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[jpdenver]

Raphael,

The scale of the boat is approx 1:24.I say approximately in that the drawings were of two scales -  1/2" to 1 ft and 3/8" to 1 ft.
When I started looking for figures for the crew, I found some unpainted ones at MountFleet Models. 
They advertise in Model Boats Magazine and have a variety of scales and characters.    I chose 1:32 for the ones I used, I feel they fit the
final scale of the boat pretty well.
They came as white plastic , and needed to be cleaned up a little prior toto painting. 

I don't think that confining them to the boat will do any good.They all are maintaining good "social distancing" - 

Hope you are well.  If we all are careful and think before we act,we should get thru this mess.
Regards,Jim

[jpdenver]

Here are some pics showing the running lights.

[jpdenver]

A separate channel controls the spot light.

[rhavrane]

Bponjour James,
Your boat is even more realistic by night and the power of your spt light is just amazing !
Thanks for the information, I will have plenty of time to search crew in the Mountfleet catalog.
I am luckily confined but my wife has to go to work because she has been requisitioned by her public body...

[jpdenver]

Here is a short video showing how the rudder channel also drives the wheel and moves the spot for night maneuvering.
https://youtu.be/285S2kqwd8Y

I used three different servos linked together
via an Acton Electronics Servo Morph to allow for adjusting the amount of movement.
Regards,Jim

[jpdenver]

The spot light.
I found a light from a model railroad.  It was wired with a 12 V incandescent bulb.
In the USA we have a manufacturer of flash lights called MAGLITE. 
They have a variety of sizes.   and they have a little kit that swaps out the bulbfor an LED.  It is set up for two AA cells or 3V. 

It fit right inside the lamp housing.   I mounted the lamp base but extended thethe post thru to the inside of the pilot house, there it engages with a servo thatis linked to the rudder channel.
The LED is surprisingly bright and stays cool. So I am not worried about melting anything.
Thanks for reading,
Jim

[KNO3]

Beautiful boat Jim, congratulations! How does the steam plant perform?

[jpdenver]

Wish I knew -

Still have snow on the ground, and the boss does not allow me to run hot near the house.The last time I fired up a boiler all the Carbon Monoxide detectors when off on all three floors.And I was in the Garage at the time! 

But - Spring is coming. 

When I finish her up on the water I will post a movie.
Thanks for your appreciation.   I am still a beginner -
but getting better at the details that make the difference.
Everyone keep safe.
STAY AT HOME
Regards,Jim

[Mark T]

Jim what a lovely boat     I really like the way the wheel moves too.  You should be so proud!  I'm looking forward to some updates when it warms up.

[jpdenver]

Just wanted to come clean on the status of the Chimaera.
I ran out of money for a new boiler, and converted the power plant to electrical.
So -the build/ and saga continues in the Working Boats forum.
Thanks for reading,I hope you still enjoy the log.
Regards,Jim

[Martin (Admin)]

Hey Jim,

 BTW, Where did you get the characters from?

[jpdenver]

Mountfleet Models

The website is kinda funky and the figures are hidden on the review page. (go figure)

I ended up emailing them for the catalog pages.
They were very fast to ship.
You have to paint them.
Regards,Jim

[BarryM]

They are not electric, I was talking to one of the workers at the museum and he said they are powered by their own steam engines. They were fitted at some point pre war, I can't remember just when he said they were fitted.
Jim

I think you will find that the very small auxiliary thrusters are hydraulic powered from a diesel-powered hydraulic pump. They were fitted in case of breakdown of the main engine but they are so small and the props equally small that the effective thrust must be very low.
Barry M