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The World’s
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May 2014
Vol.64 No.762

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PT 18
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Special Feature About
Warships of the Royal Navy 1895 to 1905 New Footy Yacht kit reviewed!
Model
The

17 Tremorvah Barton
Dockyard
H.M.S. Invincible. Battlecruiser 1907 1:250 £28.54
Steam Yacht Greta: 44in
Launch Out: 27½in., side and pair trawler,
£17.50
£17.50
Motors Lime Strip 1.5 x 2.0mm x approx 1 metre long
Lime Strip 1.5 x 3.0mm x approx 1 metre long
£0.40
£0.45
HMS Sheffield 1:200 full hull £28.54 P.S Totnes Castle paddle steamer 42½in. £12.50 Genesis Hydra50 combo Brushless £109.99 Lime Strip 1.5 x 4.0mm x approx 1 metre long £0.50
Tregolls Road, Truro HMS Repulse. Battleship 1:300 scale 806mm £27.53 Joffre:Tyne Tug30½in. £12.50 Genesis Hydra30 combo Brushless £69.99 Lime Strip 1.5 x 5mm x approx 1 metre long £0.55
Iowa 1:400 US Battleship 1942 680mm £26.52 St Louis Belle 1:64 Mississippi stern-wheeler £12.50 Genesis Hydra15 combo Brushless £59.99 Lime Strip 1.5 x 6mm x approx 1 metre long £0.58
Cornwall, TR1 1NN HMS Dreadnought 1:200 £26.50 T.B.D Cruiser Leader: 1:144 32in. Scout class £12.50 Schottel drive unit 70mm dia prop £95.94 Lime Strip 1.5 x 7mm x approx 1 metre long £0.61
HMS Cambeltown 1;200 scale 470mm £25.95 200 Series RAF Seaplane Tender: 1:12 950mm £12.50 Schottel drive unit 50mm dia prop £76.48 Lime Strip 1.5 x 8mm x approx 1 metre long £0.65
Mail order Only. Sorry no callers Normandie French Liner 1:400 scale £25.95 H.M.S Kent : 1:96 scale early cruiser 58" £17.50 Rudder-propeller drive: £74.42 Lime Strip 1 x 1mm x approx 1 metre long £0.36
Phone line open Mon-Fri 9am- 1pm Yamato. Japanese Battleship 1:400 685mm £23.95 Fairey Huntsman:1:8 scale 1066mm £12.50 Schottel drive unit 40mm dia prop £62.71 Lime Strip 1 x 1.5mm x approx 1 metre long £0.36
Celia Jane:Thames Barge 1:24 scale. 50in. £22.50 6v Geared motor 3 rpm £34.83 Lime Strip 1 x 10mm x approx 1 metre long £0.55
Hull and Plan Sets EL653/16 low drain motor £21.95
Joffre:Tyne Tug 1:48 scale 30½in £12.50 Lime Strip 1 x 2mm x approx 1 metre long £0.37
Tel UK: 01872 261755 Grand Banks Schooner 1193mm £87.50 543/12 low drain motor for large props £18.85 Lime Strip 1 x 3mm x approx 1 metre long £0.38
John Lambert Plans Speed 480 Motor 7.2v £18.75 Lime Strip 1 x 4mm x approx 1 metre long £0.39
Tel Int: +44 1872 261755 Victoria Steam Launch 1:12 scale 762mm £40.45
Pilot 40 . Pilot boat 698mm £50.45 The Royal Navyʼs Standard 14 Ft Sailing Dinghy £14.10 Deans Marine Kondor £17.31 Lime Strip 1 x 5mm x approx 1 metre long £0.45
www.model-dockyard.com Bluebird Of Chelsea . 1:24 scale 654mm £46.95 Vosper 72ft 6in MTBs Nos 73-98 £14.10 Deans Kyte Motor £11.18 Lime Strip 1 x 6mm x approx 1 metre long £0.50
Forceful Paddle Tug . 1:48 1003mm £51.49 71 ft 6 Inch British Power Boat. MTB 467 £37.86 EL653/33 low drain motor £10.95 Lime Strip 1 x 7mm x approx 1 metre long £0.51
U.K Delivery Guardsman Customs launch 1:32 scale 571mm £37.45 The Quadruple 21in QR Mark VIII Torpedo Tubes £14.10 Mabuchi Low Drain 545 £9.96 Lime Strip 1 x 8mm x approx 1 metre long £0.53
Burutu & Bajima Tug 1:50scale 768mm £47.45 The 16 Ft Admiralty Pattern Trawler Boat £14.10 Mabuchi 540 £7.43 This is just a selection of sizes. Other woods stocks include
Kits and Boat Hulls Add £9.00 Tyne Life Boat 1:12 scale 787mm £46.49 The Royal Navy's standard 27 Ft Whaler £37.86 Mabuchi 480 motor 4.8 to 8.4v £7.00 Walnut, Maple, Tanganykia, Beech, Pear, Balsa, Obechi
Timber orders Add £9.00 Smit Nederland Hull 558mm £42.45 Flower Class Corvette. HMS Nasturtium £14.10 Mabuchi 400 £7.00
St Louis Belle Mississippi Steamer 838mm £72.45 Electronize 365/14 low drain £5.56 Admiralty Paints
Other Order value up to £50 Add £5.00 United States Navy 2Omm Oerlikon. £14.10
Liverpool Lifeboat l 905mm 1:12 scale £91.50 The Twin 20mm Oerlikon on Post War Mark 12 £14.10 Motor mount for MFA 800/850 Motors £4.50 Available in 14ml flip top capped bottles in the following
Other Order value Over £50 Add £9.00
RMAS Moorhen Hull 1:43 scale 740mm £51.45 The 3 Pdr Hotchkiss Gun £14.10 385 Motor 6 to 15.0 Volt with mount £6.56 colours. Light Ivory, Red Ensign , Maroon Admiralty,
Over £190 Free Delivery
Cervia, Thames Tug 1:48 scale 711mm £71.50 540 Motor 6 to 12.0 Volt with mount £10.36 Polished Bronze, Antique Bronze, Olive Green,
Brave Borderer 1:32 scale 914mm £86.50 Harold Underhill Plans RX15 540 Motor 6 to 8.4v Volt £35.95 Walnut Brown, Matt Flesh, Gold/Brass, Copper, Dull Black,
Free delivery does not apply to shipments
HMS Warspite. Queen Elizabeth class £154.00 RE800 Motor 12.0 Volt with mount £27.49 Matt Black, Dull White, Matt White, Yellow Ochre, Red
weighing over 2 kilos, being sent to the Cutty Sark Clipper Ship 698mm £29.54
H.M.S. Devonshire. Cruiser 1504mm £134.00 RE850 Motor 12.0 Volt with mount £27.49 Ochre, French Blue, Flat Matt Varnish, Matt Varnish
Channel Islands or Northern Ireland, Scottish Marie Sophie of Falmouth 1033mm £44.41
H.M.S. Liverpool. Town class1409mm £120.00 Motor mount for 540/500.550 and 600 Motors £2.75 Satin Matt Varnish £2.25 per colour
Islands, Scillies, or IOM. Delivery here will be Lady of Avenel. Wood. 850mm £33.30
MFA 540 Motor and 2.5:1 Gearbox 4.5 -15v £17.56
charged at cost. Deans Marine Kits 74-Gun Two-Decker (Circa 1813 1422mm £77.71
Bevel 90 degree Gearbox 1:1 £20.38 Admiralty Woodstain
Lady Daphne Thames Sailing Barge812mm £29.54
LCM 1653 1:24 scale 710mm £189.95 MFA 540 Motor and 6:1 Gearbox 4.5 -15v £19.36
Orders are sent by 1st class post or UPS 12-Gun Brig-of-War. Lines, 1187mm £55.51 Available in 14ml eye dropper bottles in the following colours.
25ft Motor Boat 1:12 scale 690mm £175.95 MFA 385 Motor and 2.5:1 Gearbox 4.5 -15v £17.56
Cunard Liner Servia, 1:192 scale 850mm £33.30 Mahogany, Oak, Ebony, Walnut or Cherry £3.32 each
carrier. Large parcel deliveries to Scottish Compass Rose. Corvette1:96 673mm £177.65 950 series 385 Motor and 6:1 Gearbox 4.5 -15v £17.56
40-Gun Frigate (Circa 1790 831mm £66.61
Highland and Islands, the Isle of Man, Isles of H.M.S. Solebay.Destroyer 1945 1210mm £306.33 Valerian. Brixham Trawler 1069mm. £49.23
951 series 951 Motor and Gearbox 10:1 6volt £9.00 Books
Scilly and Northern Ireland will be shipped by MGB77. 71.6ft BPB 1:24 920mm £243.01 951 series 951 Motor and Gearbox 102:1 6volt £9.00
Diesel Ring Net Fishing Boat 615mm £29.53 The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships £40.00
3 day UPS carrier . Deliveries to Channel 73ft Vosper Type 1 1:24 scale 965mm £252.20 951 series 951 Motor and Gearbox 298:1 6volt, £9.00
Three Brothers. Rye Fishing Smack. 797mm £29.54 IMerchant Ship Construction £28.00
Bronnington. minesweeper 1:100 465mm £107.18 951 series 951 Motor and Gearbox 60:1 6volt £9.00
Islands will be shipped by Euro 48 service Muirneag. Scottish Zulu- 1612mm £66.61 Thunderer. Building a Model Dreadnought £25.00
MTB 488. B.P.C. 71.6 MTB 1:24 920mm £272.63 800/850 Belt Drive Reduction Unit 2.1:1 £40.80
Clyde Puffer Sealight, 588mm £19.68 RMS Titanic. A Modelmaker's Manual £25.00
We ship Worldwide too
Steam Yacht Medea 1904. 1:48 870mm £139.86 Leon. Wood Brigantine 514mm £59.07 Raboesch Propshafts Rigging Period Ship Models £25.00
Tradition. Seine net trawler 870mm 1:24 £360.92 Iron Paddle Tug 1:48 scale 863mm £44.40 Plank on Frame Models. Volume Two £25.00
All prices correct at time of going to press but we H.M.S. Cossack Destroyer 1938 1200mm £272.63 Waterproof Prop Shaft M4 290mm £25.29 Plank on Frame Models. Volume One l £25.00
reserve the right to supply at the prices ruling at the SS City of Truro 1:96 960mm £356.95 Static Display Kit Plans Waterproof Propeller Shaft M4 290mm £34.22 Ship Modeling Simplified £14.95
time of order despatch. E&OE Waterproof Propeller Shaft M5 290mm £34.32
Plastic Kits Chinese Junk, construction plans. £7.02
Waterproof Propeller Shaft M4 450mm £39.74
Rigging Period Fore & Aft Craft £22.50
Sovereign of the Seas, plans 1:78 1100mm £16.18 Masting & Rigging of Clipper Ship
Trumpeter Bismarck 1:200 scale £225.99 Waterproof Propeller Shaft M5 450mm £39.74
Amati Kits HMS Fly Plan set £26.50 and Ocean Carrier £22.00
Trumpeter Missouri1:200 scale 1352mm £279.95 Prop Shaft &support bracket M2 230mm £23.49
Lady Nelson Cutter Plan Set £8.86 Ship Modeling from Stem to Stern £16.95
Italeri MTB77 72.5ft Vosper 1:35 632mm £99.99 Prop Shaft &support bracket M3 270mm £25.29
Dutch Royal Yacht in Bottle 1:300 95mm £46.93 HMS Bounty, construction plans £13.43 The Ship Model Builders Assistant. £20.95
Heller Le Soleil Royal 1:100 scale £149.95 Prop Shaft &support bracket M4 330mm £30.71
Egyptian Ship Sahure Dynasty 350mm £77.57 French Xebec construction plans £10.99 The Built up Ship Model. £12.95
Greek Bireme 480 BC 560mm £77.57 Trumpeter USS Arizona 1941 1:200 £163.99 Vikingship, Osjberg, construction plans. £7.12 Rudder Assemblies Puffer Ahoy £20.00
Viking Ship Oseberg 1:50 440mm £105.14 Trumpeter HMS Belfast 1942 1:350 £69.95 Titanic Plans set £48.84 The Ship Model Builders Handbook £19.95
Mayflower 1620 1:60 scale 650mm £174.59 Trumpeter HMS Dreadnought 1907 1:350 £37.99 Endeavour J Class Plans set £22.38 Rudder assembly 33 long x 22mm wide £3.90 Card Modelling £20.95
Chinese Junk Scale 1:100 400mm £87.78 Academy Titanic 1:400 Ltd Edition £99.95 Cutty Sark, construction plans, Scale 1:78. £31.00 Rudder assembly 60 long x 41mm wide £5.36 Ship Modelling from Scratch £19.95
Xebec.1753 720mm 1:60 £155.95 Revell Titanic 1:400 £51.05 La Couronne, construction plans, Scale 1:98. £28.50 Rudder assembly with tiller arm 45 x 35mm £4.54 Flower Class Corvettes £16.99
New Bedford Whaleboat 1:16 550mm £122.50 Revell Flower Class Corvette 1:72 £119.00 Santa Maria, construction plans, Scale 1:50. £14.95 Rudder assembly with tiller arm 55 x 45mm £4.54 Advanced Ship Modelling by Brian King: £16.95
Riva Aquarama. With Transmission kit £509.57 Trumpeter HMS Repulse 1941 1:350 £100.06 French Xebec, construction plans, Scale 1:49. £14.85 Steerable Kort nozzle for props up to 35 mm Ø £18.33 Model Marine Steam £14.95
Endeavour J Class. Wood Hull 1:80 480mm £83.69 Heller HMS Victory 1:100 scale £149.99 Thermopylae, construction plans, Scale 1:124. £14.85 Becker Rudder 43 x 38mm £20.42 HMS Victory Owners workshop manual £21.95
Endeavour J Class 1:35 scale 1130mm £259.95 Trumpeter Queen Elizabeth 1:350 £69.99 Mississippi Stern Wheeler plan 1:50 1050mm £34.95 Skeg and Rudder Assembly 68mm deep, 56mm £19.75 Scale Model Tugs £14.95
Trumpeter USS Alabama 1:350 £79.99 Pinta. construction plans 1:50 570mm £14.85 Rudder assembly with tiller arm 35 x 26mm £4.54 Historical Sailing Ships: Remote Controlled £14.95
Victory Models Kits Trumpeter HMS Hood (1941) 1:350 £91.89 Friesland (1:75) Drawings & Instructions £47.73 Boat rudder set: 45 mm Height: 40 £6.69 Period Ship Handbook. Vol One. £16.95
Lindberg Sea Witch. Clipper 1:96 838mm £149.95 H.M.S. Victory (1:90) Drawings & Instructions £64.09 Boat rudder set: 32 mm Height: 25 mm £6.47 Period Ship Kit Builders Manual £16.95
Lady Nelson Cutter. 1:64 scale 530mm £117.95
Lindberg PT 109 MTB 1:32 scale 749mm £149.95 Yacht Mary (1:54) Drawings & Instructions £32.73 Boat rudder set: 36 mm Height: 50 mm £6.19 Model Ships Fittings £12.95
Granado. Bomb Ketch 1756 1:64 800mm £261.95
LindbergBlue Devil Destroyer 1:125 910mm £99.95 Golden Hind (1:53) Drawings & Instructions £32.73 Boat rudder set: 36 mm Height: 70 mm £7.42 Model Submarine Technology £12.95
HMS Fly. Swan Class Sloop. 1:64 800mm £289.95
Lindberg Air Force Rescue Boat 1:72 330mm £34.95 Rattlesnake (1:64) Drawings & Instructions £46.36 Rudder assembly 45 long x 30mm wide £4.80 Painting Model Boats £12.95
HMS Vanguard. 74 gun 3rd rate 1:72 1171mm £684.95
Lindberg Tuna Clipper 1:60 scale 368mm £49.95 Royal Louis (1:90) Drawings & Instructions £62.73 Rudder assembly 53 long x 36mm wide £4.92 Ship Modelling in Plastic £12.95
HMS Pegasus Swan class sloop 1:64 800mm £344.95
Lindberg Atlantic Fishing Trawler 1:90 457mm £49.95 This is just a selection of over 1000 plans available Rudder assembly 67 long x 44mm wide £5.36 Scale Model Steamboats £12.95
Mercury: 20 gun Brig 1820. 1:64 scale 860mm £354.95
Lindberg Coast Guard Tug Boat 1:72 304mm £34.95 Double Tiller Arm. Fits 3/16 or 5mm shaft £0.97 Making Model Boats with Styrene £12.95
Mamoli Kits Academy HMS Warspite, Premium Edition £79.95 R/C Equipment
Revell Gato Class Submarine 1:72 £72.36
Raboesch Bow Thrusters Simply Model Submarines £12.95
Friesland 80 gun 2 Decker 1:75 775mm £492.14 Hitec Optic 6 (2.4 GHz) combo £124.99 The Model Tug Boat Book: £12.95
Trumpeter Admiral Hipper 1941 1:350 £69.95 Hitec Optic 5 channel (2.4 GHz) combo £89.95 Bow thruster unit with motor 14mm I/D £33.87 Scale Model Warships £12.95
Mary Royal Yacht 1:54 scale 483mm £179.18
Trumpeter Prinz Eugen 1945 1:350 £61.23 Mtroniks G2 Hydra15 combo £59.99 Bow thruster unit with motor 16mm I/D £33.87 Submarines. Models and their Originals £12.95
Golden Hind 1:53 scale 496mm £184.58
Airfix HMS Illustrious 1:350 £51.05 Hi Tech Zebra 4 Channel £56.12 Bow thruster unit with motor 19mm I/D £33.87 Making Ships in Bottles £11.95
La Gloire 34 gun Frigate 1:90 840mm £287.18
Trumpeter Graf Spee 1:350 £51.04 Viper Marine 40 £53.22 Bow thruster unit with motor 22mm I/D £38.39 Scale Model Boats. Building & Operation £9.95
Hunter 12 gun Cutter 1797 1:72 440mm £134.76
Trumpeter Jeremiah O'Brien Liberty Ship £32.99 Planet 5 Transmitter and Receiver Set £54.99 Bow thruster unit with motor 25mm I/D £38.39 Radio Control In Model Boats £9.95
Rattlesnake Privateer 1779 1:64 697mm £222.62
Trumpeter JohnBrown liberty ship 1:350 £32.99 Hi Tech Ranger 2 Channel £49.95 Mini Bow thruster unit with motor 10mm I/D £27.10 Introduction to Marine Modelling £9.95
H.M.A.V Bounty 1787 1:64 610mm £215.76
Tamiya Yamato 1:350 scale £270.95 FR30HX 30amp speed controller £47.14 Bow thruster unit with motor 30mm I/D £81.29 Ship Modelling Solutions £9.95
CSS Alabama. 1:120 694mm £206.92
Tamiya HMS King George V 1:350 £49.99 Viper Marine SUB 10 6-12v £42.99 Scratch Building Marine Models £9.95
Panart Kits Tamiya HMS Prince of Wales 1:350 £49.99 BECC Letters&Number sets The Glassfibre Handbook by R.H Waring. £9.95
Viper Marine SUB 8 4.8-9.6v £42.50
Tamiya Bismarck 1:350 717mm £61.99 Viper SSR 25amp Speed controller £39.99 2A Arial Lettering 2 mm, £4.07 Photoetching For The Plastic Ship Modeler £12.95
H.M.S. Victory Nelson Flagship 1:78 1300mm £395.10 Tamiya Tirptz 1:350 717mm £58.50 15HVR 15amp speed controller £37.69 3A Arial Lettering 3 mm, £4.59 Super-detailing the Cutter Sherbourne £19.00
Between Decks Gun Section 1:23 250mm sq. £134.96 Academy Tirpitz 1:350 £28.00 Viper Marine 25 £34.99 4A Arial Lettering 4 mm, £4.59
Open Whaler 1850 1:16 scale 615mm £139.50 Academy Graf Spee 1:350 £28.00 6A Arial Lettering 6 mm, £4.59
Modelling Tools
HMS Victory bow section1:78 scale £179.95 Viper Marine 25 Mirror £34.20
San Felipe Spanish 3 Decker 1:75 960mm £670.00 Plastic Kit Upgrades FR12VR 12amp speed controller BEC £33.86 8A Arial Lettering 8 mm, £5.10 Mantua 12v Electric Fret saw 12v £110.00
Hi Tech Mega Arm Sail Winch 19.8kg/cm £30.99 10A Arial Lettering 10 mm, £5.10 Mini Compressor £105.00
Armed Naval Pinnace 1800 Scale 1:16 620mm £139.50
German AA Weapons WWII 1:350 £8.40 Proportional Drum Sail Winch £30.63 12A Arial Lettering 12 mm, £6.12 Mantua Spar Lathe. 12V £99.00
Royal Caroline 1749 Royal Yacht 1:47 830mm £269.95
Naval figures 1:350 scale £7.20 Viper Marine 20 £28.99 15A Arial Lettering 15 mm, £7.14 Mantua 12v Electric Planer £79.00
Caldercraft Display Kits Passenger ship crew figures 1:350 scale £8.40 Viper Marine 15 £22.99 20A Arial Lettering 20 mm, £8.16 Amati heavy duty Building cradle £52.60
Naval Crew Figures German WWII 1:350 £8.40 Viper Micro Marine 10 £22.99 25A Arial Lettering 25 mm, £10.20 Building Slip £54.95
Diana 38 Heavy Frigate 1794 1:64 1180mm £472.45 Etched lifebelts set 1:350 scale. £8.40 5A Arial Lettering 5 mm, £4.59
Viper Marine 15 Plug Play £22.99 Mantua 4 speed mains transformer £48.40
Cruiser.1797. 18 Gun Brig 1:67 scale 850mm £206.98 R.N Naval figures Far East 1:350 scale £8.40 Available in most colours
Programmable mixing module £20.34 Deluxe Modellers Tool Chest £38.95
Snake 1797 18 Gun Sloop 1:67 scale 910mm £206.98 Bismarck etched detail Tamiya Bismarck 1:350 £22.30 Waterproof mixing module (w-tail) £17.80 Amati Electric Plank Bender £31.54
Mary Rose. Tudor warship 1510. 735mm 1:80 £260.98 Tirpitz (designed to be used with Tamiya kits) £30.60 Waterproof mixing module £15.70
Scalelink Etched Brass Rope Walk kit £37.13
Agamemnon 1781. 64 gun ship 1300mm £661.45 HMS Hood detail sheet pack 1:350 scale £30.60 Mtroniks EP Multi charger £12.14 11mm 3 rail stanchions & railing 840mm £10.20 Strip Clamp. £32.95
Endeavour. Bark 1768. 1:64 scale 725mm £245.65 Admiral Graf Spee etched sheet set 1:350 scale £24.99 1300ma receiver nicad battery square £5.61 1:96 R.N 3 rail stanchions and railing 11mm £10.20 Master Cut. £19.64
Bounty. 1789. 1:64 scale 660mm £202.45 HMS Repulse etch detail sheets 1:350 scale £19.50 1300ma receiver nicad battery flat £5.61 1:128 scale vertical laddering £10.20 Bench Vice. £17.50
Sherbourne. 8 Gun R.N Cutter 1763. 500mm £75.55 Prinz Eugen etched set. 1:350 scale £22.30 Switch harness with charging lead £4.70 1:72 R.N pattern 3 rail stanchions and railing £10.20 Swann-Morton ACM Tool Set £22.61
HM Yacht Chatham 1741 1:64 scale 530mm £89.96 HMS Repulse railings set 1:350 scale £19.50 Full range of R/C installation equipment available 1:192 R.N pattern 3 rail stanchions £10.20 Planet, special work bench £10.58
HM Mortar Vessel Convulsion. 1804 1:64 530mm£96.71 Prinz Eugen etched railings set 1:350 scale £22.30 Clarendon serif Letters 2.5, 3 and 5mm high £10.20 20 piece twist drill set .3 to 1.6mm £13.23
Victory 1781. Nelson's flagship 1:72 1385mm £746.98 Prince of WaleS etch sheet pack 1:350 £20.60 Miniature Steam 1:200 Angled step ladders with handrail £10.20 Amati Pin Pusher De-Luxe £11.45
Granado. Bomb Ketch 1756 1:64 scale 785mm £220.48 HMS Dreadnought 1907 Etched detail 1/350 £19.50 Clyde Horiz Ready Assembled Steam Plant £949.95 Vertical rung ladders 4.5mm & 5.5mm wide £12.00 Pin Pusher £9.07
HM Brig Badger 1778 1:64 scale 600mm £177.12 HMS Dreadnought 1907 Railing Set 1/350 £14.99 Clyde Vertical Ready Assembled Steam Plant £949.95 1:128 Angled step companionway ladders £10.20 Waterline marking tool £10.48
HM Schooner Pickle 1778 1:64 scale 565mm £130.46 Wooden deck for HMS Hood 1:350 scale £36.50 Clyde Horizontal Self Assembly Steam Plant £849.95 1:128 scale vertical laddering £10.20 A3 cutting mat £11.18
Caldercraft R/C Kits Wooden deck for Graf Spee1:350 scale £32.30 Clyde Vertical Self Assembly Steam Plant £849.95 5mm and 6mm wide Angled step ladders £10.20 Pounce Tool with 4 wheels £11.16
Wooden deck for HMS Repulse 1:350 scale £34.80 4 inch Horizontal Boiler £649.99 6mm & 8mm vertical rung laddering £10.20 Assorted grade Sanding Sticks (5) £10.94
Joffre. 1916 Tyne Tug. £251.95 Wooden deck for Prinz Eugen 1:350 scale £34.80 This is justr a selection from the huge range available Shroud Making Jig £12.72
3in Horizontal Boiler £575.99
Imara. Twin Screw Berthing Tug £458.95 Wooden deck for Tirpitz 1:350 scale £34.80 Zona Fine Kerf Universal Razor Saw 32tpi £9.39
3in Vertical Boiler £575.99
Resolve. Twin Screw Admiralty Tug £508.95 Wooden deck for Admiral Hipper 1:350 scale £34.80 Boiler Feed Pump 3/8"" Assembled" £119.95
BECC Flags Zona Medium Kerf Razor Saw 24tpi £9.39
Amaranth. Motor Fifie £120.95 DX Wooden deck & Railing for Bismarck 1:350 £37.99 Zona Fine Kerf Universal Razor Saw 42tpi £9.39
Refillable Gas Tank £94.99 GB02 White Ensign, Size: AAA 10mm £3.05
Milford star. Post war East Coast side trawler £228.95 Wooden deck for Bismarck 1:350 scale £31.50 Zona Fine Kerf Universal Razor Saw 24tpi £9.39
Vertical Refillable Gas Tank (1-1/2"" Dia) £84.99 GB02 White Ensign, Size: AA 15mm £3.05
Marie Felling single screw steam tug £395.95 Wooden deck for Tirpitz 1:350 scale £31.50 Zona Ultra Thin Kerf Razor Saw 52tpi £8.34
Ceramic Burner: for 3in boiler £74.99 GB02 White Ensign, Size: A 20mm £3.05
North Light. Steam Clyde Puffer £251.95 Wooden deck for KG5 1:350 scale £33.20 Zona Ultra Thin Kerf Razor Saw 32tpi £8.34
Exhaust Oil Trap (1-1/4”) £49.98 GB02 White Ensign, Size: B 25mm £3.05
SS Talacre. Single hatch Steam Coaster £251.95 Wooden deck for Price of Wales 1:350 scale £33.20 8 piece twist drill set .5 to 2.0mm £7.38
Horizontal Boiler Mounting Tray £39.95 GB02 White Ensign, Size: C 38mm £3.96
H.M.T Sir Kay Round Table Class Minesweeper £294.95 DX Wooden deck & Railing for Warspite 1:350 £53.80 Rigging Tool £8.14
Refillable Gas Tank Adaptor (Standard) £21.99 GB02 White Ensign, Size: D 50mm £3.96
DX Wooden deck & Railing for Bismarck 1:200 £149.40
Card Models GLS Flower Class Deck & Fittings Set. 1:72 £99.99 Sound Modules GB02 White Ensign, Size: E 75mm £4.95 Archimedean Hand Drill £6.74
GB02 White Ensign, Size: F 100mm £5.97 Pin Vice with collets for .01 to 3.0mm drill bits £6.64
SD14 general cargo ship 1:70 2133mm. £295.00 GLS Flower Class Type `C' Bridge Set 1:72 £38.40 K&S Tube cutter £6.50
Petrol/Diesel Engine with Horn £43.40 GB02 White Ensign, Size: G 125mm £7.91
USS Missouri. 1:200 scale £61.24 GLS Flower Class Corvette Depth Charge Set £39.38 Set of 3 G-Clamps with Magnetic Base £5.77
Machine Gun £35.73 GB02 White Ensign, Size: H 150mm £9.91
GPM SMS Seydlitz 1:200 scale 1010mm £56.95 This is just a selection from Gold Medal, MK1 Design, Wooden Clamping Pegs (3) £5.75
Steam Engine Sound £43.40 Also available, Naval ensigns in red, Blue as well and
Queen Mary 2, 863mm 1:400 scale £53.06 Master, Great Little Ships and Eduard. Miniature hand plane £5.06
Whooper £35.73 National flags from most maritime nations
Prince of Wales Battleship 1:200 scale £51.95
USS Lexington Aircraft carrier 1:200 scale £51.04
R/C Boat Plans Fog Horn £35.73
Timber
Ship Klaxon £35.73 THE MODEL DOCKYARD CATALOGUE
Tirpitz 1:200 scale Full hull 1260mm £49.99 Miranda Edwardian steam launch 42in £12.50 Sub Sonar Ping £35.73 Lime Strip 0.5mm x 2mm x 1000mm £0.34
Bismarck 1:200 scale Full hull 1250mm £48.98 Will Everard Thames Barge: 1:48 scale £17.50 Our non illustrated catalogue contains a brief description and
Sub Dive Alarm £35.73 Lime Strip 0.6 x 10mm x approx 1 metre long £0.31
Revenge 1588 600mm 1:96 scale £47.95 Brave Borderer: 36in Vosper patrol boat, £12.50 principal dimensions of over 12,000 product items that are
Air Horns £35.73 Lime Strip 0.6 x 3mm x approx 1 metre long £0.35
HMS Mercury 6th rate frigate 1779 1:96 scaler £44.95 Enterprise:Northumbrian Coble. 27in. £12.50 available from our extensive range aimed and the the scale
Large Ship Horn £35.73 Lime Strip 0.6 x 4mm x approx 1 metre long £0.38
Admiral Hipper, cruiser 1935 1:200 scale £40.81 "Pilot 40 police/pilot launch 27½ £12.50 modeller. these include both static and R/C Kits, Plastic kits
Large Ship Steam Whistle £35.73 Lime Strip 0.6 x 5mm x approx 1 metre long £0.41
HMS Enterprise 28 gun Frigate 1:96 scale £40.80 Inchcolm: Clyde puffer 24¾in. £12.50 and upgrade parets; the largest range of boats fittings to be
Old Steam Whistle £35.73 Lime Strip 0.6 x 6mm x approx 1 metre long £0.44
Graf Spee. Full hulled model at 1:200 scale £30.60 Liverpool Lifeboat: 1:12 scale £12.50 found anywhere, building materials, boat plans, boat hulls,
Tug Boat Air Horn £35.73 Lime Strip 0.5 x 7x approx 1 metre long £0.47
Lexington. American Brig 1:96 scale £30.59 200 Series RAF Seaplane Tender: 950mm l £12.50 props, couplings, motors, propshafts etc etc. Whether you
Mtroniks Diesel Canal Boat £59.99 Lime Strip 0.6 x 8mm x approx 1 metre long £0.25
HMS Endeavour. Captains Cook's Bark 1:96 £30.59 H.M.S Ark Royal : A 1:192 scale model, 50in. £12.50 interest lies in working radio control, display period ships or
Mtroniks Multicylinder Diesel £59.99 Lime Strip 1.5 x 1.5mm x approx 1 metre long £0.36
Santa Maria & Nina £30.59 St Columba British Rail car ferry, 1:100 £17.50 static kits, our catalogue has everything you will need, £3.00
Lime Strip 1.5 x 10mm x approx 1 metre long £0.73
Vosper MTB : 26 1/4 inches £12.50 plus £3.00 for UK Delivery
 Vol.64 Issue 762: May 2014

