Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Navy - Military - Battleships: => Topic started by: SailorGreg on May 25, 2020, 10:37:05 am
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This will be a build of the Deans Marine kit of MGB 77, a Christmas present from SWMBO (after a little strong hinting). It’s taken a little while to get going because I was building something else for the first few months of the year, but I’ve been looking forward to this all the while. Deans obviously have a pretty good reputation, although I have never built one of their kits and never done a warship of any size before. Never too late to learn something new!
The instructions proudly announce that I have one of the first batch of this kit, released in April 2004 (or possibly 2007, as it says later on the same page!). So maybe this has been sitting on the shelf for 16 years, or is it simply that the instructions haven’t been updated? Well, I have the laser cut plastic sheets rather than the printed ones, so I guess this is actually a fairly recently boxed kit. (Deans ask for “thoughts and suggestions” on the kit and the instructions in particular, and I will send a few comments on the instructions once I have finished because they do seem to leave a little to be desired in clarity and completeness for someone unfamiliar with kits of this type.)
So here we go – first, wash the hull in warm soapy water to get rid of release agent, grease and any other stuff that might have settled there. OK, done that. Then mark the cut line on the hull – hmm, where’s that? I did have a quick interchange with Deans just to make sure I was looking at the right place, and then added some masking tape around the hull to make sure that I was clear where the line was (it was indistinct in some places) and that the hull edge would be a fair curve.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/25/taped-cut-line.jpg)
The hull was then sanded down to the tape line and we are ready to start building.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/25/bare-hull.jpg)
As you can see, I have also made a stand using the templates provided in the instructions.
The next job is cutting the holes for prop shafts and rudders. The locations of these are moulded onto the hull so no tricky measuring, re-measuring and getting it wrong. Just cut the marked areas.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/25/prop-tube-slots.jpg)
(For those interested in the small saws that fit a scalpel handle, Accurate Armour (https://accurate-armour.com/model-supplies/modelmaking-tools/mt011)).)
I had decided not to use the kit supplied shafts, tubes and P brackets and go for exposed shafts so ordered a new set of everything, including props, from the excellent Prop Shop. I also made a new pair of rudders more in keeping with those illustrated in Angus Konstam’s “British Motor Gun Boat 1939-45”. Here are the rudders being made, alongside one of the kit rudders.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/25/new-rudders.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/25/new-rudders-glued.jpg)
The rudders were given a more hydrodynamic profile on a palm sander held in the vice.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/25/rudder-shaping.jpg)
The rudder tubes were fixed through a piece of wood glued (UHU Plus Acrylit) into the hull. As the rudders are flush against the bottom of the hull, they need to be at right angles to the hull surface, hence the angle they are set at.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/25/rudder-tubes.jpg)
The instructions suggest completing the internal fitout of all running gear at this point but as I was waiting for the Prop Shop order to arrive, I moved on to fitting the balsa strips around the top of the hull. That will be in the next post.
Happy isolation!
Greg
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Hi thanks for the note, missed at update should read
B.P.C. MOTOR GUN BOAT 77
Thank you for joining the world of Deans Marine. I am sure you are as excited as us with this long awaited updated addition to our range of Fast Launch kits.
This first batch of production laser cut kit has yet to be seen around the regattas, however the prototype has been through the normal trials and has been tested and proved at many events in the past year, its first release date was the 01- 04-20 and yours is one of the first batch.
Please follow the additional instruction for handling the laser cut sheets especially the marking of part numbers.
Whilst every care has been taken in the design and production of this quality kit there is always the possibility that further refinements can be made.
If you have discovered any aspect that can be improved upon in either the fittings, method of construction, or more importantly the information in the instructions, please contact us as your thoughts and suggestions on these matters to assist us and all fellow modellers.
We run a continual improvement program on our production kits, and any input from modellers in valued.
Having said that please follow the instructions carefully since our methods have been tried and tested over many years.
Our prime consideration is your satisfaction and pleasure in building and sailing this vessel.
We at Deans Marine look forward to seeing your model on the water or at the competitions and exhibitionsthroughout the world.
Deans Marine.
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When I read the thread title I thought it was like the one I built about 30 years ago and took to quite a few shows. It is not the same, though, but I am sure they'd look good together. I sold mine when I left the country in 1996, no idea where it is now or even whether it still exists.
It looked like this:
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Ah, so the kit isn't 16 years old! I have to say it certainly doesn't look it! And Dave, nice boat. Shame you don't still have it. Was it a kit or did you scratch build it?
The next job is installing the shelf around the hull that takes the deck. I did a quick check that the deck was going to fit approximately. It seemed that either the deck had been cut a fair bit oversize or the hull sides had pulled in a bit. I checked the plan and the full size beam (20’ 7”) and it seemed that the bare hull was a tad too narrow so I fitted a temporary spreader to keep the beam correct as I fitted the shelf. The first job is to mark a line 2mm down from the hull top to show where the shelf should be. I drew it like this –
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/marking-hull.jpg)
After taping the pencil to the piece of plywood I refined the offset by gluing a small piece of card to the bearing surface and the line is pretty well 2mm down from the top. In case it isn’t clear, the other end of the piece of wood runs along the opposite side of the hull.
The kit provides ¼” balsa for the shelf. I confess that me and balsa don’t always see eye to eye. >:-o Yes, it has advantages – it is light, easily cut, …. well, that’s about it. But as it was supplied I used it. The instructions suggest multiple half cuts to allow the strips to bend to conform to the hull. Well, I tried that but it still snapped, so I ended up gluing short lengths in place where the hull curved appreciably.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/short-bits-of-balsa.jpg)
The instructions say to add another strip alongside the first to give a nice broad seating surface, but there is the issue of getting a flat surface for the deck when the hull flares quite a bit. I got around this by cutting more balsa strip from a spare piece I had and putting this below the first part, then gluing the inner piece to both. This sketch should show what I mean.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/deck-shelf.jpg)
I then sanded it down flat with a sanding stick similar to my marking out tool. You just need to make sure the sanding surface is around 2mm (or a teensy bit less as the deck material is 1.7mm) from the surface of the ply by adding shims of card and/or thin ply under the piece of abrasive.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/shelf-sander0.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/shelf-sander.jpg)
Then just work your way round the hull sanding the balsa down until you have a nice flat shelf.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/sanded-shelf.jpg)
The package from Prop Shop arrived full of lovely shiny goodies, :-) so I have moved on to installing the running gear. First I made up a couple of braces to hold the two shafts parallel and at the correct spacing.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/shaft-braces.jpg)
The tubes were epoxied in place following the style of Radiojoe – build a small dam around the slot, chock the hull so that one side is flat and flood with epoxy (30 minute Z-poxy). Obviously, tape up underneath first! The small scrap wedges are just spot glued in place to hold the tubes at the right angle. I also had the shafts in place and held by the two wood braces to ensure the tubes were placed parallel. Once the epoxy was set the temporary wedges were popped out and replaced by a tailored wedge to support the inboard end of the tube.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/tubes-in-place.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/taped-up-tube.jpg)
I decided to try an Action Electronics P40E (https://www.componentshop.co.uk/p40e-marine-motor-mixer.html) to help in the turns, this being my first twin motor boat. Before I got much further with the running gear, I set up the motors, speed controllers, and the P40E to make sure everything was working as it should, and that I understood how the P40E affected the motors. Here is my rather scruffy rig –
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/propulsion-rig.jpg)
The setup of the P40E was entirely straightforward and the instructions supplied by Action are simple and complete. They even provide an illustrated guide to removing the centre wire from the ESCs to disable the BEC since they recommend a separate Rx battery when using their little box. I confess I did need to use a magnifying glass to see what I was doing!
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/05/26/wire-removed.jpg)
Having removed the wire, I discovered the programming card for the ESC now doesn’t work. {:-{ So I put the wires back in place, programmed the ESCs and removed them again. Good practice!
Next time will be steering gear and P brackets I think.
Keep smiling! :} :}
Greg
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Hi Greg, my MGB was a Dean's kit, lovely boat. I was sailing it once at Black Park and a chap stood behind for a while and then spoke to me when I brought it in. Said he'd been crew on one of them in the war and that mine looked 'just right' on the water. There were a few dodgy types around there at the time, so I wasn't entirely convinced, but I accepted the compliment - they're few and far between!
I took that boat to various shows in the 90s, Beale Park, Brighton, Greenwich and others I can't remember. It was a good scene back then, no idea if that still exiits.
I'm still enjoying your magazines,, BTW!
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Great work so far! I look forward to seeing your work on the Rolls Royce gun.
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Great work so far! I look forward to seeing your work on the Rolls Royce gun.
Thanks. Although the gun on this one isn't the Rolls Royce one, it is the 2 pounder "pom-pom", like this -
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/pompom.jpg)
I admit that keeping track of which MGBs had which armament fit and when is something most of us will only find out from a well researched book. I am sure Deans have done their homework and this is the correct gun for this boat. I have made a tentative start on it, and found out how brittle resin castings can be. {:-{ But that's a story for another day. ok2
Greg
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Thanks. Although the gun on this one isn't the Rolls Royce one, it is the 2 pounder "pom-pom", like this -
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/pompom.jpg)
I admit that keeping track of which MGBs had which armament fit and when is something most of us will only find out from a well researched book. I am sure Deans have done their homework and this is the correct gun for this boat. I have made a tentative start on it, and found out how brittle resin castings can be. {:-{ But that's a story for another day. ok2
Greg
The second volume of " Allied Coastal Forces of WW2" by Al Ross and John Lambert covers Vospers and should give some ideas which number series carried as their weapons fit. It should also have scale drawings of the weapons used.
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Thank you. Yes, I looked at that and the other volumes, but this model is a British Power Boat 71' 9" design. The only book I found that covered them specifically was "British Motor Gun Boat 1939-45", mentioned previously here. Even that has a relatively brief overview, as it also looks at all the other designs (and there are a lot of them), up to and including the Fairmiles. If anyone has a good reference for the BPB designs and their armament, please do let me know. (I believe there is a book on coastal forces weapons from John Lambert in the offing, but know no more than that. I am keeping my eyes open.)
