'Roger's Little Ships'

[RogerP]

Greetings from way 'downunder',

I have been 'playing around' with some card models, mostly from www.cfp.muerell.de, rescaling them to 1/144th scale. I have since been receiving orders here in Australia for Fairmile B class Motor Launches which I am now doing in resin.

The previous card models had resin cast parts for the deck fittings, weapons etc and brass etch railings. When I work out how to add photo's I will certainly do so.

Apart from the Fairmile B's I've been working on I also have the following 'in progress' all card models --

Fairmile A class minelayer ML 103.

Fairmile C class MGB 314, the HQ 'little ship' from Op Chariot, the horrendous combined op raid on St Nazaire.

Vosper MTB 234, skippered by Peter Dickens, grandson of well known Charles Dickens.

Fairmile B ML 145, an early war 'generic' B class.

A WW1 ML 531, this one is scratch-built in card.

US 80' Elco PT 103, the first of it's class.

US Sub Chaser SC 648 and

HDML 1321, an RAN 80' boat seconded to the AIB and involved in Op Copper, an Aust Z Special commando raid where 7 out of the 8 commandos perished.

After this lot I'll be working on --

Fairmile D MTB with MGB & Rescue versions later.

SGB.

British Power Boat 70' MGB with 63' MGB, MA/SB & Rescue boats later.

WW1 US Sub Chaser.

WW1 CMB's, both 40' & 55'.

Vosper 73' type I MTB, like the Airfix 1/72 kit.

US PC just to name a few.

Now to an important question:

Now that we have done the above Fairmile B I am now looking for opinions as to what I should do next in 1/144th scale.

Which of the following types would be of interest do you think?

Vosper MTB, the early war version, those built during 1940-42, like the forthcoming Italeri kit OR The US 80’ Elco PT Boat.

I might add all these models are 1/144th scale, waterline, mounted on a wooden base and crewed with figures.

Edited December 8, 2011 by RogerP

[Norman]

Roger

Forget all that

what we need is a British T class submarine

Cheers

Norm

Greetings from way 'downunder',

I have been 'playing around' with some card models, mostly from www.cfp.muerell.de, rescaling them to 1/144th scale. I have since been receiving orders here in Australia for Fairmile B class Motor Launches which I am now doing in resin.

The previous card models had resin cast parts for the deck fittings, weapons etc and brass etch railings. When I work out how to add photo's I will certainly do so.

Apart from the Fairmile B's I've been working on I also have the following 'in progress' all card models --

Fairmile A class minelayer ML 103.

Fairmile C class MGB 314, the HQ 'little ship' from Op Chariot, the horrendous combined op raid on St Nazaire.

Vosper MTB 234, skippered by Peter Dickens, grandson of well known Charles Dickens.

Fairmile B ML 145, an early war 'generic' B class.

A WW1 ML 531, this one is scratch-built in card.

US 80' Elco PT 103, the first of it's class.

US Sub Chaser SC 648 and

HDML 1321, an RAN 80' boat seconded to the AIB and involved in Op Copper, an Aust Z Special commando raid where 7 out of the 8 commandos perished.

After this lot I'll be working on --

Fairmile D MTB with MGB & Rescue versions later.

SGB.

British Power Boat 70' MGB with 63' MGB, MA/SB & Rescue boats later.

WW1 US Sub Chaser.

WW1 CMB's, both 40' & 55'.

Vosper 73' type I MTB, like the Airfix 1/72 kit.

US PC just to name a few.

Now to an important question:

Now that we have done the above Fairmile B I am now looking for opinions as to what I should do next in 1/144th scale.

Which of the following types would be of interest do you think?

Vosper MTB, the early war version, those built during 1940-42, like the forthcoming Italeri kit OR The US 80’ Elco PT Boat.

I might add all these models are 1/144th scale, waterline, mounted on a wooden base and crewed with figures.

[Madam I'm Adam]

Roger

Forget all that

what we need is a British T class submarine

Cheers

Norm

Agreed

Adam

[RogerP]

Norm,

You know very well where my interest lies and sadly no it doesn't extend to Submarines. I remember you saying a while ago you were thinking of 'having a crack' at doing the Fairmile b masters for me so why don't you test your scratchbuilding skills and do your T class Sub?

'Madam I'm Adam', as stated above and in my signature block my thing is Allied Light Coastal Forces which doesn't include subs, sorry to disappoint you.

[Norman]

Norm,

You know very well where my interest lies and sadly no it doesn't extend to Submarines. I remember you saying a while ago you were thinking of 'having a crack' at doing the Fairmile b masters for me so why don't you test your scratchbuilding skills and do your T class Sub?

'Madam I'm Adam', as stated above and in my signature block my thing is Allied Light Coastal Forces which doesn't include subs, sorry to disappoint you.

Heheheheheh

heheheheheheh

Fair enough , looks like we hit a raw nerve, sorry,!! it is only a hobby mate !!!

As mentioned elsewhere way ahead of ya partner , main bits laid out for framework of pressure hull (have been for a while) i need some more inspiration and i'm waiting on some more pics, (one of my many excuses) but in the words of Jonesy the butcher from a well known tv show DONT PANIC !!!DON'T PANIC !!! as soon as i get to the end Trumpeter or someone ( Airfix ????) will issue an injected moulded one, whats the bet !!!