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the Devonport Naval Dockyard
MANAGEMENT Heritage Centre, plus more of
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 contents

Special Features

10
PT 18 - Part One
Dermot Curnyn’s laser cut boat modelling project

62
THE MONSTER ON THE POND!
Ashley Needham’s unique Ecranoplan KM

30 68
FALCON NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE - PARIS
Bill Langton’s fantastic nine foot steam launch model Anthony Addams takes us on a tour

76
CLOCKWORK BOATS
A wind-up from Peter Whitehead?

36 Bow piece
GIBBS AQUADA - PART THREE

T
Bob Hinton completes his remarkable radio controlled his issue has 100 pages, sixteen
amphibious model more than the usual 84. It is also
the first of these enlarged Bumper
Issues for 2014, a year which sees the
42 100th Anniversary of the commencement
2014 LONDON MODEL of World War One in 1914 and also the
ENGINEERING EXHIBITION 70th Anniversary of the Normandy D-Day Landings in 1944. To
Dave Brumstead reports from Alexandra Palace commemorate and remember these momentous events of the
first half of the last century, Dave Wooley has supplied three
special articles about the warships of the late-Victorian period and
!
44 KIT REVIEW into the Great War. In the first, published here, he is examining
the warships of the Royal Navy from 1895 to 1905, many of
BOB ABOUT!
which then served in World War One, even though the pace of
John Elliott builds the Vintage Model Boat Company’s
naval technology development meant that many were obsolete
Footy yacht kit
within a few years, but still giving valuable wartime service.
We also have a number of major and exciting Feature Articles.
These include Part One of Dermot Curnyn’s unique laser-cut
52 PT18; a highly unusual model of Ecranoplan KM by
WARSHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY: PART ONE - Ashley Needham, who must be one of our most innovative and
1895 TO 1905 creative model makers; a full kit review by John Elliott of Bob
A Range Finder Special by Dave Wooley About, an easy to build Footy yacht and Bill Langton is a welcome
newcomer to these pages describing his fantastic nine foot long
steam launch Falcon. In addition, Peter Whitehead returns with an
article about clockwork model boats and Anthony Addams visits
the National Museum of the Marine in Paris.
There are also all the regular features, plus a few more, so
something for everyone with an interest in model boats as a
hobby. Like the famous paint, the title on the cover is what we do,
and hopefully rather well!
Paul Freshney - Editor

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 5

s
 signals

Compass 360
Model Boats notice board for your news Obituary - Robert (Bob) Hindle
Editorial Contact - Paul Freshney
On 18th February 2014, after a short illness,
You can reach the Editor, Paul Freshney, on 01277 849927. North West Scale Model Boat Club lost Bob,
The editorial postal address is: Model Boats, PO Box 9890, one of their long serving members. Born in
Brentwood, CM14 9EF.
1942, he had been a keen modeller for many
The email is [email protected] years, building aircraft and power boats, but
his skill was later centred on sailing boats and
competition yachts, including hulls moulded by himself and he had
Plans Service Contact - Call 0844 848 8822 many successes with most classes of boat, sailing at Bury Lido
and Fleetwood. The size of our club’s Horwich pond prevented Bob
The Plans Service is expanding all the time! from using his biggest and fastest boats, but his expertise was
always ready to be shared and he was instrumental in encouraging
Over 3000 plans for model builders of all persuasions, Aircraft, many powerboat modellers to add a yacht to their fleet.
Boats, Locomotives, Traction Engines, Steam and IC Engines - On a wet & windy Sunday in February, club and family members
we even do Woodworking plans. launched a wreath on to the Club’s water in remembrance of a
To purchase plans, please call 0844 848 8822 popular and enthusiastic member. Bon Voyage, Bob.
Barry Martin, Hon. Secretary, NWSMBC, Horwich
See and buy all of these at www.myhobbystore.com

Model Boats massed landings, fun events, to ‘Just Giving’ which supports West Norfolk IPMS
distribution - UK tug of war, slalom racing or the British Legion, the link Their 5th Annual Model Show in
I am pleased to say that Tesco anything else you want(!) plus on the Model Boats Website aid of Macmillan Cancer Nurses
have now selected 112 of a display of WW2 era craft. Forum being within the D-Day is at Downham Market Town
their stores to regularly stock This will be on the 1st June 70th Anniversary Event thread: Hall on Sunday 22nd June 2014,
Model Boats magazine from 2014 at the pond in Bushy http://www.modelboats. 1000hrs to 1600hrs. Further
31st March 2014. Readers Park, Hampton Court Gate, co.uk/forums/postings. information from:
may not appreciate it, but to off Hampton Court Road, asp?th=88793. Also, other www.westnorfolkipms.co.uk.
get a magazine (any magazine!) Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 clubs might consider organising
regularly stocked in such stores 0EQ. The park has its own themed events from time to
is not easy as they do not want website for detailed plans of time as it is good way to get European Warship
slow-moving stock on their the site. The car park is next to enthusiasts together and can Weekend - 2014
shelves. So for Tesco to stock the Diana Fountain, adjacent to give ‘direction’ to an event This, the third such event is being
Model Boats, this means that the model boating pond. Toilets rather than it being just another held at Hofstade, near Brussels
they think it is a worthwhile are five minutes walk away and ‘Open Day’ - Editor.) in Belgium on the 6th to 8th
addition to their magazine racks. there is a refreshment facility June. The club arranging this
Full details of which Tesco stores in the car park. It is best to be are well known for their D-Day
stock Model Boats can be found parked by no later than 1000hrs 2014 Classic Boat dioramas at Intermodellbau in
on our website: because of the general public Auction at Beale Park Germany each Spring. This is a
www.modelboats.com. visiting Bushy Park. This event This auction at Beal Park, nice weekend of sailing warship
is informal and will last as long Pangbourne, Berkshire, models and meeting other
as there is interest. Please provides a unique opportunity enthusiasts from Europe. Further
Kirklees MBC note, that in the event of very to buy and/or sell full-size information from David Jack,
On 18th May 2014 this club is bad weather, the following boats as well as models. It is email: davidjack5@btopenworld.
organising a Club 500 event. This Sunday 8th June, is the being run by experts in both com, tel: 01968 660862.
is their first event of this kind alternative day for this informal auctioneering and traditional
and is aimed at being a Fun Day. gathering. Further information boat brokering in partnership
They are hoping to have other can be found on the Model with Special Auction Services Edinburgh MBC
clubs involved and would like the Boats website forum, but and Henley Sales & Charter. This club has a number of
event to run between 1000hrs Ashley can be contacted via The catalogue of boats to be events planned for 2014 and
and 1500hrs at Wilton Park, email: [email protected] auctioned ranges from the very its members sail regularly on
Bradford Road, Birstall, Batley or his mobile: 07522 926448. small to the very large and Sundays on the Inverleith Pond
WF13 8JH. Free car park. Please (Ideally the landing craft in already includes models such in Inverleith Park, EH3 5NZ,
contact Stan Reffin, tel: 01132 particular should be to common as an Art Deco pond yacht, Best access is from between
675790 for more information and scale of 1:32 or 1:35 to make estimated at £600 to £900. Portgower Place and East
to give your support. the massed landings look more Although the deadline for Fettes Avenue (just off the
effective, and Paul Thomason consignments is very close to the B900 Comely Bank Road). The
who is regular contributor publication date of this magazine, club welcomes new members
D-Day Anniversary to the Model Boats Website Gillian on tel: 07813 917730 may and further information about
Model Event Forum has drawn nine sheets be able to assist. their planned 2014 events can
Ashley Needham is arranging of plans in a PDF form. These Websites are: be found on their regularly
an informal gathering, including can be downloaded from him www.specialauctionservices.com updated website: www.
a parade of landing craft, on confirmation of a donation and www.hscboats.co.uk. edinburghmodelboatclub.org.uk.

6 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 signals

2014
GAMES 1
Roger Stollery reports
ABOVE: New designs of Marblehead
for 2014 had markedly different
speeds depending on the wind
position. No doubt fine tuning, as the
2014 season progresses, will narrow
the performance gap.

LEFT: Note the unusual bow on No.17. ABOVE: PRIME NUMBER and the latest
Graham Bantock QUARK (No.29) design
The racing showing the rig differences.

John Shorrock from Reading

won the first race with his new make it a very close finish to
modified and swing rigged the event with just three points
QUARK, which was very fast off covering the medal places!
the wind. Hugh McAdoo then There had already been some
took the next two races with his amazingly close finishes, where
PRIME NUMBER before letting the whole fleet managed to get
John come back to win Race 4. across the finishing line within
Martin Crysell then took Race 5 a few seconds. The event was
also sailing a PRIME NUMBER, sailed in the most sporting
which left the lunchtime manner with no penalty turns
leaderboard showing Hugh with outstanding and was thoroughly

T
his event was organised normally 8 feet above the water 8, Martin 9 and John 11 points. enjoyed by all as can be seen on
by Guildford Model level. The west-south-west light After lunch Roger Stollery got the faces of the prizewinners in
Yacht Club and run at to moderate winds allowed an his CRAZY TUBE FREE going to the photographs. l
Abbey Meads Lake on the 800 metre windward/leeward win Race 6, but then let Hugh
22nd February after two course with a leeward gate with win the next. Not to be outdone,
postponements. One because competitors on the southern John put in another win in Results
of weed at Poole and another control area, giving some Race 8, but let Roger back to 1st Roger Stollery
due to floods in Chertsey(!), entertaining fast planing runs win Race 9, with Terry Rensch 2nd Hugh McAdoo
but GMYC’s determination to with rudders showing at times. sailing another QUARK second. 3rd Martin Crysell
sail the GAMES 1 event finally With the recent frustration Roger prevented Hugh from 4th John Shorrock
paid off in near-perfect wind and of not being able to sail, the winning the next three races by 5th Terry Rensch
weather conditions. The lake competitors, representing six taking Race 11 and then went 6th Alf Reynolds
looked magnificent with the high clubs, really enjoyed this open on to win Races 13 and 14. 7th Alan Viney
water level just a foot below event, with the warm sunshine Martin and Hugh each won 8th Peter Dunne.
the top of the bank, which is being an added bonus. one of the final two races to

Grays Thurrock MBC permitting) and anyone is Bury Metro Marine 14th & Sunday 15th June. All
They will be holding their welcome at these sessions. In Modelling Club enthusiasts who own vintage &
annual Open Day and Navy Day addition there will be a number This club is holding a Warship classic model boats are welcome
combined, including a speed of Scale Days in 2014. These are Day on 20th April 2014 at: The for this informal and fun event.
boat race for 500 size motor on; 25th May, 15th June (the Lido, Clarence Park, Bury BL9 There is a clubhouse & free car
powered models on Sunday Annual Woodbridge Regatta), 6NG. Further information from parking. Electric, i.c., sail and
13th July 2014 at Belhus Woods 29th June, 27th July (plus the secretary, Graham Sleight, tel: steam powered models are all
Country Park, Romford Road, Club BBQ), 31st August and 01617 979611, or the club website: welcome (own insurance required)
Aveley, Essex. All model boaters 28th September and the club http://bmmmsuk.yolasite.com and there are two smaller pools for
are welcome. would like to invite fellow the ‘little’ models. There are plenty
enthusiasts to also come along of good local B&B’s available.
on these days. Classic & Vintage Refreshments available on both
Woodbridge MBC Full details of the programme Model Boat days, plus a hotpot on the Sunday.
This club has regular model yacht and the location of the pond can Weekend 2014 Further information
racing on Saturday mornings be found on the club website: Fleetwood Yacht & Model from Brian Carruthers,
and a general ‘get together’ on www.woodbridgemodelboatclub. Power Boat Club will again be tel: 01253 823878 or email: brian.
Wednesday mornings (weather org.uk hosting this event on Saturday [email protected]

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 7

s
 signals

The Model Boats June 2014 issue is on sale on the 9th May 2014
Next issue
FREE PLAN

Eccleshall Model Boat Plans of the future

The complimentary FREE PLAN is for Eccleshall designed by Glynn Guest, and Paul Thomason explains
how with the advances in computer technology, Model Boat Plans could be supplied in the future.

See more about what’s in Model Boats magazine month-to-month in forthcoming issues and see some of the articles you may have missed from
past issues and subscription offers on our website: www.modelboats.co.uk

We have a great range of subscription packages that you can choose from, including our new Print + Digital package which give subscribers 13
issues a year with 6 free plans, 13 digital editions to download and keep PLUS access to an Online Archive dating all the way back to January 2007.

Don’t forget! The June 2014 issue will be published on 9th May 2014 price £4.50 – don’t miss it! Order your copy now! Or better still why not
make it your first copy in a year’s subscription to Model Boats magazine? See our subscription offer on Page 28 in this issue…

If you can’t always find a copy Please reserve/deliver my copy of Model Boats
of this magazine, help is at on a regular basis, starting with issue..........................................
hand! Complete this form and Title............... First name.................................................................
hand in at your local store,
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they’ll arrange for a copy of
100 each issue to be
of firs
t class
PAGES original conten
t!
The Wo ’s
Best-Serld
Address.............................................................................................
reserved for you.
ller!
May 2014
Vol.64 No.7
62

............................................................................................................
Get on boa
Some stores may
PT 18
rd www.mo
delboats
.co.uk

A unique even be able to

cut radio laser
............................................................................................................
controlled
model!
arrange for it to be Postcode...........................................................................................
delivered to your
Group
modellING

Plus... Telephone number..........................................................................

home. Just ask! £4.95

Range nd and...
SpecialFiFe er
Bob
ature

If you don’t want to miss an issue

Warships of
MB762co
the Royal Nav
y 189 5 to 1905
About
New Footy
ver.indd
1

Yacht kit rev

iewed!
24/03/2014
17:38

Contents may be subject to change.

8 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 21st ANNUAL

HARROGATE SHOWGROUND
Ticket O
ffice MAY 9th 10th 11th Exhibiti
o
10am - 5 n
am (4.30pm p m
open 10
The National Model Engineering and Modelling Exhibition is one of the largest exhibitions of its
Sunday
kind in the UK and you are invited to look at this impressive list of clubs attending the show. Each )
stand will be displaying models built by members of the club with up to 60 exhibits on each stand. Members will
be on hand to answer any questions you may have and are able to offer advice and give details of how to join your local group.
The National Model Engineering Exhibition is renowned for its huge specialist trade stand section.
THE FOLLOWING TRADERS WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE (additional traders likely) LOCATION
The Great Yorkshire
ABBOTS MODEL ENGINEERING JB CUTTING TOOLS NEW GENERATION STATION ROAD STEAM LTD Showground is conveniently
ALLENDALE ELECTRONICS KIRJENG M.E.S TOOLS/LETONKINOIS VARNISH STEAM TECHNOLOGY LTD / situated on the A661
ANDY CURLE NOGGIN END METALS WELDING INNOVATIONS LTD Harrogate to Wetherby Road.
BBI LTD (BB ENGINEERING PARKSIDE ELECTRONICS STUART MODELS BY ROAD:
SERVICES) PAUL NORMAN PLASTICS THE CRAFTLIGHT COMPANY Easy Access A1(M)
BLACKGATES ENGINEERING Leeds A61 York A59
LIVE STEAM MODELS PEAK TOOLS THE TOOL SHOP
MA TOOLING PEATOL MACHINE TOOLS TPA BOOKS BY RAIL:
PNP RAILWAYS Harrogate Railway Station.
MINIATURE RAILWAY SUPPLY CO LTD TRACY TOOLS
Connections to Leeds and York
POLLY MODEL ENGINEERING LTD TURBO-CAD (PROCESSFLOWS)
MINIMAG CO. mainline stations.
MJ ENGINEERING BY AIR:
COLLEGE ENGINEERING SUPPLIES M-MACHINE Leeds/Bradford Airport
COMPONENT-SHOP.CO.UK six miles.
MODEL ENGINEERS LASER QUILLSTAR
CUP ALLOYS LTD WALKER MIDGLEY INSURANCE BUSES:
MLB DESIGNS R n R ALUMINIUM BROKERS LTD A courtesy bus departs from
D HEWSON MODELS Harrogate Bus and Railway
Station on the hour from 9am
till 2pm for the Model
JOHN REX MODEL ENGINEERS WESTERN STEAM / G & S SUPPLIES Engineering Exhibition.
RIDE ON RAILWAYS YORKSHIRE MODEL ENGINEERING Last bus from the Exhibition into
HAFIXS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS SHG MODEL SUPPLIES SUPPLIES Harrogate departs 5pm.
HOME & WORKSHOP MACHINERY SPG TOOLS (HINCKLEY) LTD 17D MINIATURES (4.30pm on Sunday).

The National Model Engineering and Modelling Exhibition is one of the biggest exhibitions of its kind in the UK.
THE FOLLOWING CLUBS WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE ADMISSION
Adults ........................ £10
MODEL ENGINEERING Cleveland Association of 71⁄4” Gauge Society Tynemouth Model Boat Club Over 65s ......................£9
York City and District Society Model Engineers Stewart Park Model Boat Club Under 16s ....................£3
of Model Engineers South Durham Society of MODELMAKING Under 5s ..................FREE
Leeds and Bradford Model
Leeds Society of Model and Model Engineers The Guild of Model Boat Club
Advance
Experimental Engineers The Society of Model and Wheelwrights Wearside Model Boat Club
Hull and District Society of Experimental Engineers
Model and Experimental
Engineers
Huddersfield Society of CLUBS AND
ASSOCIATIONS
Boat Building by Martin
Ranson and John Abbott Ticket
Sales
Model Engineers
Grimsby and Cleethorpes Brighouse and Halifax Model Southern Federation of Model MODEL AIRCRAFT
Model Engineering Society Engineers Engineers
West Yorkshire Model Aircraft Beat the queue and
Bradford Model Engineering Keighley and District Model The Northern Association of Club
Society Model Engineers purchase your tickets
Engineering Society Harrogate Model Flying Club
City of Sunderland Model London and North Western online. Simply visit our
The Stirling Engine Society
Engineering Society Ltd Railway Society website at:
RADIO CONTROLLED
West Riding Small RAILWAY TRUCKS www.theharrogateshow.com
Locomotive Society MODEL BOATS
Ground Level 5” Gauge Durham RC Scale Models and follow the link to:
The Tyneside Society of Kirklees Model Boat Club
Mainline Association
Model and Experimental Claro Marine Modellers
Engineers Teesside Small Gauge Club enquiries
Railway Rawdon Model Boat Club
Pickering Experimental
Teesside Model Boat Club
contact:
Engineering and Model Association of 16mm Narrow Lou Rex on
Society Gauge Modellers York Model Boat Club
The Gauge 1 Model Railway
01977 661998
Scunthorpe Society of Model Redcar Model Boat Club
Engineers Association

Email:[email protected] ~ www.theharrogateshow.com ~ Telephone: 01751 200839

 special feature

PT 18
hoping to make best use of these new ‘tools’ to
enhance the scratch building process, without
hopefully too much additional expense.

‘Tomorrows World’ today

Laser cutting has been around for quite some time
with its roots in specialist industrial applications, but
in recent years scaled down machines have become
more accessible and to a certain extent, affordable
Dermot Curnyn’s laser cut for short run production. For this laser cutting project I
wanted to build a high speed planing hull and a WW2
boat modelling project torpedo boat fitted the bill really well, given that the
facility to cut out hard-chine frames from plywood
Part One would lend itself to laser cutting. As to the rest of the
construction, I planned to stick to traditional model
making techniques, using easily obtainable materials

W
ith such a formidable choice of reasonably and parts and only basic construction tools.
priced, high quality kits and semi-kits on
the market, it isn’t surprising that detailed
scratch building has limited appeal or might even be Plans
perceived as being on the way out. Being the hoarder that I am, I came across an old
This may be a well-established and irreversible plan for the ELCO 70ft PT boat, PT 18, a free plan
trend as after all, progress can’t be halted, but as drawn by Al Ross II and presented with the May
the saying goes; ‘keep your friends close and your 1998 issue of Model Boats, Photo 1.
enemies closer’. So I’ve decided to leap in to the The ELCO 70ft boats were based on the British
future and embrace some of the new technologies, designer Hubert Scott-Paine’s specifications.

10
 2 special feature

PHOTO 2: Picture from Wikipedia – The British built prototype at Washington DC in June 1940. Web address: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PT9_torpedo_boat_
Washington_DC_1940.jpg#filehistory.

Although they were built in the United States, these

boats were not considered large enough for the 3
U.S. Navy’s needs, so instead they were converted
to MTB’s and shipped to Britain as part of the war
time ‘Lend-Lease’ agreement. Photo 2 is of a
similar craft, PT 9.
For a torpedo boat, the ELCO 70 footer had a
uniquely pronounced deck sheer. To best capture
this feature, I decided to use a building method
derived from model aircraft construction and that
was to build the hull in two halves divided along the
keel. Using this split hull type of construction, rather
than the more traditional inverted full-hull frame
method, would make re-producing the deck sheer
much easier.

Preparing drawings for the

laser cutter
4
Although I was working from an existing plan, these
drawings had to be re-drafted on the computer to
give a file type which could be recognised by the laser
cutter. The laser cutter I was using only recognises
vector-type drawing files so my process involved
tracing over scans of the original drawing using a
programme called Inkscape. This is freely available to
download from the internet at: www.inkscape.org.
Many other vector programmes exist such as Autocad,
Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator. I covered the basics
of laser file production in some detail in the MB July
2013 issue, so I won’t repeat myself here.
I re-worked the original drawings from scans in
Photoshop, Photo 3. The Model Boat plans were
originally drawn at 1:32 scale giving a length of
680mm and a beam of 195mm. I modified the
proportions, allowing for a displacement which could
accommodate two Graupner Speed 600 motors, plus 5
batteries etc., but retain the compact nature of the
original drawings. So, the plan view and sectional
drawings were resized, giving a broader beam
relative to length. I was able to retain the 1:32 scale
length of 680mm as before, but increased the overall
beam to 250mm. Okay, not true scale I know, but I
wanted to build a nippy but still compact boat.

Tracing
After opening the scans in Inkscape, I began the
process of tracing out the shape of the keel profile,
adding tabs to screw it to a baseboard as well as
slots to fit the frames. The chosen construction
method meant it was only necessary to draw out
the components for one side then laser cut these
shapes twice. I assigned different colours of lines to reduce wastage to a minimum. Centre cut-outs in PHOTOS 4 & 5: The completed hull
and deck plus deckhouse layouts
correspond to different power and speed settings frames and decking areas also formed components ready to cut. The cutting line is in red
on the laser cutter. A blue line colour produced a of the hull. As the drawing process progressed I and the etching line is in blue.
shallow cut to show the position of deck fittings; a kept thinking of more and more parts which could
red line produced a full depth cut, Photos 4 and 5. be prefabricated, so what started off as an exercise
The individual parts were set-out in a configuration in producing the basic components of a hull soon
which made best use of the plywood sheets to evolved into a semi-complete kit of parts.