Greg
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With the prop shaft tubes in place I now had to fix the P brackets. I reckoned that, as these take the thrust of the props, I should make sure the fixing was good and strong. The Prop Shop P brackets were plenty long enough for this model so I had a good length inside the hull. I cut 2 short lengths of plastic pipe and superglued them over the stubs of the brackets. With the shafts in place to keep the brackets properly aligned, I then filled the pieces of pipe with thickened epoxy, encapsulating the ends of the brackets. On the principle that you can’t have too much strength, I added a web between the pipe and the rudder post blocks and I reckon the P brackets will now take all the thrust the props can throw at them.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/P-brackets-fixed.jpg)
The next bit to fit is the steering servo. Here I took a minimalist approach (as I did with all the internals), just 2 pieces of ply fitted to the hull bottom. The pieces are placed to give a nice snug fit to the servo, and in order to give space for the wire grommet if the servo needs removal I cut a gap in the forward piece. This was cut most of the way through before fitting, needing only a few strokes with the razor saw to finish the job once the glue had dried. Here it is before removal of the gap.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/rudder-servo.jpg)
The kit provides some white metal castings for the rudder arms, together with some small self-tappers to fix them to the rudder post. I tried these but managed to strip the thread of the hole before I had tightened the screw sufficiently to prevent any rotation. Maybe I drilled the hole too big in the first place, but in any case I decided to ditch the white metal and get some more conventional rudder arms from Model Boat Bits. These were augmented by some ball and socket joints, as the angle the rudders sit at means the two arms move in different planes. The ball and sockets allow more freedom of movement than a pinned joint.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/rudder-linkage.jpg)
The motors were next. I had bought Model Boat Bits’ flexible couplings (https://www.modelboatbits.com/COUPLINGS/) as well as the alignment tool. With the shafts and motors in place I made up wooden wedges to sit under the motor mounts. I would like to say that I have a process for determining the exact height and angle of the wedge. Well, I have – it’s called T&E. That’s trial and error. I make up a wedge that looks about right, try it and see if it matches the angle of the motor mount. After a couple of false starts and a fair few trips to the disc sander, I have a wedge that looks about right. I hold the mount down hard on the wedge and turn the prop. If I can see a slight movement of the mount as the shaft rotates, the height is wrong. I slide the wedge in or out to reduce the movement. Repeat the process until you have a wedge which holds the mount just right – that is, there is absolutely no movement in any plane when you rotate the shaft. Mark the wedge position on the hull and the motor mount position on the wedge. With the wedge out of the boat, fix the motor mount in the marked place. I put a couple of dabs of cyano on the mount to hold it in the exact spot while I drill screw holes. Glue the wedge in the marked position and reinstall the motor with the flexible coupling, and you should be good to go.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/motor-fix-1.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/motor-fix-2.jpg)
Astute observers (yes, you Derek!) will notice that the two wedges are of noticeably different thicknesses. At some point when I was fixing the tubes in place, I must have jogged something, because the starboard tube is set at a shallower angle than the port one. Fortunately the prop is still clear of the hull. I did briefly consider digging the starboard tube out and refixing but decided that the potential for damaging the hull was pretty high and so I left it alone. You do have to look pretty carefully under the hull to see the different heights of the props.
With the motors in place I then set about placing all the other bits and pieces that drive the boat along. Here is my initial placing to find a space for everything.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/placing-bits.jpg)
This is broadly how I ended up, although the aft battery was rotated 90 degrees and stood on edge to allow the wiring to go over the top of the forward battery, and the Action Electronics P40e and Rx battery will be fixed to a shelf that is elevated as you will see in the next picture. (Actually, here was another boo-boo – having glued this shelf onto its bearers, I later realised there was insufficient clearance under the deck for the P40e with the ESC and servo plugs in place. I broke the shelf out and refitted it under the bearers – that fixed it!) Here are all the locating pieces in place in the hull, all sealed with a coat of varnish (because I had some on the bench).
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/02/hull-fixings.jpg)
The Rx will be fixed with Velcro on to a deck beam just above the P40e/Rx battery shelf. I did try to keep all the workings towards the rear of the hull as that is how it is shown in the plan. The plan also gives a balance point for the hull, but until I have the superstructure and fittings in a more complete state, checking that will have to wait.
Happy modelling all. And happy sailing for those who can venture forth now!
Greg
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You are right Greg, MGBs and MTBs are a weapons nightmare! I thought you might be fitting a Rolls Royce because the weapon on the model shown near the top of the topic was one of those I think.
This is another turret with lots of variations as I think they also came fitted with twin Oerlikons %% It will look fab anyway as a turret is always a good thing to have on your model :-))
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The deck in this kit is plastic card so has little inherent stiffness. The instructions show a relatively sparse (IMHO) framework on which the deck is laid, so I made some additions to stiffen things up a bit. The deck comes in two pieces (limited by sheet size I guess), and I added a cross member under where the join will be in addition to the one at the forward end of the hatch.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/extra-beam.jpg)
I also added an additional central beam forward of this, under where the gun will be fixed, and a vertical support as the beams seemed quite flexible.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/forward-beam.jpg)
When I had finished the deck framework it looked like this
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/deck-framework.jpg)
When I checked everything for flatness, there seemed to be a slight upward bow in the longitudinal beam so I added a brace to try and pull it down. I duplicated this on the other side as well, as it also made the long beam more rigid.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/side-beam.jpg)
I also wanted to have good access to the rudder system in the stern. The deck as provided covers over this area and would make adjusting or repairing the rudder linkage a bit of a chore. I cut out the rear portion of the deck and made up a latch system to hold the piece in place. I don’t envisage taking this off very often, but if it ever gets messy under there, I have room to see what I am doing and swing an allen key.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/back-deck-cutout.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/latch-system.jpg)
I then came to glue the deck on. Based on multiple recommendations here on Mayhem, I had bought some UHU Plus Acrylit specifically for this job, but when using it on other smaller jobs I realised that the working time for this once mixed is about 3 minutes. I reckoned I was going to need a bit longer than that to get the glue spread over all the beams, the deck properly positioned and clamped/weighted down. I did a little experiment with the UHU, Z-poxy resin, Gorilla gel superglue and Gorilla glue (the standard foaming stuff) to see which would be best for gluing the plastic deck to the wood frame. I wasn’t too impressed with the performance of the standard Gorilla glue or, to be honest, the UHU. Both broke away with relatively little pressure. The epoxy and the superglue both gave good bonds, and I reckoned that the epoxy was easier to work with (and considerably cheaper given the amount I would need). So that was what was used to glue the deck on.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/deck-on.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/deck-on-2.jpg)
There is a variable gap around the deck edge, and I filled this with a combination of Milliput and Humbrol Model Filler. I was a bit dubious about the latter as it has been knocking around for a good few years, but it seemed to do the job just fine. I used the Milliput on the larger gaps and the Humbrol where there was little more than a crack to fill.
The main hatch piece, which is laser cut so a good fit, needs some stiffening of its own. The instructions suggest a combination of wood and fabricated plastic I-beams, which seemed a bit complicated to me, so I used two pieces of nice straight wood, again glued with epoxy. When I tried it in place, it became clear that I hadn’t eradicated the slight upward bow in the deck frame and one end of the hatch piece stuck up a bit.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/hatch-up.jpg)
I could push the hatch into place relatively easily, so I made a fixing system consisting of a lip at the forward end that engages under the hatch support shelf and a couple of magnets at the aft end to pull the hatch into place.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/forward-lip.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/magnet-fixings.jpg)
The magnets in the hull are fixed under those little plywood ears. As an aside, if you use magnets for fixing pieces like this, but find the force isn’t quite enough to hold the piece in place, just pop another magnet under the fixed one – double the attraction!
A little more filling around the edge to catch those little bits I had missed and the basic hull is pretty well complete.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/10/closed-hull.jpg)
At last been out to the lake for some sailing. Unfortunately, our hot dry spring has encouraged a record crop of weed, so it's airboats only at the moment. >:-o >:-o Still, be thankful for small mercies. O0 And it should have cleared by the time the MGB is finished, cos I think that might be a while yet!
Greg
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Hi Greg I didn't realize you were building another one so soon, I've built a few Deans kits nothing wrong with them at all they taught me a lot and because they require a deal of builder input even gave me the confidence to scratch build, you are going at quite a pace on this one, that is some power train in there you are going to need a bigger pond %% {-)
I'll be following, :-))
Joe
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Well, not much else to do at the moment! And I felt I was going quite slowly (certainly compared to some builds on here), but that's OK, I don't want to finish too soon - I'd only have to start another one! As to the power train, I guess there will be plenty of power, but I don't have to use it all. Not all the time anyway. :}
Greg
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Yeah quite right about the power, I just put me in mind of a certain "power boat" at a certain pond and a length of rope I'll say no more %% {-) {-)
Joe
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Yeah quite right about the power, I just put me in mind of a certain "power boat" at a certain pond and a length of rope I'll say no more %% {-) {-)
Joe
I remember it well. {-) {-) {-)
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Tidy work especially with your installations, and the lockable deck is a good idea. I did similar on the destroyer model using a torpedo mount as the knob!
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Great build Greg!
..... and a proper cluttered workbench too.... :-))
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Great build Greg!
..... and a proper cluttered workbench too.... :-))
Thank you Martin.
