Island
Straightforward construction but needed some additional scratch building to correct it. Swinging gallery, watertight doors, fire hoses. ladders and companionways etc. This structure was rigged and painted before attaching to the deck.
Armament
Nothing spectacular here, the AA guns had to be modified by the addition of magazines, aiming gear etc. all made from scrap P.E. and plastic rod. The Pom Pom gun directors supplied were totally inadequate and looked like lollipops. These were replaced by after-market resin versions.
Other fittings
Boats, fairly crude and the larger launches lacked outboard mounting blocks. As most of these are fairly hidden did not worry too much.
The cranes supplied looked really crude so they were replaced by WEM King George V P.E. cut down and modified to match the research data. The anchors supplied were far too small so had to be replaced with resin ones.
Ready ammunition boxes had to be added throughout the ship. A feature of aircraft carriers of this period is the Carly floats arrayed on the hull. On closer inspection they are not just “stuck” on, they have their own individual davits which I made with plastic rod and Lycra thread. The interior of the float was enhanced using P.E. Grill.
Another feature of carriers, even modern ones, are the accommodation ladders which are always stowed along the lower railings. These were added using P.E. ones. The forward port one was deployed with crewmen having just seen off the Admiral’s barge.
