I haven't run nitro boats for a number of years now Doug, same with the planes, everything has been converted to electric long ago, (all the nitro planes included.) No more mess and smell of burnt fuel in the house, no having to take a roll of paper towels and soap sprayer and wash your plane or boat before putting it in the car, and no more having to put a plastic 'nose bag' on the planes to hang them up so you don't get oil dripping on your carpet!
Re- Graupner 'Premium Line', certainly sounds like their quality has dropped, you couldn't fault them in the 70s, gone the way of all the others due to competition from the home of Oolong tea by the sound of it.

"everything has been converted to electric long ago"
Know what you mean John.
I've still got a 5ltr canister of pepped up glow fuel kicking about in the cellar.
Probably degenerated into uselessness by now🤔
Maybe I'll stick in the car or use it to start the barby😊

Re Premium line-
Belfast wasn't so bad, but had the same crappy plastic props held on with grub screws.
So she's getting threaded shafts and brass props from Raboesch 😉
On Graf Spee though I noticed a lot of resin casting faults, evidence of air bubbles and smudged detail, as well as over / under-spray in the painting and lifting of the wooden decks.
Had to inject liquid CA glue round the edges to stop it peeling ☹️😠
Best thing on both ships were the faultless hulls with double skinning!😉
One thing surprised me with Belfast though-
the recommended SLA batteries don't fit! I couldn't get them in any which way 🤔
Not to worry, they go in my 1:72 destroyer with ease 😊
BTW I prefer lapsang souchong 😋

Sorry Commodore (!)
That won't work 🤔
You have to put the video up on YouTube and then post the link here.
Doug 😎

Very nice.👍

Thanks
More photos is comming
👍

Many thanks Doug, can't have too many piccy's of HOOD, nice shot though. getting late so time for Schlafen now,
Danke vielmals Doug und gute Nacht😐

Peter

Hi again,
You should find this link useful Peter.
It's to the HMS Hood Association and their review of the Trumpeter 1:200 kit, with lots of detailed improvement suggestions with appropriate photos!
Cheers Doug 😎 Schlaf gut 💤💤💤
http://www.hmshood.com/hoodtoday/models/trumpeter/trumpeter200.htm

Amazing detail! Any interior shots?

Amazing workmanship, pleasure to view and very envious.
👍

Very nice... Was it a kit or scratch built.

Scratch built

Hi there
senile moment for me :-) as there is already a short build of HMS Exeter on here if you do a search - you will come across the build by me and there are some closeup pics on there.

John

Excellent job.

Goes like a brushless motor set up. Good job

PS Is that your wagon parked over by the fence 🤣

The farm is a fair way from the sea,- someone was not on watch obviously. Not my car, some guys doing building maint. We can park on that cobbled area you've pictured on the opposite side, (room for about 8-10 cars,-usually chokka when the yachts are racing) There is a nice little jetty built by the Gulf Harbour Model Yacht Club next to it which is great for setting up and launching. It's all part of the big Gulf Harbour Marina development and pond is actually a drainage control pond.
Was full of Koi carp to keep the weed down (carp were rented from a company by the council, but there was some dispute and the company came and removed their carp) probably missed a lot and they breed like flies, so it should come right. Pond's pretty weed free all the same. Pics of the jetty (from the HSL) with some old codger sitting on it, and the real HSL in the Bayswater Marina (Waitemata harbour Auckland), which I have been on board (once recently,-Modded- and once 50yrs ago-original form) Its' story is on the Waitemata Woodys website under W1.
The other pond is at the Onepoto reserve near the city on the waterfront. Bit of a drive (20mins down the motorway all the way) Yachts there as well. The pics with the Marine modellers club - Panmure Basin - East Auckland (the only scale model boat club in Auckland and virtually dead (pics are old), - only about 3 or 4 scale clubs in the country!) we tend to go more for the full scale here. Evening, JB