And yes, a place for everything, and everything.... somewhere or other! :D :D
Greg
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Just a short update this time. With the functional parts of the hull complete we move to some of the scale detail. First are the deck strips that, in the full size boat, hold down the deck covering. These are provided as laser cut strips, which saves a lot of scoring of plastic card. Just release them from the sheet and use. Well, almost. The laser cutting does raise a slight burr on the edges, which the instructions suggest you remove by sanding the whole sheet before removing the parts. I chose to do each piece individually, by pulling a strip under a Stanley knife blade held vertically. Two or three passes and the burrs are gone. I reckon that’s much less effort than sanding whole sheets. The strips are taped in place and some glue run along the joins. (The glue I used is a little bottle I have had for ages – can’t remember where it came from – but I guess, from the smell, it is MEK. It certainly welds the plastic together.)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/15/taped-down-strips.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/15/taped-down-2.jpg)
Next were the toe rails that run around the edge of the deck. These have part numbers shown in the instructions but I couldn’t find them anywhere on the supplied sheets. No problem, I can cut them from plastic card. Because I was going to cut a number of strips to do the full edge, I made up a jig to ensure I had identical pieces. This was a cutting mat (turned upside down to use the unmarred surface), a metal rule, some wood pieces, a couple of scraps of plastic card to hold the rule at the right height and a nice new blade in the knife. Here is the jig ready for cutting.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/15/cutting-jig.jpg)
These strips were taped in place as before and glued to the deck. There were a couple of places where the strips were more on the filler than the plastic deck, and I resorted to superglue in these spots. I made up a little wood gauge to make sure the strips were a consistent distance from the hull edge.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/15/toe-rail-fixing.jpg)
And here is the hull as it stands now.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/15/stripped-deck.jpg)
I have been dabbling with the 2 pounder gun that is mounted on the foredeck as I have been going along, and now will focus on that to get that completed before doing much more on the hull or superstructure. One of those “model within a model” projects. I hope all the tiny pieces provided don't vanish through that miniature black hole in the workshop floor!
Happy building folks.
Greg
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Hi Greg,
Thanks for putting up your build log of the Deans Marine MGB 77, which is excellent by the way with clear photos and good descriptions of your construction methods.
I have only recently joined the forum and my interest was piqued when I started to read your build as I also have this kit. Like you I also received it as a Christmas present from my wife (after some prompting!)
I am new to the world of model boat building and this will be my second attempt (just finishing off a Robbe Najade) so I haven't started on the MGB77 yet.
Might I ask what rating motors and speed controllers you are using and also the size and style of props.
Also what type and size are the prop shafts you are using with the exposed shafts and "P" brackets.
Sorry for all the questions, but I am starting to put together a "shopping list" of any extras I will need before actually commencing the build and considering any modifications that I might make.
Thanks once again for putting this build commentary together - looking forward to the next installment :-))
- Pauli
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She's coming along so well Greg. I am looking forward to the 2pounder.
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Thanks Ian. I am discovering that my fingers are not as nimble as they once were (if they ever were!).
Hi Pauli, great to see another MGB in build. The first thing I need to say is that I have zero experience with twin motors, all my previous models have single ones. So what follows on the motor front is a bit of a shot in the dark, based on running single motor boats of about the same size. The motors are Leopard Hobby LC2830 730 kV from Component Shop (https://www.componentshop.co.uk/lc2830-16t-730kv-outrunner-brushless-motor-leopard-hobby.html). I went for a relatively low kV (that is, revs per volt) because I run other boats on a single 1100-1300 kV motor, and I guessed I would need less revs from 2 motors to get a similar performance. I plan to start off with a 3s (11.1V) LiPo but if life gets too interesting I will drop down to 2s (7.4v) batteries. You might have gathered from Radiojoe's comment a few posts ago that I will probably have plenty of ooomph in reserve. Time will tell! The ESCs are Hobbyking 30A boat (https://hobbyking.com/en_us/hobbyking-30a-boat-esc-3a-ubec.html?wrh_pdp=1)ones. I have used these before and am perfectly happy with them, although I see they are out of stock in the UK at the moment. There are plenty of other ESCs that will fit the bill though.
The joints between motor and prop shaft are from Model Boat Bits (https://www.modelboatbits.com/POWERFLEX-COUPLINGS). The Powerflex couplings are probably overkill for this application, but they were the ones that had an M5 option, and the motors have an M5 thread on the shaft. I also bought the alignment tool to get everything in line.
The rest of the running gear came from Prop Shop (https://www.prop-shop.co.uk/products.php?cat=standard-scale). The propellers are 35mm standard scale, STD/1315/3/LH/BR and STD/1315/3/RH/BR - one left hand, one right hand. This is the same size as the white metal ones provided in the kit. The tubes are 4" long and the shafts are 4mm 9.5" long. The P brackets are made to fit the 4mm shaft. I phoned up to place this order as it isn't one of the standard options on the website.
I hope that helps. Do keep asking questions, and if I can't answer there will almost certainly be someone who can. As I said at the beginning, I am feeling my way a bit and obviously I haven't run my MGB yet. If anyone else wants to chip in, please feel free!
Greg
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Hi Greg, thanks very much for your detailed reply to my questions - very much appreciated. Your choice of running gear will give me some ideas to explore with my build.
I believe the motors you have chosen are "outrunners" - will these require any additional cooling? Also I noticed that the ESC's have provision to be water cooled - do you intend to water cool them?
The only experience I have had in this regard is with my "Najade" where I chose a Roxxy Inrunner 3656/06 brushless motor but mounted it inside a water cooled jacket along with water cooling for the ESC.
I used lead acid gel batteries in the Najade, so have no experience of Li-Po's. I have read that these are sensitive to being discharged below a certain voltage and some modellers fit low voltage alarms to protect them. Would this be something you would do with your model?
- Pauli
-
Yes, they are outrunners. I don't plan to cool them (which is tricky for outrunners - you can only cool the mount) or the ESCs. I don't expect to be running either the motors or the ESCs close to their maximum so I expect them to remain warm rather than hot. Of course, I will only find out if I am right once I run the boat for a while, which won't be any time soon!
As for LiPos, yes you do need to be careful not to run them below a certain voltage (which varies depending on who you listen to, but is around 3.2V for each cell). I have a couple of cheap, simple alarms like these (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battery-Tester-Voltage-Indicator-Checker/dp/B07Q9JQ2ZZ/ref=psdc_1939120031_t1_B07QPLQP8V) which plug into the balance lead and have used them on other boats. I did find that they tended to alarm quite early, even after re-setting the trip voltage a bit lower. After a while I got to know when the voltage was falling off and stopped the run. I don't use them any more, but I still have them and might use them for the first few runs of the MGB. If you are at all worried, buy a couple, they are cheap enough. One thing I do recommend if you are using LiPos is one of these testers (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Battery-Capacity-Voltage-Controller/dp/B07QB6D2Z5/ref=asc_df_B07QB6D2Z5/?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=&hvpos=&hvnetw=o&hvrand=&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276299119230&psc=1) - I use mine all the time to check battery capacity and individual cell health.
Happy building!
Greg
-
I have been dabbling with the 2 pounder gun that is mounted on the foredeck as I have been going along, and now will focus on that to get that completed before doing much more on the hull or superstructure. One of those “model within a model” projects. I hope all the tiny pieces provided don't vanish through that miniature black hole in the workshop floor!
Happy building folks.
Greg
Good to know you have a black hole in the workshop floor, cos I've got one of those as well, that little things fall into and I can never find trouble is I can't find the darn black hole either %% %% {-) {-) {-)
boats looking very tidy Greg'
Joe
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Hi Greg,
Thanks for the clarification on the LiPo batteries together with the recommendations for the on board alarms and battery tester.
I was initially reluctant to go along the route of LiPos as a power source due to what I have read about their pecularities regarding both charging and discharging, but they certainly seem to be a popular choice for powering small to medium high speed models like the MGB 77.
Thanks again for your guidance and recommendations - looking forward to the next update to your build log.
- Pauli
-
When dropping things one can become quite the ninja from picking up what a piece hit as it fell, and so working out where the part might have landed. I dropped a howitzer and shield designed In 1:300th scale that fit neatly on my little finger nail the other day, and I could tell by the dink as it hit the tube that holds my work desk together where it fell. That saved me from losing an hour's work %%
-
Just noticed that the battery tester I linked to in Reply 24 is REALLY expensive! >>:-( >>:-(
Don't buy that one, they are available for a little over a fiver.
Greg
-
The 2-pounder gun on the foredeck is obviously a focal point for this model and I was keen to make a decent job of it as it will be one of the first things most people examine. The kit provides a fairly comprehensive bunch of bits for this gun, a mixture of resin and white metal castings and a few laser cut plastic pieces. The gun itself comes in two parts, breech and barrel. One bit of drilling I took great care with was the hole to join the barrel to the breech. I clamped the breech vertical in the drill press and drilled gently. I really didn’t want the barrel pointing off to one side.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/drilling-breech.jpg)
The barrel has the characteristic flare at the end which in the resin part is solid. I wanted it to be hollow but Ron Dean advised against trying to drill it out. Given my later experiences with the resin parts I can quite understand that.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/resin-barrel.jpg)
It was suggested that the “business end” of a pen might replace the resin flare. Initially I thought a biro cap would do, and started to put together a new barrel on that basis. I found a piece of arrow shaft in my bits box that was the right diameter for the barrel jacket and ended up with this.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/first-new-barrel.jpg)
(It’s just as well I made a new barrel, as around this time I knocked the kit piece on the floor and it broke. Delicate stuff this resin!) I looked at that piece of biro cap and it really wasn’t right, so I did a hunt on Amazon for a pen that had the “right” shape. I found one (the Papermate FlexGrip Ultra if you’re interested) and bought one. Well, actually I bought 5 as that was way cheaper than buying one, so if anyone else wants a 1/24 2 pounder barrel end….? I chopped the end off one and replaced the blue bit with the proper conical shaped piece.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/second-new-barrel.jpg)
That’s better. One lesson I learnt again was about the brittleness of resin castings. I have always used a spring loaded centre punch to mark where I am going to drill to make sure the drill doesn’t wander. On wood, plastic, metal it has always been fine. But I used it on the base plate of the gun mount and ended up with a jigsaw puzzle to put back together. Fortunately I had all the pieces and 10 minutes with the superglue and I was back in business. But I didn’t use the centre punch on resin pieces again.
A little fettling of the resin parts and the gun mount begins to take shape. You can just make out some of the cracks where I glued the base back together!