Cheers

[Madam I'm Adam]

as soon as i get to the end Trumpeter or someone ( Airfix ????) will issue an injected moulded one, whats the bet !!!

Cheers

I wouldn't bet on Airfix but possibly one of the eastern companies is my guess...

Cheers

Adam

Edited December 12, 2011 by Madam I'm Adam

[Norman]

I fear you are correct Adam

but it won't happen till i am on the last stage of my scratch build mate

You know with all the modes RN stuff being done AND the older foreign (russki, chinese yank etc) you'd think someone at trumpeter would take the initiative, the T class and associates are such interesting looking (and important) boats

I went to the Gosport Sub museum in 2009 when visiting the Uk and there are some nice models there on this theme i suppose you have seen them ?

Anyway

I'll keep dreaming

Cheers mate

Norm

[RogerP]

No Norm and 'Madam I'm Adam' you didn't hit any raw nerves at all, it was my rather poor attempt at a stir which came out quite wrong.

[Norman]

Ah i see

Hmmmmmmmmmm

[Madam I'm Adam]

No worries Roger, no hurt feelings and I should have read your signature before leaping in.

It's just I have such a bee in my bonnet about no manufacturers making British submarines.

I'm sure we can all agree they are seriously under represented by model companies, possibly because the Grey Wolves are the famous submariners.

I am sure that we would agree that the british submarine fleet was a significant force, just think of Malta and the North African campaigns.

So when I'm a better modeller scratchbuilding will be the only way.

And I'd love to visit Gosport and will do one day.

Cheers

Adam

[RogerP]

Hello Everyone,

OK, at this stage this is the order of preference so I will most likely be releasing one resin model (kit) at a time in the following order (perhaps):

1. Vosper MTB. The more common wider (19’3”, 1941-2ish) version as opposed to the much narrower (14’9”, 1939-40ish) type. As far as I can tell the wider hulled boats included numbers 57-66, 73, 75-98, 222-245 and 347-362. This type has recently been released in 1/35th scale by Italeri and 1/72nd scale by Coastal Craft Models.

2. US Elco 80' PT. this one would need to include two cabin castings to cater for the different (slightly) positions of the starboard gun tub. I haven’t quite sorted out boat numbers yet, but do have the info available.

3. PBR Mk II.

4. Monitor (prog 4) plus Cmd & Control version.

5. PCF Swift Boat.

6. ASPB 1st Generation and

7. US Higgins 78' PT.

This next list are distinct possibilities depending of course on the level of expressions of interest, they have all been mentioned at least once:

British Power Boat Co. MTB (71’9”), MGB (71’6”) which could include the earlier 70’ & 63’ MGB types.

Elco 70’ & 77’ PT Boats (there were also RN MGB/MTB versions).

The WW1 55’ CMB (could also include the 40’ version).

BPB Co. 63’ ASRL (like the Airfix 1/72nd one).

‘Miami’ class ASRL.

The Korean War PTF ‘Nasty’ boat.

‘Tacoma’ class Patrol Frigate – don’t have anything on this ship.

PACV – likewise, don’t have any info only a photo.

These next ones are of particular interest to me:

The SOC-R boat. Check out “The Navy’s Best Kept Secret” on ‘youtube’ and the movie ‘Act of Valor’, only released last month in the US.

The WW1 80’ ML.

The HDML, the smaller ‘maid of all work’, the larger one being the Fairmile B class ML already available.

The modern CB-90 boat, designed in Sweden I think and being evaluated/used by the USN as an RCB (Riverine Cmd Boat).

The LCSM. This one is rather obscure and was a landing craft conversion used on the Arakan coast in Burma.

Having said all this I need to point out the following –

Please be very patient with this rather comprehensive list, but you guys (and girls of course if there are any ladies interested) can help me (and yourselves) a great deal in bringing these models to fruition by offering to help make the masters.

My plan is to include brass etch parts and crew figures.

As I have stated previously my caster friend has very limited time to devote to making any masters and while he would like to tackle the Vosper and Elco boats (perhaps) I really would like others to ‘have a go’.

I already have a candidate willing to do the PBR so the others are up for grabs. Please don’t be (too) frightened to put your hand up.

While the models I do are waterline I fully appreciate the desire to have ‘full hull’ models so I would strongly suggest that we have a separate piece made for those who wish to either mount their model on a stand or if in a diorama have the forefoot showing.

[RogerP]

Hello Everyone,

Well the next chapter has finally occurred, the first resin 1/144th scale Fairmile B class ML's (three of them) are on their way to there new owners. My customer wanted three models of her late father's 'little ship', ML 357 and RN ship from the 42nd ML Flotilla which saw service in the Aegean and Adriatic Seas during 1944-5. ML 357 was often engaged in clandestine work with the LRDG and Greek Sacred Sqn as well as doing runs to and from Crete.

Hmm, not sure how to insert a photo will try and work it out.

Cheers,

Roger in OZ.