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First assembly
The first task in this procedure was to screw the
6 keel piece down to a flat baseboard. This board was
The first cut covered with kitchen paper to prevent the frames
The first cut was made in 2mm cardboard rather from sticking to it, which would have made removal
than plywood, anticipating some inaccuracies of the completed structure tricky, Photo 8.
and in an effort to save on cost. Laser cutting Three tabs had been drawn and cut with small
can be expensive, so you need to be sure that diameter holes to take small wood screws which
your drawings are accurate before proceeding would securely hold the keel profile in place. The
further, Photo 6. All the hull frame components slots to take some of the frames were a bit small
went together well, with only some fine adjustments and I had to use some gentle sanding to ease
needed where parts were the odd millimetre or so out. them in to place, but this helped to ensure a snug
The deckhouse and hatch opening components fit, Photo 9. The cut parts needed some cleaning
were tackled in a similar fashion. The original plans up of their ‘burnt’ edges, because although these
give no real construction detail other than positions fitted together pretty well, the cyanoacrylate glue
for hull frames, so it was necessary to design a (superglue) I was using, bonded much better if the
framework for the deckhouse. I laser etched some ‘sooty’ edges were cleaned first with a rub-over of
parts to apply a ‘score’ line for bending and to mark fine sandpaper.
out the positions of openings, vents, etc. as in I had also drawn the centre of one of the frames
Photo 7. Once satisfied with the result of the cut in as a perfect rectangle. Although this piece was
card and after some modifications to the computer redundant as a model component, it was ideal as
drawings, I could now proceed to the first cut in a right-angled support during the gluing process
3mm laser quality birch plywood. to ensure that the frames were true and vertical,
Photo 10. This is one of the advantages of laser
cutting in that a ‘square’ will really be square, and
8 consistently so as well.
The glued frames were left for a few hours
for the glue to properly set, then the sub-deck
and stringer piece were slotted in to position and
cemented with PVA glue and secured with masking
tape until the adhesive had properly hardened. The
tension in the bent plywood induced some stress
in the framework, but the half frame method of
construction limited this, so the whole structure
was less prone to warping during construction.
Additional segments of 3mm plywood had
been fashioned to slot between the frames on the
keel and underside of the sub-deck. These would

9 10

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12

give a broader base on which to glue the diagonal

planking, Photo 11. Little filler slices of scrap wood 14
were also needed to take up the slack in some
areas, Photos 12 and 13. These and other small
errors prompted the first of many little notes to
myself which were liberally scrawled all over the
structure as the assembly continued. Because it
was possible in the design process to align the
computer drawn frames one over the other on
screen, it was easy to ensure that the locating hole
and notch for the propeller shaft in Frames 7 and 8
were each perfectly aligned, Photo 14, the model
of course having a motor and propshaft in each of
the hull’s halves.

Deckhouse and deck

Wood of course burns, so the small parts came
out a bit scorched and some tiny cut outs simply After ‘popping’ the components of the deckhouse
vapourised, so there is a limit to just how small out of the plywood sheet, a quick light sanding
you can laser-cut pieces from thin plywood. The ensured that these parts went together very easily,
‘duckboard’ grating which sits in the well of the Photo 16. Locating notches were laser-cut in the
bridge space demonstrates the limits at which removable section of the deck to take the deckhouse
things can be readily cut, Photo 15. Each square frames. The area of the deck below the deckhouse
in the grating was 2mm across and the bridging
pieces in between barely survived the cutting
process, despite the power and speed settings on 16
the laser cutter being set to just enough to barely
cut through the 2mm plywood.

15
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17

has a distinctive curve, so notches were needed to

securely glue the components in place and ensure
the deck curvature would hold true, Photo 17. I
decided not to glue the deckhouse components
together until the hull was completed and the deck
glued in place, so if need be these components could
be adjusted for a final perfect fit.

Planking
The frames were sanded to conform to the
correct curvature of the hull. Various curved
shapes of wood were used to hold the sandpaper
to create the correct curvature of the edges of
18 the frames, Photo 18. The foremost part of the
bow was to be filled in with solid block balsa
and sanded to shape after the planking was
completed and the two halves of the hull joined
together, allowing their shaping to be better
judged against the overall shape.
Diagonal planking would allow the flare in the
hull sides to be reproduced with some degree of
accuracy and 1 x 10mm lime stripwood was used
for planking the hull, This wood is fine grained and
is reasonably easy to bend without fear of cracking.
A single thickness of planking would have
been barely strong enough to take the knocks
of everyday use, so it was planned to have two
skins of diagonal planks. The strips of wood were
sorted into varying degrees of suppleness, using
the softer grades of wood to form around the
tighter curvature at the bow area. Before planking
actually commenced, the internal parts of the bow
framework which would become hidden as planking
19 continued were varnished.
The first short length was positioned at an angle
between Frame 1 and Frame 3, ensuring enough
surface area for a firm enough fixing. The choice of
angle came from a photo on the Internet showing
a full-size PT boat under construction. Fast setting
cyanoacrylate glue was used, being careful to
avoid gluing my fingers to the framework in the
process, Photo 19!
The planking was easily trimmed to length and
shape with a sharp craft knife, then chamfered with
fine sandpaper prior to gluing to the hull framework.
Planking continued from bow to transom, carefully
butting each plank in turn against the previous one,
Photo 20. The planks were glued to the frames, but
not each other. The flexibility this left in the planking
ensured that the second layer of planking could be

20
Fast setting
cyanoacrylate glue was
used, being careful to avoid
gluing my fingers to the
framework in the process...

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21

The second layer

of planking ensured
the integrity of the
whole structure.

22 23

moulded in to the contours of the hull and firmly

laminated to the planks below with more quick 24
setting cyanoacrylate glue.
The second layer of planking ensured the
integrity of the whole structure. A clean scarf joint
was left along the chine length which in turn would
be hidden by the spray rail, Photo 21. In this last
picture you can also see that the bottom section of
the hull has also received its first planking.
The completed half hull was then given a coat of
thinned cellulose varnish inside and out to seal the
hull. I did this before removing the hull half from the
baseboard to limit any warping which might ensue
as the varnish set and Photo 22 is a bows-on view
of the half hull thus far.
The locating hole for the propshaft, where it
emerged from the hull, was marked from the inside
by positioning the shaft through the holes previously
cut in Frames 7 and 8. A small drill was used to
make a few pilot holes prior to carving out with a Second half!
craft knife and file, Photo 23. A rigid coupling was Obviously this needed to be constructed as a
used to link the motor and propeller shaft. With the mirror image of the first. As all the frames were
motor fixed to a pre-cut ply mount and slotted in laser cut duplicates of the first half, it was a simple
place, perfect alignment was assured and this was job to glue them in place with the frame numbers
easily judged from the top and the side. At this stage reversed, but I kept the first half-hull near at hand
the motor mount and propshaft were not finally for comparison throughout the construction of the
glued in place as I decided to leave that task until second half which proceeded in exactly the same
the hull’s second half was completed. Photo 24. way as already described.

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28

Once the glue had set

25 firmly and the clips and
clamps were removed...

29

After applying a couple of coats of cellulose clamps, the halves were held together whilst
varnish (sanding sealer), the completed the adhesive fully cured, Photo 26. The tabs
second-half was removed from the baseboard and used to hold the keel halves to the baseboard
held alongside the first to check for accuracy. The also ensured perfect alignment of the two
two halves matched perfectly, Photo 25 - hooray! half-hull structures. Once the glue had set
26 Having said that, it was the least one could expect firmly and the clips and clamps were removed,
as being computer drawn and designed, everything Photo 27, it was a simple job to cut off the
should match anyway. locating tabs, Photo 28.
A thin coat of epoxy glue was applied to both The 2mm transom piece was glued in place
halves and using strong bulldog clips and small to finish the stern, Photo 29, before blocking in

27

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30

31

32

the bow on both sides with balsa and then carving

and sanding to the final flared shape, Photo 30, this
picture showing filler pieces still to be shaped.

Fitting the deck

The deck was firmly glued into place with an overall
application of PVA adhesive. Small amounts of
quick setting superglue were used around the deck
edges to help hold the deck curvature while the
PVA adhesive was setting, together with tape and
clamps, Photo 31. I had opted for a flat deck across
the beam with no real camber port to starboard, as it
would have been difficult to mould a one piece 2mm
deck panel to the curvature of the sub-deck in 33
two directions at once. The remaining deck fittings
were then positioned and glued in place over the
laser etched outlines on the deck, Photo 32.
Although the deckhouse components went
together very neatly, Photo 33, the curvature
of the underside of the deckhouse didn’t quite
match up with the curvature of the actual deck,
but I didn’t think this was enough of a mistake to

merit re-drawing and cutting the Photo 34: Soft balsawood blocks
were added to the deckhouse corners
parts. Some packing out with scrap ready for sanding to shape.
balsawood where necessary was enough
to make up for the error. The curved sections
were filled with blocks of balsawood and shaped
accordingly, Photo 34. However, I did revisit the
original drawing to make good any inaccuracies for
34 possible later models!
 To be continued.

Useful information Evo-Stik Mitre glue from DIY stores such as B&Q.
Raboesch waterproof sealed propshafts, motors, couplings,
Software suppliers
propellers, brass micro rudders were all from Cornwall Models.
Inkscape is free to download from the website: www.inkscape.org. If you
can follow online tutorials then it’s reasonably quick to pick up the basics.
Batteries and speed controllers were from Giant Shark,
You can download thirty day free trial versions of Adobe Illustrator
website: www.giantshark.co.uk.
CS and CorelDraw from their respective websites: www.adobe.
Planet 2.4GHz from Howes Models.
com and www.corel.com. To adjust the scanned images, I used
an old free version of Adobe Photoshop 5LE. Adobe Photoshop
10 x 1mm lime stripwood (and cyanoacrylate glue) from Hobbies,
Elements is just as good and there are several other free image
website: www.alwayshobbies.com.
processing software programmes out there such as Serif Photo Plus
Laser cutter: The type used is a LS6090 Laserscript from HPC laser Ltd.
or Photogimp.

Materials/Suppliers
3mm & 2mm laser quality birch plywood from Hobarts,
website: www.hobarts.com and/or Cornwall Models,
website: www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 17

 warship scale

Range Finder Dave Wooley with his Worldwide Review of

Warships and Warship Modelling

W
elcome once again to our regular sortie From the 1690’s, the presence of the Royal
into the world of fighting ships and this Navy and the building of warships for it grew
month we visit the Devonport Naval exponentially and as a consequence the
Dockyard Heritage Centre, plus apply some of the development of the entire local Plymouth area
finishing touches to the 1:72 scale HMS Daring and economy. Although remaining in Ministry of
project and there is the usual Mystery Picture. Defence hands, parts of the South Yard in recent
years have been used by civilian boat constructors
and Devonport Yachts continue the heritage of
TOP: What better way to mark the
entrance to the Devonport Naval
Devonport Naval Dockyard shipbuilding with high end luxury craft. The North
Heritage Centre! Heritage Centre - Part One Yard remains the largest naval base in Europe and
In November 2013 I had the privilege of attending is dedicated to supporting the amphibious warfare
the centenary anniversary of the launch of the ships, Bulwark, Albion and Ocean, plus for the
Queen Elizabeth class battleship HMS Warspite time being many of the Type 23 frigates and all the
from Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth. Colin Vass survey vessels. Nuclear submarines are also refitted
exhibited his 1:72 scale model and his experience here as well as decommissioned boats being kept
was described in April 2014 MB by himself. Another in a safe environment.
reason for my attending was to get a close look at The Devonport Naval Heritage Centre is
the collection within the Devonport Naval Heritage supported by the Royal Navy with help from
Visitor Centre. This occupies buildings that once the friends of the DNHC and staffed by serving
formed part of the South Yard, the same area RN personal and a force of dedicated regular
PHOTO 1. My guide and hosts for the
day are, left to right: Dave Scoble, from where HMS Warspite was launched on 26th volunteers, many ex-dockyard workers whom I had
PO Robbie Bates and Mike Burt. November 1913. the privilege to meet.
With the help of my guide, PO Robbie Bates RN,
I was taken to the Model Ship Gallery. Here I met
1 up with Curator of Ship Models, Dave Scoble, and
researcher Mike Burt. Dave is well known in naval
and modelling circles as a consummate builder of
model ships both for industry and the RN. Without
these guys, Photo 1, (Dave Scoble is on the left)
and their dedication, the model collection would not
exist in its present form.

The models
Many of the older exhibits have been here for
some years, but the Model Gallery itself is quite
new, containing postwar RN vessels such as the
Type 12 and 21 frigates and many more through to
the 1990’s. Many of the models were donated or
presented to the centre either from the Royal Navy,
or from private model makers such as David Brown.
His models incidentally are probably amongst the
finest examples of non-professional model building
available to view anywhere.

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 warship scale
2

PHOTO 2. The 1:96 Jon Glossop

constructed diorama of HMS Fearless.

PHOTO 3. The stern dock of

HMS Fearless.

HMS Fearless L10

It was possible for a selected number of models to
have their cases removed which certainly improves
the quality of the photographs. Many of these
models are waterline and set in dioramas and
one of the largest is a 1:96 scale HMS Fearless,
the ship being built and completed by Harland &
Wolff Shipyard in Belfast on 25th November 1965.
This diorama depicts a point in time, probably
an amphibious exercise whilst transporting main
battle tanks in landing craft mechanized (LCM’s)
as in Photo 2. Moving to the aft of the model
we have a view of the LCM’s moving clear of the
flooding dock, Photo 3, in much the same way as
the present generation of landing platform dock 4
(LPD), HM Ships Albion and Bulwark. Viewing
these models is a snapshot in time as for example
HMS Fearless was equipped with a motor whaler,
Photo 4, Sea Cat missile launchers and Corvus
chaff launchers, something not seen in the current
generation of warships.

HMS Fife - County class DLG

This was one of my favourite classes of Royal
Navy warship. This particular model is of HMS Fife
and like the HMS Fearless model is the work of
professional model builder John Glossop. John and
his father Julian are responsible for a huge number
of the RN models now gracing museum and model
collections throughout the UK, Photo 5.

PHOTO 4. In the 1960’s and 1970’s,

ship’s boats were still common and
5 Sea Cat and Corvus chaff launchers
were standard equipment.

PHOTO 5. The County class guided

missile destroyer HMS Fife with
Exocet SSM’s forward of the bridge.

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 warship scale
6
7

PHOTO 6. The County class were

capable of operating a single Wessex
8 helicopter, but the hangar door was
sited forward of the radar for the aft
mounted Sea Slug missile. This missile
was a ‘beam-riding missile’, that is to
say it flew along a radar beam projected
by the huge Type 901 fire control radar.

PHOTO 7. The hangar and its door plus

the huge Type 901 Sea Slug missile
guidance radar.

PHOTO 8. The complex twin missile

launcher for Sea Slug.

10

PHOTO 9. An actual Sea Slug missile HMS Fife was built at Fairfield Shipyard between onto the launcher. One of the external exhibits on
as part of the external Heritage
Centre display. 31st April 1962 and 26th June 1966, being one of a display at Devonport is a Sea Slug missile, but minus
class of eight, and HMS Devonshire was the first to its warhead, Photo 9. It has been quoted that the
PHOTO 10. A bygone era with enter service in November 1962. These were termed County class could carry 30 Sea Slug missiles, but
a powered whaler and a Fairey
Swordsman aboard HMS Fife. ‘Guided Missile Destroyer’ but in reality these ships in reality that is doubtful. The whole process of
of 6800 tons and 521ft length were more light assembling, loading and firing these missiles meant
cruiser than destroyer. Photo 6 is a stern view of the that the rate of fire was inevitably slow and bearing
ship and they were also the first postwar destroyers in mind their purpose was to engage attacking
to be fitted with a dedicated hangar, albeit in a rather aircraft, probably this long range air defence system,
cumbersome arrangement, whereby the Wessex and the ship, would soon have been overwhelmed
helicopter had to be rolled past the side of the Sea when confronted by a mass aerial attack.
...loading and firing Slug guidance radar Type 901 installation via the port Before we leave the model of HMS Fife, we
these missiles meant side of the ship, to the entrance door, Photo 7. will have a quick look at some of the boats carried.
that the rate of fire was Development of this type of missile guidance Although the County class was ‘cutting edge
inevitably slow... system began in 1945 and models such as this are technology’ in the early 1960’s, HMS Fife represented
all that remain in three dimensional form nowadays a period when her captain had that traditional privilege
to help the current potential model maker. of deciding the colour scheme of the ship’s boats and
in particular, the motor boats. In Photo 10, the motor
whaler is clearly visible but aft is a Fairy Swordsman, all
Sea Slug launcher and missile a far cry from the muted colour scheme of the modern
There is no doubt the County class vessels mounted rigid inflatable boats that are standard on today’s
the most complex naval missile launcher ever built, warships. Those were the days!
at least in model building terms(!), but this model
was of course built to order by Jon Glossop, and
what a superb piece of model making it is, Photo 8. Replenishment at Sea diorama
During operational use, the missile’s wings etc. were This is a regular but difficult operation performed
added to its main body during transit via an assembly by modern navies around the globe. In this John
tunnel within the hull of the vessel until it would Glossop diorama, the small fleet tanker, RFA Grey
emerge through an armoured door to be loaded Rover, is passing fuel to the Type 21 frigate HMS

22 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

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12
11

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14

Active, Photo 11. The attention to detail is superb, white elephant following the cancellation of the PHOTO 11. A Jon Glossop diorama of
a replenishment at sea (RAS) exercise.
as for example in Photo 12, please note the troughs CVA-01 carrier programme in 1966. Intended
supporting the hoses that are visible in green, as a class of four guided missile destroyers, PHOTO 12. The equipment used for
yellow and white, plus the recovery wire passing they were to provide escorts for the new 63000 replenishment at sea is clearly visible
on these models and helps in the
through a red coloured block. In Photo 13, the hose ton aircraft carrier, but only HMS Bristol was understanding of the procedures used.
is secured to HMS Active (the receiving ship) and completed. She was a one-off vessel, but the
PHOTO 13. HMS Active receiving fuel.
note the small winch that is part of the equipment. ship performed well and trialled new weapon
HMS Active was later sold to Pakistan in 1994 and systems of that period including the 4.5 inch/55 PHOTO 14. HMS Bristol was one of
a kind.
became PNS Shah Jahan and is still in service at the cal. Mk.8 naval gun; the Sea Dart missile system;
time of writing. Ikara anti-submarine missile system plus a
number of radar arrays, some of which became
standard on the subsequent Type 42 destroyers.
HMS Bristol - Type 82 destroyer However, the Ikara system was only retro-fitted to
Another favourite of mine is HMS Bristol, the some of the Leander class of frigate. The model
only post-WW2 three funnel RN destroyer, a of HMS Bristol is to a scale of 1:96 and please
handsome warship that was considered to be a note the wooden deck amidships, Photo 14.

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15
17

Conclusion
Photo 17 is a general view of part of the model
gallery. The models here are displayed in much
the same way as they always used to be before
museums became ‘interactive’. These models
are very often the only three dimensional
representation of warships remaining that have long
gone out of service and been scrapped, so are a
great research resource to current day enthusiasts
wishing to create models of such vessels, but it is
perhaps such a shame that so often nowadays they
are hidden away in isolated store rooms.

16 1:72 scale HMS Daring Type 45

destroyer - Part 34
Very often with a model building project such as
this, one puts-off making some parts because we
just don’t know exactly how it should be, but as the
end comes ever closer, there is no avoiding the task.

Top of the aft exhaust uptake

Unlike previous RN warships, the inside and top of
this exhaust uptake is fitted with overlapping sections.
The Jecobin drawing, whilst illustrating the detail does
not show how this section actually appears in a three
dimensional form and unfortunately the one and only
picture I possess looking down on it all doesn’t help
either. So, the best I could do was to interpret what
was available, Photo 18.
During the earlier stages of this project, I had
made provision for the top of this funnel to be
PHOTO 15. David Brown’s incredibly
detailed model of the Type 22 Batch
David Brown’s models removed without effecting the rigidity of the casing.
Three frigate HMS Cornwall. As mentioned earlier, this Heritage Centre is home I assumed that the actual exhaust passage was at
PHOTO 16. Part of HMS Warspite as of to a number of warship models, including those of an angle within the casing and to make the task
1933, being built by David Brown. David Brown who is a truly outstanding model builder
PHOTO 17. A general view of just
with examples of his work appearing regularly at the
some of the models on display at the annual MyTimeMedia Sandown Park Model Engineer 18
Devonport Naval Heritage Centre. Exhibition. These have included his remarkable HMS
PHOTO 18. How the Jecobin plan shows Cornwall, a batch three Type 22 frigate. The level of
the top of the after exhaust casing. detail on this model is extraordinary, Photo 15, and
this is also one of relatively few models where the hull
shell plating dimpling matches that of the real ship.
However, on this occasion, David was asked if he
could display his model of HMS Warspite, still not fully
completed, depicting the ship after her 1924 to 1926
refit when the two funnels were trunked into a single
uptake. More pictures next month, but for now our
closing picture in this sequence, Photo 16, is of some
of the detail on David’s model of HMS Warspite.

24
 warship scale
19 23

24

20

25

21

22

to a sheet of styrene, marking and cutting each PHOTO 19. Making the basic cone
shape that forms the exhaust uptake.
segment as in Photo 21.
Once cut, each section was placed into position PHOTO 20. The cone is divided into
as in Photo 22, a further curved section was created segments and its base is closed.

to sit over the opening, followed by the removal of PHOTO 21. Marking and cutting the
the centre which creates the exhaust orifice, then scalloped segments for the top of
the funnel.
Evergreen strip was added around the lip and this
really interesting, it diminished in width rather like a can be seen more clearly in Photo 23. For tidying-up PHOTO 22. Each segment is slotted
into place.
cone, but with overlapping sections. the inside edge, Albion Alloys’ Sanding Stick came in
The first job was to cut the opening in the top quite handy, Photo 24. PHOTO 23. The completed segmented
to an oval shape and estimate the depth, knowing The final task was to mask-off the surrounding area, funnel exhaust uptake.

the number of lapped sections within the passage, in much the same way as recently discussed within PHOTO 24. Any burrs are gently
Photo 19. Creating the cone shape in overlapping these pages in previous issues, and then airbrush it sanded down to give a clean smooth
inner edging.
sections was more trial and error than geometric with Humbrol matt black containing 20% thinners
calculation, but it could be done as Photo 20 shows. (five parts paint to one part thinners). The end result PHOTO 25. The final task is to airbrush
matt black within and around the top
Once the basic segmented cone was formed, the is a clean tidy job if I say it myself, Photo 25. As to of the funnel casing.
bottom was blanked-off, which of course is not how authentic it is, I can only guesstimate that it looks
100% correct, but by doing this it helped form the about right, given the information available.
cone into a more rigid workable shape.
The next task was to create the scalloped top
as shown in the drawing and it’s difficult to judge Amidships bulwarks
whether it is concave or flat. For convenience, and Covered in February and March 2013 issues was
not having any definite information, I went for flat! the method used for constructing the bulwarks. As
Using tissue paper, the inside edge of the scalloped described then, these are in sections that on the
section was marked and the impression transferred full-size ship are removable from their positions

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 25

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26 27

locate it in position. Their angles were determined

28 by the position of the castors. As per the real ship,
there is a small gap along the bottom edge and
between each panel, Photos 26 and 27.

Glazing the bridge windows

With the interior of the bridge airbrush painted, but
before the roof was fixed into position, the glazing
had to be completed. All the preparation work was
undertaken some time ago with the process discussed
in October 2013 MB. I try where possible to avoid using
any adhesive to secure the clear glazing sheets, but rely
on frames or grooves into which they can be slotted. As
a reminder, there are seven pieces of glazing with five
having a backing piece which also includes a narrow
shelf, Photo 28. Each strip of glazing is carefully slotted
into its groove as in Photo 29. With the glazing in place
the backing was added, and adhesive can be applied
to each joint sparingly and just sufficient to retain the
glazing firmly in place. The net result is a neat and clean
piece of glazing overall, Photo 30.

PHOTO 26. Fixing the partitioned Securing the roof

bulwark amidships.
29 Before securing the roof, the bridge interior can be
fitted out. There are a number of pictures on the
Internet which show the bridge’s internal area including
PHOTO 27. Not all the bulwark the captain’s chair. I have installed the various cabinets,
sections have castor wheels fitted
but they are very rudimentary and do not show any of
the rows of screens as featured in the pictures. This
is all more for effect than authenticity, but there is no
PHOTO 28. Preparing the glazing for reason why you cannot take it all to higher level of
the bridge unit.
detail if you so wish. Once you are satisfied that there
are no more items required within the bridge area, the
roof can be fixed into place, for which a two part epoxy
PHOTO 29. Each piece of glazing is adhesive was carefully applied around the inside top
slotted into place. along the deck edges and have castors attached to edge, Photo 31.
their lower legs. Fixing these into place presented
few difficulties as the lower portion of the bulwarks
PHOTO 30. The lower backing secures rest in a groove 2mm below deck level ensuring a Adding the fittings to the bridge
the glazing. good fit and where the adhesive could be applied surround and roof
along the length of each section. All the sections With the roof in place, the next task was to fit each of
were measured and prepared prior to airbrushing, the wiper motor boxes. As these were all previously
PHOTO 31. The roof slots into place on so all that was then required was to apply adhesive marked so they would only go in a dedicated place on
top of the sides of the bridge. to the bottom inside edge of each section and the bridge, they each fitted just fine with their wiper

30 31

www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 32 33 warship scale

blades lightly touching the glazed windows, Photo 32. be transferred to their navy for the remaining PHOTO 32. Wiper boxes in place on
the bridge unit.
The final step was to fit the roof fittings which include duration of the war in lieu of captured Italian
on either side, the fire control directors together with warships being handed-over. These included the PHOTO 33. The completed bridge is
other various aerials and communication link devices. refitted HMS Royal Sovereign and the old US Navy set into place.
All that was necessary was to locate each part in Omaha class light cruiser USS Milwaukee, plus a
its pre-determined place, Photo 33. Included in this number of destroyers and submarines. Under the
picture are also the fittings on each bridge wing and agreement, HMS Royal Sovereign was renamed
these will be discussed next month. Archangelsk and full marks to you if you got both
names correct! Incidentally, the USS Milwaukee
received the name Murmansk. Although the
Answer to the April 2014 agreement was to aid one of the allies, the whole
Mystery Picture arrangement was politically ‘charged’ and the
The clue was: A ship under two flags. vessels were not actually returned until 1949.
Clearly the ship in the picture had the Soviet
Navy ensign flying from the gaff on the main
mast. The ship as you would have guessed has This month’s Mystery Picture,
the familiar lines of a British ‘R’ class battleship Photo 34
dating from WW1. In fact the warship was HMS The clue is: A 2000 year old Roman tragedy waiting
Royal Sovereign, lead ship of the class of five that to happen!
included Ramillies, Resolution, Revenge and Royal The final step was to fit
Oak. HMS Royal Sovereign was launched on 29th the roof fittings which
April 1915 and entered service in May 1916. She References and
acknowledgements include on either side...
was fitted with a main armament of eight 15 inch
guns in four twin turrets, twelve 6 inch guns in hull HMS Fife ref: RN Destroyers since 1945 by Leo
casemates and eight 4 inch guns. Marriott, pages 96 to 110.
She displaced 29150 tons, slightly less than HMS Bristol ref: RN Destroyers since 1945 (Leo
the Queen Elizabeth class (which included HMS Marriott), pages 110 to 115.
Warspite) and being 620ft long was also 19ft shorter. RAS diorama ref: Replenishment at Sea, Naval
The steam turbines driving four propshafts produced Ratings Handbook 1975, page 65.
only 40000shp compared to the 75000shp of HMS HMS Royal Sovereign ref: British battleships 1919 to
Queen Elizabeth and her class sisters, and as a result 1939 by R. A. Burt, pages 148 to 202.
there was a significant difference in performance, My thanks to Bill Clark for the Mystery Picture
but being fitted with far fewer boilers, the Royal My thanks to the Captain and ship’s company of
Sovereign class required only a single funnel. HMS Daring and to the Devonport Heritage Centre
Between the wars, HMS Royal Sovereign staff and volunteers for all their help and assistance.l
underwent a number of partial refits, including having
a better anti-aircraft battery fitted and improved
habitability on the upper control tower platforms
forward, yet she was still considered to be one of PHOTO 34. This month’s Mystery
the most draughty ships in the fleet! In 1941 the AA Picture. The clue is: A 2000 year old
Roman tragedy waiting to happen.
defence was further improved by the addition of ten
20mm guns and a further 14 were added in 1942.
By 1943 this was augmented once again by sixteen
more twin 20mm guns. Following her service with
the Eastern Fleet, HMS Royal Sovereign was refitted
in the USA between 1942 and 1943, but on returning
to the UK was paid-off into reserve.
In the spring of 1944 an agreement was reached
with Russia that a number of allied warships would

34

27
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 special feature

Bill Langton’s outstanding

nine foot long model

T
his was unwittingly started as a model
in 1983 when I wanted to build a more
challenging engine than I had up to that
date. The engine chosen was the Stuart Turner
triple expansion engine which had a reputation of
being not the most straightforward of construction
projects, a fully justified reputation as it turned
out. Six crankshafts and three years later saw it
completed and at this point, I had to decide if it
would be put into a glass case or used in a model. I
have always had a liking for wooden steam boats, so
a model it was to be and this proved to be a decision
that would keep me occupied for just over 20 years!
The size of the engine obviously influenced
the size of the model. Lake Windermere steam
launches have an elegant appeal that I was unable
to resist, having that polished woodwork, brass
fittings and steam propulsion, so a model based on
the original launch named Swallow and built in 1911
was decided upon.
TOP: Bill Langton at the start of planking Falcon, more than 25 year’s ago!