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/basic-mount.jpg)
Then it’s putting the gunner’s cab together. Just take the laser cut parts and glue them in place. Did that, but something looked odd. Took some parts off and checked –
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/wrong-angle.jpg)
No wonder the cab looked skew whiff. I tried cutting this piece to the same angle as the resin part behind but then it was too short, so I made up a new piece. Then the cab came together OK. Just because a part is laser cut doesn’t mean it’s right! In the picture above you can also see the ring that is the mount for the gunner’s seat. There is precious little surface to glue to so I cut that off and replaced it with a thick washer (actually a propeller mounting washer from one of the brushless motors). And talking of the gunner’s seat (another resin casting), the backrest was quite deformed on the one I had, so I thought I would try some gentle heat to square it up. All that happened was a piece of the backrest broke off. Probably my fault, but I decided it was easier to make a new plastic version than try and mend the deformed one.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/new-seat.jpg)
I added a few details and ended up with this.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/extra-detail.jpg)
The gun sits on a cylindrical base that is a vacform in the kit parts. I fancied something a little more robust, so had a go at making up my own base from 1.5mm card. By good fortune, the inside of a 2” water pipe was just the right size, so after cutting carefully to length, a piece of card was rolled up and popped inside the tube. I gave it a quick blast with a hot air gun to help it stay curved, then glued a piece across the join.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/base-forming.jpg)
I also glued a second strip inside the base to give a good gluing surface onto the deck. Here is the new base with the white metal rim alongside the vacformed piece.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/new-base.jpg)
There are still some details to add but they look like they will be quite vulnerable, so I will leave them off for the time being and only add them when the unit is pretty well complete. I am waiting for a delivery of Ford Polar Grey paint (the recommended colour for this boat), so after a couple of coats of primer, this is where I am at the moment (just sitting there, nothing glued in place yet).
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/solstice-progress-1.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/06/22/solstice-progress-2.jpg)
At least the weather looks good for spraying. I hope my paint arrives soon!
Happy modelling folks
Greg
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Nice Greg you got there in the end and it looks the biz, it's just as well you made a new barrel it would have only been a matter of time before it got knocked off, now to look for those flash eliminator pens %% %% {-) {-)
Joe
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Just noticed that the battery tester I linked to in Reply 24 is REALLY expensive! >>:-( >>:-(
Don't buy that one, they are available for a little over a fiver.
Greg
Thanks Greg - duly noted.
Great work on the 2 pounder gun with some nice improvements made to the kit supplied components. I took note of what you wrote about the brittle nature of the resin parts for when I eventually start my build.
You are probably aware that Battlecrafts (http://www.battlecrafts.co.uk) make 1/24 parts for coastal defence craft and I seem to remember seeing a 2 pounder gun in his inventory. This might be a route I may take, although swapping out many of the kit supplied components for third party ones could prove expensive and feels like cheating!
By the way, might I ask what motor mounts you used with the Leopard Hobby motors or were they supplied with them?
Thanks for the update on your build log - coming along nicely :-))
- Pauli
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Pauli, the mounts are standard 360-400 size motor mounts like these (https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/360-400-Size-Motor-Mount-70201.html#SID=50). I can't remember where I bought mine (probably Cornwall Model Boats), but they are widely available.
Yes, I think I looked at Battlecraft's website (although it seems to be down at the moment). Can't remember seeing this gun there, but I could easily have missed it. I don't consider it cheating to replace kit parts if you feel the new ones are better, or easier. It's your model, only you can choose the degree of difficulty you want to embrace and the amount of time you can spare. If the Battlecraft one is available you could have a bash at the kit one and if it turns out a bit wonky you always have a fall back!
Greg
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Hi Greg,
Thanks for the link to the motor mounts - another item to add to my shopping list!
Yes, I may have been mistaken about the 2 pounder on the Battlecrafts (http://www.battlecrafts.co.uk) web site and it looks as though he has suspended trading until the pandemic subsides. I remember seeing some nice parts which would suit the MGB 77, however, and I will have another look at his site when its open for business again.
- Pauli
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If the resin used is Polyester then it has a tendency to be brittle, though some polyurethanes are as well. It becomes worse when mineral filler is used as I have found the surface to be inferior as well.
Your 2pounder is gorgeous :-)) That whole mount shows you had fun making it, and a little challenge here or there livens a project up ( as long as it doesn't become a nightmare.
-
Hi Greg a photo of my MGB.
Hull from Mouldeans remainder scratch built.
Graham
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This book has some great colour profiles of MGB.
Graham
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Lovely model Graham, well done. And thanks for the heads up on the book. :-))
And thanks Joe and Ian for the compliments. :}
Greg
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Hi Greg a photo of my MGB.
Hull from Mouldeans remainder scratch built.
Graham
Hi Graham,
You have done a lovely job on your MGB - looks great on the water.
Might I ask what motors and batteries you are using and also what is the cylindrical shaped device to the rear of the Holman projector?
- Pauli
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Hi Pauli,
The item on the stern is a smoke generator.
I built this boat many years ago the motors are two brushed 545 motors and I presently use a 2s lipo for each motor.
Graham
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Hi Pauli,
The item on the stern is a smoke generator.
I built this boat many years ago the motors are two brushed 545 motors and I presently use a 2s lipo for each motor.
Graham
Hi Graham,
Thanks for the reply.
Ah! a smoke generator - that would make sense. There is a molding in the kit which looks similar to the item on your model, but doesn't seem as tall.
I haven't started building my kit yet, but garnering useful information from others about power options, construction methods and scale details.
The photo of your splendid model should inspire me to get started :-))
- Pauli
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Finished off the gun. I had a couple of parts in the fittings tray compartment for the gun that I couldn't place at all. In the end I sent this photo to Deans and asked where they should go.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/01/spares.jpg)
I'm sure Ron Dean won't mind me quoting his reply - made me laugh!
"No idea at all, these are not part of the gun kit ? or part of the MGB77, put them in the spares box, I can only assume that they got them mixed up in packing and checking, but with only one staff the packing room, and the older staff in lockdown, at present it is all a bit disjoined. If you find our craft knife and cutting ruler ? we are sure that has gone in a kit with the marker pens as well."
So if you've had a kit from Deans recently and there are a few extras, you know why!
Here's the gun pretty well complete.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/01/gun-done-1.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/01/gun-done-2.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/01/gun-done-3.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/01/gun-done-4.jpg)
It's turned out OK I think (although I've just noticed from the pics that I've missed off a small piece). Time to put it away somewhere safe and crack on with the superstructure.
Happy modelling folks.
Greg
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Now that does look fine :-))
-
Hi Greg,
Excellent work on the "two pounder", your efforts in modelling the open barrel using the end of a ball point pen have paid off and the whole unit looks very realistic.
You mentioned earlier in the build log that you intended to use Ford Polar Grey paint on this model, but what type of black paint did you use for the breech and barrel of the gun?
Also it appears you have applied some sort of wash or top coat on top of the base colours - am I correct?
Great progress - thanks for the updates. :-))
- Pauli
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Very observant! The gun is painted with Tamiya gunmetal (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tamiya-Acrylic-Mini-X-10-Metal/dp/B000BX7AZ4/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=tamiya+acrylic+paint&qid=1593697644&sr=8-10) acrylic. To be honest I am not delighted with the finish and might have another go later. It looks OK, but is a bit streaky. And I used a very thinned black to highlight the nooks and crannies to make the detail more evident, and everything had a coat of matt clear to take the gloss away from the Polar Grey. I plan to make this model look a little careworn rather than fresh from the paint shop, although I have never really done weathering. I can see a few practice sessions in my future!
Greg
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Hi Greg,
Thanks for your reply - looking at your photos I thought you must have used some kind of wash in order to show a slightly weathered appearance. It seems to have worked quite well, but weathering seems to be a bit of a "black art" - to me anyway.
I am unsure whether to attempt that with my build - I will have to research it a bit more.
Perversely I am going to some pains in order to achieve a highly polished paint surface on my current build (Robbe Najade) which entails wet sanding and polishing with automotive scratch removers and polishes. Ah, well all part of the fun!
- Pauli
-
I seem to have been going at a snail’s pace just recently. Still, better than rushing things I suppose. I started on the superstructure, cutting the vacformed piece out of the sheet. I followed the instruction’s advice and sawed into the corners to make sure they didn’t crack, then ran along the line between the cuts with a scalpel.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/corners-sawn.jpg)
Then glued a couple of strips around the bottom inside for greater gluing area.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/bottom-reinforcing.jpg)
The picture above shows the pencilled lines to remove the bridge area. I was unclear initially how much of this to cut out, but looking at plans and photos it is clear that the bridge is hard up against the vertical side to starboard. Here is my final hole.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/bridge-aperture.jpg)
You can see the parts of the bridge taped together alongside the hole. The box seems to be a bit too big for the aperture cut out of the superstructure. I wasn’t sure at this stage whether the sides of the box should coincide exactly with the aperture or whether there should be some overhang. This was resolved by a combination of the video of the restored MGB 81 (https://www.mby.com/boat-reviews/video-mgb-81-review-100345) and some plans provided in response to my query on the “Spitfires of the Seas” Facebook group. There is no overhang, the laser cut pieces need cutting down to fit exactly into the aperture. Not glued in yet - need to complete bridge details before that.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/bridge-fitting.jpg)
Then it was a rather tedious rubbing down until I had removed the last bit of lip around the edge and had a nice straight edge to glue onto the hull. I put a sheet of 180 wet and dry on a piece of glass and rubbed away. There were still a couple of spots at the front and rear which had a small gap, but I have a bit of filler lined up for them. I made sure I was taking equal amounts off each side with a spirit level
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/rubbing-down.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/checking-true.jpg)
The kit provides a wheel and a compass, and that’s it for the details of the bridge. I wanted to add more, but struggled to find any views of the internals. However, the FB responses provided this diagram
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/cockpit1.jpg) (https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/ZdK3h)
and I began to put together my interpretation of that picture.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/bridge-details.jpg)
If anyone has better information on the bridge layout (what are those rectangles on the bulkhead representing and where is the flag locker for example?), please do let me know.
Incidentally, the FB group also provided me with a picture of the actual MGB77 –
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/MGB77pic.jpg)
which differs in some details from the kit (no smoke dispenser on the stern, no twin Lewis mountings that I can see), although I guess the fit of these vessels varied a lot over time. I will probably stick with the kit configuration.
Happy modelling all.
