Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Navy - Military - Battleships: => Topic started by: Niall on April 10, 2010, 01:53:21 pm
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I'm building HMS Heather from the Revell Flower Class kit. I chose this ship because it's pennant number was K69 which is easy to do from the kit decals and it was built at Harland & Wolfe in Belfast, where one of my great uncles worked for many years.
The model has been converted to RC and I've used Sirmar guns, stanchions and bridge set. I have also got more stanchions, Lewis guns and depth charge set from GLS. I've scratch built a door for the radar shack, the wheelhouse, new cable drums, skylight and pompom bandstand. Painting has been done with White Ensign and Humbrol paints.
The foredeck from the breakwater is fixed to the rear deckhouse and is removable to access the hull for battery changing etc. This structure is held in place using thin magnetic rubber sheet stuck to the under sides, with steel paper stuck to the marine ply under deck and on the combing around the aperture in the rear deck. These products are sold for basic wargame models so they can be transported in metal boxes. Link to the supplier -
http://www.magneticdisplays.co.uk/default.asp
With hindsight I would have fitted the rear deckhouse sides to the deck and just made the roof lift off.
The other innovative construction method is the way I made the planked areas. After removing the moulded planking, the planked areas were simulated with 0.5mm plasticard pieces. The planking was made using my desktop publishing software. This software has a facility to draw rectangles and fill them with ".bmp" pictures. One of the fills supplied with the software is planked wood. A large rectangle was made and filled with this picture. This was reduced to scale size and copied many times to build up a planked area larger than required. This was then cropped to shape. Extra planks were made and the colour darkened to make the edging planks. When finished they were printed on white inkjet waterslide transfer film. Link to the supplier -
http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/default.asp
Photos of the build so far are in the link below -
http://aol.pixum.co.uk/viewalbum/id/4878997
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Very nice Niall, its looking good.
I joined my front and rear superstructures together and it works well.
Just one question, why the servo so far from the rudder ?
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The servo was too high to fit in behind the motor(When planning I forgot that the deck was not level with the hull top). This is the first R/C conversion I've done, I'll plan better in future.
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Grate build very neat %%
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Still not finished, but a few more photos -
Detailed and painted Carley floats
(http://s3.postimage.org/QG4gA.jpg) (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqQG4gA)
Bow and Bridge
(http://s3.postimage.org/QGUEA.jpg) (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqQGUEA)
Amidships
(http://s3.postimage.org/QHdBJ.jpg) (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqQHdBJ)
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looking good mate. I love the details on the cabin. Did you make all the doors etc yourself? Very nicely done!
Any news on your minesweeping gear?
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Yes the doors and all the wheelhouse details are scratchbuilt from plasticard.
Still waiting on the program fix before I can get the photoetch done.
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A few more pictures. I had scratch built the minesweeping davits before doing the bases in photo-etch.
(http://s1.postimage.org/1x0bu5lfo/100_0379.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1x0bu5lfo/)
(http://s1.postimage.org/1x179d6tg/100_0416.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1x179d6tg/)
(http://s1.postimage.org/1x0yzogck/100_0417.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1x0yzogck/)
(http://s1.postimage.org/1x1khnyro/100_0418.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1x1khnyro/)
(http://s1.postimage.org/1x1xpyqpw/100_0419.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1x1xpyqpw/)
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A few more photos with crew figures added. The 4" gun crew and the 2 in blue coats at the Pom-Pom are from Heker & Goros. The srest from Gunthwaite Miniatures.
(http://s3.postimage.org/srrpljlw/100_0434.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/srrpljlw/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/srtd4w3o/100_0435.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/srtd4w3o/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/ss1mtmkk/100_0436.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/ss1mtmkk/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/ssev4eis/100_0438.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/ssev4eis/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/ssjtqg04/100_0439.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/ssjtqg04/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/ssqfvtz8/100_0440.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/ssqfvtz8/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/st0d3wxw/100_0441.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/st0d3wxw/)
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This is an observation NOT a criticism, ----I,ve spent more than 50 years on various bridges and in war time most naval vessels polished their brass work with a paint brush... Having said that, I like brass work and think it sets off the vessel nicely -----She's a super looking model and dose you credit , Would that I could do half as well....
Freebooter
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Finished and fitted the minesweeping gear at last!
(http://s1.postimage.org/xi658qmc/100_0593.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/xi658qmc/)
(http://s1.postimage.org/xieexh38/100_0595.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/xieexh38/)
A general photo showing the display case(from here - http://www.showcasesonline.com/)
(http://s1.postimage.org/xj6j2dhg/100_0596.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/xj6j2dhg/)
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Wow it looks amazing. It has so many small details. I would love to build something like this on my own but I guess I am too eager for this.
I once tried to start something but I had to stop it because I was too eager. I am of the opinion that Revell Flower is such a wonderful name for a ship. Maybe I should try this one and in order to get in the right mood I will now order from Wrong WEB SITE then I can start this project.