ABOVE: Bill with his completed model.

BELOW: A 2013 stern view of Falcon.

30 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 special feature

LEFT: Teak is a very difficult wood to

work with as it blunts tools quickly.
Here are lots of clamps to hold the
planks to the hull framework. The glue
was a special Ciba Geigy adhesive.

BELOW: The complete Teak hull,

during the rubbing down and painting
process. Tung oil which is present
in Teak is also within high grade
dedicated yacht varnishes. See text for
varnishing process.

Getting started
The journey had begun and so too had the problems
and the first of these was that it was impossible to
obtain any plans. Not that the plans did not exist,
but commercial interests at the time kept them
unavailable from the public arena. This meant that an
exact scale model was not possible and as a result,
over the years a lot of reworking was required. Work
proceeded using hundreds of photographs and a
small side elevation print which was available in the
tourist shop at the Lake Windermere Boat Museum.
Because it wasn’t to be an exact scale model it could
not be named Swallow, so in keeping with a lakeland
bird theme, Falcon was born.

Teak?
The next problem was 100% of my
own making and would return time
and again to haunt me during the
ensuing years. I thought it would be
nice to make Falcon in the same wood
as the original, so like many of the
Windermere launches, it was built using
teak. The price of the teak at £100
was frightening even then in 1986, but
worse was the effort tracking-down
fine-grained examples of the wood with INSET: Detail of the planking as seen
not too many knots. After searching from Inside of hull.

for about a year, I found a very helpful

wood yard in Shoreditch, East London.
Teak is a lovely wood when finished,
but getting there threw up some
hurdles as cutting and machining this wood blunts glue to complete the planking of the hull. Although
tooling as readily as mild steel, because it contains a it was very messy to use, it did what it said on the
very fine gritty substance and therefore continuous tin, although two days were required each time for
sharpening of the tools was required. it to fully cure.

Gluing Planking the hull Planking the hull

accounted for three years
This very nearly put a stop to work right at the The carvel (edge to edge) planking was somewhat
start. Teak is an oily wood and none of the glues complicated by the shape of the stern. Jigs were
at which point I could
about at that time would bond joints with any sort made to try to ensure that the bevelled edges sand it back flat...
of strength, so it seemed like I had fallen at the mated as closely as possible, but it was of course,
first hurdle. By chance though, around this time necessary to steam the wood to fit the curvature
I was visiting Duxford and spotted a road sign to of the stern. However, I was to learn that teak
Ciba Geigy, a glue manufacturer. I took a chance, (because of its oily nature) would not respond to
went in and before too long, I was explaining my the usual treatment. The only way I could find
problem to one of their laboratory technicians. It around the problem was to boil the timber and
transpired that they had a contract to provide glue put the oil back later! Each plank took about three
for the teak engine cowlings on some World War weeks to shape and they had to be applied in pairs
Two aeroplanes. To cut a long story short, I left to avoid distortion. Planking the hull accounted
them that day with a made up sample of enough for three years at which point I could sand it back

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 31

s
 special feature

The boiler, but still

not complete. It is of
a Yarrow triple drum
design and this is the
port side burner end,
which is towards the
bows in the model.

ABOVE: The propeller is variable pitch to enable going

BELOW: The completed boiler from its starboard side. astern without reversing the steam engine and to enhance
Just look at the pipework! speed control.

flat and see if it revealed any gaps and yes, lady

luck was smiling! So, after seven to eight year’s
work, I had an engine and an empty hull. A house
move then saw the mothballing of the project for
another 8 years, hence the extended timespan
from concept to completion.

The boiler
This was the first item to resolve when work
recommenced and the Yarrow design was chosen
for two main reasons. First, its shape suited the
model and second, it was something whose
building appealed to me. The construction of it was
straightforward, but there was a need to accurately
machine the holes in the three tubes (drums) to
allow trouble free assembly and good joints for the
silver solder to run into. The escape of steam from
the two safety valves is achieved by a side take-off
from each valve being taken to the two uptakes on
the outside of the funnel via guide apertures in the
top of the engine and boiler bodywork. The working
pressure is 120lbs/sq. inch.

Variable pitch propeller

BELOW: The Stuart Turner triple expansion This is necessary, because stopping and starting
steam engine. This was built in the early a triple expansion engine can be a bit hit
1980’s and resulted in Falcon being built
so as to put it to good use.
and miss, so it is easier to keep the
engine going and alter the position of the
propeller blades. Again, I had no plans
and only a general idea which evolved
(with numerous rebuilds) over a period
of about 18 months. In essence there
is a shaft within the visible propshaft
which is made to turn about half a
revolution in relation to it. This inner
shaft is terminated on a bevel gear
cluster within the propeller hub. Each
blade terminates on a matching gear
and all three blades move together in
sympathy with the movement of the
inner shaft, all of which is
much easier to show than
to describe. The blades are
aluminium bronze castings
located by 180 serrations onto
stainless steel spigots attached
to the aforementioned bevel
gears within the hub. They gain
additional stability from circular
PTFE bearings in their base flanges.

32 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 special feature

LEFT: A side view of the whole steam

plant and please remember that this
powers a nine foot long model!

Superstructure wait up to 48 hours for every glue application to ABOVE LEFT: All teak! The cabin rear
bulkhead area under construction. The
Fortunately, in the time that had elapsed since set. Because of the size of the model, nearly all model is based on photographs and a
the hull was planked, there had appeared on the the upper woodworks had to be machined and this very small side elevation plan, but is of
market a couple of superglues that would join teak is where the curse of teak struck again with blunt no particular Lake Windermere steam
launch, but representative of the type.
satisfactorily and which made the task a much cutters by the shed load and of course the size of
more viable possibility, that is to say not having to everything guaranteed very slow progress. ABOVE: The front bulkhead of the
finished cabin.

LEFT: An overall view of the aft cockpit

area of Falcon and its awning. This
picture dates from 2008 and the hull has
not been finally varnished at this stage.

...curse of teak struck

again with blunt cutters
by the shed load...

33
s
ABOVE: A detail picture of the skylight ABOVE: A close-up of the
over the engine. completed rear cockpit.

ABOVE: Falcon! - this nameplate

includes gold-leaf.
Varnishing the woodwork Falcon nameplate
This turned out to be very interesting, again This is where I had a baptism of fire with gold leaf.
because of the oily teak. The method that is I was also lucky enough to find someone with the
generally accepted, by myself included, is that one necessary software to produce the design which
cleans the surface with spirit to force back the oil was then printed on to film. The gold leaf sits behind
and then apply the varnish without too much delay. I the film and was all rather fiddly, but rewarding!
can confirm that this does not work and the varnish
will peel-off within about six months!
The method that does work, is to add more of Conclusion
the teak’s natural Tung oil, almost to the point of Well, it has been a distinctly long project,
saturation, let it dry and then apply more and sand particularly bearing in mind the model is nine feet
the wet surface until an oily paste is present. Wipe long and it has been a real education, but the end
this off, allow to dry until just damp and then apply result has been worthwhile. And a spot of advice?
a good quality yacht varnish. When the first coat Don’t use teak unless you have to!
dries all oiliness has disappeared. This varnish Build from plans unless you have convenient access
works because there is a natural bond between the to your subject!
added Tung oil in the teak and the Tung oil again Practice the words: ‘It’s nearly finished’! l
that is a major constituent of high quality yacht
varnishes. With the base coat in place the rest is,  Enjoy your hobby - Bill Langton
as they say, plain sailing. This hull has had about
BELOW: Falcon, finally complete
in 2013 at the St. Albans & District 25 coats, but be careful though as not all yacht
MES Exhibition. varnishes are what they say they are, so do check (Editor’s note: This model was awarded Best in
the tin labelling. Show and Best Steam Model at the 2013 St. Albans
& District M.E.S. Exhibition, which was no mean
feat as it was up against some top-notch steam
locomotives. We hope to see it at major UK model
boat exhibitions in due course)

34 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

THE BEACHES ■ THE BUNKERS ■ WHERE TO VISIT ■ WHERE TO STAY ■ HOW TO GET THERE

This special battlefield guide is filled with information behind Operation

Overlord, the allied operations and beach invasions. The military defences,
bunkers and fortifications which still remain today.
Including photography then and now this is a must-have guide for any visitor or
historical enthusiast.
There is so much to enable any visitor to explore this historic region.

On sale 25th April. Pre-order your copy online today

www.myhobbystore.co.uk/Normandy
from the publishers of
 special feature

Bob Hinton
builds an Amphibious Power Boat and Sports Car The author’s completed model shown here with wheels

Gibbs Aquada
in their retracted position.

Part Three I n the recent April issue, we had got as far as

completing the body (or is it the hull?) and
electronics of this unique amphibious vehicle.
this seemed a good choice! The number of aerosol
tins of spray paint needed for a good finish amazes
me, but buying ‘six-packs’ at quite reasonable
prices from online paint suppliers saved money. The
PHOTO 44. In the domestic test tank,
with its bonnet and boot already painted. bonnet and boot and boot were experimented with,
Painting to ‘hone’ the spraying technique, and they turned
PHOTO 45. Paint spraying complete.
An underside forward view and it’s Ford Monza Blue was the colour or the bodywork out well enough. With the International Model
definitely boat-shaped! as it was a close match to one of the prototypes, Boat Show at Warwick only a week or so away,
PHOTO 46. Side view of Aquada, also which my wife liked and as there is already a red a waterline check in the domestic test tank with
showing its shiny white interior. Amphicar, a yellow DUKW and a khaki Stalwart, sealed woodwork and painted bonnet and boot in
place was undertaken, Photo 44.
Aquada then had its first test voyage, in an
44 incomplete state, at this show and I have to confess
that after all the hard work, the water performance
was disappointing, which resulted in the change to
a conventional propeller and rudder arrangement as
already mentioned, much earlier in this narrative.
Following that trial, the model was dismantled and
the sealed woodwork sanded again to a fine finish.
The entire hull was sprayed with Halford’s white
primer and finished it off with several coats of the Ford
Monza Blue colour and finally a clear lacquer. This was
all actually quite quick and Photos 45 and 46 show
the results thus far. After a week or so of the paint
properly hardening, the bumpers, windscreen and
rear panel area were masked off and painted with
Humbrol Satin Black enamel. Tamiya masking tape
is infinitely superior to the DIY variety and made this
task much easier. Finally, the insides of the hull (car
body?) were painted with good quality domestic
undercoat and gloss white.

46

45

36 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 special feature
47

48

Final assembly
Figures
The driver is Justin Bieber from Toys R Us. His body
was rebuilt with balsawood to minimise weight; his
hair colour changed and a £5 micro-servo built-in
to enable his arm to wave under remote control.
An ACTion R/C Electronics Servo Morph in the
servo wiring slows down his arm waving speed, as
otherwise he looks ridiculous, giving something more
like a Nazi salute than a gentle wave! His clothes look
like that of a ‘cool dude’, who might just have the cash
for an Aquada! The two shapely ladies are from a bulk
eBay purchase of Barbie Dolls, which proved excellent
value for money. These, with no further modifications,
have been fixed into the novel three-abreast seating,
each with a screw into their anatomies!

Lights Side rubber mouldings PHOTO 47. Complete and ready to go!
All these work and they were assembled into the Black 1.0mm (0.040 inches) thick Plasticard was PHOTO 48. Driver’s eye view through
hull. Getting the headlamps and sidelights to work used for these, the majority being made by tracing the windscreen.
was easy with a 14.6v supply from the main LiPo over the bodywork and transferring this image
batteries via the ACTion R/C Electronics switcher to the sheet via carbon paper and stuck-on wide
unit. The nominal 12v grain-of-rice and grain-of-wheat masking tape. It worked well, and once these
bulbs have withstood the extra voltage very well, shapes were cut out with sharp scissors, a little
and hopefully this persists as some are difficult to sanding and shaping allowed them to follow the
change. The indicators work via a micro servo in sleek lines of the Aquada. They were painted satin
parallel with the steering servos and microswitches black for good measure and stuck to the paintwork
driving a variable speed flasher unit. with UHU adhesive, with a great deal of care to
I tried to build a braking sensor from a vertically avoid unsightly glue marks.
mounted microswitch and swinging weight which
activated the switch and turned on the brake lights Water pump
as the craft decelerated. This didn’t work well, but This was to keep the internals dry in case of
an ingenious circuit on eBay that drives indicators, leaks, especially if one of the water seals on the
reversing and brake lights from the throttle and driveshafts should break up. I found some excellent
steering receiver channels was discovered. So 6v drinks dispenser pumps in mainland China on
this replaced the brake, reverse and indicator light eBay. Okay, they took week’s to come, but at three
systems, but unfortunately it is made for smaller pumps for £10 they were a bargain. They turned
model cars and only drives LED’s – so the results are out to be positive displacement pumps, just the
not as bright and can’t be seen so well in sunlight. business for model boats as they give suction even
when not primed. The outlet from the pump exits
Decals through the exhaust pipe protruding from under
The number plates were made on a computer the bumper at the rear. As they are 6v, I took a 4.5v
using an Excel spreadsheet, together with the feed off one of the redundant battery eliminator
manufacturer’s logo and model type. White vinyl circuits in the brushless esc’s.
stick-on paper was used as the carrier material and
produced excellent clear crisp results, but labels and Result!
signs made with inkjet printers need fixing first with I now had a fully operational amphibious craft that
an appropriate spray to make them fully waterproof. looked like a car, but bore quite a good resemblance
Unfortunately, I had used cheap printing inks and to a fast boat once the wheels were retracted
the colours faded fast and they have since had to and viewed from certain angles, Photo 47, and a
be replaced, so beware of economising! driver’s eye view is in Photo 48.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 37

s
 special feature

49
PHOTO 49. And into the water at last
as a completed model.

On the water water drive engaged and with a dab of throttle, it

So finally it was time to take the new and shiny set it off, Photo 50. It moved on to the plane as the
model to our local stretch of restored canal at Over speed increased, looking very much like a speed
(pronounced Oover by the locals!), just outside of boat as the back end dug in and the front end lifted
Gloucester for some proper water testing. Aquada in the air. Turning, with the current big rudder and
It ran dead straight was driven proudly around the car park and it shot nozzle is easy and at low speeds, the water is
and true, and cornered away from a standstill with the rear end squatting effectively turned through an angle, so it has great
like a dream... and the front rising under harsh acceleration. It ran steerage at even the lowest water speed, requiring
dead straight and true, and cornered like a dream, only a quick burst of throttle to flick the back-end
even at full speed with no sign of turning over. So completely round.
it was now time to give the lads and ladies of the Speed overall was not in the ‘exciting’ class, but
Gloucester & District Model Boat Club a demo’ and it certainly moved a lot faster than any of my other
it was lined up ready to go down the relatively steep previous amphibians, Photo 51. With a prototype
slipway into the water, perhaps to be its last resting speed of 30 knots, then at 1:6 scale, this model would
place, the ultimate terminal launch! need to achieve a speed of 30 divided by the square
It tackled the slope well and was eased gently root of 6 to give the equivalent waterborne speed,
PHOTO 50. Off she goes, into the deep
waters of the canal basin. into the water, using reverse to prevent it running which works out at 12 knots. The model was probably
away. Care was taken not to splash too much water achieving a good running speed, around 8 knots, so
PHOTO 51. A high speed run, showing
the planing angle it runs at and the over the bonnet and into the cabin/cockpit area, it does not plane as high as I had hoped, but it looked
extensive wash. Photo 49. Once in the water, up went the wheels, good and I decided to be satisfied with that.

50

51

38 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 special feature

52

The model runs well, but the lack of any astern

motion is disconcerting if approaching a potential 53
collision, Photo 52! Perhaps the driver and
passengers are no longer waving, but are throwing
their hands up in despair before the waves throw
them on to the rocky wall ahead!
Of course, it kept the lads and ladies amused as the
driver waved to the crowds, flashed the headlights and
did a high speed manoeuvre to flick it in line with the
slipway, but finally the wheels dropped back into the
water and it drove to the slipway edge, Photo 53.
A surge of revs through the water drive pushed it back
on to dry land, the rear tyres gripped the cobbles and
it roared up the slope like lightning, finally skidding to a
convincing tail-sliding halt in the gravel at the top of the
ramp, Photo 54.

Further developments
To my surprise the Aquada had a respectable battery
life and all of the mechanics and electrics worked
well and reliably. Unfortunately it had a continuing
problem with water ingress, especially in rough
water. When off the plane, water washes over the
front bonnet and enters via its joint lines. When on
the plane, the back-end digs in and water washes
over the boot and enters via its joint lines and the
cooling vents too! So, not brilliant for a model boat as
it needs to drive ashore regularly to empty the bilges.
The bilge pump helps, but it frequently blocks from
minor debris in the boat, so it remains a development
project to achieve a better and longer on the water
performance. To protect the batteries from the bilge
water, they were put in plastic bags with the ends
tightly bound with ties around the exit cables, also
ensuring the exit point was uppermost above the
batteries. To date, it has also been necessary to

PHOTO 52. Mind that wall Justin! There

is no reverse when on the water!
54
PHOTO 53. Returning to dry land with
the wheels lowered once again.

PHOTO 54. Back on the cobbles at

Over, shaken but not stirred with
just a few splashes of water on the
bonnet and windscreen to show it
had been waterborne!

39
s
 special feature

characteristics. Especially
on a tight turn and at speed,
the prop’ loses grip and starts to
cavitate, so any suggestions please?

What next?
As I get to the end of a project I always like
to think ahead to what I may build next time.
This one was no exception and I have decided to
explore amphibious models still further. I would like
to have a crack at the famous white Lotus Esprit of
replace the lower-mounted the film The Spy Who Loved Me” in which Roger
servos with Hitec waterproof Moore plays James Bond and everyone knows the
variants and just accept that it all fabulous underwater sequence after the car leaps
gets a bit damp in the hull! off the end of the jetty and becomes a submarine.
Incidentally, there is still much sucking It will be a challenge to have it fully functioning, so
of teeth by some model boaters’ at the mention keep watching out for an article in a future edition
of LiPo batteries and their attendant risks. Even of Model Boats. As ‘Q’ famously said: ‘Right, now
certain types of real aircraft get a mention! I have to pay attention 007. I want you to take great care of
say that mine have always stayed cool in operation this equipment. There are one or two rather special
and charged reliably and quickly when using the accessories’. Can I get them to work at model scale
...a very rewarding model correct balancing charger for each outing. There is an interesting question?
seems to be no memory effect and they hold their Amazingly, in The Saturday Telegraph of 10th
to build, as it taxed my charge much longer than NiMH equivalents. I did August 2013, Photo 55, that very car, yes the
design and engineering skills have one occasion when they started to heat up actual one that was used to film the underwater
to their limit... and smell (sorry Brian, as it was in the back of your sequence, was up for auction in September 2013
new car!). It was a result of leaving them powered and expected to reach over £500000. It was
up and wet, hence the use of plastic bags as just nicknamed ‘Wet Nellie’ and it is only a shell with
mentioned. It wrecked that set of batteries, so keep no engine or land drive, just ballast tanks, electric
‘em dry at all costs! motor drives to the water turbines and a box for a
The model also has a cavitation issue, but I wet-suited diver. So it is of little use and of course
guess that is only to be expected given the strange Roger Moore never sat in it, but I wonder what it
construction of the propeller drive in a well and the fetched at auction?
relatively shallow draft of the aft end of the model.
I have used a faster motor, up from the original
PHOTO 55. Still famous after all these 800 rpm/volt to 1300 rpm/volt, and fitted propellers Conclusion
years, from the motoring section of between an X40 and an X50 two-blade race type. I Some would say that the water performance is not
the Daily Telegraph, 10th August 2013.
This car with its weapons would be a could change the belt drive gearing but it is easier very exciting if one was looking for a high-performance
challenge as a model. to buy new brushless motors with different speed speed boat, but it does rise on the plane and looks
very effective as it bobs over the ripples. It also creates
great interest with people as it does look so much
like a car on land with little external evidence of its
55 amphibious capability, except for the jet nozzle at the
back. It was a shame that it was not possible to get
more thrust from the water-jet, but I guess I was new
to that technology and that was just a bridge too far
that really needed more development. The current
propeller and the unique rudder and nozzle still look the
part and work fine.
It has also been a very rewarding model to build,
as it taxed my design and engineering skills to
their limit and introduced me to brushless motor
technology and associated LiPo batteries. The one
great advantage of amphibious models is that you
can drive them from your car to the waterside,
which is great for a chap like me with a false leg and
especially at shows and exhibitions, where moving
models from remote car parks can be hard work.
Aquada is also great in steering regattas as it is
remarkably manoeuverable and the bow is so wide
and blunt that it is hard to miss the nose-on to the
finishing touch buoy!
I would like to thank my friends and colleagues
in the Gloucester and District Model Boat Club
for their help and support with the project and
especially Bruce Edwards, Sandra Tedaldi
and Mike Bridgeman for their excellent
on-the-water photos. l

40 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 
 
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 show report

London
Model Engineering
Exhibition 2014
Dave Brumstead reports

T
TOP LEFT: Derek Attree’s Model his year’s Exhibition took place, as is now Clubs
Slipway ‘Our Lass’ on the Welwyn
Garden City Society of Model usual, in the Great Hall of Alexandra Palace Regular supporters of the event. AMBO
Engineers stand. It is a huge model in North London, Friday 17th to Sunday 19th (Association of Model Barge Owners), had their
and weighs a ton! January, and fortunately we didn’t have to endure usual display of various types of model sailing
TOP RIGHT: Richard Chesney on the the snow which so affected the exhibition in 2013. barges and near to them was the Moorhen MBC,
AMBO stand discussing a model I visited the event on the Sunday and found the who are based at Harlow in Essex. This year their
Thames barge with a visitor.
day started quietly, but the hall soon filled up. I stand won the Society Shield for their excellent
understand from some of the exhibitors that the display, so ‘Well Done’ to them.
Friday and Saturday were also quite busy. There One of the older models on display was a
were, as usual, a great variety of model boat exhibits tinplate model built in 1938 by Ted Vanner and
both on the dedicated model boat club stands and on shown on the Victoria MSBC stand. This model
the model engineering club displays. There were in had replacement machinery in the 1960’s and a
total over fifty society and club stands as well as over replacement boiler in the 1970’s fitted by Don
BELOW: The Surface Warship fifty suppliers at the exhibition. Reynolds. On the Welwyn Garden City Society of
Association are long time supporters
of this event. It was a shame not The Snooker Masters Tournament was also on at Model Engineers stand, Derek Attree was exhibiting
to see Jack Connelly as usual, the same time, but in a different part of the complex, something a little more modern. His model of
busy promoting the association so
diligently, as he had sadly passed so you could have watched sessions of that that as the Model Slipway ‘Our Lass’ trawler was almost
away just before Christmas 2013. well as been a model engineer for the day! completed, but still ‘in the white’ awaiting the

42
painting process. This is a large model, but not as
large as his part-built Armortek 1:6 scale r/c Comet
tank also on display.
Hanwell and District Model Society had Dave
Vaul’s novelty models on display. These are
representative of cartoon characters incorporating
a variety of working features and certainly got the
attention of the young (and not so young) visitors.
The Model Hydroplane Club always has something
of interest on display and this year there were
two items that caught the eye. The first was Alan
Greenfield’s model which featured a homebuilt
11cc engine with some unique features. The finish
on the engine was such that it looked like an ‘off
the shelf’ unit. On the other side of this club’s
display was a sectional model showing the internals
of an i.c. engine, the exhaust system and the final Trade TOP: The Moorhen MBC’s award
winning stand.
drive and propeller assembly. As far as dedicated model boating trade was
On the Eastleigh and District MBC stand was concerned, SHG Model Supplies, Component Shop
a fine model of HMS Walrus, an aircraft carrier and Howes Models are all well known to us, but apart
supply ship. This scratch built model, to 1:48 scale, from them, that was it on the model boating side
was built using plank on frame construction by of things. There were of course numerous model ABOVE: Crawley Youth Club’s
Sandown Park Model Engineer Show
Mick Nicholson. On the same club stand was a engineering suppliers as well as those selling tools, Silver Medal winning model was
model of HMS Crane, a flat iron gunboat, built by a adhesives, paints and materials etc., but it is always displayed on the Eastleigh & District
MBC stand.
group of youngsters from Crawley Youth Club. This worth checking the model engineering trade stands as
model was built to double the size of the published there is much of value to us model boaters on them.
plan and their efforts had previously My thanks to the Meridienne for their kind invitation. l
won them a Silver Medal at
the MyTimeMedia Model
BELOW: A 1938 tinplate model on the
Engineer Exhibition at Victoria Model Steam Boat Club stand.
Sandown Park.
At one end of the
exhibition hall the BMFA
had their usual flying zone
and near to them was the Tamiya
Truck demonstration area and there
was also a Robot Wars display arena. There
were many of the usual model engineering
club displays as well as operating model railway
layouts in various scales.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 43

 kit review

Bob T
PHOTO 1. The Bob About kit contents.

PHOTO 2. Initially the wetted hull skins were held together

with tape and clamps.

About!
his is a new addition to the Vintage Model
Boat Company range and has been included
as they want to promote Footy model yacht
racing. This model yacht was designed by Brett
McCormack in 2002 and meets the requirements
for Footy Class yacht racing. The kit is quite simple
to construct with the contents of the pack, Photo 1,
John Elliott consisting of laser cut plywood, dowel, wire, brass
reviews the tubing, a rudder arm, split pins, a cast metal weight
for the keel, clear plastic sheet for the sails and
Vintage Model a set of instructions with plans. Only a few extra
Boat Company’s items are required to complete the model, together
with a two channel radio and two standard servos,
Footy Yacht paints and glues etc.

Basic hull construction

The two plywood side skins and one piece bottom
section were removed from the carrier sheets and
soaked in warm water for a few minutes until they
became pliable. The instructions suggest taping the
parts together with masking tape and then gluing
them together. This is all a bit like the DIY assembly
process for the full-size wooden Mirror class
dinghies, where the sides and bottom sections are
tied together with twisted copper ‘threads’ at the
chine and then the joint is made with fibreglass
resin and reinforcing tape.
I tried the suggested method for Bob About,
but had difficulty maintaining the hull shape as
the one piece bottom wanted to straighten itself
and thus pulled away from the tape. So, some
small pieces of scrap wood, numerous clamps
and tape had to be used to hold the bottom and
hull side skins together and this was then left
overnight to dry, Photo 2, after which hopefully
most of the inbuilt tension in the wood would
have been removed.
In the end, the best solution (at least for me) when
gluing it all together, was to drill tiny holes in the side
skin pieces in the most ‘springy’ areas and insert

44 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 kit review

model maker pins through these into the edges of the

bottom part, Photo 3, to help maintain the shape and
then further hold it all together with tape and clamps,
whilst the glue set as in Photo 4. I have to say that
the side and bottom skins are a very accurately cut.
You do not need to trim them, the edge to edge
joints being exactly as manufactured - almost like
Ikea DIY furniture!
Once the glue had cured, the side to bottom
joints were reinforced internally with some strip
wood from the scrap box, as were the top edges
of the hull, Photo 5. This is not necessarily
needed, but I felt it would add strength to the
joints and we are not building an ultra-lightweight
racing machine are we?
Bow support fillets were also shaped to fit 4
and glued in place within the hull and in this last
picture you can see that deck edge strips are glued
fractionally below the side skins’ top edges as the
deck will sit on the ledge created. The whole of
the internal bottom area was given a coat of epoxy
finishing resin, with plenty of it reinforcing the
side to bottom joints to enhance the hull’s overall
strength and also hopefully make it all watertight.