Greg
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'Afternoon All,
[/size]
[/size]I'm currently building Deans 24th scale BPB Co. 71'6" MTB - MTB 466 - mainly using the kit as "guide" as it seems to have been simplified in many areas. If anyone's interested in photos of what I've done to date, particularly for the 2 Pdr Pom-Pom Mk VII on the Mk XVI Mtg, and the 20mm Oerlikons, PM me and I'll send you an e-mail with photos.
[/size]
[/size]What I've done so far with the Pom-Pom is use the kit-supplied base-plate and trunnions, all cleaned up and reshaped where necessary (especially the trunnions), and completely scratch-built the Pom-Pom itself, the gunner's cab, and the control unit that sits inside the cab, using more accurate drawings from John Lambert. The wheelhouse/cabin is also completely scratch-built with a more accurate shape, using a plan set for the BPB Co 71'6" MTB from Model Boats, backed up with detailed drawings from the Manitoba Naval Museum here in Canada.
[/size]
[/size]Cheers,
[/size]
[/size]Chris Preston,
[/size]Victoria, BC
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Hi Greg,
Thanks for the update to your build.
Cutting the aperture in the vac formed moulding looks tricky as I imagine any mistake would be difficult to correct, but you appear to have made a very neat job of it.
The video of the restored MGB81 is very interesting and a good source of reference material for anyone attempting to model this class of boat.
By the way have you seen the Haynes manual for the MGB81 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1785211420/?coliid=I2XG2TFX1S1H6E&colid=I51K97IV7WQA&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it) which is available from Amazon on 7th September?
- Pauli
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Yes, cutting the vacform is one of those "get it right first time" jobs. I took it very gradually and kept checking that I hadn't gone too far. The trick is to end up with a feather edge at the sides and back so that it blends into the sides of the box. And you need to finish the edges of the aperture before you cut the pieces of the box to size. I haven't done the windows yet, they are my next "take a deep breath" job. %%
I have seen the Haynes manual advertised. As it is based on MGB 81 it might not have very much contemporary detail. For example, MGB 81's bridge is fitted with modern navigation, communications and safety gear, as it has to be, and is entirely unrepresentative of a wartime boat. But I will certainly see what transpires in September, although I hope to be pretty well advanced with the kit by then.
And Chris, if you are able to post some pictures here I am sure they would be most welcome. :-))
Greg
-
Just a brief update this time. I have been cutting the windows in the superstructure and taking it very slowly to minimise the chance of a slipping blade causing me to use naughty words. I started by placing masking tape around each window to give me a clear line to work to. Then, following the instructions (good boy!) I drilled a small hole in each corner, well inside the tape, and then cut out the piece between the holes. Then, using a small rat tail file, I filed out the corners to the tape edge. I then carefully cut away the edges between the corners, finishing off with an emery board and a small file. This picture shows those stages. On the right the windows have had the centre cut out between the holes, in the middle I have filed out to the corners and to the left is a completed window. I did find that when finished each window was still surrounded by a slight ridge from the bulge by which the vacform defines the windows. A used a fine grit sanding pad to remove the ridge.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/19/window-stages.jpg)
And after some patient cutting and filing, here is the superstructure sitting in place with all the windows cut out.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/19/window-openings.jpg)
As I went along and as a break from cutting and filing I did a bit more on the bridge internals. The floor has a grating so the crew can keep their feet dry, and I didn’t fancy trying to build a 1/24 grating, so I ordered an Amati kit of one. When I went to put it together, it seemed a little short somehow…
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/19/part-grating.jpg)
The label says there are 30 pieces, which there are, and that it is a 52mm grating, which it is – in one dimension. However, if you are expecting a 52mm square grating, you will be disappointed. I guess the expectation is that modellers will make several small gratings from the pieces supplied. Fortunately, there is enough complete grating for my bridge floor. So here is my grating alongside the nearly finished (a couple more details to go) bridge front panel, my interpretation of the drawing in an earlier post.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/19/grating-and-bridge.jpg)
I have ordered a few items from Battlecrafts including a flag locker for the bridge. When they arrive I should be able to complete the bridge and fix it in place in the superstructure.
Going back to the windows for a moment, I plan to simply glue some clear plastic on the inside face of the superstructure. I did wonder if I should be trying to cut pieces that fit exactly into the openings, but that seemed to me to be a mite tricky to say the least. How do others do this bit?
Happy modelling – and sailing for those who can now venture out!
Greg
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Ooooh, just spotted that the last post was my 999th to Mayhem, so this one is my 1000th! %%
Do I get a congratulatory telegram from Martin? ;D
-
No just the BILL. {-) %%
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Hi Greg,
Thanks for updating your build.
I like the idea of using masking tape to define the cutting area of the windows - that's a really good tip!
Glazing the windows will be tricky - will you be making frames for the them? I can't remember seeing any window frames amongst the fittings supplied with the kit.
Your build is progressing well - the floor gratings are a particularly nice touch!
- Pauli
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For those following this build (both of you!), I am afraid things are likely to go quiet for a while. We are trying to downsize and as we know buying and selling houses ranks right up there as one of the most stressful things you can do. I am under strict instructions to keep things tidy even in my man cave! :o
I will post anything significant that I do but it is likely to be a while before I get back to "normal", and when we do move I guess there will be a period of settling in before the modelling stuff is unpacked. I just hope things move ahead quickly. Wish me luck!
Happy modelling and sailing one and all.
Greg
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Hi Greg,
Ah! that's a shame! - I looked forward to the updates on your build which I have found very interesting and helpful.
Good luck with your house move and hope you will be able to continue your build log at some time in the future.
- Pauli
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Hi Greg, hope your move goes smoothly, yes can be very stressful, are you staying on the island if not try and find a home near a pond. O0 {-)
Stay well Joe.
-
Thanks guys. Yes, we're staying on Hayling. We are only moving because SWMBO can't do the stairs any more and we need a bungalow. And I do hope to post progress occasionally in the next few weeks - it all depends how buying/selling goes and how long all the modelling stuff needs to be packed away.
Anyone want to buy a lovely house on Hayling Island? :-)
Greg
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Stannah stair lift? Mother found it very useful as did Dad later. Better than emptying two sheds of all dad's tools.
-
Yes, considered a stairlift and an actual lift, but the geometry of our stairs/landing and general space considerations make the stairlift impossible and the lift very difficult (i.e. expensive). And to be frank, the house is too big for us, so the sensible (but stressful) route is to find a property that suits us better. Wish us luck!
Greg
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Wow! Stunning build as usual Greg, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this one on the water :-))
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I wish you an easy move and no hassles. O0
My wife and I have just moved our bedroom and several other bits and pieces from our Granny flat into the main house. One grand daughter, a nurse, has been asked to help with Covid testing and it was considered safer for all, if she self isolated in our flat. 3 days and we are still using boxes. <:(
-
The house move has had a couple of false starts, but things are looking up on that front. Fingers crossed! I have been doing a bit here and there on the MGB, so here is an update. Nothing major, but at least I haven't stopped completely.
First, I received my order from Battlecrafts which included the flag locker, so that went into the bridge. The "flags" are rolled up pieces of tissue coloured with water colours. I haven't filled the whole thing, and there is no real attempt to replicate any flag, just an attempt to give a general impression of things.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/09/13/bridge-bits.jpg)
The bridge was then assembled and glued in place in the superstructure. [/font][/size]I have now added a little putty to hide the joins.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/09/13/together-bridge.jpg)
Having cut out all the windows, it was clear (!) that I could see right through the superstructure which isn’t what I wanted.
I am not going to detail the internals at all, but I did add some baffles inside to give an impression of internal structure.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/09/13/internal-structure.jpg)
And then painted the internal surfaces dark grey to make it a bit gloomy. Not my best ever paint job, but it does tone everything down nicely.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/09/13/inside-painted.jpg)[/font][/size]
I then moved on to the sliding hatch on top of the superstructure.
Along with many other parts, the parts for this are laser cut, so I simply popped them out of the sheet, cleaned them up a bit and glued in place.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/09/13/top-hatch-glued.jpg)
Then I checked the plan and realised there are some lockers that need to fit between the hatch and the bridge. Popped them into place, and they don’t fit! (And some of the resin mouldings need a fair bit of fettling to make them useable). 7Ps springs to mind! (Persistent proper planning prevents p*** poor performance!)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/09/13/oops-too-long.jpg)
So I cut the hatch runners shorter and everything fitted nicely. [/font][/size]But I asked myself, not for the first time, why go to the trouble and expense of laser cutting pieces that are the wrong size?
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/09/13/shortened-runners.jpg)
I have also glazed the windows although no material is supplied in the kit for this (should have done that before putting the internal stuff in, would have been easier and less messy). I bought some canopy glue from Deluxe Materials for this and it works great, but I did use too much in some places leading to a squeeze out onto the glazing. That needed some careful picking once the glue was dry. No pictures of the windows – not a lot to see!
I have also started adding the hatches to the deck. The kit was a tad short on the necessary hatches, but Deans soon provided a plentiful supply along with photos of where each should go. You will recall that I have added a removable section at the stern for access to the rudder controls, and one hatch has to overhang the edge of this, but that is no big deal. The other potential issue is the smoke generator at the stern, but again it can be fixed to my removable part and should not inhibit its removal.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/09/13/rear-hatches.jpg)
That’s about it for the moment. Not sure when the next episode will appear. I have to start sorting through 28 years-worth of assorted “useful stuff” in my workshop. I just KNOW that whatever I throw away is going to be ideal for some job in the near future. I really must harden my resolve. Wish me luck!
Greg
-
Hi Greg,
Thanks for updating your build log (even though it seems that you are still in the middle of a house move) - best of luck for a successful completion!
The coloured pieces of tissue to represent the flags are a nice touch and the bridge looks good with your other additions.
I wished I had thought of using "canopy glue" when fixing the glazing panels in place on my "Najade" - I foolishly used cyano which reacts with the clear plastic to leave a "frosted" effect on the surface - ah well, lesson learned!
Seeing the smoke generator made me wonder if a working unit could be installed on this model or do you think there is insufficient room? It would certainly make a nice working feature if possible.
