by Chris Smithers
1/700 HMS Tiger (Combrig)
Inspiration for this tackling this project came from Frank o'Neill's superb model of this ship. I took it as a benchmark against which to measure and improve my modelling skills. I modelled HMS Tiger as she appeared when first commissioned in 1914 and found RA Burt's book British Battleships and Battlecruisers of World Way 1 a source of invaluable reference, not only specifically about HMS Tiger, but also about general fixtures and fittings and details of British capital ships of this era. Anatomy of the Ship: HMS Hood was immensely useful for details of ships' boats and stowage and handling arrangements and accommodation ladder detail.
There was nothing unconventional about my modelling approach, but it was my first attempt at rigging in this scale using monofilament. I would encourage other modellers to give it a go - it was not half as difficult or time consuming as I had expected. As ever, the WEM photo-etched set was superb - but shipping those oars in the boats and making up the accommodation ladder were the biggest challenges and the most difficult part of the whole job.