Keel and servo mounts

The keel was sanded to shape and glued in position
through the laser cut hole in the hull’s bottom piece.
Rather cleverly, the servo mounting plate fits on top
of this and if you have got it right thus far, this should
all ensure that the keel sits vertically in the hull,
Photo 6. Once again, epoxy resin was well brushed
into (and onto) the joints so as to make them good
and strong. The keel is permanently fixed, so do 5
make sure it is vertical because if you get it wrong, it
will be the devil’s own job to correct later!

The deck
This laser cut piece of plywood is simply glued to
the ledge inside the top edge of the hull created
by the stringer, that came from the scrap box. The
deck can be fitted before or after the mast tube
base - probably better though after the latter is
fixed, as you have better access into the hull.

Mast socket tube and its base

A piece of scrap plywood was positioned, with a
suitable hole drilled in it, on the inside of the hull
bottom piece and this is into which the mast socket position for the tube which needs to be upright in PHOTO 3. Pins will help hold the
skins in place.
will be inserted, Photo 7. The deck needs to taped all directions. Once the that position is located, the
temporarily in place over the side pieces (if it mast socket base can glued in place to support PHOTO 4. Clamps, tape and clips
hasn’t already been glued in place) and the mast the tube and mast. As with the keel, time spent all help maintain the shape as the
glue sets.
base socket piece adjusted to find the ultimate getting it right now, will save grief later.
PHOTO 5. Deck edge stringers
clamped in place waiting for the
glue to set, and the internal chine
6 7 supports are already fixed.

PHOTO 6. The keel and servo tray

are an integrated item, supporting
one another.

PHOTO 7. The mast socket tube lower

support has been glued in position.

45
s
 kit review

Rudder
This is easily assembled by gluing the supplied
spindle (rudder post) to the wood rudder piece using
epoxy adhesive. Some grooves were filed in the
spindle to provide extra grip for the glue. The rudder
PHOTO 8. The rudder post tube is
post tube that goes in the hull will need cutting to
supported by a ‘block’ of epoxy length, but it was then easily fixed in position by
adhesive within a small surrounding encircling it with a piece of spare plastic plumbing
piece of plastic plumbing tube.
tube, Photo 8, and filling the void created inside this
around the rudder post tube with epoxy adhesive.
9
Lead keel weight
This is supplied ready cast to shape, but will need
fettling before being glued to the keel. Photo 9 is
of it glued to the wooden keel piece and painted.
When working with lead, please be careful, as the
dust can be harmful to oneself, if not straight away
then perhaps unfortunately some years further
down the line!

Sheets and hatches

These are all pretty much straightforward. The
sail winch is a standard servo with an extended
arm operating the sheet which passes though
a U-shaped brass tube set into the deck at the
transom, Photo 10. This tube was annealed (by
heating and cooling) and bent to shape and glued
in place. What we are eventually aiming for is in
Photo 11, and from this picture you can see how
PHOTO 9. The ballast weight is supplied simple are the mechanics of this Footy yacht.
readymade, but it has to be ‘fettled’ and
glued to the wooden keel piece. 10 Closing off the large opening aft of the mast and
the smaller triangular shaped one near the prow is
another matter. The instructions (and the prototype
seen at the International Model Boat Show) suggest
PHOTO 10. The brass tube for the covering these openings with single use pieces of
sheet line. This has to be annealed to sticky backed clear (or coloured) plastic sheet, a
create its shape.
method that is often used on larger model racing
yachts. However, I had a better idea, or was it?
The laser cut deck piece is indeed laser cut(!)
and this means that the scrap wood that is
PHOTO 11. A general view of the
mechanical parts on the completed cut-out of the whole thing is still a perfect fit in
model. This is what we are aiming for! the holes created. So, using these as templates,

11

46 Model Boats May 2014

 kit review

12

PHOTO 12. Rear hatch cover, clamped

to achieve the same profile as the deck.

Care had to be taken

with the larger rear
hatch as it has to
follow the fore and aft
curvature of the deck...

13

copies that were about 2mm bigger all round

were created. These were glued to the scrap
pieces from the laser cutting process, and hey
presto, drop in hatches. Care had to be taken
with the larger rear hatch as it has to follow the
fore and aft curvature of the deck, so it was sort
of ‘jigged’ as in Photo 12, to keep the shape as
the adhesive cured, but the forward triangular
hatch was a much simpler proposition, Photo 13.
All that then needed to be done was to develop PHOTO 13. The forward hatch is
virtually all flat so its two parts can just
a method to secure them in place. For the larger be glued together, held by clamps.
rear hatch, a tab was glued under its back edge
and a strip of wood was fixed to the front edge
with two small holes in as in Photo 14. This 14
hatch is secured by sliding the rear tab under
the deck and putting a U-shaped piece of bent
wire, around the mast support and into the two
holes in the front section and Photo 15 is of
the two hatches in position before painting. The
front hatch is secured by attaching a piece of
bent wire to the front lower boom which presses

15

PHOTO 14. The underside of the main

rear hatch with its locating rod at the
front and wooden lip at the rear. A bit
‘Heath Robinson’ but it works.

PHOTO 15. The completed hatches are

a nice addition.

Model Boats May 2014 47

s
 kit review

down on the cover when the boom is in position,

Photo 16. Perhaps a simpler method would be to
make a rotating clip that could be screwed to the deck
16 by the mast and then turned to hold both hatches in
place? There are numerous methods of achieving the
PHOTO 16. The front hatch is held down by the lower spar and piece of bent rod. Not mechanically same end if you decide to opt for ‘proper hatches’, but
wonderful, but it works.
incidentally, these hatches will still need to be sealed
around their top edges by a length of insulation tape
or equivalent, so maybe using single-use self adhesive
covers might be simpler, but the choice is yours. Either
way, we do don’t want water to get inside the hull,
particularly if there is no self-bailing facility!

Finishing the hull

This is now basically complete and any minor
blemishes were filled with car body filler and sanded
smooth. If you are really good, then with a bit of luck
the hull will be perfect in ‘bare wood’ form and could
be all varnished and stained perhaps, but that is
down to your model building expertise. Finishing the
hull and waterproofing is a matter of either applying
a number of coats of dope and/or sanding sealer
and then a good quality paint, or as is perhaps more
common nowadays, applying one or two coats of
clear epoxy finishing resin, rubbing down between
them and then applying a colour coat either from an
aerosol or by airbrush or just by hand painting.

Masts and rigging

17
Once painted, the servos (rudder and sheet) were
fitted into their mounting plate within the hull. The
PHOTO 17. A side view of the instructions mention using ‘Pike wire’ (not supplied)
important working bits for for the main sheet, but some thin nylon cord was
reference purposes
to hand and looked as if it would do the job as well
PHOTO 18. Booms are all from dowel with a anything else. On the basis that a picture tells a
18 various split pins and bent wire brackets to 1000 words, Photo 17 is another view of the final
hold everything together. r/c layout and mainsail sheet arrangement.
The mast and its spars (or booms) are all from dowel
rod. No attempt is made to shape the dowel as it is
just cut to length following the dimensions on the
plan. Small holes will need to be drilled in the dowel to
accommodate the various retaining split pins, Photo 18.
As it so happened, the holes in the pins for the main sail
gooseneck fitting needed enlarging a little to make for a
more freely moving bearing. Bends in the stainless steel
rigging wire particularly on the foresail are easily done
once the section to be bent is annealed.
Reinforcing of the sail corners was with Duct Tape
which is strong and seems to stick to anything. Eyelets
from the scrap box were fitted into the sail’s corners
and Photo 19 is of the lower part of the foresail and its
19 supporting spars. Photo 20 is of the top of the mast
and the attachments for the fore and aft sails.

PHOTO 20. Top of the

20 mast and its crane
showing the sail’s
corner reinforcements
and the basic rigging.

PHOTO 19.
A close-up of
the lower part
of the foresail
arrangement.

48
 23 kit review

21

PHOTO 21. Sails are just clear plastic sheet. The battens are
styrene strip with stainless steel wire in the its leading edge.

22

PHOTO 23. Bob About doing what it does best!

Radio gear?
You only need a two channel set and two standard
servos, but more elaborate r/c systems will perform
the same role. I guess the important thing is that as
always, water and electricity don’t go together, so
you must keep the hull interior dry. Photo 22 is of the
completed model and to be honest it is a really quick
build project if you have basic woodworking skills.

On the water
Remember that there is no propeller to get you out
of trouble, so if Bob About heads into the opposite
and most inaccessible bank of your pond, to extract
it you will need either a rescue boat or a swimming
costume or a change of wind direction!
Never having owned a model yacht before and
indeed only having had a brief go with someone else’s
before now, this was all a relatively new experience for
me, but it is great fun to sail, Photo 23, and has proved
to be fundamentally sound, provided the deck hatches
are taped around their edges. It will be even greater
fun if you sail Bob About in company with other Footy
yachts and it does of course get us into sailing model
yachts very inexpensively. Very finally, if in any of the
pictures you can see that my Bob About model is
named Isabelle (on its transom), well that is the name
of my first grandchild!

Conclusion
PHOTO 22. The completed Bob About. About one
month’s relaxed work, but you can build it much more
At £45 this kit is great value for your money
quickly if so inclined! and it was a really enjoyable and relatively easy
construction project. This kit is not listed on the
To be honest, using clear plastic sheet for the Vintage Model Boat Company website at the
sails as Photo 21 (not yet reinforced here), is a time of writing, but it is available and full details
brainwave by the Vintage MBC and in fact the bag can be obtained from them at: Carousell, Spilsby Rd,
the kit comes in is of the same material, so with New Leake, Lincolnshire, PE22 8JT, England.
care you can recycle the packaging to make an Tel: 01205 270010,
additional set of sails! website: www.vintagemodelboats.com. l

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 49

GALLERY
By Fraser Gray

Marco Polo
General particulars
This cruise liner is currently in 2014, operated by Cruise and Maritime Voyages,
but previously by Transocean Cruises. The ship has an ice strengthened hull and is
often used for expeditionary style cruises around the ice regions. She is normally
home ported at Tilbury in Essex, England for a series of cruises around the UK and
European continent. The ship does not carry under 16’s and the passenger age is
usually +45.

Previous Name: Alexandr Pushkin

Built: 1965, V.E.B. Mathias-Thesen Werft, Germany
Rebuilt: 1991-1993, under the supervision of Knud Hansen, naval architects,
and A&M Katzourakis, ship designer.
GRT: 22,080 tons
Length: 578.4 feet
Beam: 77.4 feet
Max. Draft: 26.9 feet
Decks: 12
Cruising Speed: 19.5 knots
Max. Speed: 20.5
Passengers: 826
Crew: 350
 warship scale

HMS Terrible (and HMS Powerful) were

14200 tons displacement and the largest
protected cruisers ever built.

Range Finder Special!

Warships of the Royal Navy: Part One - 1895 to 1905
By Dave Wooley

I
was asked by the Editor it is like the entire current Type 45 Daring class
if I would compile two being obsolete by 2022 because of new evolving
Feature Articles to coincide technology, but that is much the same as the
with the centenary of the situation that existed just 10 years after the
commencement of World launching of HMS Terrible in May 1895 and HMS
War One, their purpose being Powerful two months later, these being the largest
to have a look at the various First Class protected cruisers ever built at that time.
types of Royal Navy warship that would influence the In 1902, Phillip Watts became Director of
development of those that actually fought in that great Naval Construction (DNC) from William White
conflict and ultimately the ships that survived and whose tenure included the building of no less
those that did not. I will endeavour to take the reader than 50 battleships and many of the protected
through the types of warships in their chronological and armoured cruisers, all of which were deemed
order and where appropriate, the related models. obsolete by 1914, yet in many ways these warships
So, leading up to WW1, the First Part is also introduced new technology which then
being published now in this 100 page May influenced the future designs.
2014 MB and the second part (1905 to 1914)
will be in September 2014 MB. Hopefully, if
space allows, there may be another article The William White era
in due course, discussing the impact of Standardising the Battleship
air power on naval operations from William White initiated a battleship programme,
1914 to 1918. under the auspices of the Naval Defence Act
of 1889, beginning with the laying-down of the
Royal Sovereign class which began a process of
1 Thinking the unthinkable? standardisation in armour, guns, their deposition
At the time of the death of Queen Victoria on 22nd and machinery, ships which duly became known
January 1901, it would have been unthinkable as Pre-Dreadnoughts. This was an era of naval
to most people on that day that almost every construction which reached its high-water mark
RN warship in service then would be obsolete with the Lord Nelson class of 1905. A good
in less than eight years. To put that into context example of this was HMS Ocean, a Canopus
class battleship completed in 1900. She displaced
14300 tons in a hull 421 feet 6 inches by 74 feet
PHOTO 1. The First Class beam and she was fitted with four 12 inch main
battleship HMS Ocean. armament guns, twelve 6 inch guns, ten 12pdr and
had twin propshafts driven by three cylinder steam
reciprocating engines and 20 (yes 20!) Belleville
boilers providing the steam, Photo 1. These
Belleville boilers were an early design of marine
water-tube boiler.
As a progressive improvement over the previous
Canopus, Formidable and London classes,
the Duncan class, the first of which was HMS
Albemarle completed in the November 1903, were

52 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 warship scale
PHOTO 2. HMS Albemarle
was a Duncan class
battleship that sacrificed PHOTO 3. Battleships of the
armour for speed. late-Victorian period retained
a ‘fighting top’ housing three 3
3pdrs in this example.

fitted with four cylinder steam reciprocating engines

and 24 Belleville boilers giving them a slightly better 4
top speed performance, Photo 2.
This period also saw a corresponding rise in
the size and quality of the builder’s models and
like the their full-size counterparts, an element of
standardisation was introduced. This included a more
realistic, if not embellished, approach to presentation
and good example of this can be seen in these
detail pictures of the builder’s model of the Canopus
class battleship HMS Vengeance, within the Dock
Museum at Barrow in Furness, Photos 3 and 4.

The rise of the protected and

armoured cruiser
The Defence Act of 1889 also saw a steep rise
in the building of cruisers, mainly in response to
the building of such warships for the Russian and
French navies. In that era, cruisers were rated
as First, Second and Third Class Armoured, or
‘Protected’ and indeed some as ‘Scouts’. Once 5
again William White was to influence future cruiser
design with the Blake class of First Class protected
cruisers, these completing in early 1892 and being
fitted with two 9.2 inch guns and ten 6 inch for
their main armament. They displaced 9150 tons and
were capable of 22 knots, which was very good by
the standard of that time. This was followed closely
by the Edger class, most completing between 1893
and 1894, with a similar armament, but also an
additional four 18 inch torpedo tubes.

HMS Powerful
In 1897, HMS Powerful, the second of the two
giant First Class protected cruisers joined the
British fleet. By any standards these were huge
ships, displacing 14200 tons and being 538 feet
long, so therefore larger and heavier than some armoured turrets and tiered gun mountings in PHOTO 4. A classic builder’s model
of the Canopus class battleship
contemporary battleships of that era, but they were hull casemates forward, amidships and aft, but HMS Vengeance of 1902.
soon considered to be ‘white elephants’. given their size and 14200 ton displacement, their
PHOTO 5. A superb picture of the First
For example, both cruisers were fitted with 48 firepower was not markedly superior to that of Class protected cruiser HMS Powerful
Belleville boilers which provided good endurance the smaller Edger class. A superb picture of showing a considerable amount of
with a relatively high speed and they had enclosed HMS Powerful can be seen in Photo 5. detail in post-Victorian livery.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 53

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 Diadem class
This eight ship class of protected cruiser followed.
Although smaller at 462 feet long and 4000 tons
lighter than HMS Powerful, they were still fitted
with sixteen 6 inch guns disposed in casemates
and shielded turrets fore and aft. A superb builder’s
model of HMS Amphitrite of this class can be seen
at the Dock Museum, Barrow in Furness, Photo 6.

The Armoured Cruiser

HMS Aboukir, Photo 7, was a First Class armoured
cruiser, completed in April 1902, and was the
first of the Cressy class that adopted the 9.2 inch
6 gun like that of HMS Powerful. In this picture she
has a black hull which was very much standard
at this time for ships based in the UK, or even
PHOTO 6. Builder’s models of the period such as this Vickers built Diadem class first class protected cruiser
HMS Amphitrite were often embellished, but are unique and fine representations of the original vessels.
the Mediterranean. The hull had hard faced steel
armour extending from the main deck to five feet
below the waterline, that also covered half the
7 ship’s length. Photo 8 is of HMS Hogue, but in the
later more familiar grey colour scheme.
Within the same programme were the Drake
class of armoured cruiser, basically enlarged Cressy
class vessels, but providing more space for double
tier casemate guns amidships and a greater number
of boilers, 43 of them to the 30 in the Cressy class,
which gave a moderate increase in performance.
Mind you, these ships often needed crews of more
than 900 to keep them functioning!
William White was superseded as DNC in 1902
by Phillip Watts and the last type of armoured
cruiser created under his leadership within the 1901
to 1902 programme were the Devonshire class,
which included HMS Argyll, Photo 9. These were
different from the previous classes in having four
7.5 inch turret mounted guns disposed fore and aft
and one either side of the foremast, plus six 6 inch
guns in casemates, but more significantly, a mix of
PHOTO 7. The First Class armoured cruiser HMS Aboukir was completed in April 1902 in the boiler types which strangely was not detrimental
conventional (for that time) Victorian livery.
to overall performance. This period of boiler
experimentation for warships is often referred to as
8 the ‘Battle of the Boilers’.
A superb 1:48 scale builder’s model of HMS
Argyll is seen here in the Clyde Room at the former

PHOTO 8. HMS Hogue was one of six

armoured cruisers that formed the
Cressy class. They were fitted with
two 9.2 inch main armament guns and
6 inch guns mounted in casemates.
12pdr guns are visible along the upper
sides of the hull.

PHOTO 9. HMS Argyll, built by Scott’s

of Greenock, had four main 7.5 inch as
well as six 6 inch guns in casemates.

54 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 warship scale
10

11

PHOTO 10. The First Class armoured

cruiser HMS Argyll was built by Scott’s
of Greenock and differed from the
preceding Cressy class in having four
7.5 inch guns for her main armament.

PHOTO 11. HMS Kent’s design sacrificed

armour and armament to reduce
operating costs and increase speed.

12

PHOTO 12. The Apollo class of

Second Class cruisers consisted of 21
ships. HMS Brilliant was the fourth
in the class, completing at Sheerness
Dockyard in 1893.

Glasgow Transport Museum, Photo 10. This Second and Third Class cruisers
museum has been relocated in recent years to the We will now look at the lower-rated cruisers of this
side of the River Clyde and is now known as the time. At the close of the 19th Century, Great Britain
Riverside Museum. dominated world trade and as such the Royal Navy
was called upon to police the trade routes and provide
protection for the Colonies and Dominions and for
The Monmouth class this, large numbers of Second and Third Class cruisers
A year before the Devonshire class, saw the were built and what is truly astonishing is the number
introduction between 1903 and 1904 of the three of such ships that were built. Under the Defence Not surprisingly many
funnelled Monmouth class. They were considered Act of 1889, which as you will have gathered, pretty
to be the ‘Economy Class’ in just about every much defined warship building for the following
of the protected cruisers
department including armour and firepower, having decade or so, one class alone, namely the Apollo’s, served in distant waters...
sixteen 6 inch and ten 12pdr guns, but notably twin accounted for 25 ships between 1891 and 1893. HMS
electrically operated turreted 6 inch guns forward Brilliant, Photo 12, was built at Sheerness Dockyard,
and aft. Although casemated guns were later completed in 1893 and displaced 3600 tons. She was
discarded under Phillip Watts as being inherently armed with two 6 inch guns, fore and aft in shielded
weak and not much use, the Monmouth class with turrets, and six 4.7 inch. Not surprisingly many of the
its 31 Belleville boilers and engines developing protected cruisers served in distant waters, especially
22000shp were the best performing armoured the tropics where dry-docking was infrequent and
cruisers of the William White era and Photo 11 is of because of this, their hulls were sheathed in copper
HMS Kent of this type. which inhibited marine growth.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 55

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 warship scale

To avoid metallic contact directly between the

copper and steel hull, a layer of teak usually between
3.5 and 4 inches thick was applied first and secured
with brass bolts. Their heads being well recessed
were plugged with Portland cement and the whole
thing then caulked. The copper sheeting was nailed
to the teak with brass nails as in Photo 13.
Further examples of this type included the Astraea
class, essentially improved Apollo’s with a higher
PHOTO 13. For overseas service,
sheathing with teak and copper was freeboard amidships and 1000 tons heavier, Photo 14.
standard practice where facilities for The Eclipse and the Arrogant classes followed with
dry docking were limited.
HMS Vindictive part of the latter and she completed
at Chatham in 1900, Photo 15. Originally she was
fitted with a mixed armament of four 6 inch and six
4.7 inch guns, but during her refit of 1903 to 1905,
all the 4.7 inch guns were removed and replaced by
six inch instead. This was the only class designed
from the onset for ramming and with an improved
manoeuvring capability and the reinforced bow was
13 a noticeable feature, albeit mostly underwater! The
final embodiment of the Second Class cruiser were
the Highflyer and Challenger classes. HMS Challenger,
Photo 16, entered service in May 1904 and with
improvements in machinery over the earlier Highflyer
14 class was two knots faster. Both classes introduced
a uniform main armament of eleven 6 inch guns and
nine 12pdrs.

Third Class cruisers

Many of the warships ordered after 1893 were part
of what became known as the ‘Spencer Programme’.
Once again the origins of this go back to the desire to
have enough naval strength to deter both France and
Russia. In other words, the Royal Navy numerically
was meant to be equal at the very least, to two other
navies combined. However, for Great Britain, the key
requirement was trade route and colonial protection,
in the most economic way possible of course! So, the
Third Class cruiser was lightly armed and armoured,
and this of course was reflected in the displacement
as only the Gem class of 1905 exceeded 3000 tons.

PHOTO 14. Like the Apollo class, the follow-on Astraea class
were also sheathed in teak and copper. They were larger,
developed more power, but in service were no better than 16
the Apollo class.

PHOTO 15. Although a Second Class cruiser, HMS Vindictive

was designed for fleet work rather than trade protection.

15

PHOTO 16. HMS Challenger

(and HMS Encounter)
were the last of the
second Class cruisers.

56
 17 warship scale

Probably the best known of these ships were

the Pelorus class, all eleven completing between
May 1898 and 1901. They were of 2135 tons
displacement, 313 feet 6 inches long by 36 feet and
6 inches beam. They were armed with eight 4 inch,
eight 3pdrs, three machine guns and two 18 inch
torpedo tubes. With their 16 Thornycroft water tube
boilers using forced draft, they were capable of
over 20 knots, but all suffered boiler problems and
PHOTO 17. HMS Pegasus a Third Class cruiser was one of the Pelorus class which were longer and had
they were not rated as good sea boats. However, less beam than the preceding Pearl class, but their reduced displacement did improve performance.
despite these deficiencies they were sent to distant
stations including those in East Africa, the Indian
Ocean, the Persian Gulf, China and Australia, this 18
last country being where HM Ships Pioneer and
Psyche were transferred to the newly formed Royal
Australian Navy. Shown here is one of the best
known of the class, HMS Pegasus in Photo 17. She
was sunk off Zanzibar in East Africa on the 20th
September 1914 by the German Navy light cruiser
Konigsberg, whilst undertaking boiler repairs. The
Gem class was not only the last of this type of
cruiser, but also notably HMS Amethyst was the
first cruiser to be fitted with steam turbines.

Scout cruisers
Although classed as cruisers, the ‘Scouts’ were
PHOTO 18. The ‘Scout’ cruiser HMS Pathfinder was designed as more like a flotilla leader for torpedo
designed to work in company with, and protect, the boat destroyers than as a cruiser.
torpedo boat destroyers (TBD’s). Although larger
than destroyers, in 1903 the Admiralty requirements
stated that they should have a good turn of speed
19
of around 25 knots; have a small draught for
operating in shallow waters and an armament of
ten 12pdrs and eight 3pdrs, so as to be able to
successfully engage enemy destroyers. ‘Scouts’
were not armoured, but had some protection
around their engine and boiler spaces. There were
five classes in all, with four entering service in 1905,
namely those of the Adventure, Forward, Sentinel
and Pathfinder types. The last of these four types
were built at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead with a
displacement of 2900 tons and were 379 feet long
and 38 feet 6 inches beam, having a protected
deck. All were considered to be somewhat deficient
in armament and as such were re-armed in 1911
and 1912. Photo 18 is of HMS Pathfinder which
is historically significant as being the first warship PHOTO 19. HMS Sentinel was a ‘Scout’ cruiser, like HMS Pathfinder, and was capable of 25 knots,
to be torpedoed and sunk in WW1 whilst off St. equivalent to the seagoing River class of destroyer.
Abbs Head, Berwickshire, Scotland, on Saturday 5
September 1914 by the German U-21 submarine PHOTO 20. A 1:48 scale working
20 model of a torpedo boat, which
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing.
was regarded as a fearsome
Other ‘Scouts’ included HMS Sentinel (and HMS military weapon in its day.
Skirmisher), Photo 19, which were quite distinctive
by having a rounded forecastle.

Torpedo boats
With the introduction previously in 1876 of HMS
Lightning, built by John Thornycroft, this saw the
prospect of a low-cost delivery system for the new
‘locomotive torpedo’ weapon. At 75 tons and just
128 feet 8 inches long, the later 1886 Yarrow built
TB 75 with a triple expansion engine could reach
the (for then) remarkable speed of 23 knots. It was
thought that the torpedo boat would render many
of the larger slower classes of warship vulnerable
to attack, especially at night. A good example of
the Yarrow type of torpedo boat is this 1:48 scale
working model of TB 75 of 1887, Photo 20.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 57

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 warship scale

21

Torpedo gun boats

As a counter, to the torpedo boat, a new type of
warship was introduced, namely the Torpedo Gun
Boat (TGB). The first of these was HMS Rattlesnake,
built by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead and this vessel
set the pattern for future development. By the
beginning of the 1890’s the TGB increased in size and
displacement with the Sharpshooter class being of
735 tons equipped with five 14 inch torpedo tubes,
two 4.7 inch guns and four 3pdrs. Top speed though
was a relatively pathetic 19 knots, Photo 23. This
was followed by the Alarm class, essentially a larger
version of the Sharpshooters’. This model of HMS
Jason, Photo 24, is an Alarm class TGB and is a fine
example built by Don Brown and Photo 25 shows
some of the fine detail around the forward 4.7 inch
gun. In service though, the entire concept as a counter-
PHOTO 21. HMS Vulcan is seen here In 1887, HMS Vulcan entered service dedicated force to the torpedo boats was fundamentally flawed
in her later years as a submarine
tender, but she started life as a to carrying between six and eight torpedo boats and as the torpedo gun boat could not match the speed
warship capable of transporting and she is seen here in later years, albeit as a submarine performance of the attacking torpedo boats!
supporting eight large torpedo boats. tender, Photo 21. However, by 1905 the torpedo
boat had evolved into much more of an ocean going
craft, of around 250 tons displacement and equipped The torpedo boat destroyer
with two 3pdr guns and two 18inch torpedo tubes. As the name would imply, these were also designed,
Here in Photo 22 is the Yarrow built 113 foot vessel primarily to counter the fast and nimble torpedo boats.
No. 24. Note on the picture, its relatively low draught Initially 43 were ordered from a variety of shipbuilders
from the visible depth marks on the stem. and they were known as ‘turtle backs’ because of their

22 23

PHOTO 22. TB 24 was a larger ocean

going type of torpedo boat that was
laid down in 1905.
24
PHOTO 23. The heavily armed torpedo
gunboat such as HMS Karakatta of the
Sharpshooter-class launched in 1889,
was to counter the threat from the
small and nimble torpedo boats. HMS
Karakatta is quite a ‘pretty ship in her
paint scheme I think you would agree?