Looking forward to the next installment of your build :-))
- Pauli
-
Hi Greg,
I was reading this evening about these B.P.C. boats and it appears that quite a few changed configuration during the war years.
Interestingly MGB 77 later became MTB 141 around 1943.
I expect you've read that yourself but all very interesting :-))
Hope the move all going to plan,
Dale.
-
Yes, even as MGB 77 she had various fits as witnessed by the kit configuration compared to the photo of 77 I showed here way back in July.
Move is at last firming up, but the modelling stuff seems to have been packed away for ages. And when we get moved in (2 weeks time, fingers crossed) I have to build a workshop, so no more progress here for a while I'm afraid.
Greg
-
Following a short pause (involving a house move, a building of a new man cave, replacement of a garden shed, some essential garden changes, a little bit of sailing, and an almost complete failure of enthusiasm), the MGB has been exhumed from the cardboard tomb and set back on the bench. Those with very long memories who have been following this, welcome back, and welcome to anyone new watching this build. Actually, the boat’s first trip wasn’t to the bench, but to the lake! As the hull had a complete set of mechanics/electrics, I thought I would re-kindle my enthusiasm by giving the hull an experimental run to see how it performed.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/01/test-run-1.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/01/test-run-2.jpg)
The good news – everything worked just fine after the long lay-off, the boat went forward, turned when asked, and even did a little reverse. The Action Electronics gizmo did its stuff on the turns, making the boat quite manoeuvrable, although the speed dropped noticeably as one motor was throttled back in the turn. The less good news – the performance was less than sparkling. Top speed is shown in the pictures above, and I don’t think it is even scale max speed, let alone an exciting model to drive. I chose relatively low speed brushless motors (740 kv), thinking that two of them would push this along at a fair old lick, but I confess that was a guess. Shots of these boats at full speed show the bow well out of the water, but the model was way off achieving that. So back to Component Shop (https://www.componentshop.co.uk/), and lo and behold! An exact plug-in replacement for my 740 kv motors with 1240 kv ones. A quick waft of the credit card, a few screws undone and done up again and the MGB is re-engined. Any better? Oh yes! I can only apologise to those who previously saw my advice on motors, but I hope the fact that I was working on a bit of guesswork was clear. And if you are after a model whose details you can admire as it sails past, the 740 kv ones will do fine. The 1240 kv ones give the boat a bit of pizazz without being really silly. Of course, I don’t have the superstructure on yet, and that might slow things a bit, but overall I am happy now with the performance. I would show a picture to compare with the ones above, but I had an issue with batteries which cut the practice run short.
On the construction front, my first project in phase 2 was the twin 20mm oerlikon mount aft on the superstructure. I am sorry there are no photos of this in progress, as it was done in a series of very short stints at the bench, several of which were rectifying things I messed up the previous time. I confess I didn’t really enjoy putting this piece together and struggled to get any part of it square to any other part, and even when it was finished I wasn’t entirely happy with it. Once finished, I carefully cleaned everything up ready for painting. Then dropped the whole thing onto the concrete floor. Perhaps subconsciously I was telling myself that it really wasn’t good enough!
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/01/Broken-oerlikon.jpg)
A better man than me would have reached for the glue and patiently reconstructed it. But my patience for this particular element was now in short supply. Straight onto the Battlecrafts website (https://www.battlecrafts.com/) and I ordered a complete unit from there. Right, that’s the 20mm oerlikon finished! (Picture from Battlecraft's website)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/01/twin-mk5-oerlikon-gun-1-24.jpg)
So, back to building with a bit of a stuttering start, but I will finish the MGB. And I promise it won’t be two years before the next post. Onwards and upwards!
Greg
-
Hi Greg,
Glad to hear that you have resumed construction of your MGB77. I have now completed my MGB77 and have sailed her at my local pond. In the mean time I have purchased another kit, but due to other things vying for my time I have not yet begun construction.
Interesting that your initial test run showed a lack of power from your drive setup - I went along with Dean's Marines recommendation and installed a brace of Kestral motors (MFA / Como Drills 719 RE 385) powered from two 6V 3300mAh SC NiMH batteries. Together with the brass props that Dean's Marine recommended I find this gives a good scale speed with the hull getting on "plane" very easily.
I also incorporated your idea of altering the prop speed in tandem with the rudder movement. I was able to achieve this without any additional mixers by using two seperate ESC's and the channel mixing feature on my Flysky transmitter. I find this works extremely well giving the boat a very tight turning circle.
I was slightly dissapointed with the quality of the guns and some other fittings in the kit so like you I ordered some fittings from the excellent "Battlecrafts" company. The quality of these fittings are very good as is the customer service from the company.
Aside from some slight niggles with some of the fittings, overall I was very pleased with how this kit went together and how well it performs on the water.
Good luck with your build - I will be watching with interest :-))
Kind regards,
Pauli
-
Hi Pauli, glad you got your MGB completed and have been enjoying running her. Interesting that you can mix the throttle and steering with your transmitter - not something that occurred to me, although I have a transmitter that (I now find) can do it. %) Live and learn!
If you have cracked posting pictures here, I am sure we all would like to see your model.
Greg
-
Hi Greg,
I have a Flysky FS-i6X 10 Ch transmitter which can be programmed for several different models and allows different channels to be mixed at different rates.
Although it would seem this radio has been developed mainly for the RC flier where control interactions can be more complex it also lends itself to some marine applications such as the rudder / throttle mixing that we have both adopted for our respective models.
With the Flysky FS-i6X transmitter I selected stick mode 4 and then assigned:
Ch3 to throttle
Ch4 to rudder
Ch6 to throttle
I then mixed the channels according to this arrangement:
Mixes:
1- Master Ch4, Slave Ch6, -25%
2- Master Ch3, Slave Ch6, 100%
3- Master Ch4, Slave Ch 3, 25%
This really works well on my model.
As an aside I must admit being a newcomer to the hobby I was really surprised as to how inexpensive some of this radio control technology is.
Regarding posting pictures - I must admit that I'm not someone who takes many photos of anything! But, I can certainly see the value of doing so in a forum like this. I must try and see if I can post some photos of my MGB at sometime.
Kind regards,
Pauli
-
Greg,
great to see you're back on the build with this, I've no doubt she will look top drawer when finished :-))
Dale.
-
Hi Greg glad your house move went ok, the MGB will be a fast boat when she's finished I take it you have found a new sailing venue big enough for fast runs, I'll be following.
Joe.
-
HI 6 different models of the MGB 77 on you tube from different countries on here germany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsWoL4WvsoQ
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/01/test-run-1.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/01/test-run-2.jpg)
The good news – everything worked just fine after the long lay-off, the boat went forward, turned when asked, and even did a little reverse. The Action Electronics gizmo did its stuff on the turns, making the boat quite manoeuvrable, although the speed dropped noticeably as one motor was throttled back in the turn. The less good news – the performance was less than sparkling. Top speed is shown in the pictures above, and I don’t think it is even scale max speed, let alone an exciting model to drive. I chose relatively low speed brushless motors (740 kv), thinking that two of them would push this along at a fair old lick, but I confess that was a guess. Shots of these boats at full speed show the bow well out of the water, but the model was way off achieving that. So back to Component Shop (https://www.componentshop.co.uk/), and lo and behold! An exact plug-in replacement for my 740 kv motors with 1240 kv ones. A quick waft of the credit card, a few screws undone and done up again and the MGB is re-engined. Any better? Oh yes! I can only apologise to those who previously saw my advice on motors, but I hope the fact that I was working on a bit of guesswork was clear. And if you are after a model whose details you can admire as it sails past, the 740 kv ones will do fine. The 1240 kv ones give the boat a bit of pizazz without being really silly. Of course, I don’t have the superstructure on yet, and that might slow things a bit, but overall I am happy now with the performance. I would show a picture to compare with the ones above, but I had an issue with batteries which cut the practice run short.
On the construction front, my first project in phase 2 was the twin 20mm oerlikon mount aft on the superstructure. I am sorry there are no photos of this in progress, as it was done in a series of very short stints at the bench, several of which were rectifying things I messed up the previous time. I confess I didn’t really enjoy putting this piece together and struggled to get any part of it square to any other part, and even when it was finished I wasn’t entirely happy with it. Once finished, I carefully cleaned everything up ready for painting. Then dropped the whole thing onto the concrete floor. Perhaps subconsciously I was telling myself that it really wasn’t good enough!
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/01/Broken-oerlikon.jpg)
A better man than me would have reached for the glue and patiently reconstructed it. But my patience for this particular element was now in short supply. Straight onto the Battlecrafts website (https://www.battlecrafts.com/) and I ordered a complete unit from there. Right, that’s the 20mm oerlikon finished! (Picture from Battlecraft's website)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/01/twin-mk5-oerlikon-gun-1-24.jpg)
So, back to building with a bit of a stuttering start, but I will finish the MGB. And I promise it won’t be two years before the next post. Onwards and upwards!
