The kit is the Revell(Germany) 1/700 HMS Sheffield (Ex Skywave). I decided to have a go at adding some serious detail to my first "proper" ship model (I had built a few ships as a small boy - I can't wait for the Airfix re-release of the 1/600 scale destroyers later this year), so I used the WEM photoetched set for the kit. I raided our stock of unclassified "Recognition Photos" at work, which is one of the benefits of working for the UK Ministry of Defence, and selected a few sets of photos of HMS Birmingham. The photos allowed me to add minor details, such as correct positioning of screens and railings, liferafts and some small lockers on the various decks. I used steel surgical sutures to make the whip antennae, but, apart from the White Ensign, I chickened out of rigging her!

The model was built as a full hull version as I wished to set it onto a base depicting a really rough English Channel! I used modelling clay as the main "seascape", teased into wave shapes as it was drying. The frothy wash aft of the propellers was created by stippling the clay. When the model was set into the dried seascape, I sealed it in with acrylic gel. Painting was done with artists oil paints, blending dark blues and greens. Pure white oil paint was used to depict foam and the whole lot sealed with Johnson's Kleer (Future) acrylic floor polish when dry.

I may go back to the model some time and attempt the rigging and maybe add a couple of crew figures, courtesy of "Tom's Modelworks" sets I picked up on a trip to the USA!