25

PHOTO 24. HMS Jason, built by Don Brown.

PHOTO 25. The detail on the model of HMS Jason clearly shows the open bridge and the
forward 4.7 inch quick firing gun.

www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 27

26

radiused forecastle top. Although a certain element of

freedom in design was allowed, the actual tonnage
varied between 220 and 300 tons and length between
180 and 206 feet, but the armament remained fairly
constant with a single 12pdr mounted forward and then
between three and five 6pdrs, plus two 18 inch torpedo
tubes. The first two, HMS Havock, Photo 26, and HMS
Hornet were built at the behest of Admiral Fisher with
the former having a locomotive type of boiler and on
trials she attained 26.7 knots whilst the latter received
the new Yarrow water tube boiler and achieved 28
knots. As the pace of development moved ever faster,
the steam technology of the time was hard pressed to
keep up with the changes! Also, these vessels were
not known for their mechanical reliability or human
28
comforts! Photo 27 is of a model of HMS Hornet in the
former Clyde Room Collection at Glasgow Transport
Museum that is now within the Riverside Museum.
increasing the number of turbines to three for the PHOTO 26. Known as the ‘Yarrow
26-Knotters’, HMS Havock was the first
three propshafts and after a number of propeller
The Charles Parsons revolution permutations the speed increased from an initial
of the torpedo boat destroyers and the
second was HMS Hornet, with both
It could be said that one man’s idea changed the uninspiring 19.75 knots to a remarkable 33 knots, being completed in 1894.
course of naval history and that was Charles Parson Photo 28. There was only one way to convince PHOTO 27. A 1:48 scale model of HMS
who was the first to build a working compound the doubters and that was to demonstrate the Hornet, seen here as part of the Clyde
Room Collection, now residing in the
radial flow steam turbine. This new form of capabilities of Turbinia in the most comprehensive Riverside Museum, Glasgow.
propulsion system was first installed in a 44.5 ton way possible and that was to run her at speed,
PHOTO 28. Parsons’ Turbinia as
vessel in 1894 named Turbinia. After a somewhat unannounced, down the lines of warships at the the first boat to be fitted with the
disappointing start, Turbinia was re-engined, Spithead Naval Review of 1897, Photo 29. revolutionary steam turbine.

29

PHOTO 29. A painting that depicts Turbinia demonstrating her performance and what the Royal Navy now had to embrace for the future.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 59

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 warship scale

30

PHOTO 30. An outstanding radio The net result of all this was an order from the expansion engines and were 225 feet long and
controlled 1:48 scale working
model of HMS Velox, which was Admiralty for Parsons turbines to be installed in the, mounted four 12pdrs and two 18 inch torpedo
one of the first turbine powered already under construction, torpedo boat destroyers tubes. HMS Swale was one such example,
torpedo boat destroyers. HMS Viper and HMS Cobra, both then achieving completed in 1905, and set the design trend for
over 30 knots during sea trials. HMS Viper had two future destroyers, Photo 31.
propellers to each of its four shafts and reached a
speed of 35.5 knots, whilst HMS Cobra had three
per shaft and reached 35 knots, but was later lost in Conclusion
the North Sea in 1901. HMS Velox (like HMS Viper) As can be appreciated, the development of warship
was classed as a C class torpedo boat destroyer design up to 1905 was staggering, bearing in mind
...the development of and was converted to turbine power, but this did the huge number and complexity of the various
warship design up to not achieve the same results as HMS Viper. A good classes of warship. There is little doubt that the
1905 was staggering... example of such an early turbine powered vessel big change prior to 1905 was the advent of steam
can be seen in this outstanding radio controlled turbine propulsion, but many other factors including
working model of HMS Velox, built by Steve Admiral Fisher’s re-organisation of the Royal Navy
Pickering, Photo 30. In all, 116 turtle back boats between 1895 and 1905 contributed greatly to
were built from 1893 to 1903. preparing it for the conflict to come. In Part Two,
Although these warships had the performance, due later this year, we will discuss the Dreadnought
they lacked good all round seaworthiness and era and preparations for the war at sea from 1914.
could bury their bows in a heavy sea. As a result
the E (River) class of 1903 changed not just
their appearance, but having a German inspired References and
high forecastle, they had a marked improved acknowledgements
PHOTO 31. HMS Swale of the E (River)
class was the first design of torpedo boat seaworthiness in heavy weather. Except for three The Pictorial History of the Royal Navy, 1880 to 1914.
destroyer to adopt a raised forecastle. of them, all these warships were fitted with triple The Royal Navy - An Illustrated History
by Anthony J. Watts.
Warships of WW1 by HM Lee Fleming.
The Great Naval Race by Peter Padfield.
Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1860 to 1905.
Sheathing on warships ref: Warships - A Text Book
by Edward L. Attwood, 1910, pages 33 & 34.
My thanks to the staff and curator of the Dock
Museum at Barrow in Furness. l
31

60 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

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 special feature

The MONSTER on the pond!

Ashley Needham’s Ecranoplan KM
A
t the end of the my article about the
Orlyonok A90 Ecranoplan (sometimes spelt
Ekranoplan) in November 2011 MB, I stated
that more performance might be had by fitting a
LiPo battery and indeed at a later date I borrowed
an 11.1v LiPo to prove that it could go a lot faster
and would easily lift off the water, albeit with
no flying control! Everyone was well impressed
and demanded that I make one twice the size to
perform properly. I like a challenge but didn’t fancy
simply making another larger A90, however what
about the original sea monster, the jet powered
one? I didn’t choose this version originally as it has
a shape even more radical than the A90 and would
be too difficult to make and perform authentically,
but there again…….

Everyone needs a plan - here created from line drawings photocopied and enlarged repeatedly. Basic
fuselage (hull) construction is of plywood and Styrofoam. I have a cunning plan!
This will be a representation of the original Caspian
Sea Monster, Wing in Ground-effect (WIG) aircraft.
Ecranoplan means ‘ground effect vehicle’ and
this one was known as the KM (Korabl Maket in
Russian, which means prototype ship) and was
a vessel over 100 metres long by 30m wide and
weighing a stunning 540 tons, built around 1966 by
the Russians as an experimental fast transport. It
was powered by ten turbo-jets and travelled 20m
clear of the water at 250 mph. It was regarded as a
ship and therefore allocated to the Russian Navy.
A model plan was required and the time
honoured line drawing and photocopier approach
was used once again to provide a picture to work
from. There’s no messing around with such a
There are access hatches in the top of the fuselage that was made deliberately flatter than pro-typical. monster project so a whopping 1200mm length
with a 580mm wingspan was chosen. Proportionally
it is much longer compared to its wing span than
the A90, and making it any smaller didn’t give me
the increase in perceived size which I wanted over
the Orlyonok, and a larger craft would be more
stable at speed, just possibly?

Building the monster

Learning from experience in building the earlier
A90, construction would follow a similar pattern, as
this had been light, strong and provided adequate
internal volume for the equipment. The craft
appeared to be slab-sided enough to use one single
piece of plywood each side for the fuselage and
tail, rather than making them separately. What
has changed for this project though, is finding the
Styrofoam was used to create the curved shapes of the fuselage. materials to transform the use of Blue Styrofoam.

62 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 special feature

Basic formers for the tailplane.

The stubby wings are foam over a plywood base for strength. ABOVE: The cockpit was easily carved from a block of Styrofoam.
BELOW: The fuselage, tail section, wings and engine mountings are now well underway.

I refer to Eze-Kote water based resin and Gorilla

glue. The first, in conjunction with fine glass cloth,
stiffens the Styrofoam nicely and the Gorilla glue
dries crunchy hard and foams up to fill gaps. Be
warned though, due to this expansion effect you
do need to clamp the bits being glued together, as
I discovered later. My usual 1.5mm ply and sheet
balsa box has been utilised and I have used layers
of Styrofoam under the base. This foam base
goes full length using three stepped laminations of
10mm sheet and has been artfully sculpted to blend
in to the nose cutaways at the front, tapering to a
flat at the first step and continuing in a vee to the
stern. Although outwardly simple, using one piece
for the sides had its problems, namely keeping
everything vertical and square at the tail end. This
took a lot of measuring, clamping end eyeing-up,
there being a lot of thin ply to play with and not underneath. When fully cured, the wing block was
much in the way of stiffening until the top and sanded to an airfoil section and cut in half, thus
bottom foam layers were glued in place afterwards. ensuring I had two wings of the same profile. At the
Thankfully the simple pointed cockpit at the front trailing edges, to be glued underneath, are some
was easily crafted from a block of foam. This was strips of very thin aluminium. This aluminium would
made a bit oversize and bonded to the fuselage be the flap and in order to have initially adjustable
before final shaping to provide a smooth joint, flaps with the minimum of effort and without
...a compromise on
avoiding any extra filling and the like. Hatch plugs complicated linkages, they were to be held on by
were made to provide access to the r/c gear and hot-glue for trials and permanently epoxied in place fuselage dimensions
finally a layer of foam was glued to the entire top once the necessary ‘bend’ for running trim has been has been made...
and also shaped. Unfortunately a compromise on achieved, or that was the intention! At the wing to
fuselage dimensions has been made, so the top is a fuselage joint, the prominent shoulders were cut
bit flatter than I might like, but I can cite ‘operational and shaped from foam then epoxied in place. After
reasons’ for this. carefully marking the fuselage body, some wood
blocks were cut and used to support the wings
horizontally and at their specified incidence, whilst
Wing design they were epoxied to the body. This ‘specified
Wing construction departs from my previous incidence’ was a guess and after experiences with
practice and I have used, wait for it, foam! The the earlier Orlyonok, I settled for a small 10mm rise
wings are approximately square in plan view, rear to front, and was hoping that the very large
having huge flaps at the rear and large end plates. flaps would provide the necessary lift adjustment.
Two lengths of 10mm thick Styrofoam, of a length At the wing extremities, 10mm wide endplates
equal to the combined wingspan, were cut and were fitted which are a bit thicker than plan, but the
Gorilla’d together, followed once dry, by 1.5mm ply foam is very soft even when treated and they would

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 63

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 special feature

Aluminium flaps that could be bent, were tried to get the

model to ‘fly’ correctly.

ABOVE: The eight jet engines are replicated by 19mm styrene tube. BELOW: The completed engine unit.

Once the model ‘flew’ correctly, the flaps were permanently

fixed. There was 12 months between this and the last picture!

suffer damage easily if they were much thinner.

They were also Gorilla’d in place and only sanded
to final shape after the initial trials. Oddly enough,
it was fitting these items that made the partially
finished craft start to assume its exotic appearance
as they look like the fin ends on a 1930’s Flash
Gordon space rocket!
As a postscript to this section, I actually ended
up with plastic flaps set flat to align with the wing
bottom. The wing was, if anything, producing too
much lift and being set well forward was lifting the
nose too much and causing a lot of head scratching
when carrying out the later trials.

Engines etc.
ABOVE: Underneath - very much like a conventional model hydroplane, but there were extensive
modifications following to get it all just right. BELOW: A powerful brushless motor provides the ‘oomph’! A bank of eight dummy Dobryin VD-7 turbojets sit
on a small stub wing made from Styrofoam at the
nose of the craft. This was a particularly tricky thing
to shape and took ages of careful sanding and filling
and if on one side the jet spacing is not quite the
same as the other, no one will notice will they?
The dummy jets were themselves made from
19mm ABS tube with semi-circular ends glued
in place and trimmed to give a curved front cowl.
Simplicity rules at the back end of the model, as
there are no motors or servos, just two dummy
jets made from 25mm ABS tube and the tailplanes
which have been made from sandwiched foam
(no ply) and have cutout flaps. These flaps would
be taped in place for trials, after which they will be
glued in place place and the same for the rear tail
rudder. The tailplanes were set at a slight upwards
angle, but later on during the testing phase I cut
them off and made a second set with larger flap

64 Model Boats May 2014

 special feature

It floats!

cutouts and mounted at a steeper incidence, and

then later, a third set without flaps and please
don’t ask why! An application of Eze-Kote and
fine glassfibre cloth was then applied to the foam
surfaces to protect them.
As an un-equipped fuselage, it all floated dead
level at the ply bodyline with the rear edges of the
wings (no flaps yet) just touching the water as per
the real thing and surprisingly there was very little
trim change with the r/c and motor equipment
being placed aboard. Well that was all easy enough,
or have I forgotten something? Of course, how is it
really propelled?

The propulsion system

Essentially what is being built, and it’s no secret as At about 50% throttle.
you will have looked at the pictures before reading
this, is a sort of propeller driven hydroplane. The
theory is that hydroplanes at speed ‘float’ across the
surface of the water. The large lifting surfaces should
be able to raise this craft off the water at speed and
the aim will be for a fairly even level skim.
Hardware for this model? A difficult choice,
especially as the normal running gear would be a
rear mounted surface drive, something that couldn’t
be used due to the aeroplane shape. So, a powerful
brushless motor of 3000kv (revolutions/volt), an
8.4v NiMH battery and a 350mm long flexi-drive
shaft with a 32mm hydro-prop were chosen. Both
the motor and electronic speed controller (esc) are
watercooled so a suitable pickup has been fitted
just behind the propeller, and then moved as I
couldn’t get the prop off for maintenance, and then
the water scoop was in line with the rudder (not a
good idea), and so the rudder was also then moved!
Hindsight is a wonderful thing! Nearly full speed.
Later, the whole lot was cut out and a longer drive
substituted, necessitating leaving the rudder forward but that’s what I like and some nice red stars, a bit
of the prop. Space precludes going into any more detail of lining-in with a fine indelible marker pen and an
on the trials and tribulations of all this as the article overall coat of satin varnish completed the look.
would be twice as long if I told the full story, but suffice
to say that it did work and the later modifications were As an un-equipped
just to satisfy my ‘development’ instincts. A pause?
fuselage, it all floated dead
Even after all this work, it’s most unlikely to work
properly first time and I began to wonder if I wasn’t level at the ply bodyline...
To finish off? being just a bit too ambitious, given that most of the
After hours and hours of dent filling and sanding, craft had been built using theory, guesswork and
there was only one colour to paint such a menacing blind hope! The weights were all over the place and
and sinister craft, as used by my younger-self many the lifting surfaces unbalanced (for a boat). There’s
years ago on Airfix models, namely Russian Navy no doubt it should be fast as there was plenty of
Cold War dark blue-grey (one whole tinlet per coat) power and the finished model, complete with motor
and Humbrol No. 96 seemed about right, although and battery, at 1.5kg was reasonably light (700gm
they call it RAF Blue! It may not be the right colour, for the hull only) and so more than a few trials were

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 65

s
 special feature

Conclusion
Another amazing shape on the water and definitely
my most challenging project yet. It was 18 months
of prevaricating and waiting for the right weather
and then filling a year’s worth of damage sustained
by it hanging around in the shed. I have for this
build mixed Bacchanalian portions of filler and
used heroic quantities of glue and Styrofoam, not
to mention a bath’s worth of Eze-Cote resin, but
was it worth it? Well yes of course!
The rudder throw has had to be adjusted to
prevent overturning at speed and the turning circle
A size comparison with the earlier model. is a bit large and the eventual rudder location
does not help in this regard. There is no reverse,
but does it really perform as described? Well, if
undertaken in secret at the boating pond, with truth be told it does not quite have the lift I initially
mixed success. As this was a representation of the hoped for, but it is very light on the water and
KM Caspian Sea Monster, then obviously it has to has achieved a horizontal attitude at speed, there
look as such and so there is not much in the way of being an excessive nose-up attitude initially,
redesigning that could take place, just a few tweaks as evinced by the wing tips gently oscillating
to the proportions. Only the front and rear wing flaps, above the water surface as they balanced the
internal weights and the foam hull contours could be hull. It is blisteringly fast though and achieves
altered without losing the overall look. The 8.4v 4600 this in perfect silence whilst being uncannily
mAH NiMH battery was wedged in place with the esc; smooth, courtesy of the brushless motor, with
the servo was already fixed to a mount; the esc was no bobbing or hopping, perhaps due to it being
being held in place with its silicone water cooling tubes very lightweight. A by-product of the design
and last, the receiver was secured with Velcro tape. (sharp pointy low-floatation front end and low set
On its very first run the only success was the water- wings) results in some spectacular wetting (to put it
cooling system, which worked very well. So, this was mildly) at low to medium speeds and water is only
going to be a long development job! cleared off the upper surfaces once a fair amount
of throttle has been applied. Eventually I purchased
a 9.6v NiMH battery and I think it now goes as well
The proper maiden voyage as it will without using an 11.1v LiPo battery and
Eventually came the day for the public maiden voyage in any event, if it went any faster it would lose any
of the KM Caspian Sea Monster. The operating area semblance of trying to be a 540 ton aircraft flying
was cleared of small children and the elderly (!), and just above the water. Substantial modifications have
the model unleashed on to the pond. The Dobryin been made along the way to achieve the look I was
jets were fired-up and the throttles moved to fast idle ultimately after, but barring adding ballast, cutting
...getting the right then it was pointed out into the open water, the pond away half the hull foam then adding more at the
performance on the water being mirror flat, a deliberate choice of day on my other end, swapping prop’s, changing and extending
depends on the weather part! The beast was ‘motored’ out to the far side and the flexi-drive, re-siting the rudder twice and
turned around. We all stood well back and now for the re-profiling and mounting the tailplane three times,
as much as anything...
moment of truth. The Dobryin turbojet throttles were the bulk of the boat is as-built! In practice, getting
advanced to full power and the monster gathered the right performance on the water depends on the
pace, then shot forward. weather as much as anything and it remains a bit
Did it rise? Of course it did, wow! The earlier A90 of a work-in-progress as regards that look, when
Ecranoplan was reasonably fast, but the KM, did it at speed. Will our pond see anything more sinister
go! The bystanders were awestruck and I was a bit lurking on it in the future? I think not and certainly
smug as the hat was passed around….. not yet anyway, but there again who knows? l

66 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

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 special feature

National Museum
of the Marine - Paris
T
Anthony Addams his museum is north
west of the Eifel
takes us on a tour Tower just over the
River Seine and is situated in
one of two ornate buildings
clearly visible from the
south bank over a bridge. It
is closed on Tuesdays and
there is an entry charge
on the other days, but the
underground railway is
close by and the guidebook
is available in English, plus
there is an excellent retail
shop. There are numerous
exhibits, obviously with a French theme and which can He used watercolours to paint these craft in their
have a different perspective on some naval events to local setting and these were later published in
those you might see in British museums! scientific books. Photo 2 shows a craft from the
François-Edmond Pâris (1806 to 1893), Gulf of Tonkin painted as a watercolour by him and
Photo 1, rose to the rank of Admiral and sailed on the matching model was made later. On becoming
three scientific voyages circumnavigating the world the Curator of the Musée Nacional de la Marine
around the southern hemisphere, very much in the from 1871 to his death in 1893, 220 models were
wake of Captain Cook whom he admired greatly. made based on ethnographic observation and he
In each remote place that he visited as Lieutenant also commissioned over 200 other ship models,
Pâris, he studied and noted the local craft used these last being on display at a special exhibition
for fishing, ferrying people or transporting goods. being held at the time of my visit. I would have
liked to have written an article covering this special
exhibition, but photography was not allowed.
3 Ethnography is qualitative research exploring
cultural phenomena and involves field study with
the conclusions drawn from that. An ethnographer
will normally follow a defined procedure to reach
his, or her, conclusions.
Referring back to Photo 2, Lieutenant Pâris was
aware that the battens increased markedly the
driving force of a sail, compared to a sail with no
battens and that the wind strength is often greater,
higher at the top of the sail, allowing a closer angle
of incidence to the wind, 15 degrees being about
the most advantageous angle. In addition he noted
that a healed boat wastes the wind’s energy and
the drag of the hull is increased, so the trapeze
system on modern racing yachts simply copies
ancient boat design and operation.
Photo 3 is the cover of the special exhibition
catalogue with a variety of craft illustrated. Centre
right is a Prao Mayang from Sourabaya with a sail

68 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 4 5 special feature

6 7

exactly like that of a windsurfer of today. Lieutenant A wide selection of models?

Pâris also noted that a South Sea Island outrigger The museum has a fine collection of models
boat could reach 30 knots in a 15 knot wind! displayed in huge shop window like cabinets as in ...perhaps we should
Photo 4 shows a larger craft from Mayang with Photo 7. Flash photography is not normally allowed,
all record for posterity the
a sail like a windsurfer. The collection of models, so please forgive the quality of some photos taken
drawings and measurements must be the most through glass and in low light. Other displays styles and types of boat
complete ethnographic collection of maritime include instruments, equipment and modern ships. that are now disappearing
craft from the southern hemisphere that exists The French galley Le Real of 1668, Photo 8, has in our lifetime.
and perhaps we should all record for posterity the some fine detail and quite incredibly some of the
styles and types of boat that are now disappearing original full-size decoration has survived. In addition
in our lifetime. are displayed the unique, and very valuable now,
ivory models made by prisoners of war though the
centuries. For your interest, at Dieppe, the maritime
Historic paintings museum also has a particularly well regarded 10
These were often commissioned to make bold collection of ivory models.
political statements. The grand oil painting Photo 9 is of the Le Royal Louis model. Young
completed in 1807, just two years after the Battle naval officers had to be taught the operation of
of Trafalgar in Photo 5, shows the resistance of the complex sailing ships and models such as this
French flagship Redoubtable under simultaneous 1:18 scale 14 foot long example, included fully
attack from HMS Victory and HMS Temeraire operational rigging and could be inclined to replicate
and at the moment Nelson was fatally wounded. a vessel at sea. This model was used at the
In Photo 6 we see the magnificence of the maritime school in Brest, dating from around 1770
French flagship Bretagne of Napoleon III, when at and is based on the 124 gun ship of that name.
Cherbourg in 1858 awaiting the arrival of Queen La Gloire was the first ocean going ironclad,
Victoria and Prince Albert in the state barge. launched in 1854 and Photo 10 shows some of the

8 9
s
 special feature 12

11

13 15

below waterline copper plating detail on the model The Hoche of 1866, Photo 15, was the first
14 held by the museum. This example was shown at French warship to be fitted with gun turrets and
the Paris World Fair Exhibition of 1867 and other anti-torpedo nets.
navies quickly followed her design. Photo 16 is a sectional model of Le Surcouf. She
Eros II in Photo 11 is a model of luxury steam mounted two 203mm guns plus a spotter seaplane.
yacht, built in 1885 in Great Britain for Baron Arthur She was lost in 1942 following a collision with an
de Rothschild. Capable of 14 knots, she had a crew American freighter.
of 44 and this model is exceptionally well detailed. There are numerous other models and small
Photo 12 is of a steamship under construction specialised displays such as one for river gunboats
and Photo 13 is of a model of the No. 1 Dry Dock of various types. The models and information
at Toulon, c1778. The ship model was added in the available at this museum make it a worthwhile
late 1800’s and is of the French screw driven frigate place to visit if you should be in Paris and of course
La Guerriere. in many ways it is the French equivalent of our own
Photo 14 is of the sheer-legs equipped vessel British National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.
used for extracting and inserting masts. The model You could of course let your partner climb the Eifel
pre-dates the 1820’s and represents the vessel Tower whilst you stay on terra-firma and view the
used in Toulon at that time. models in the museum if you wish? l

16

70 Model Boats May 2014

 history
1

PHOTO 1. The July 1924 issue of Boy’s

Own Paper.

&Jetsam
PHOTO 2. The transmitter circuit, or
‘Shore Station’.

Flotsam John Parker delves into the archives

14: The BOP Wireless Controlled Boat

T
he BOP, or Boy’s Own Paper, began its long Within the large format (288mm x 210mm) colour
publishing history as a weekly magazine cover depicting four jolly good chaps performing
in 1879, intended to cover the interests domestic chores at their campsite, about half way
of boys into their teenage years and wean them through the magazine’s 80 pages, appears the
away from comics and other such publications article, ‘A Wireless-Controlled Boat; How to Fit it
considered low-grade and trashy. The main Up and Work It, by ADSUM’. It wasn’t unusual for a
themes were sport, hobbies and fiction, the latter writer in those days to adopt a Latinate pen-name,
consisting mainly of tales of derring-do from the and I can’t tell you what his real name was, but he
far-flung reaches of the British Empire. There provided a remarkable article that describes the
were also stories by noted writers such as Jules making of a radio-controlled model boat without
Verne, making their first appearance in English. the use of any active components (i.e. valves or
Appearing on a monthly basis from 1913, old semi-conductors) whatsoever. The technology is
copies of the BOP are generally not of much thus really on par with that of Nikola Tesla’s radio-
interest to model makers - apart perhaps for the controlled boat of 1898, featured in the first of this
advertisements - but there are exceptions and the July series, and almost all the components the circuitry
1924 issue, Volume XLVI Part 10, price one Shilling does use are home-made.
PHOTO 3. Receiver circuitry. (5p in current UK money) is one of them, Photo 1. The transmitter (shore station), Photo 2, can
be disposed of quite quickly as it is simply a
battery-powered induction coil, keyed on or off
3 by a spring-loaded switch and radiating its energy
via two ‘tea plate sized’ copper discs connected
across the spark gap of the coil via two-foot strips
of copper. An un-tuned transmitter such as this
radiates its carrier wave energy across a wide
portion of the spectrum and would be the cause
of widespread interference and consternation if
used today. All the trickery comes in the receiver,
or ‘receiving station’, as ADSUM would have it, in
the model.
It can be seen in Photo 3 that the coils A-B
and A-C transfer the aerial’s signal on to the
detector E. In the absence of a diode valve or
crystal detector (which would in fact have been
available by this time), the means of detecting
the received radio signal were very limited, and
the choice usually fell to a coherer, a device
consisting of metal filings between a pair of

72 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 history

electrodes. Normally the coherer was at high

resistance, but upon receipt of a radio signal, the 4
metal filings lined up sufficiently to reduce their
resistance and trip a sensitive relay. Instructions
are provided for making the coherer, and it
consists of two brass electrodes in a slim glass
tube with their faces cut at an angle, Photo 4,
and the space between them half-filled with an
equal mix of nickel and silver filings. There is no
suggestion as to where the young BOP reader
should obtain some silver to file – the cutlery
drawer, perhaps?
Because the filings in the coherer would remain
aligned even when the transmitter is keyed off,
the first thing to do upon receipt of a signal is to
use a sensitive relay (R in Photo 3), switched on by
the coherer, to activate the de-coherer circuit. This
consisted of an electric bell with its dome removed
(please see Photo 4 again), arranged so that its
tapper arm vibrated against the coherer, shaking up PHOTO 4. Coherer detector with de-coherer tapping mechanism.
the filings so that when the transmitter was keyed
off, the coherer is left in a non-conducting state,
ready to respond to the next signal. 5
All that was left now was to operate the boat’s
rudder. This was done by a second circuit, also
switched by the relay R, that energised the coil G to
pull the pawl V in and cause the escapement wheel
J to turn a fixed fraction of a revolution. According
to where the escapement wheel stopped, there
was, in order: no power fed to the steering coils L
and M; power fed to coil L, causing the rudder to
turn to port; no power fed to the coils; power fed
to coil M, causing the rudder to turn to starboard;
and so on. Sequential control in other words, with
two turns in the same direction requiring a quick
blip through the opposite direction without the
model having a chance to respond. All the circuitry
worked on low voltage with no high tension
batteries required as there were no valves. The only
component that the BOP recommended you buy was
the relay, Photo 5, and special arrangements had been
made for the Automatic Telephone Manufacturing
Company to supply these at a cost of 12 shillings and
sixpence, on the understanding that they were to be PHOTO 5. The sensitive receiver relay.
used for the BOP wireless-controlled boat!
It was recommended that the hull of the model
itself be made of metal, to obtain a good earth 6
for the receiver. Failing that, a portion of the hull
needed to be copper sheathed, and the earth wire
connected to that. Quite a substantial aerial support
structure was required, placing the masts 2 feet
4 inches apart so that the aerial wires would be 2
feet long between the spreaders. Oh, and keep
away from motor traffic, for it had been noticed
that the magneto of a nearby motorcycle could take
over control of the model, due to the interference
it radiated via its ignition system! Photo 6 is of
such a model with its tall and well spaced masts to
accommodate the aerial wires!
By 1924 the passive circuitry described in the
article was really already obsolete, with crystal
detectors and valves becoming available, though
as late as the 1950’s some simple radio-controlled
toys still used spark-gap transmission and coherer
detection. I suspect that very few of the BOP’s
young readers, even with adult help, would have
got it all working properly, but the article remains a
fascinating insight into how basic radio control could
be, and how if necessary, all of the componentry, PHOTO 6. A completed model with its large receiver aerial.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 73

s
 history

even the mysterious detector and its relay, could be

made in the home workshop.
As to the BOP itself, it was cut down to a smaller
size by wartime paper restrictions and didn’t return
to anything like its original cover size until 1963.
Reading groups had been set up during the war to
make the most of the limited number of magazines
that could be printed, and the BOP achieved one
of the highest readership-to-sales ratios of any
magazine, an average of thirty or more people
reading each copy sold until it was almost falling
apart. This habit lingered on after the war, making it
a battle for the post-war editor, Jack Cox, to increase
sales. Published hobby features included plans for
simple model boats, aircraft, cars and hovercraft,
with Ron Warring contributing a Model Boats
Supplement for the May 1962 issue and Photo 7 is
of a selection of nautically themed covers The fiction
content was reduced and articles on television and
pop celebrities began to appear, but neither changes
to the format nor a new publisher were able to turn
around the decline and the BOP finally closed its
PHOTO 7. Some nautically themed BOP covers from the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s. covers with the issue for February 1967. l

MODEL BOA
ONLINE !
TS Model Boats Magazine is now only a
click away! You can find us online at...

www.modelboats.co.uk
Website content includes: l A Features area that has sections for:
Build Features, Kit and Product Reviews, Hints,
l A Gallery which features photo albums of models, Tips and Technical, Show and Regatta Reports and
including some under construction by Model Boats General Interest Articles on Model Boating.
readers and being updated as they progress. l A Link to www.myhobbystore.com which has over
l A Forum that has sections for: 3000 plans available and numerous modelling items,
Beginners, General, R/C and Accessories, Static, Kits, books and kits. These can all be purchased online.
Scratch build, Steam, Vintage, Events and Chat.