Greg
-
The Battlecrafts twin Oerlikon arrived very quickly and is a very nice moulding. Much better detailed than I could achieve by tweaking the kit parts. However, I now needed to remove the kit base (where I had recently filled the join!) to make room for the newcomer.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/12/cutting-rear-mount.jpg)
And in place – looks the part! The Battlecraft piece is quite heavy, and comes with a central fixing bolt underneath. The vacform superstructure is a bit flexible, as are all vacforms, so I put a disc of thick plasticard under the base to give the mount a firm footing.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/12/oerlikon-in-place.jpg)
Then I moved on to the breakwater for the foredeck. This comes as a vacform and I released it by wet sanding on a pane of glass.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/12/sanding-breakwater.jpg)
And having done that top and bottom, this is the piece remaining.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/12/breakwater.jpg)
Add a strengthening piece along the top edge and the triangular support webs and it ends up like…
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/12/finished-breakwater.jpg)
Getting those triangular bits to stick was a bit tricky, which is why the whole thing isn’t on the deck yet – when I went to stick it, a couple of them made a bid for freedom, so they have been firmly glued again and I have left the whole thing to dry thoroughly before trying again. (For those with an eye to detail, the plan provided with the kit as well as any other plans I have seen show fourteen of these triangular webs. There are only twelve in the laser cut sheet in the kit, and I only bothered to count after I had stuck them all in place. I won't tell if you don't. :-) )
In the meantime, some detailing of the superstructure was done. Lockers and a hatch plus some strips which I guess are foot holds for those clambering over this curved and slippery surface.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/12/superstructure-detailing.jpg)
These MGBs had a uniquely shaped vent each side alongside the superstructure, an item missing from the kit. So I made a couple from balsa sheet with a facing of thin styrene card stuck to the surface. I did try shaping the balsa on its own but it split too easily. The card not only gives a smooth surface for painting but keeps that fragile balsa in its place. These will be fastened to the side of the superstructure once that has been glued to the deck.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/12/vent-pattern.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/12/vents-in-progress.jpg)
And yes, they should be handed, not two identical ones. But that just means turning one round. ok2
Well, if slow and steady wins the race then my gold medal awaits. At the moment everything seems to be taking me for ever. Those 4 lockers on the superstructure just behind the bridge took an afternoon of fettling, fiddling and finally fitting. I think now I am getting back into the swing of things, construction will speed up a bit.
Happy modelling and sailing folks!
Greg
-
Great progress Greg :-))
-
Hi Greg,
The twin Oerlikon that you purchased from "Battlecrafts" looks really good and the breakwater although fiddly comes together quite well.
I am intrigued by the vents which I don't think I have spotted before - be interesting to see them when installed on your model.
Good luck with the rest of your build. :-))
Kind regards,
Pauli
-
You can see the vents in this rather blurry picture below, just to the right of the depth charge. They haven't been reproduced on the restored MGB 81 and I don't know which space they vented, but they do seem to be a standard feature.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/13/midships-vent.jpg)
-
Hi Greg,
Yes, I can just about make it out - if you hadn't of pointed it out I wouldn't have noticed.
I like to see as much accurate detail as possible on models such as these - really makes them stand out.
Kind regards,
Pauli
-
Hi Greg,
the vents are on 81 now although in a different position as I believe they needed extra ventilation to get her coded for passenger trips.
Dale.
-
hi ya
If you want a little more information on these Craft, Mr John Pritchard did a series of drawings back in the early 1980s and one of them was for this gun boat. I believe the drawings are still available from Sarik Hobbies. The ventilators at the side of the superstructure, I believe, if I remember correctly, are vents for venting the compartment which housed the fuel tanks. I do have an internal drawing from the makers somewhere and if I can find it I will put a copy on.
British Powerboat MM1377 - Sarik Hobbies - for the Model Builder (https://www.sarikhobbies.com/product/british-powerboat-mm1377/)
2/plans MTB ,and the MGB plan :-))
John
-
Thanks John for the link and info on the purpose of the vents. And thanks to Dale for pointing out that 81 does indeed have them, just in a different place.
A little more progress - the Holman projector assembled -
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/14/holman-projector.jpg)
To give it some added security on the deck, I added a 1.5mm brass rod peg to provide some positive location.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/14/holman-pin.jpg)
I have also taken a very deep breath and orderd some 1/24 figures from Shapeways. Although expensive, these do seem to be a lot more realistic than some of the others available. I will have to brush up ( %) ) on my figure painting.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/14/seaman-figure.jpg)
I have also stuck the breakwater in place - taped it down then ran MEK along all the joins. Seems nice and solid now.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/14/gluing-breakwater.jpg)
Then to give myself a bit of impetus, I put most of the big stuff in place to take a look at the whole thing as it currently stands.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/14/so-far-so-good.jpg)
I need to get to some painting while this weather holds. That will probably be next, although I will get a few more of the detailed bits and bobs in place before that.
Happy modelling one and all.
Greg
-
Well, I haven’t got to the painting yet, still playing with all the bits and bobs. The three resin moulded vents for the foredeck needed a bit of fettling. I had picked up a set of small grinding tools from the Middle aisle, and one of those proved ideal in my Dremel for removing the unwanted stuff.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/vent-fettling.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/fettled-vents.jpg)
Much of the other small stuff is just a matter of identifying the right location, drilling a small location hole for some of them and supergluing in place. I did replace the large vents that are provided in the kit as vacforms with Battlecraft ones and added a pin so that these prime candidates for a casual knock would be more secure.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/transom.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/large-vents.jpg)
Some of the moulded hatches provided are over-thick with a lot of flash around the edges. Rubbing flat on some abrasive paper soon produced a useable piece. It also removed a fair bit of flesh from my thumb – ouch!
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/sanding-hatch.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/finished-hatch.jpg)
One kit item I rejected was the mooring cleats, which seemed very over-size to me. They scale out at 2 feet long and 9” high. Looking at photos of the boats, it seems these cleats were nearer half this size, so I ordered some Caldercraft ones that seemed to me to be much more in keeping with the actual ones. In general, I would prefer a fitting to be slightly under size rather than over, as they aren’t so intrusive. I suppose I could have sanded down the kit ones, but my thumb was quite sore enough already.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/mooring-cleats.jpg)
Next was a production line for the multitude of lockers and other containers that are present on the deck. These are supplied as laser cut plastic and are simply glued together – once you have figured out which edge is glued to which to make a regular, smooth box. The sizing is spot on if you get the orientation of each piece right. Took me a little thought on a couple of them.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/locker-bits.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/07/31/locker-line.jpg)
Aside from the build, I have been trying to decide on a colour scheme, as there is conflicting information available. I have recently bought Mark Smith’s Coastal Craft History Vol 2 - BPB Co MTBs, MGBs and MA/SBs (https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Power-Boat-Company-MTBs/dp/0993093418/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BD8JJHZ1FDIC&keywords=coastal+craft+history+volume+2&qid=1659279720&s=books&sprefix=coastal+craft+history+volume+2%2Cstripbooks%2C64&sr=1-1) (as suggested back in June by gra2 – thanks Graham). This shows MGB 77 in a different configuration to that given in the kit. It also shows the same boat after conversion to MTB 414. The colour scheme shown for MGB 77 is vertical surfaces in white, while the kit suggests a two-tone grey/blue scheme, more akin to the scheme shown for her as a MTB. The smoke generator shown on 77 is the older, side mounted type, while the MTB configuration shows the newer, larger type at the stern, as supplied in the kit. Also, the book shows the twin Lewis gun mounts level with the bridge on MGB 77, not towards the stern as suggested in the kit. The more information I get, the more confused I am. Is the kit configuration/colour scheme an amalgam of different times in the hull’s life, or is it a documented state at a specific time in the hull’s evolution? Hmmm……… I know all these Coastal Forces craft changed throughout their lives, and maybe even had individual tweaks according to the CO’s preferences, so perhaps there is no right answer. I admit I am tending at the moment to reproduce the picture in the book (despite having equipped myself with a plentiful supply of light grey paint!) – white topsides and cabin sides, dark grey decks and upper surfaces, etc. Any knowledgeable folk out there who can offer me better guidance, or an even more authoritative source?
Happy modelling folks.
Greg
-
Hi Greg,
Great progress - thanks for the update!
When building my MGB77 I was surpised at how well the items made from the laser cut plastic sheets such as the ammo box's and the water container went together to create quite nice fittings. I was less pleased with some of the resin fittings such as the "bull horn" cleats which I consigned to the bin.
Its a pity about the quality of a few of the fittings because overall I was very happy with the kit and I would definately buy another Dean's Marine kit.
I was also somewhat confused over what colour scheme to use and opted for red oxide for the lower hull, light grey for the upper hull and superstructure and dark grey for the deck. Probably not authentic but I'm happy with it. :-)
Pauli
-
The production line for all the deck lockers is complete. I did find it very useful when putting the pieces together to use small 90 degree braces to keep everything square. The plastic sheets in the kit provide a plentiful supply of 90 degree corners that can be snipped off and added to the inside.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/braced-box.jpg)
And here are all the boxes completed.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/all-the-boxes.jpg)
Another little oddity with the laser cut pieces – the water tank sits on two bearers, but something has gone awry with the design of the pieces supplied – I had to cut new ones. The picture shows the kit piece (top) and my replacement. Easy to see what happened there!
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/tank-bearers.jpg)
I moved on to some metal work. Firstly, the various handrails around the superstructure. The supports for these are supplied as white metal castings and needed very little fettling to be used. The brass rod for the rails isn’t supplied, but 1mm rod is easy to come by. All held in place with CA glue.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/handrails.jpg)
Then on to the mast with its radar arrays. The lower part of the mast is a supplied wood dowel that needs tapering. I popped it into the chuck of my drill and held a piece of abrasive paper around it until I had a suitable size/taper. The whole mast with the upper part and radar arrays looks very, very fragile so I intend to remove it and keep it in a separate container for transport. I put a socket from brass tube into the deck just behind the bridge, held in place with Araldite and with the lower half (below deck level) plugged with a piece of wood. The lower mast is a snug fit in this tube (or it will be once I have fine-tuned the diameter of the base – it’s a bit sloppy at the moment).
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/mast-holder.jpg)
The upper part of the mast is a 2mm brass rod, which fits snugly in the two supports supplied. There are two parts to the radar array, one at the very top of the mast, the second slightly lower down. The main struts of these are 1mm rod. Fixing these to the 2mm rod was my next job. I considered both soft and silver soldering, but decided in the end to try drilling 1mm holes through the 2mm rod. I had spare 2mm for when this went horribly wrong, but actually it turned out to be fairly easy. I filed a small flat on the rod where the holes were to be, used a spring loaded centre punch to mark the spot and drilled through. Just like that.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/1mm-holes.jpg)
Creating the arrays themselves wasn’t quite as straightforward. I did a test piece with the array elements from 0.5mm wire soft soldered in place, and another one with an element CA glued in place. I tried pulling each off, and both just bent rather than coming loose. (Yes, I know the soldering is a bit messy, but it was just a trial run ;) )
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/array-tests.jpg)
I decided in the end to solder the 1mm rod parts and to add the 0.5mm elements with CA. The completed arrays were then CA glued into the mast holes. To get the soldered parts square, I used a piece of marked out masking tape on a fireproof brick with the parts held in place by weights.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/soldering.jpg) (https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/fEPkS)
Then the frame was taped over a marked out piece of paper to add the elements.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/complete-array.jpg)
The complete upper mast was added to the lower and here is the finished article.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/radar-array.jpg)
I’ve now got to put it away somewhere I won’t keep knocking pieces off!
