QE2 Model 1:450 scale - finished at last! [Gunze Sangyo]

[Alistair]

Greetings from Riyadh! 
Before I left Glasgow for Riyadh I set myself the target of finishing the 1:450 scale model of the QE2 I had bought in early 2008.
If your wondering why, here is the background bit.

After BBC Scotland had aired the program "the Last Great Liner" and QE2 had visited Greenock in 2007 for the 40th anniversary of her launch I found myself once more fascinated by her. I wished I hadn't thrown out the airfix model I had built in 1969 so in a fit of nostalgia I bought the Revel model that was available. When it popped through my letterbox I realised there and then it was not going to be big enough! I assembled it with difficulty as I hadn't done anything like this for a very long time.
Then, while trawling through YouTube looking for clips about the QE2 I came across a clip of a large QE2 model suffering the indignity of being sunk in a bathtub. It was unpainted and the funnel was on the wrong way round but it looked good. I found out from the conversation thread on the bathtub sinking the model manufacturer and then found I could buy it online from a model shop in the US.

It arrived 2 weeks later and this time I had to answer the door as this box would definitely not fit through my letterbox. It was huge!
I was a bit intimidated by it and put it away until I knew I would have time to do justice to the building of it.

By October 2009 I had the time and the inclination and started. During it's construction I paid many visits to Jamiesons Models in the Saltmarket to buy paint, brush cleaner, paint thinner and miles of masking tape.

The model is Japanese so the english on the instructions is quite interesting. Never having sailed on the QE2 or really spent much time on board apart from the walk through in the shipyard in 1968 I decided to paint her with the colour scheme indicated on the instructions apart from the funnel which, as it was the original shape, I decided I would paint with the original colours. Anyway...iit was much easier!

I had never used masking tape before for painting a model and I have to say I was stunned by the results.
I now have a vintage airfix kit of QE2 courtesy of eBay but that will have to wait for another day.. What follows are 12 snaps of the assembly process. It has taken me 10 months elapsed time with many weeks of doing nothing between stages. I can honestly say that the most frustrating part of the assembly and painting was doing the lifeboats. I managed to break off the funnel at one point while sticking on the davits but luckily no damage was done....phew!

So, with some trepidation I release to the forum my pictures of the QE2. It is now waiting on a shelf to greet me when I come home for Xmas.

[Alistair]

and the second set.....

[Alistair]

and the final set!

[Rob Lightbody]

Great work!  I am really impressed!  I don't think I'd ever have the patience to do this well like you have.

Myles showed me this model last week when I visited him - but his is unmade!  Its a great size, not too big or too small for a house.

The grey decks are intriguing, I don't think they were ever like this - and I think the colours for the top of the superstructure isn't right either, i think they were green.

Your model, to me, is QE2 right before she went to the Falklands.  1978-83 ?

[Alistair]

Thanks Rob.
Having looked at pictures of QE2 on the Forum I would guess the configuration is before she went to the Falklands.
There is a bit of green beside and to the rear of the funnel which doesn't show up on the photos and I do remember that on the airfix model the top of the bridge was green. There are pictures of her on the side of the box along with some hilarious english  e.g. "The Qe2 was built by Cunard with all their energies on the banks of the River Cryde.....etc" The box pictures were of a later configuration with all white superstructure and the rear decks looked a bit grey but maybe it was just the decking getting sunbleached. Anyhoo......I followed the paint guide slavishly apart from the funnel and I also added the red bootline. I think the lower hull should also be a more brown colour. Hopefully Myles can adapt his colour scheme accordingly. I think if I was to do it again I would do my own research on the colours. I'm just happy the lines are straight! 

Alistair

[Lynda Bradford]

Good piece of work Alistair.  I am sure the model will be a talking point for visitors to your house.  I can relate to the amount of work put into building the model after watching Tom working on the steam boats that he has built.

[Avariel]

A great piece of work.

I have the same model - except that mine is still in the box. And said model and box are sitting on the end of my bed - watching me sleep.

[Alistair]

Thanks and get it out of the box and build it! 

One piece of advice. The instructions say to stick the top deck and the piece with the bridge and apartments together before sticking it to the hull. I did that and the bridge piece arched up and popped off as it is slightly too big. You may have to file some bits away to get it to fit properly. Do a dry run with the parts before you put glue anywhere near it.

Looking forward to pictures of yours and Myles's versions of the model on here soon!

Alistair

[cos918]

Hi Alistair
You have done a nice job on her. I to have the same model ,I made mine RC and she sails relay well

John

[Alistair]

That would explain the extra bits that the instructions said to throw away....propellors and a few other bits that would seem to have fitted at the stern inside the hull.
Your model must look great going full steam ahead!

Alistair

 

[Magic Pipe]

I built the same model too.  The kit actually depicts the ship between 1972 and 1977, as the QM and QE suites are not fitted.

[Rob Lightbody]

I built the same model too.  The kit actually depicts the ship between 1972 and 1977, as the QM and QE suites are not fitted.

Ahh yes, I should have spotted that !  Can we see photos of yours?

[highlander0108]

Hi Alistair,

Great job!  I have the small Revell model yet to build, but I would still be interested in this larger model.  Can you tell us the manufacturer?  Regarding the colors, not having looked at the spreadsheet posted here on the various incarnations of the paint scheme, to be technically correct, would the davits have been painted black and was the superstructure the off white/tan color?

-Ken

[Alistair]

The model manufacturer is Gunze Sangyo. Here is the link to the site I bought it from. Current price is $119

www.internethobbies.com/gunplasmodsh.html

You are right about about the davits and supertructure behind them but all the pictures I have seen from later days everything was white so I decided to go with that as I preferred the look.

When I build the old airfix model (some day) I'll do that one with the "as launched" colour scheme.

Alistair

[cos918]

Revell did use the Gunze Sangyo mould for a short while and made the same model in a diffrent box.

John