74 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 special feature

Clockwork Boats?
Peter Whitehead turns back the clock…

I
have no doubt that many modellers are moving
2 forward with new and amazing developments
such as brushless motors, unique signal r/c, etc.
However, some of us have been left behind, fixated
in the distant past and are still just like me!
When I was six years old I was taken to the Round
Pond in Kensington, London, and still remember
the steam tug that I saw on that brilliant day out.
Later, when asked what I wanted for my birthday,
you can guess what I wished for. My father found a
Triang clockwork cargo ship as the nearest possible
alternative and this became my favourite toy for
several years, until I left it too close to the fireside
one evening and it melted. Oh, the grief!
By that time, Triang had moved on to electric
power and I became the owner of a Triang electric
powered. The batteries would soon run down,
there was less operator activity, the fun of guessing
sailing distance was gone and dry batteries
consumed pocket money, so not too good for me
as a youngster.
So the passion for clockwork models never
deserted me and I was stuck right there forever,
because I still make and play around with them to
this day, nearly 60 years later. The Internet is a boon
PHOTO 1. Two Bassett-Lowke motors.
and eBay always seems to have clockwork boats up
for auction and I have been fortunate to buy several
PHOTO 2. A Bassett-Lowke motor in a model, note the Triang plastic boats, albeit with distorted hulls but
HUGE spring.
perfect motors, a beautiful German launch motor
and two Bassett-Lowke marine motors, which are
PHOTO 3. The Bassett-Lowke motor with non-standard enough to keep me amused into the foreseeable
spring removed.
future. So, I would like to introduce clockwork
model boating to you with no radio control.

Motors - Photos 1 to 9
3
A few pictures of marine motors are shown so
that a reader can identify which types to seek out.
Although least valuable, the Triang motors are
the most stable, because their springs unwind in
a perfect port to starboard balance, whereas for
instance, the Bassett-Lowke motors (worth twenty
times as much) need to be ‘spring restricted’ so
that the model does not heel over as the spring

76 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 special feature
4 5

6 7 8

PHOTO 4. The Bassett-Lowke motor now

with a standard spring.

PHOTO 5. An unknown clockwork motor

with an enormous spring.

PHOTO 6. The unknown clockwork motor

now fitted into a 9 inch hull.

PHOTO 7. A Triang motor fitted into a

bespoke hull

PHOTO 8. Another Bassett-Lowke motor,

supplied in a beautiful handmade
wooden box. You don’t get packaging
like that nowadays!

PHOTO 9. A couple of Triang ‘Thames’

clockwork motors.

unwinds and the pictures explain this better than

words. I purchased one Bassett-Lowke motor
which had been fitted with a huge ‘overhead-
mounted’ spring, that could run for over twenty
minutes, but such springs are very dangerous if
they ‘take charge’. The one shown needed to be
clamped in place with a top plate and the hatch 9
cover needed to be bolted down before I would
dare to use it. Later, I took this motor apart,
replacing the spring with an original internal one and
it now runs for six minutes, fits into a much smaller
hull and can propel a little motor barge model nearly
one hundred yards.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 77

s
 special feature 10

PHOTO 10. This semi-scale steam

propelled puffer type of vessel, is built
in a conventional bread and butter
construction method. Here, it is being
tested in the bathroom sink, to get the
motor position correct!

11 12

PHOTO 11. Note the spring centering

blocks, which keep the model
Semi-scale steam puffer - are quite powerful so you don’t need to worry
balanced as the spring unwinds. Photos 10 to 14 about small amounts of friction. Please take note
This little puffer type of semi-scale model is good of the picture which shows the ‘spring-centering’
PHOTO 12. The model is ready
fun, because it can ‘steam’ right across most blocks. These types of motor throw the spring out
for testing. lakes and it’s very small at 13 inches long fitting to port and then suddenly back to starboard and
into a small transport box. Fitting a fairly large without these blocks, your model will suddenly
clockwork motor into the very small hull was the heel and may even capsize. What you do need to
PHOTO 13. Maiden voyage and six
minute running time!
challenge that attracted me to this project. The acquire, is a high-pitched ‘clockwork’ propeller and
propeller shaft and stern tube are made from the one used on this boat is taken from a plastic
brass rod and tubing that can be bought from any clockwork submarine which is still sold for about
PHOTO 14. This model, clockwork model shop and although the inboard end of the £6 in toy shops. The pictures show the basic hull
driven, can safely cross my local
pond and return, all under one
tube is under the waterline, a tiny dab of Vaseline construction and ‘sink’ test, as well as running on
‘wind’ of ‘spring’ power! stops any leakage and these clockwork motors the garden pond and local lake.

13 14

78 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 15 special feature

Tug - Photos 15 to 20
Another recent project was a miniature tug powered
by a large motor. Triang’s had a very tiny clockwork
motor, but I wanted a model tug of similar length
with a powerful motor capable of running for a few
minutes and the result can be seen in the pictures.
As mentioned already, Triang motor-springs are well
balanced as they unwind, and here this spring is
centred because it unwinds against the hull sides. This
tug weighs 1lb, its barge weighs 2lbs and each of the
ballast ‘leads’ weigh 2lbs each, so the whole rig weighs
in at 7lbs, all propelled by the one motor unit in the tug.
Okay, there is a small electric propulsion unit in
the barge, but this was only installed for fun, but towing, or just letting the little tug free-run by itself PHOTO 15. The tug hull is only 8.25
inches long.
having said that, if I am not sure whether the whole with absolutely not a hint of radio control.
rig can reach right across a lake, I might turn this Finally, in case you are wondering what the gear lever PHOTO 16. A Triang clockwork motor
motor on for auxiliary power in preference to having type of rod with a knob on its top end on the models does the business!
to get the rubber thigh boots on! This particular tug shown here is, it is an on/off lever that stops the
PHOTO 17. The barge, tug and the
and barge is all about messing about with model wound-up clockwork motor unwinding before the two lead deadweights as ballast for
boats and it’s fun to try out different methods of model is ready to be released. l the tow.

16 17

18 19

PHOTO 18. Well, why not? If all

else fails the barge has a ‘secret’
20 emergency electric motor and it can
transport the tug!

PHOTO 19. Towing with the tug

secured alongside the barge.

PHOTO 20. A conventional astern tow

across the local pond.

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 79

 steam basics

Boiler
Room
Part Forty One: Making the Most of
Your Flue - The Design
Richard Simpson’s
series on model
steam plants
RIGHT: This Cheddar Pintail plant
shows how the engine exhaust
was run through the centre of the
flue and the safety valve exhaust
was run up the outside. This is
okay in an open hulled model,
but in an enclosed hull you want
to vent the safety valve externally
as well.

BELOW: A John Hemmens

Wharfedale plant clearly showing
the very common approach
of running the engine exhaust
up the outside of the boiler
flue. On cold days in particular
condensation can occur in the
exhaust line so running it inside
is worth considering.

I
think there is probably a very high percentage of
steam modellers out there who buy or build a boiler
with a straightforward flue on it that remains exactly
as that, for the rest of the life of the model. Interestingly
enough, the funnel on real vessels contains quite a lot
of pipework including such things as vent lines from a
wide range of tanks and machinery, ventilation exhaust
ducting and even safety valve discharges. This makes
you think that, as the flue on our boiler is the means
of removing the exhaust gas from the boiler, perhaps
we can also make a bit more use of it in our plant. The
old Cheddar boilers had the engine exhaust piped up
the inside of the flue so why not consider doing that
more often? This actually has a couple of significant
advantages with the first being that it heats up the

80 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 steam basics

Playing around with side elevations

of the Ben Ain model and the
Ribbersdale boiler showed that there
was work to be done to get the boiler
as far back as a new base would allow.
Then it was still going to be 8mm too
far forward.

exhaust pipe and so helps to reduce the formation of Planning

condensation in the low quality exhaust steam as it An open launch hull model is usually a lot more I knew from the start
escapes. Exhaust pipes up the outside of the flue, as flexible in its arrangement than a closed hull, so for that the boiler flue was
with a lot of modern model boilers, can have a tendency this example I will go through the development of not going to line up with
to spit condensation, especially in cold weather as the the flue I made for the Ben Ain project a couple of
the model funnel, despite
exhaust pipe temperature struggles to remain high and years ago. I knew from the start that the boiler flue
the steam starts to condense. This doesn’t look good was not going to line up with the model funnel, my best efforts...
and can make quite a mess of your model. Another despite my best efforts at lifting the engine up
significant advantage is the fact that the escaping steam and getting everything as far back as possible. I
looks much more credible as it escapes from the funnel still needed about 8mm more and the only way to
rather than from a small pipe at the side of the flue. achieve this was to make my own bespoke boiler
We all know boiler smoke is usually black, but it still flue. However, what I did realise was that if I used
seems to look much better coming from the flue itself, an offset of 8mm in the uptake, I could arrange
especially as most of us use gas as a fuel and therefore this to give me a step at the rear of the flue, which
actually see nothing coming out of the flue. could then be used to insert the exhaust pipe from

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 81

s
 steam basics

the separator tank. This would allow the exhaust to

rise through the middle of the flue and a support at
the top could then hold it firmly in place and even
look reasonably realistic from the top of the model.
Another thing to be aware of in an enclosed hull
is the damage that can be done when a safety valve
lifts. The sudden increase in internal pressure has
the potential to do a lot of damage such as blowing
off covers and superstructure pieces, as well as
the sudden release of a lot of steam and water that
will then coat all the internal surfaces and probably
also have an adverse affect on the electronics. It
ABOVE: The first job was to make a new base that moved the boiler as far back as possible in the hull is therefore desirable to try to get the safety valve
by lifting the engine up and allowing the boiler to sit right in the bottom of the hull. to vent externally by either an open pipe, such as a
deck vent, or in my case, I decided to run this into
the funnel as well.
Consequently a ‘play around’ with the parts and
a few drawings later, I came up with a design that
has an offset of 8mm just above the boiler where
the exhaust could be run and an additional pipe at
the front into which the safety valve could vent. This
pipe would not be secured to the safety valve, but
would simply end in a close-fitting hood that sat over
the safety valve. The valve could be repositioned to
an alternative boiler bush, enabling the great majority
of the escaping steam to be directed up the flue.
One of my initial concerns was that the safety valve
lifting might just have the potential to blow the boiler
flame out, however as the flame is controlled by an
electronic gas valve, the safety valve should never lift
under normal operating conditions. I decided that if it
did lift and it did perhaps blow the flame out, I could
bring the model into the bank immediately with the
remaining steam pressure in the boiler to find out
why it had lifted. This would enable me to also check
if the burner was still lit and investigate why the
safety had lifted.

Design
As with a lot of things, the simplest of designs
often require the most thought, which was certainly
the case with this. The 8mm offset had to ensure
that I had an angled face to insert the exhaust
pipe, without creating too much of an angle which
ABOVE: Preliminary trials with might restrict the boiler exhaust flow. I tried a few
the new base: When allowing for
being able to remove the plant sketches before I was happy with a suitable angle
from the model and the fitting of then I drew an accurate drawing to see how it
a coupling, this confirmed that the
flue still need to go further back to
looked. The arrangement I decided, should take
line it up with the model funnel so the flue directly up the centre of the model funnel,
a new flue was definitely needed while allowing the exhaust to enter at the rear and
to enable this to be all ‘doable’.
the safety valve pipe to be connected at the front.
BELOW: The original location of The design also had to take into consideration just
the safety valve also did not lend
itself to venting up the flue so that how I was going to manufacture it, so just how
was going to need moving to the were the cuts going to be made and what length
bush by the flue, so an alternative
position for the steam stop valve
of the angled section was going to be required to
was also going to be found as well. give exactly an 8mm lateral displacement. I decided
that the cuts in the pipe would be at exactly half
the angle of the pipe angle, which would ensure
that the shape of the ellipse cross section created,
would allow the removed piece to be rotated
through 180 degrees and silver soldered back
together. This should ensure a neat joint and when
ABOVE: A full size diagram the same process was repeated for the second
like this was created to clearly
determine the angle of the cuts joint, it should ensure that the two vertical sections
needed in the main tube and the remained parallel, but offset by 8mm.
length of the angled section that
would give a perfectly vertical
It all now seemed good in theory, so it was time
flue with an offset of 8mm. The to start looking for some materials and next month
theory now looked okay anyway! we will see whether it actually worked or not! l

82 Model Boats May 2014

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 around the clubs

Glasgow Richmond
Model Boat Club
T
2014
30 years and he club was formed in 1984 at Richmond
Park, Glasgow, just opposite Shawfield This year, we are celebrating our 30th Anniversary
still sailing! Stadium on the south bank of the River and one of our aims is to break the 100 full member
Clyde. One of the biggest problems is the location mark which we only just missed in 2013 and we
of the park as most Glaswegians think it is part of have two types of member; Full and Affiliated. The
Glasgow Green, but it is actually a separate park on affiliated member is usually a young family member
the other side of the Clyde! or spouse and they only pay for insurance, but if
ABOVE: The clubhouse and main Glasgow Richmond MBC (GRMBC) has grown over you add everyone together, then we have over 100
operating area on an Open Day. the years and is now regarded as one of the premier members already for 2014 and they range in age
(Photo by Andrew Ramsay)
Scottish model boat clubs. The club was initially set from 4 to 91! Another goal for 2014, is to attempt
up for only warships, but times have changed and it to revive competitions within the club for scale
has blossomed to incorporate all sections of the model steering and docking, tug towing, Club 500, Wee
boating fraternity, but sadly, health and safety issues Nip racing, warship manoeuvring and fast electric
have stopped the pyrotechnic displays for which the models. This laudable aim has already spurred-on an
BELOW LEFT: Some days, the pond can the club was once famous. explosion in model boat building within the club as
be quite rough which makes for exciting However, at any time now you will be able to see members race to be ready for our Start of Season
sailing - the model was not harmed
whilst filming! (Photo by Brian Cowell) tugs, fishing boats, work boats, steam boats, fast Show in 2014.
electrics, warships (old and new) and sailing boats, One nice side-effect of all this is the choice
but i.c. boats are not allowed by the council as we of models now being chosen to be built, which
have a large swan population. We also have a fair includes wooden models from the past like the
few different types of model boat, such as John Sea Commander and Wavemaster. There are even
McAllister’s coffin, floating dock and his first aid scratch built models of Ramora, the Thornycroft 67ft
BELOW RIGHT: The lake is big enough
to accommodate fast electric models. box! Perhaps he has not realised we are a model RAF ASR Launch and the timeless HDML, all from
(Photo by Mike Kernaghana) boat club? Model Boats magazine plans and in the pipeline. We

84 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 around the clubs

ABOVE: HMS Hermes at a Warship Day.

(Photo by Robert Forman)

BELOW: A Riva Aquarama at speed.

(Photo by Mike Kernaghana)

also have come up with a 30th Anniversary logo to and ideal for model boat sailing. Our first Open Event ABOVE LEFT: Glasgow Richmond MBC also
sail r/c yachts. (Photo by Chris Daisley)
celebrate 2014 and some one-off additional special for 2014 is on the 4th May - please see April MB for
events have also being arranged. the list of our events this year. BELOW: An unusual Russian gunboat.
The main events this year, are our Start of Season The club members are at the pond on (Photo by Robert Forman)
event; Tug Towing and the Charity Show, which Wednesdays and Sundays from 11am till 4pm and
we finish off with a 3-in-1 auction, evening sail and model building sessions are on Thursday evenings
BBQ. Of course, one of the biggest model boating from 6pm till 9:30 pm in the clubhouse. These
events in Scotland is being held in July 2014, when times can be extended as all it takes is a key-holder
we host the National Warship Weekend organised willing to stay late. If you plan to visit us for a cup
by the Scottish Model Warship Association. In of tea and/or a chat, please contact us first via :
addition, we are one of the main supporters of the [email protected]. Visitors are always
Summerlee Model Weekend. welcome, but a quick call beforehand means
you are expected on the day. The club is based
approximately one mile from Junction 1A of the
Facilities M74, but full directions can be found on the club’s
The club has patched and repaired the clubhouse website: www.glasgowrichmondmbc.co.uk.
over the years, but eventually the upkeep became Information supplied by Eddie Haig l
too much, Glasgow ‘City Building’ assisted and
advised the club on the various options of how to BELOW: A semi-scale RAF Fireboat.(Photo by Eddie Haig)
preserve this old Council building, the roof of which
was in a very bad condition. Funds were sought and
since the club was willing to pay a large amount
towards the repair, it made it easier for us to obtain
the necessary grants, so we would like to thank
Big Lottery Awards For All; Glasgow City Council’s
Area Budget; City Building’s Apprentice Training
Scheme; Oatlands Small Projects Fund and Land
Environmental Services for the new clubhouse roof.
All the internal work and woodwork was done by
the members, so we now have the bee’s knees of a
clubhouse! This is the first time that I can remember
that the clubhouse is now 100% dry inside, which
has the added benefit that members attend all year
round now to operate their models. The pond is large

Model Boats May 2014 85

 readers’ models

Rhino Barge
T
Rhino Barge?
Greg Turek’s his project was an attempt to combine model
boating with model armoured fighting vehicles. After chatting with my fellow model tank drivers,
unusual model I am a keen member of the St. George MBC the subject of Rhino Barges caught my attention.
in Sydney, Australia, and enjoy sailing my various These were USA manufactured barges, assembled
models around the club pond at Scarborough Park by joining steel pontoons together into a variety of
ABOVE: The bow ramp is not strictly which is near Botany Bay. Several club members also sizes. I have seen pictures of these craft carrying
pro-typical, but does mean r/c tanks can
be loaded and off-loaded with ease.
have an interest in model tanks and regularly bring dozens of vehicles and also in smaller sizes carrying
them to club meetings. Tamiya produce a range of only several. These barges were propelled by what
1:16 scale r/c tanks as kits which are very nice, but were essentially powerful outboard motors with
they are rather expensive. However, to our delight, lifting output legs, so as to enable beach landings
Heng Long (a Chinese manufacturer) now produce an and shallow water operation. There are very few
excellent range of 1:16 scale r/c tanks which are ready images available of these craft, but I managed to
So, as you will have to run. These models are well detailed with authentic draw some approximate 1:16 scale plans from
guessed, I have joined in colouring, realistic operation with high manoeuvrability, pictures I had seen on the Internet. The barges
the club’s tank fraternity... smoke, a gun firing pellets and sound. All this is for a were very simple pontoon-like craft with a sloping
fraction the cost of an equivalent Tamiya product. So, ramp incorporated at the bow so as to avoid the
as you will have guessed, I have joined in the club’s necessity and complication of a lowering bow door
tank fraternity with the purchase of Walker Bulldog and as used on the more conventional LCM type of
Sherman tanks, both used by the US Army. landing craft.
There have been several articles in Model Boats on
LCM (Landing Craft Mechanised) carrying tanks, but
I wanted to build something which can carry several The model
BELOW: The interior looking towards vehicles and is also something that had not been For ease of transport, it was decided to make the
the stern. modelled before as far as I am aware. barge in two sections (fore and aft) which could be
easily bolted together. Plywood was used in the
construction of the sections and this was coated
with polyester fibreglass resin for waterproofing
and durability.
Large internal access openings are provided in
the top of each section. The outboard drive units
and their lifting power legs were a challenging
proposition, but I decided to take a pragmatic
approach by using conventional motors and
driveshafts, but used a tilting platform on which
to mount the motors and shafts. In this way the
propeller shafts can be angled from a point where
the propellers are level with the bottom of the hull
or lowered so that the propellers are markedly
under the waterline. This tilting motor platform is
raised and lowered by a 50:1 geared motor driven
winch, all controlled by a servo engaging a three
position switch - centre off - left raise - right lower.
A micro-switch placed at the top and bottom of
the motor platform movement arc controls the end
points when raising and lowering the propshafts.
To create the impression of a Z-drive leg, styrene
tubing was attached from under the outboard housings
and connected to the propshafts. The propshafts
exit from the hull by way of a flexible boot made of a

86 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 readers’ models

The Rhino landing craft makes for a practical working model transporting 1:16 r/c scale tanks.

garden irrigation joint fixed into the transom through

which the propshafts extend. A waterproof flexible
covering boot is made by encasing it all with three
layers of nitrile rubber glove fingers! The rubber joints
were bound tightly with cotton thread, which was then
coated with superglue.
Steering is by controlling each of the 60mm four
bladed propellers with a separate speed controller.
Even though the actual Rhino barges did not have a
lowering bow ramp, I decided to fit one so that there
was less chance of water contact with the model
tanks as they were driven off the barge. This bow
ramp is raised and lowered by a high torque servo
with an extended arm, attached to it with cord.

On the water
The first water test was quite successful with a
Sherman tank driven on to the barge then taken for a
sail around the pond, then unloaded on to the shore
and driven away. The only mishap was that the servo
that raises and lowers the bow ramp began to stall
as I attempted to raise it after unloading the tank. I
suspected that this was due to insufficient current It is designed in three sizes; the standard size ABOVE: A close-up of one of the drive
units. The propeller can be raised and
available to the servo via the BEC (Battery Elimination is 20.12 metres (66.0ft) in length and 7.32 metres lowered by radio control. The seal on
Circuit) within the speed controller system, so to (24.0ft) in width, with a capacity of 60000kg the output shaft is from the ‘fingers’ of
remedy this problem an external receiver battery rather (130000lb). Two larger versions (Maxi-Mexeflote) rubber gloves!
than the BEC system may be better and the length are available; a 38.41 by 7.32 metres (126.0ft × BELOW: Greg Turek and his model of
of the electrical wire connections probably didn’t help 24.0ft) combination has a capacity of 120000kg the Rhino landing craft. The hull is in
two sections, so an additional unit can
either. It was also noticed that the wind had quite an (260000lbs), while the 38.41 by 12.2 metres be installed between them to increase
effect on the controllability of the barge, probably due (126.0ft × 40ft) combination has a capacity of vehicle capacity.
to its very shallow draft and flat bottom. 180000kg (400000lb).
Each version has three components; bow,
stern, and centre, which can be fitted together as
The future? required, making the Mexeflote a truly versatile
I am considering adding another modular centre craft. The different sections allow it to be used as
section to allow more tanks to be carried, a raft, a floating pontoon, or even as a causeway
something that would also perhaps have occurred from ship to shore.
in real operational use. This has been a fun project Paul Freshney - Editor) l
and has enabled the practical integration of model
boats and model tanks. It’s quite a visual sight for
spectators to watch several tanks driving off the
barge, firing at targets on land and then returning
to it for a quick getaway across the water. Perhaps
more to the point, the barge is a simple, practical
and pro-typical way of moving tanks and vehicles
over water and it is somewhat less complicated
than a conventional landing craft.

(Readers may be interested to know that in

current 2014 British and Australian military service,
the Mexeflote is a powered raft that is similar to
this Rhino Barge concept. The Mexeflote is used to
move goods and vehicles between ship and shore
when a pier is not available.

Model Boats May 2014 87

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 crows nest

Test Bench
Model Boats looks at new products
Attention - Manufacturers & Distributors
l These pages are open to you - your shop window to bring to the attention of
our thousands of readers, new products - kits, books, videos, engines, R/C gear,
motors, anything that could be of interest to model boat builders. Send your
information initially to Model Boats Test Bench, PO Box 9890, Brentwood,
CM14 9EF - or ring the Editor on 01277 849927 for more details.
You cannot afford to miss this opportunity!

