70ft 9in British Power Boat Company MGB 1942 1:48th Scale

[foeth]

On 4/10/2022 at 7:09 PM, Steve D said:

For those who've not seen relief etch artwork before, black is full thickness, red is half from the front, cyan is half from the back, white is etch through. 

 

I just started my own new set and I use layers per half, but this visualization has all information in one view which is very convenient... (a why-didn't-I-think-of-that moment).

 

Are the lines between parts final? Some seem to be at an odd position when you need to clean up?

 

(Perhaps mentioned but) DIY etching or at some etchers? I usually send my pdf's to Hauler.

[Steve D]

50 minutes ago, foeth said:

Are the lines between parts final? Some seem to be at an odd position when you need to clean up?

Yes, they are final and odd, I know.  Joining the pieces together with strips that are easily cut is complex with such a disparity of parts.  I keep trying to make it neat, but it always ends up a bit of a dogs dinner...  As it is, it probably took over an hour to create the joins, enough time in my book.  These pieces will clean up well enough with a minicraft drill and sanding disk.  No, I don't do my own etching, I use a company in London called 4D, who mainly serve the professional architectural modelling world.  They are not the cheapest, but have a 24 -36 hour turnaround and the quality is always excellent.

 

The big challenge with etch artwork is understanding what compromises need to be made based on the thickness of brass used.  Its very temping too draw perfectly, only to find the lines or detail has etched away.  I've love to make gunsights finer but I know that at this thickness, these lines are as fine as I can go.  To make finer sights, I'd need a second sheet in thinner material and that's not really economical

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Steve D]

And this is what it looks like in brass ...  Time to get soldering....

 

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Brandy]

Now THAT looks pretty impressive!

Nicely done!

 

Ian

[Adm Lord De Univers]

1 hour ago, Brandy said:

Now THAT looks pretty impressive!

Nicely done!

 

Ian

Heartily agree and I live within walking distance of 4d! Unfortunately creating the etch seems like a level of skill in it's own right that I simply do not possess. Shame because if I could do it half as good as this I'd be one very happy camper.

 

David

[Steve D]

15 hours ago, Brandy said:

Now THAT looks pretty impressive!

Thanks Ian.  Unfortunately, when I was drawing the artwork, my software seemed to have a 0.02 inch line width default set.  I noticed this when reviewing the pdf and went back and had to change all the lines on every object, pretty tedious.  Double unfortunately, I missed a couple of items so I've some very fine filing to do. I've been doing etching artwork on and off for 20 years, I SHOUD know better by now... 

 

Is it cheating? well, not really..  Its certainly the best way to get rivet detail into models bar 3d printing.  1:48th scale is the smallest where rivet detail really matters, one of the reasons I love the scale so much

 

13 hours ago, Adm Lord De Univers said:

seems like a level of skill in it's own right that I simply do not possess.

David,

 

I agree it takes practice and mistakes, lots of mistakes.  If you have a need, reach out I'd be happy to help, serious offer.  I'm retired with time on my hands and I'm pretty quick on CAD these days.  Alternatively, I'd be happy to let you into the "secrets" of line thicknesses etc that make this possible.  Apart from my stupid mistake (see reply above) this artwork was better than the last, the gun sights are crisper and the deadlights worked really well.  I'll post the first assembly pictures later

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Steve D]

I never know how much of the brass-work to photograph and upload as it is all more or less the same and I don't want the thread to become boring.

 

I'll try and focus on stuff that is either interesting or unusual

 

First job is to complete the hull and the best place to start is the hatches, all of which are different..

 

However, all bar one has the same hinge detail, on vertical stiffeners.  I did this with tiny hinges that need folding and then mounting to the stiffeners on a through rod which is cut away later.

 

Here are the pieces of the first hatch, cleaned up before folding and soldering.  It sits on a large base plate which I guess could be removed to access some machinery.  All the hatches are made of a three layer sandwich, located with the handle holes

 

 

Here it is soldered and cleaned up

 

 

And here are all five of them done.  The one on the extreme left in this shot has flat hinges and a riveted stiffener.  It sits on a base plate which was also removable with nuts around the edge

 

 

To break things up, I also made up the large deck tank on the port side near the stern.  The tank itself was printed but the protective bars where etched.  The tap is made from a stanchion cut-off and the lifting beams it sits on are walnut strip wood.  This is a cool little assembly

 

 

I also made up the bin which sits further forward on the port side.  I'll place canvas in this bin later

 

 

The bin has a fire-extinguisher mounted to one end, printed with a brass hose added

 

 

The stern exhausts received their outer flanges

 

 

And a lot of minor deck detail was glued in place..

 

 

So far so good, but the challenges remain ahead..

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[longshanks]

31 minutes ago, Steve D said:

I don't want the thread to become boring.

 

No chance!

32 minutes ago, Steve D said:

I'll try and focus on stuff that is either interesting or unusual

 Mission accomplished 

 

Always great to see your builds coming together.....

 

Stay safe

 

Kev

[S-boat 55]

That's breathtakingly good 

[Dmitriy1967]

Good job! These small metal parts look great.

[Adm Lord De Univers]

On 17/04/2022 at 18:08, longshanks said:

No chance!

Ditto, more photos if you please!

 

David

[Brandy]

The etch has turned out beautifully, those hatches are works of art in themselves!