On the more general construction front, the superstructure is now glued to the removable deck panel. I had kept it separate until I had added the mast mounting tube mentioned above, so I could glue from the inside. No more work needed inside the superstructure so now it’s in place.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/08/17/cabin-glued.jpg)
I think I am nearing the end of the various bits and bobs, at least the fittings trays are nearly empty now. The Lewis gun mounts are the only obvious bits left, should get those done this week. Summer activities have slowed me down a bit recently and I have another week away coming soon, but I think all construction should be finished by the end of August. There, I’ve set myself a deadline!
Happy modelling folks
Greg
-
Absolutely do see why a removable mast with its own transport container is desired, even required.
That radar antenna will make it a unique looking model amongst the others.
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Hi Greg,
Beautiful work. I have Deans BPB Co MTB 488 on the building board as well, and like you, am doing more than an out-of-the-box build. Keep the update coming - they're most useful.
Cheers,
Chris Preston
Victoria, BC
Canada
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Thanks for your informative post, it is full helpful hints and tips.
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Well, I said construction would be finished by the end of August, but I don’t think I said which year :D
It is mostly done, including the wood strips for spray rails and rubbing strakes. Although provided in the kit and covered in the instructions, Ron Dean did suggest leaving these off as they can be a bit delicate. Being a perverse old soanso I went ahead and fitted them anyway. The instructions suggest making a series of cuts part through the strips to allow them to bend to follow the hull, but I produced the curves around the shaft of a hot soldering iron. I clamped the soldering iron in the vice and drew a pattern of the curve of the forward part of the hull on a piece of paper so I would have a reference to check I had got the curve about right. You do need to keep the wood moving, as if you hesitate you will start to burn it, but constant movement and a steady light pressure will allow the wood to take on a curve, like this -
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/wood-strips.jpg)
Once curved, I glued the pieces in place with CA, doing about 200mm at a time in the straight sections, and about half that when I did the curved bits. Once glued in place, I pinned the wood to the hull with 1.5mm brass rod as suggested in the instructions for extra security.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/adding-rubbing-strake.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/pinned-strip1.jpg)
The hull is moulded with reinforcing pieces at the aft corners which are, I believe, for towing bitts. As far as I can see, these were only fitted to this hull when it was converted to an MTB, so I ground and sanded them off. It would have been better to mould the hull without these as they are easily added with plastic card, but a pain to remove!
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/extra-stern-bit.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/removed-stern-bit.jpg)
Despite the weather breaking, there was still plenty of opportunity for painting, so I reckoned I had got far enough to pop on a coat of primer. This always makes the model look like a single piece rather than a collection of bits with filler and scrapes all over and gives me renewed enthusiasm to crack on.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/primed-deck.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/primed-upper-bits.jpg)
The Battlecraft twin Oerlikon comes primed but needed the details painting and I also added a bit of weathering. I also replaced the sighting ring with a photo etched part from the kit, as the Battlecraft one was quite chunky.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/painted-oerlikons.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/09/06/weathered-oerlikons.jpg)
And that’s it for this thrilling instalment. I keep finding little bits I had forgotten to stick on, but hopefully they will all be done soon and I can begin to do the final painting. I still haven’t finally decided on colour scheme or configuration on the deck, but I am tending towards representing the boat in an early stage of its evolution, such as shown in this picture –
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2020/07/06/MGB77pic.jpg)
This seems to have an overall light grey colour scheme (although is the superstructure white with the aft part much darker - ?) and has an early model smoke generator fitted on the port side aft, rather than the dustbin affair on the stern as provided in the kit. I will have to build a representation of that, but that shouldn’t be too tricky. There seem to be fewer lockers around the deck, and overall I will be happier following (as far as I can) a picture of the actual boat than the model configuration which appears to be a mixture of features from different times.
Happy modelling folks!
Greg
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This rather stop-start build has had another spurt, mostly to do with painting. However, having decided to do an early version of the boat, I needed to make a different smoke generator from the one provided in the kit (and visible in the picture of MGB 77 in the last post, aft on the port side). I started with a short length of brass tube and glued a piece of balsa into one end. Then chucked in the drill, this was sanded to a dome shape.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/sanding-dome.jpg)
I made a couple of brackets to hold the tube, two pieces taped together to make sure they were the same.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/smoke-brackets.jpg)
Then put together and a disc glued to the other end.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/assembled.jpg)
Then a piece of wood and some wire to make the control box and a length of aluminium rod to represent the outlet pipe.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/smoke-generator.jpg)
And leaping ahead a little, here it is installed on the boat.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/installed-generator.jpg)
The close up makes it look a bit rough but it’s not too bad at normal viewing distance. The hull and superstructure was painted with a light grey on the sides and a dark grey on the deck and top surface of the superstructure.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/painted-hull.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/painted-deck.jpg)
A couple of points here. Firstly, you might be wondering why the front windows have those odd scraps of card stuck behind them. This is because I made a mess of fitting the glazing (twice) so decided to present the model with the blackout blinds rolled down, thus saving my embarrassment. I used painted masking tape for the blinds, so needed something firm behind them to stop inquisitive fingers simply poking a hole in it. I imagine these blinds were used all the time when the boat was operating, as this was invariably at night and any stray light from the charthouse would be most unpopular. There is a photo on page 5 of “British Motor Gun Boat 1939-45” by Angus Konstam showing MGB 108 running in daylight with these blinds lowered.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/blackouts.jpg)
Secondly, you can see that I have masked off the breakwater as this is the light grey rather than the dark grey of the deck. The tricky bit was the triangular support pieces which ideally would all have been individually masked as well. I couldn’t face that, so I hand painted the deck between these supports then masked off the whole structure. This didn’t work out brilliantly, as the paint I collected from the spray can for the brushing didn’t end up as smooth and consistent as the sprayed areas. In the spirit of full disclosure, the next picture shows the result but I couldn’t see any other way of doing it without driving myself potty. %%
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/messy-painting.jpg)
Now was the time to start adding the detailed bits and pieces to the deck. I am wary of gluing to paint, so I scraped it off wherever I was adding things. Here is where the liferaft is going –
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/scraped-deck.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/liferaft-in-place.jpg)
I made my own Sampson post from a piece of wood and short length of brass rod as the white metal version did not impress. The wood will be darkened a little.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/sampson-post.jpg)
Many of the photos of these boats show a mooring line fastened to an eye low down on the bow with the other end stowed on deck. The photos show what appears to be quite a large hard eye in the fastened end, so I made this by forming a thimble with a piece of wire and supergluing the line around it.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/hard-eye.jpg)
And here it is in place.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/mooring-line.jpg)
I have also added flag halyards to the mast. Again, these look less messy when viewed from a distance (I find about 100 yards to be sufficient :D )
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/14/halyards.jpg)
Well, that’s it for the time being. I am into all those fussy little details that seem to be never ending. I think I’ve finished then realise there’s something else to be added. I still have to put the windscreen in place, and can’t see a way of doing a robust job of this. The kit just provides some clear plastic without a frame or any directions as to how to fit it. Any suggestions welcome!
Happy modelling folks.
Greg
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A few details – the rigging for the mast needs to be detachable to allow me to store the mast in its protective cradle, so I made the rigging from shirring elastic and used little hooks to attach the rigging to eyes on the mast.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/rigging-hooks.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/rigging-in-place.jpg)
As for the crew, as previously mentioned I had bought a selection from Shapeways but I had never done any sort of figure painting before. Then the November Model Boats turns up with a full article on painting figures. How fortunate! :} I admit that I didn’t go the whole hog as advised in the Article, but it did give me a few steers when I set about my crew members. Although I had 5 figures, I ended up only using three of them.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/crew-part-painted.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/finished-crew.jpg)
A bit more painting and a few little bits stuck on – and all of a sudden (!!) she’s finished! OK, the crew aren’t there in these pictures, and I had already knocked my rather fragile windscreen off, {:-{ but here is the (very nearly) finished boat. It also shows my cradle/launcher with the storage cradle for the mast (which still needs a coat of paint). I also added a little bit of weathering, as photos show these boats often showed signs of their hard use.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/finished-1.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/MGB-view2.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/MGB-view1.jpg)
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/MGB-view3.jpg)
Nothing else for it, but off to the lake for a proper maiden voyage. I did manage to snap off one of the twin Lewis mountings when putting the batteries in the boat, :(( and then knocked the gunsight ring off the twin Oerlikons when putting the lid back on, >:-o which will teach me to be a little more careful in future (and to replace the white metal Lewis supports with brass rod!) but I guess a little battle damage is acceptable for a boat like this. Crew now on board –
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/crew-on-board.jpg)
And some video evidence that everything worked as advertised. I have to say I am delighted with the on-water performance. Top speed is probably a little above scale, but even at that speed, handling is excellent. :-)) :-))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jprreEu__yo
Well, it’s taken a while – to put it mildly – but I am very happy with the final result. I confess I won’t be rushing back to white metal, resin castings and similar – it’s back to wood for my next project – but I am very satisfied with the end result. And we had a bit of a Dean’s Marine fest on maiden day, courtesy of Daleb’s two boats.
(https://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2022/10/29/Deans-collection.jpg)
I hope that those who have been patient enough to follow this all the way have enjoyed the marathon. I have certainly learnt a few things along the way - that's all part of the fun of building models!
Happy modelling folks.
Greg
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Yes, frustration about breaking those parts.
But, man, that baby gets moving! :} Cool stuff.
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She looks great.
Bob
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Greg, your MGB 77 looks superb and runs beautifully very nice build indeed :-))
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Hi Greg,
Your MGB looks great and performs extremely well on the water.
Thanks for continuing to update your build log even after your enforced break due to a house move!
Congratulations on a terrific model :-))
Pauli