HMS Exeter

HMS Exeter

Built by John Hougtaling

Being an engineer could explain why John Houghtaling painstakingly scratch builds all of his ship models. In addition to an 8 foot car ferry and an 8 foot Captain Nemo Nautilus, he’s about to add a 1/72 HMS Exeter to his fleet. Not right away, mind you, but maybe in about a year.

 

 

The Exeter was a York-class heavy cruiser built in the 1920s. She was damaged by the Japanese at the battle of Java Sea and sunk a couple of days later at the Second Battle of java Sea.

 

 

The hull is finished and he is now working on the superstructure. He builds all the subassemblies as modules so it’s easier to work on. Everything you see on the deck is “pinned” so it can be removed. An 8 foot model can get pretty heavy.

 

 

The gun turrets were built by sandwiching balsa wood in between brass sheets. The brass top and bottom pieces equal the measurements of their corresponding components on the real ship. Since the sandpaper doesn’t affect the brass, he can contour the balsa to the proper turret shape.

 

 

The wooden deck is composed of individual sticks of basswood, replicating the Exeter’s “official” size and repeating pattern. Everything here is scratch built.

And the ship will be lighted. He’s already installed Woodland Scenics Just Plug LEDs in the wheelhouse and nav lights.