Ship building on target

As anyone who has set milestones, deadlines or other targets will know, the trick is to aim low, or at least below the best/most that could be done, so as to be able to over-achieve—under promise and over-deliver! Such is the case with my self-appointed target of 70 ships to be built in 90 days. I would like to average one per day, or close to it, but even I am realistic enough to know that I won't build one every day, so having 20 days 'spare' should provide sufficient latitude.

Recently constructed ships. From left to right: scratch-build Francol and Anking, three Kagero-class destroyers and two Fubuki-IIs, a couple of Japanese oilers/seaplane carriers, two transports and five Sims-class destroyers at the right.

I was going at a ship per day for the first five days of January (helped by having 'cheated' and built a couple in late December, haha), but then 'lost' nearly a week around 5th–11th as I had a visit by my brother from Queensland. He had come over to buy a car and then to drive it home (as you do). We had a top few days getting stuff for his trip, going to a couple of nights of speedway and generally have wonderful bro' time. Building 1/700 ships was not on the programme.

I have now caught up (basically), thanks particularly to building five Sims-class** destroyers. Amazingly, these are the first US ships that I have built. The other 26 US ships in the combined collection that have been 'constructed' comprise eight built previously by Julian and 18 x 3D-models that I bought (so no assembly required).

[**I crack myself up by calling these 'Sums' class, in my best Kiwi accent, in reference to 'Detictive Sums'; specially for Keith and others, like me, who enjoy the marvellous banter and humour of Brokenwood.]

My 'flurry' over the past few days means that I am now down to 59 of the original 70 ships to be built by the end of March. That's 59 to be built in 72 days, so my target is looking good.

Currently building: HNLMS Java and De Ruyter (as conversions of HMS Penelope and Ajax),  five scratch-built Japanese oilers (one in foreground) and then three kits of USS Indianapolis to convert to USS Pensacola, Houston/Chester and Northampton.

The next 10 ships could be the most challenging of all, since they are conversions or scratch-builds. I am progressing with the first two, conversions of HMSs Penelope and Ajax to HNLMSs Java and De Ruyter respectively, as well as the first of five Japanese oilers that I will scratch-build. Following these I'll do conversions of three kits of USS Indianapolis into a Pensacola-class and two Northampton-class cruisers.

I am hoping that I'll complete these ten by the end of the month, which would leave me with 49 more to build in 59 days. I did quite a bit of work on Java this arvo' after finishing the last two Sims class destroyers, so am feeling quite confident that I won't need 13 days for them.

Next in line: ships for Pearl Harbor—the Japanese battleships of the first and second divisions for the 'climb Mt Niitaka' bit# and USS Enterprise along with here cruiser escorts (described above) which, along with the Sims-class destroyers, form her carrier group for alt.-Pearl Harbor. We'll do the re-fight of the attack on Pearl Harbor at 1:6000, so I don't need the ships that were there (and they did not feature prominently later in the war after being repaired).
#Absent: Fuso, which is one of the eight that I am yet to purchase. I won't bother with Mutsu (sister to Nagato) as she did not feature at all in later actions of the war and was sunk in home waters after a mysterious explosion.

Following that: Japanese ships for the attacks on Wake Island (through to its eventual capture).

Then we have: ships needed for Sinking of Repulse & Prince of Wales, Operation C, Java Sea, Sunda Strait (others have or will have already been constructed). A notable absence is HMAS Perth. This is not counted in the 70 or the 82 since a model is not yet available in 1/700. A kit of HMAS Sydney is being produced by Flyhawk and will hopefully—HOPEFULLY— be released soon. I'll use it to represent Sydney, Perth and Hobart.

Finally: ships for Coral Sea and the actions of '42 which followed. Hatsuharu is missing from this lot, yet to be purchased.

Of course, my ultimate construction target is 82, which includes another 12 kits that are of ships that did not 'feature' until 1943 or later. I cannot see myself stopping before I have built these too and I am determined that I will build ’the lot’, while I am in ship building 'mode'. Mind you, I am yet to get hold of eight kits: two of which are part of the 70, six to make up the 82. They are not yet available in Oz, but hopefully they will be by the end of February at the latest. This is based on the expected date shown on the website of one of the shops over east (I have them on order from my 'local' shop in Perth, but they use the same suppliers).

Then there is HMAS Sydney/Perth/Hobart...