Future of United Nations

solarz — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:42:09 GMT

I am inspired to post this thread based on some of the user comments found here:

Disgruntled Arab states look to strip Canada of UN agency - The Globe and Mail

Maybe it's just because the current Canadian administration is highly hostile to the UN, but I get this feeling that the UN is slowly unraveling at the seams.

I believe it started with the unilateral invasion of Iraq. I remember that many Americans at the time called the UN an ineffectual and corrupt organization. Mantras that seem to be now parroted by the Conservative government and their voter base.

I honestly do not remember this kind of disrespect, if not outright hostility, to the UN before 2003. I remember visiting the UN headquarters in New York back in the 90's, and I remember feeling a tangible sense of pride from Americans that the UN headquarters were located in the United States.

What do you guys think?

Another article:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/...362/story.html

What You Love about the US and the West.

ABC78 — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:00:16 GMT

What I Love about the US and the West. I love that it's actually democracy for all citizens. You have rights and liberties 99% of the time.(1% special circumstances). And it is about making thing better when your committed to making it happen. Almost zero censorship especially for entertainment American Mature Audience material beats everyone everywhere. American beer and spirits is my choice over the foreign brands.