Web site removed as it is incorrect
ken
Moderator
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Since finishing the model I have found a photo of HMS Heather on the Flower Class Corvette Forum - http://theflowerclasscorvetteforums.yuku.com/
The attached photo shows a number of things which have to be changed
(http://s17.postimage.org/bvv0jdf2j/Heather_Modifications.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/bvv0jdf2j/)
As I have another kit and a friend is building another, both of which need some of the same new parts, I chose to design several photoetch frets of parts.
Fret 1 & 2 - The new 4" gun tub, Oerlikon Tubs, Fo's'c'le cable drums and splinter shields -
(http://s15.postimage.org/4dhvxumav/100_0692.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/4dhvxumav/)
(http://s14.postimage.org/k79crmvr1/100_0693.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/k79crmvr1/)
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4" gun tub assembled, except for gun and ammo -
(http://s16.postimage.org/mvoulwx35/100_0695.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/mvoulwx35/)
The second photoetch fret with wheel house details, dinghy davit winches, dinghy oars, Carley float paddles, rear splinter shields and cowl vent details -
(http://s14.postimage.org/hqlum9nzx/100_0693b.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/hqlum9nzx/)
Splinter shields, wheel mount, telegraph and Downton pump assembled -
(http://s7.postimage.org/frlboypw7/100_0701_Details.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/frlboypw7/)
The wheel mount, telegraph and Downton pump are resin casting from my own masters.
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Some more parts done -
First the cable drums on the focscle and the boat davits -
(http://s16.postimage.org/io279cxfl/100_0717.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/io279cxfl/)
Photo etch for the dan buoy hoist -
(http://s8.postimage.org/bgcvb4fxd/100_0713.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/bgcvb4fxd/)
The assembled hoist -
(http://s8.postimage.org/dc4900u5d/100_0715.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/dc4900u5d/)
Dan buoys made by Shapeways 3D printing service from my CAD design -
(http://s13.postimage.org/9lfxg7do3/100_0765.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/9lfxg7do3/)
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Replacement link for the original photos -
http://www.pixum.co.uk/my-photos/#album/4878997 (http://www.pixum.co.uk/my-photos/#album/4878997)
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Niall,
Great work :-)) . One of my favorite subjects. Built one of the Matchbox kits when they first came out. Would like to do one of the lightship conversions some day.
Mark
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I've been trying to find a way to make better ready use 4" shells for the gun bandstand. Finally I discovered that the "frosted detail acrylic" from www.Shapeways.com (http://www.Shapeways.com) could handle 0.5mm thick walls, so I designed a shell and holder in FreeCAD and uploaded it to Shapeways and I got the result today, as shown in the photo below -
(http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m556/Niall_Orr/HMS%20Heather/4inch_Shells_zpsd46e0f11.jpg)
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It's great seeing this build as it is probably enticing me to get one of these in a very bad way. I say "probably" because I think I can fight the urge... :o
Has anyone purchased the Platinum Edition and did they like it (does it contain about everything one needs in the form of PE)?
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The additions improve the kit but does not address the issues with the weapons and engine room skylight.
There is a build article here -
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=152037 (http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=152037)
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I've often wondered which particular ship of the class would be the best to model with the Revell kit and would represent the least amount of structural changes to the kit (taking into account that some had short and long fo'c's'les and so forth). Something I need to give attention to when researching.
Anyway, fine work Niall.
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Finally finished the repaint, moved the HFDF loop and added 2 more Carley floats(taken from a second kit).
I have also replaced the depth charge racks and anchor winch and added minesweeping cable guide rollers, Carley Float supports and dan buoys with 3D prints of my own designs. The dan buoy supports and hoist were made from my PE designs.
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Now that is looking good :-))
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Very nice :}
Mark
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I've added the 3D prints I used on this build to my Shapeways shop -
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/nmp
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Can't get my head round Dan buoys.
Do you mean the oropesa floats?
Ned
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Dan buoys look like large fishing floats(The white objects aft of the Carley floats on my model). They are used to mark the swept lanes.
Oropesa floats are the large floats, like aircraft drop-tanks, used to hold the minesweeping cable.
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Hi Niall, I see them now.
I was looking at the pictures on my phone in low res.
I was looking for Dans stowed upright, but I now see the cans
of them stowed long the guard rails.
Ned
!st MCM Base Maintenance Team Port Edgar 1964/5.
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I rekcon your frets would also sell well Niall.
Lovely model, especially gien the effort you went to to research and improve the basic kit.
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Very,very ,nice. :-)) :-)) . Love the detail work and all the scratch building you have done, it's a credit to you.
Chris
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I rekcon your frets would also sell well Niall.
Lovely model, especially gien the effort you went to to research and improve the basic kit.
I can then get more frets made. If anyone would like more information on the frets(and some resin castings) could you please PM me with an e-mail address and I'll e-mail a .pdf file with details of the frets.