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[caledonia]

My name is Derek and this is my first posting although I have been registered for some time.  I retired about 5 Years ago, and about three years ago returned to modelling, mainly plastic aircrft kits.  In the distant past I made the Billings 'Cutty Sark' and the 'Norden'.

For some time now I have been looking to do a static model of an Aberdeen Steam Trawler, and scanning the internet I found that the Caldercraft Milford Star was actually built in Aberdeen by Hall, Russell and Co. Ltd and launched in 1942 as the Sir Gareth for the admiralty for minesweeping duties. This design of Trawler was based on Hall Russell's 1936 Round Table Class Trawler. In 1946 she was bought over by the Walker Steam Trawler Co. Ltd converted back to trawling and renamed 'Star of the East'. In 1958 she was taken over by the Milford Steam Trawler Co. Ltd. and renamed the 'Milford Star'. In 1964 she was bought by Westward Trawlers Ltd, Milford and renamed 'Radilais'. She was eventually scrapped in 1967 and broken up in Cork.
 
My late father was a Trawl Skipper for much of his working life from around the early 1920's to the late 1950's when life at sea was really tough (not like the recent 'Trawler' T.V. program), so although he didn't serve on this particular Trawler it is as close as I am going to get to a ship of his era.
 
I remember going onboard many Trawlers in the 1950's and going out into Aberdeen Bay where the Trawlers did speed trials and adjusted their compasses after being in dry dock.
 
I have obtained a drawing from the Aberdeen Maritime Museam of the Sir Gareth, and plan to convert the Kit to the 'Star of Freedom' A283 in the Walker Steam Trawler livery.  I am fairly well on and I have done a lot of scratch building for the Kit to convert it to the 'Star of Freedom'.

I am weathering the Trawler to make it look like a working vessel and have applied the base coats to the Hull.

My problem is that there seems to be very little photos available of old Trawlers in drydock so I am finding it difficult to imagine what the rust pattern below the waterline would look like.  If any one can lead me in the right direction or post a photo it would be very much appreciated.

Cheers Derek