Revell US Navy Skipjack-Class

1:72 scale submarine kit
marketed by Revell and it is parts and four small photo-
1067mm long, so is suitable etched components, the kit is
for conversion to r/c. The kit moulded in a light grey plastic
(Item No. 05119), is boxed in with engraved panel lines and
the usual Revell style, with vents to high level of quality.
colour artwork on its top to A plastic pedestal type display
illustrate the subject and stand is also included.
some close-up photos Instructions are multilingual
of a painted prototype in a 13-page A4 booklet with a
model on one of the side step-by-step diagram format.
panels. Inside the box The waterslide decals appear
is a cardboard insert to be well printed with good
offering some added registration, but with large areas
protection to the kit of transparent film around the
underneath, but there pennant numbers.
is still room for movement It is possible to convert this kit
USS Skipjack was one of the war-game! By 1962 the US Navy within the box, so double check to r/c and a visit to Sub Driver,
US Navy’s first nuclear powered had commissioned five more the contents for any possible website: www.sub-driver.com
attack submarines, Following Skipjack Class submarines. These breakages! There are five will take you to the necessary
testing and evaluation, the submarines proved to be fast and polythene bags containing the parts to turn this into a true
submarine was transferred to agile with a submerged top speed 60 kit components and their static diving submarine.
the fleet on 15th April 1959. of over 30 knots and had six sprues. The four main sections RRP is £69.99, but discounts
Subsequently, during a large naval torpedo tubes and 24 torpedoes. of the hull (two to a bag) have can be easily had in the
exercise in her first interaction USS Skipjack was finally retired been packaged with a small marketplace. For further
with multiple surface ships, USS from active service in April 1990. block of polystyrene and thin information, please check:
Skipjack was able to ‘sink’ every This kit was originally from sheets of protective foam. With www.revell.de/en
large aircraft carrier involved in the Moebius Models, but is now the exception of the transparent Review by Richard Dyer

Falcon Aviation
Servo Mount
If you find that firmly fixing
servos in your model
tricky, this laser cut kit
might be the answer.
The servo mount is laser cut and
Assembling the four designed for side-mounting.
parts with PVA glue takes
a few minutes – mainly waiting
for the glue to dry! Four holes
are pre-cut, so a standard sized 37/39 Oxford
servo can be screwed down. Road, Burnley,
Another four are provided so Lancashire, BB11 3BB
the mount can be screwed to (Visitors by appointment only).
a suitable surface within your Tel: 01282 437777, website:
model. Price is £1:99 and it is www.falcon-aviation.co.uk.
available from Falcon Aviation, Review by Phil Parker

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 89

s
 crows nest

Pembroke Dock
1814 - 2014:
A Bicentennial
Look Back
Written by Phil Carradice &
Roger MacCallum. Softback, 96
pages, 235 x 167mm, over 160
photographs and illustrations
in colour and black & white.
ISBN: 978-1-4456-1774-9.
Price (RRP) £14.99. Published This book is a meticulously
Warships of the
by Amberley Publishing Ltd. it was time to be pragmatic, to detailed history of British Aircraft
Kriegsmarine –
The Hill, Merrywalks, Stroud, forget the glories of the past Carriers from the earliest
Battleships of the
Gloucestershire, GL5 4EP. and look to the future. Look to experimental vessels, through
Bismarck Class
Tel: 01453 847800, website: the future the town certainly two World Wars and several Written by Gerhard Koop
www.amberley-books.com. did. In1931 the RAF established other conflicts, to the present and Klaus-Peter Schmolke.
Available direct from the a seaplane base which took day and the Queen Elizabeth Softback, 160 pages, 242 x
publisher or through the usual over much of the old yard. They class carriers, currently under 192mm, over 220 black & white
retail outlets. originally intended to stay for construction, the largest ships photographs, line drawings,
This year, 2014, Pembroke a few months, but in the end ever built for the Royal Navy. maps and diagrams. ISBN:
Dock celebrates 200 years since stayed for twenty nine years. Individual chapters cover 978-1-84832-197-7, price (RRP)
its founding, when a Royal In the post-WW2 years a few design and construction of each £16.99 Published by Seaforth
Dockyard – the only one ever to private ship yards together with class, with full technical details Publishing, an imprint of Pen
exist in Wales – was established the oil industry in the 1960’s and there are also extensive & Sword Books Limited,
on the banks of Milford Haven. brought jobs and a degree of summaries of every ship’s career. 47 Church Street, Barnsley,
The dockyard was the reason prosperity to the town, but Apart from the obvious large deck South Yorkshire, S70 2AS.
for rapid development of the today the old Royal Dockyard carriers, escort carriers and MAC Tel: 01226 734222, website:
town, with people from rural where warships were once (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) ships, www.seaforthpublishing.
Pembrokeshire and all around built, hosts fast catamaran ferry the maintenance ships built on com. Available direct from the
Britain moving to the area to services to Ireland. carrier hulls and the modern LPH publisher or through the usual
work in it and the industries that In this, interesting and well (Landing Platform Helicopter) are retail outlets.
serviced it. Between 1814 and presented book, the authors, also covered. This first volume of this
1914 the dockyard at Pembroke Phil Carradice and Roger It concludes with a look at new series of Warships of
Dock built naval warships that MacCallum, tell the story of the future of naval aviation, the Kriegsmarine, is devoted
saw service and fought in all Pembroke Dock 1814 to 2014 while numerous appendices appropriately to the two
corners of the world. However, with ‘then & now’ photographs summarise related subjects battleships of the Bismarck
these had been colonial and old prints, many from their like naval aircraft, recognition class, namely Bismarck
campaigns or skirmishes that own collections, illustrating the markings and the circumstances and Tirpitz, the largest
somehow, never really touched development of the town from surrounding the loss of every capital ships ever built and
the people of the town. Even the first half of the nineteenth British carrier. As befits completed in Germany. Both
the Crimean War, in which so century to the present day. such an important reference ships enjoyed only a brief
many Pembroke Dock ships A recommended must-read work, it’s heavily illustrated existence and though, begun
were involved, was a remote for maritime historians and with a magnificent gallery of during peacetime, both
and physically distant affair, but enthusiasts alike. photographs, drawings, including were commissioned after
the war which followed, the Book Review by John Deamer the first publication of original the outbreak of the Second
Great War (1914 to 1918), was aircraft carrier plans in full colour, World War. Bismarck’s fate
different. It would take millions one on a four-page gatefold. embraced triumph and tragedy
of lives and saw no fewer than British Aircraft In this magnificent book, the and over a limited period
seven Pembroke Dock ships go Carriers – Design author, a leading historian of Tirpitz could do no more
to the bottom of the ocean, a Development and British carrier aviation, David than prove her value simply
war like no other the world had Service Histories Hobbs and a retired Fleet Air by her existence. This, for a
ever seen, but ultimately it was Written by David Hobbs. Arm pilot himself, tells the story warship of her dimensions and
a war that brought about the Hardback, 384 pages, 295 x of the British Aircraft Carriers firepower was almost certainly
demise of Pembroke Dockyard. 254mm, over 440 black & white with the authority of a lifetime’s too little. Sulking deep in
In 1926, eight years after the photographs, line drawings, research combined with a Norwegian fjords, Tirpitz met
end of WW1, the government diagrams and plans (some in practical understanding of the her end suddenly in November
announced the dockyard was colour) ISBN: 978-1-84832-138-0, issues surrounding the design and 1944 being destroyed by
to close. The yard, in the wrong price (RRP) £45.00 Published by operation of aircraft carriers. This aerial bombing by the RAF
place at the wrong time, were Seaforth Publishing, an imprint of is certain to become the standard and inadequate underwater
a luxury that a bankrupt Britain Pen & Sword Books Limited, work on the subject. Whether surveying which allowed the
could ill afford. 47 Church Street, Barnsley, you’re a maritime historian, ship to capsize completely.
The people of the town and South Yorkshire, S70 2AS. enthusiast or ship modeller, if your After completion of her
those in authority knew that Tel: 01226 734222, website: interest in aircraft carriers and trials, Bismarck was ready
once the dockyard was shut www.seaforthpublishing.com. British aircraft carriers in particular, for her first operation and in
it was shut forever, and so for Available direct from the publisher this is the book for you! the Spring of 1941 she sailed
the people of Pembroke Dock, or through the usual retail outlets. Book Review by John Deamer from Gdynia to break out

90 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

 crows nest

into the Atlantic in company 47 Church Street, Barnsley, This book summarises the
with the heavy cruiser Prinz South Yorkshire, S70 2AS. experience of WW2, particular
Eugen. The operation, code Tel: 01226 734222 website: in theatres like the Pacific where
named ‘Rheinübung’ (Rhine www.seaforthpublishing. the danger of aerial attack was
Exercise), was to be the com. Available direct from the at its greatest and a concluding
ship’s one and only operation. publisher or through the usual chapter looks at post-1945
On the 24th May 1941 she retail outlets. developments that drew on
encountered and sunk HMS This book by Norman wartime lessons. All important
Hood. A few days later Friedman, does for naval anti- guns, directors and electronics
Bismarck was hunted down aircraft defence what his book are represented in close-up
by Royal Navy warships of the on Naval Firepower did for photographs, drawings and
Home Fleet, when she fell surface gunnery - it makes a lengthy appendices that detail
victim to a torpedo hit on her highly complex but historically their specifications and technical
rudder. Eventually she was crucial subject accessible. It data. This superb book is simply
overwhelmed and sunk by the chronicles the growing aerial another contribution to naval
battleships HMS King George threat from its inception in technical history by one of its
V and HMS Rodney. the First World War and the leading exponents and as such
This book, the first of a series response of each of the major would be an invaluable reference
of six volumes depicts the navies, the Royal Navy, the US work for both historians and
warships of the World War 2 Navy, the Imperial Japanese warship modellers. is divided into three sections,
era German Navy. Each volume Navy as well as other European Book Review by John Deamer two-masted vessels, three-
will contain an account of the Navies in the inter-war years masted vessels and vessels
development of a particular together with the addition with four or more masts. Each
class, a detailed description of Axis Navies in WW2, Tall Ships Handbook entry gives details of the ships
of the ships, together with full highlighting in particular the Written by Amanda Butcher. description, mast and sail
technical details and an outline widely underestimated danger Softback, 175 pages, 235 arrangement, website, number
of their service histories. Heavily from dive-bombing. Central to x 167mm, over 220 colour of permanent/professional
illustrated with plans, battle this discussion is an analysis of photographs, and illustrations. crew, number of cadets/
maps and a substantial collection what effective anti-aircraft fire ISBN: 978-1-4456-1889-0. Price trainees, port of registration
of photographs, this initial new control required and how each (RRP) £17.99. Published by (POR), type of vessel (replica,
edition of series, which has navy’s systems actually worked. Amberley Publishing Ltd. The new build etc.) and the length
been out of print for ten years It also takes into account in Hill, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 over all (LOA) , there’s also
or more, will be welcomed by some detail the weapons 4EP. Tel: 01453 847800, website: a short history of the ships
enthusiasts, collectors and ship themselves, how they were www.amberley-books.com. career including background
modellers alike. placed on ships and how this Available direct from the publisher and ownership, together with
Book Review by John Deamer reflected the tactical concepts or through the usual retail outlets. colour photographs of the ship
of naval anti-aircraft defence. Around 200 vessels take itself. There are also chapters
As would be expected from part in the Tall Ships series of on the definition of a tall ship
Naval Anti-Aircraft any Norman Friedman book races, which travel the world and where you can see them.
Guns & Gunnery it offers striking insights. He each year. They regularly The book concludes with
Written by Norman Friedman. argues for example, that the attract up to five million chapters on how you can get
Hardback, 399 pages, 295 x major reason why the US Navy spectators, easily making them involved with tall ships and
254mm, over 400 black & white was so very under-armed in the largest public attendance ships which, for whatever
photographs, line drawings, light anti-aircraft weapons in of any event in the world. reason, are no longer sailing,
diagrams and plans. ISBN: 1940 was that more money When the ships are in port, these include the Canadian
978-1-84832-177-9, price (RRP) was available before the they are often open for the vessel Concordia which sank
£45.00 Published by Seaforth 1929 Wall Street Crash, but public to view, they range 300 miles off Brazil in 2010,
Publishing, an imprint of Pen successive administrations from period Victorian sailing the Irish sail-training ship
& Sword Books Limited, considered military and naval ships to brand-new sailing Asgard II which sank in the
spending a drain on the vessels with every modern Bay of Biscay a couple of
economy. In retrospect that convenience. One of the years earlier in 2008, probably
was no bad thing, because challenges for spectators is after hitting a submerged
heavy spending in the late working out which ship is object, and the Brig Astrid
1920’s would have produced which and this new handy that sank after being forced
large quantities of obsolete guidebook by Amanda, a onto rocks off the coast of
equipment. Aircraft were former Chief Executive of Ireland in 2013, but has now
changing far too rapidly, the Jubilee Sailing Trust and been raised. Readers may
particularly in the years that currently a director and trustee remember a model of the T.
preceded WW2, and that the of the UKs national sail training S. Astrid by the late Richard
Royal Navy, so often criticised body ASTO (Association of Sail Webb was a ‘Plan Feature’
for lack of ‘air-mindedness’ Training Organisations), sets in this magazine (July 2006).
was actually the most alert to out to make it easy to identify Fortunately in all three cases
the threat, but that its systems each vessel. no lives were lost. This is
were inadequate, not because There are over seventy of certainly an ideal guide for tall
they were too primitive, but the most prominent tall ships, ships races. but will also be of
because they tried to achieve from countries worldwide, great interest to modellers.
too much. listed in the directory which Book Review by John Deamer

Model Boats May 2014 www.modelboats.co.uk 91

s
 crows nest
MODEL BOATS MARKETPLACE
FREE READERS’ ADVERTISEMENTS

Sales AEROKITS PATROL

MODEL SLIPWAY Drumbeat TORPEDO BOAT. 40ins long,
of Devon & Yorkshireman; started project, in original
Deans Marine Grampian Pride & box(tatty), with parts and plans,
Graupner Pegasus. All motorised no instructions, collectors item,
with some extras & finished to £120. Also; Marblehead yacht
a high standard, but need r/c. hull, needs TLC, £50. Buyer
£200 each as run out of space. collects. Mr. Derek Doughty,
J.E. Hodges, tel: 01276 472419 tel: 01553 617678 (Norfolk)
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GRAUPNER TITO NERI
PROBOAT Shockwave 36. finished to a high standard,
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but needs Tx & Rx. £75 ono built to a very high standard,
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Pini, tel: 07956 372441 after sail, no r/c, £500 ono. Buyer
7pm (Chigwell, Essex). collects. Terry Richards, tel:
01865 375726 (Oxfordshire).
East of Suez – Liners Chandris Line and Fairsea FOUR MODEL BOATS - part
to Australia in the and Fairsky of the Italian line finished with plenty of spare GRAUPNER POLLUX, 1:100
1950’s & 1960’s Sitma. Europeans were in parts, £150. Angus Campbell, scale tug kit, new, boxed,
Written by William H Miller & this great outward flow as tel: 07588 839625 (Ellesmere complete, parts cut-out &
Tim Noble. Softback, 160 pages, well – the Germans, Dutch, Port, Cheshire). ready for assembly, together
248 x 170mm, over 360 colour French, Italians and Greeks. with Multi-Speed 140
and black & white photographs Many liners in the1960’s were CONGO RIVER GUNBOAT, propulsion pack. Needs r/c.
and. illustrations. ISBN: 978- over-booked. On the return 36 x 6ins, immaculate and £60, Mr. G. Davies,
1-4456-3429-6. Price (RRP) journey there were young detailed. With Tx and transport tel: 07751 134852 (Middlesex).
£19.99. Published by Amberley Australians sometimes dubbed box. I need the room! £250
Publishing Ltd. The Hill, Stroud, the ‘backpacker trade’ who (no offers), buyer collects. HMS TIGER & HMS DARING
Gloucestershire, GL5 4EP. Tel: were travelling to Europe and Brian Chick, tel: 01443 473254 boxed 1:600 scale Airfix kits in
01453 847800, website: www. especially England as a post- (Mountain Ash, Glamorgan). mint condition. No reasonable
amberley-books.com. Available university ‘rite of passage’ trip. offer refused. Brian Mullins,
direct from the publisher or There were also family visits by TWIN MAST SCHOONER, tel: 07811 613483 (Argyll).
through the usual retail outlets. Australians, returning to British 53 inches long. Reduced scale
What New York was to the and European shores. from original Daniels design. KM PRINZ EUGEN, German
great liners on the trans-Atlantic In Australia there were other, Cedar and mahogany planks battle cruiser, ARTR Graupner
run, Sydney and Melbourne perhaps lesser known, often on hardwood frames, includes Premium model, 58 inches long.
were to the liners that sailed smaller passenger ships of such two channel Hitec r/c. £400. As new, never sailed, needs r/c,
East of Suez on the long haul companies as Dominion Far East, Photos available. Alan Cook, but includes motors and triple
route from the UK and Europe Eastern & Australian Line and the tel: 01244 660743 (Chester). screws etc. £600 ono. Barry
to Australia. Until the 1970’s this ‘mini’ liners of Australian coastal McCready, tel: 01227 361909
was one of the busiest routes services such as the Kanimbla, ONE METRE YACHT. Cert (Herne Bay, Kent).
anywhere in the world; there Wanganela and Manoora. No. 2696. 3sets of sails,
was general passenger traffic, In this fascinating book, the RMG sailwinch, r/c, but no ROBBE SMARGD yacht with
wealthy tourists travelling first authors, Bill Miller (Mr. Ocean batteries. Very fast, £350. Futaba F14r/c, Graupner servos
class as well as businessmen, Liner) and Tim Noble tell us Also one metre Widget, 3 and winches. Never sailed,
government officials, merchants the story of the liners that sets of sails, sails well, r/c, no but requires check-over. £400,
and traders, but it was largely a sailed East of Suez to Australia batteries. £250. Buyer collects. Mr. F. C. Knights, tel: 01206
low-fare trade, down in tourist in the 1950’s and 60’s, using D. Ainsley, tel: 01132 409287 845611 (Colchester, Essex).
class. There was a huge flow many rare, previously unseen (Leeds, Yorkshire).
of European immigrants being photographs and memorabilia PROBOAT RIVA STYLE
lured to new, more prosperous including illustrations of MONSOON NAUTILUS Classic Runabout, 740mm long
lives in Australia. 100000 British ships plans, advertising YACHT. Never used due to complete with r/c gear, female
migrants, or ‘ten-pound-poms’ brochures, tickets, menus illness. Cost £150, selling for £75 crew, carry box & stand. £89 ono,
as they became known, were etc., many from their own plus p/p or buyer collects. Mel buyer collects. A. Argent, tel:
leaving the ports of London- personal collections which Houghton, tel: 01215 508356 01279 812418 (Stansted, Essex).
Tilbury and Southampton for are bound to evoke nostalgic (Halesowen, West Midlands).
distant destinations such as memories of this bygone PRECEDENT PERKASA,
Fremantle, Melbourne and fleet from a different era ROBBE COMTESSE YACHT 48ins, wood, built to high
Sydney on British ships like when people travelled by sea with custom Nylet sails, fin standard, good condition but
Canberra, Iberia, Orsova and instead of in the skies. This keel, complete with r/c and no motor or electrics, £110.
Oriana of the P&O Orient Line, is a definite ‘must-read’ for servos plus sail case. Ready Also, new 12v motor & battery
Southern Cross and Northern maritime historians, ocean to go, high quality finish, for Perkasa, £36. Buyer
Star of Shaw Savill, together liner enthusiasts and ship photos available. £100, buyer collects. Peter Gosson,
with foreign vessels like the modellers alike. collects. Brian Knight, tel: 01275 875808
Ellinis and Britanis of the Greek Book Review by John Deamer tel: 01935 873309 (Dorset). (North Somerset).

92 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats May 2014

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batteries & charger, Planet T5 27.0ins high. Ideal for period ship 20 or Mercury. Any condition, Nicholson, tel: 02380 420487
r/c, built 2013, £350 ono. Also, model. £100. Buyer collects. MR. reasonable price paid. Keith Reid, (Southampton).
Thunder Tiger Odyssey yacht with D. A. Rogers, tel: 01206 679749 tel: 01290 550055
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35ins. Fitted with servos and sail Photos available, buyer collects. & fair price paid. Nigel Smith,
control, mast, rigging & sails, £350. A. Robertson, tel: 01277 624587 tel: 01249 890646 (Wiltshire).
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Amati Kits
Arno XI Ferrari 800kg Hydroplane £329.00
MAIL ORDER ONLY AEROKITS, AERONAUT,
Arno XI Ferrari Pre Built Hull £384.00 FREE UK SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER £150 AMATI, BILLING BOATS,
Arrow Gunboat 1914 £94.50 CALDERCRAFT, DUMAS,
Chinese Pirate Junk £84.95 WE STOCK A WIDE RANGE OF RADIO CONTROL COREL, GRAUPNER,
Endeavour 1:35 Wood Hull £259.00
Endeavour (Wood Hull) 1:80 £76.95
AND STATIC DISPLAY KITS, FITTINGS, TOOLS & PLANS. PANART, KRICK,
Endeavour Pre Formed Wood Hull 1:50
Enterprise Pre-formed 1:80
£239.95
£77.00
SECURE ONLINE SHOPPING AND MAIL ORDER SERVICE MAMOLI, MANTUA,
Grand Banks Motor Yacht £397.00
OCCRE, ROBBE, SERGAL
HM Brig Supply £134.95 Snake 1:20 £256.49
Greek Bireme £74.95 HM Cutter Sherborne £71.95 Viper S Small £94.99
Greek Galliot £105.95 HM Gunboat William £167.95 San Marcos (Galleon) £215.00
Joysway - Ready to run models
HMAV Bounty 1787 1:60 £222.00 HM Mortar Vessel Convulsion £89.95 Santisima Trinidad £358.00
Mayflower, English Galleon 1620 £159.95 HM Schooner Ballahoo £59.95 Magic Cat 2.4 £47.50 Santissima Section £115.00
Oseberg Viking Ship 1:50 £99.95 HM Schooner Pickle £124.95 Magic Vee £47.50 Ulises £195.00
Rainbow (pre-formed) 1:80 £76.90 HM Yacht Chatham £83.95 Sea Drifter EP Brushless £360.00 London Tram £105.00
Rainbow (Wood Hull) 1:80 £79.90 HMAV Bounty £184.95 Caribbean Yacht 1:46 £52.00 Dennis Bus Type B £95.00
RMS Titanic £379.00 HMS Agamemnon £588.95 Dragon Force Yacht £148.99 Stephensons Rocket £72.00
Robert E Lee £243.99 HMS Cruiser £193.96 Explorer Yacht £148.99
Panart Kits
Viking Ship £99.95 HMS Diana £440.95 Focus 1 meter yacht £218.99
Amerigo Vespucci 1:84 £670.00
Artesania Latina HMS Jalouse £204.95 Krick Kits
Anteo Harbour Tug £329.00
Bounty Jolly Boat £58.99 HMS Mars £183.00 Alexandra Steam Launch inc Fittings £300.00 Armed Naval Pinnace £132.00
HMS Victory 1:84 £679.99 HMS Snake £193.96 Anna Steam Launch £100.00 HMS Victory 1:78 Scale £389.00
King of the Mississippi £143.00 HMS Victory £709.50 Borkum Steam Launch inc Fittings £339.00 HMS Victory Bow Section £173.00
Titanic Lifeboat £58.99 Mary Rose £242.00 Felix £88.93 Section Deck £130.00
San Juan Spanish galleon £116.00 Constructo Kits Lisa M £104.95 San Felipe £583.00
Santa Maria £121.50 Albatros £76.94 Gulnara £271.99 The Royal Caroline £265.00
US Constellation, American Frigate 1:85 £277.00 America Schooner £99.73 U-Boat £326.95
Pro Boat - Ready to Run
Swift 1805 £89.00 Cutty Sark £179.54 Victoria Steam Launch inc Fittings £355.00
Impulse 26 £170.00
Billing Boats HMS Bounty £176.11 Mamoli Kits
Westward 18 Sailboat £139.50
Absalon £450.00 HMS Victory £331.73 Blackbeard Pirate Ship £110.00
Le Pourquoi-Pas £189.98 Robbe Kits
African Queen £138.00 CSS Alabama £202.00
Andrea Gail 1:60 £89.95 Louise £82.07 Golden Hind £180.00 Dolly Harbour Launch 1:20 - New Version 129.95
Bluenose £125.95 Mayflower £176.11 HMS Beagle 1:64 £173.00 Dusseldorf 1:25 Almost Ready to Run £374.95
Boulogne Etaples 1:50 £149.99 Robert E Lee £167.57 HMS Bounty 1:64 Scale £211.00 Magin One Black Race edition £189.98
Building Slip £44.98 USS Constitution 1:82 £297.53 HMS Endeavour 1:100 Scale £115.00 Magin Two £190.00
Calypso Research Vessel 1:45 £365.99 Corel Kits HMS Portsmouth 1:64 £156.00 Paula IV £165.00
Colin Archer 1:40 £85.00 HMS Prince £256.00 Sylt Police Boat £549.95
Berlin £330.00 Rapido 600 £139.99
Cutty Sark 1:75 £266.95 HM Endeavour £196.00 HMS Surprise £305.00
Fairmount Alpine £324.95 HMS Bellona £299.00 HMS Swift £126.00 Sergal Kits
HMS Reknown £75.95 HMS Neptune £264.00 HMS Victory 1:150 Scale £260.00
Cutty Sark £358.00
HMS Warrior £449.99 HMS Resolution £169.00 L’Orenoque £300.00
HMS Bounty £174.00
Nordkap 1:50 £269.94 HMS Unicorn £205.00 Roter Lowe £283.00
HMS Peregrine £182.00
Smit Nederland 1:33 £319.99 HMS Victory £317.00 Valiant £173.00
HMS President Light Frigate £77.00
Smit Rotterdam 1:75 £266.95 HMS Victory Cross Section £99.00 Mantua Kits HMS Racehorse £77.00
Viking Ship Oseberg 1:25 £111.98 Prince William £334.00 Mississippi 1870 £356.00
Amerigo Vespucci £296.00
Waveney Lifeboat £39.95 Ranger £66.00 Soleil Royale 1669 £710.00
Armed Swedish Gunboat £140.00
USS Constitution £188.99 Reale de France £540.00 Sovereign of the Seas £710.00
Astrolabe. French Sloop 1812 £197.00
Will Everard 1:67 £71.94 Scotland £66.00 Thermopylae £77.00
Bruma Open Cruiser Yacht 1:43 £165.00
Caldercraft RC Kits Wasa £405.00 Golden Star £77.00 Wasa £710.00
Alta Liebe £264.95 Dumas static kits, RC available HM Endeavour Bark 1768 1:60 £156.00 Thunder Tiger
Branneran £299.95 Ace racing Sloop £29.99 HMS Victory 1:200 Scale £103.00
ETNZ 1M Racing Yacht £219.95
Cumbrae £266.95 Chinese Junk £19.99 HMS Victory 1:98 £283.00
Naulantia 1M Yacht £149.99
Imara Twin Screw £458.95 Chris Craft 1930 24” Runabout £53.99 Mercator £145.00
Team china 1M yacht £219.95
Joffre £251.95 Chris Craft 1938 27” Triple cockpit £53.99 Mincio £94.00
Desperado Jr. ARTR Catamaran £119.99
Marie Felling Single Screw £395.95 Gondola £17.99 Le Superbe £322.00
Outlaw JR OBL Power boat Combo £165.95
Milford Star £228.95 Viking Ship £19.99 Occre Kits
Northlight £251.95 Victory Models
Euromodel Como Kits Albatros £79.00
Resolve £508.95 HM Granado £261.95
Ajax 18th Century European Frigate 1:72 Scale £518.95 Apostol Felipe (Galleon) £216.00
Sir Kay £294.95 HMS Fly £289.00
Derfflinger 17th Century Felucca 1:66 Scale £260.95 Bounty with Cutaway Hull Section 1:45 Scale £257.00
Talacre £251.95 HMS Pegasus £344.00
Falmouth 18th Century “East India” £594.94 Cazador Xebec £180.00
The Motor Fifie “Amaranth” £121.94 HMS Vanguard £684.00
La Renommee 18th Cen Frigate 1:70 Scale £602.95 Diana (Frigate) £216.00
Caldercraft Static Kits Lady Nelson £117.95
Lyde 18th Century Schooner 1:70 Scale £296.95 Dos Amigos Brigantine Schooner 1:53 Scale £106.00
Mercury Russian Brig £354.00
HM Bark Endeavour £224.95 Gorch Foch £320.00
Hobby Engine - Ready to run models Nuestra Senora del Pilar 1:46 Scale £450.00 Plastic models also available in:
HM Bomb Vessel Granado £204.95
HM Brig Badger £165.00 Flash Speed boat 1:25 £94.99 Mississippi Paddle Steamer £180.00 Airfix, Revell, Trumpeter and many more!!

ALL THE HARDWARE, BUILDING MATERIALS AND RC EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO COMPLETE

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email: [email protected] All prices correct at time of going to press