Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Navy - Military - Battleships: => Topic started by: TailUK on August 22, 2013, 10:02:17 am
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Now that I've got a hull I can start the build thread of my new project, USS Freedom - LCS1.
Freedom is one of the US Navy's new Littoral Combat Ships. Designed to operate in shallow coastal waters, they are light, fast, versatile and pretty well armed for their size. The ship incorperate many innovations including water jet drives, aluminium construction and modular capacity , which allows them to be quickly reconfigured for different missions.
As with most model boats the build starts with the hull. I won't go into the construction as it's been well documented elsewhere. A plywood plug was made and a GRP mould taken from it. A GRP hull was then laid up in the mould. (Pics 001,002)
The scale is 1/144th which gives a hull length of 810mm or 31 inches.
The most challenging part will be fitting the water drives.
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Now camouflaged too:-
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/312429_10151441494157453_1286087152_n.jpg)
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yes, she looks quite retro with that camo scheme. I thought they might go with a Swedish style pattern but this one will be easier to paint on the model.
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While I'm waiting for the motors I opened the "pocket" in one side of the bow for the anchor. Chain drilling and filing and then fitting a styrene tube with superglue. The excess is trimmed back on the outside. This could now be left or the bottom part of an anchor could be fitted, just showing.