I have now started to construct the main bridge section. First job was to modify the moulded hull, as the sides of the moulding tapered outwards the higher up you got, so i gently heated the plastic, at deck level height and with the aid of a steel rule, used that to "push" the rail to a more vertical angle, to allow for the removable bridge section to be a better fit and profile.
right, back to action. First job was to mark and cut out the 2 side pieces, making sure to note the differences between sides of course. I then added a "sleeve" piece to the bottom/inside area of the side plates, to ease alignment when removaing/refitting the upperworks. There will be additional boxes for it all to sit over, once the deck is in place, but the deck is not going on untill the powerplant is in and working, to give me more access.
I then cut out the cross panels,one for the fron, one for the rear, making special note of the angles of the upper wheelhouse deck and of the underside radius also, these will give profile to the upper deck and under "roof" once installed.
I then marked out and cut the wheelhouse deck, making sure to get the "add on" piece around the funnel and the cut out for the deck ladder too.
I have made up some triangular corner support tags, to hep keep everything square during build. I also added 2 x10mm wide cross brace strips to hep keep the front and rear panels flat and square too.
the main upper deck pieces are cut from 2mm thick styrene, moreso for strength and rigidity, as this is the item going to get most of the handling when in use, as you have to hold on to the sides of this to lift off to access the hull access panels for switchear, batteries, motors, rudders etc. I will also need to run some cabling up, via a multi plug connector for the mast lights and radar at some stage, to the side boxes will be hollow, to allow me a direct through route.
the portholes have been marked on and I will glue on some additional plastic "blanks" to these positions first, to give the outer raduis of the windows, then carefull cut away the internal bits, to fit the windows inside afterwards.