 

Ian

[Steve D]

Very quick update, fitting this kitchen has taken my time this week.  However, I did squeeze in a few details

 

Below what I think is a tow bracket on the stem just above the water line (note rivets on the side straps).  Pictures show a rope attached to this fitting and coiled on the forecastle as a contingency

 

 

Also visible is the Samson post, the forward hatch in place and the fixings for the protective frame/tent that might be installed in harbour to keep the forward crew flat dry.  The first of my etched bollards also in place and the deck-lights

 

Moving to the stern, I've made up the major deck tanks (note fire extinguisher) and bins and just visible is the twin Oerlikon mounting flange around the drum.  Hatches stuck down now.  On the base in the foreground is one of the two short ladders that access the sliding hatch and Oerlikon mount and an RUL.  That cubic bin is quite odd.  I decided is had inner walls, so is not an not an open bin as the other side.  The more I stare at the few pictures available of this mark of MGB, I'm more convinced this is right

 

 

Below is a better shot of the anti-slip threads aro9und the Holman projector and those strange diagonal treads to (I guess) help the crew move from the rear whaleback hatch to the Holman without slipping overboard.  Note there are two rectangular glass deck lights (see the brass frames)  just behind and either side of the Oerlikon plus more of the small oblong decklights running forward.  The two rear fairleads are also in place, these were printed

 

 

I'm sort of working my way round the boat adding stuff that will be in place when I commence painting.  The bins, lockers, cowl vents and tanks will be painted and detailed off the model and added right at the end, I just like to see them in place as I go.  The Holman base will be fixed before hull painting, the projector assembly sits on a rod and so is removable, that way it can be also be painted off the model and added at the end

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[JohnWS]

1 hour ago, Steve D said:

 ... Below what I think is a tow bracket on the stem just above the water line (note rivets on the side straps).  Pictures show a rope attached to this fitting and coiled on the forecastle as a contingency ...

She's looking great Steve.

 

You're correct, most, if not all, photos of the British Power Boat MTB's show the boats having a bow tow line attached during normal running.  From what I understand, the tow lines were kept at the ready in the event a boat had mechanical/electrical problems or battle damage, & needed to be towed out of harm's way as quickly as possible.

 

On later boats, the bow line usually ran through a jam cleat on the deck (to hold the line in place), and the rest was coiled on a clear spot on the deck.

 

John

 

[Steve D]

Thanks John,

 

Always good too hear from a professional 👍

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[steve5]

become boring , not a chance . I find this incredibly interesting .

[Steve D]

 

 

The most time consuming part of these builds is not making stuff, its actually working out what the drawings mean

 

Looking for a little help here, perhaps @JohnWS might know the answer...

 

In this extract from the drawing I'm working to you can see a number of objects on the whaleback roof to the rear of the dustbin (apparently this was the nickname for the open bridge....)

 

 

At 12 o'clock looks to be a mushroom vent, 3 o'clock is the mast step, the tube of frame running across I can just make and not worry about purpose.  However, we then have the rectangle with 3 circles at 6 o'clock and the square with 4 circles at 9 o'clock.  None of these are visible on any photograph I have and they are obscured in the elevation by the locker  so I'm a bit stuck.

 

My guess is that the rectangle looks like the anchor point for the radio/radar wires to enter the radio room below so I can model them as round conductor/isolators with fine wires running up the mast.  The square seems to have a looped handle running across it...

 

I'm sure no one will care what I make here, but it worries me that I don't know what they are or really what they look like..

 

Can anyone offer more information?

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[longshanks]

1 hour ago, Steve D said:

The square seems to have a looped handle running across it.

Could it be a Direction Finding (DF) loop?

 

1 hour ago, Steve D said:

the rectangle looks like the anchor point for the radio/radar wires

I think you could be right. Plug in points for Mast electrics

 

Carry on with the great work

 

Kev

[Steve D]

3 hours ago, longshanks said:

Could it be a Direction Finding (DF) loop?

Interesting, I'd not thought of that, thanks Kev

[JohnWS]

6 hours ago, Steve D said:

... Looking for a little help here, perhaps @JohnWS might know the answer...

Steve, the only detailed drawings I have are for the later BPB MTB's.  

 

Like you, I'd guess the rectangle with the three circles (@ 6 o'clock) is the anchor point for the radio/electrical wires.

 

Sorry, not much help here.  

 

John

[Iceman 29]

Too bad you don't have the captions for the numbers on your drawing, page 1. It's referenced.

 

https://prints.rmg.co.uk/search?q=MGB+74-81&type=product

 

https://prints.rmg.co.uk/products/71ft-6-mgb-74-81-and-107-117-10h1-fittings-on-wheelhouse-exterior-m1567

 

[Steve D]

10 hours ago, Iceman 29 said:

Too bad you don't have the captions for the numbers on your drawing, page 1. It's referenced.

I know Pascal, I have that drawing, but thanks for reminding me to study it closer, I'd been lazily working from the GA which I'd scaled into TurboCAD.  However, not all of the details shown on that drawing were built when you compare it closely to the photographs.  The strange question mark shaped vent on the port side for instance is missing from all the port side pictures I have etc... 

 

The trouble with multiple sources is knowing which to believe and of course, any drawing you follow is only as good as the research done by the person who drew it.  Designer drawings in wartime were rarely updated to shipyard  "as-built" status, there being no time or point as designs evolved so fast.  Pictures are always the best source, but even a single vessel changed over time.  I met a guy at a show many years ago who was showing his model of a type 22 frigate at 1:48th scale, an amazing enormous model ~ 9 feet long (that had taken him over 20 years to build).  It was modelled as at a particular day in the 1980's when he had the opportunity to go aboard and photograph every detail.  That's the only way to say something is "right"

 

Still, all that said, studying the image, the square now looks to me to be more ,likely to be the radio/radar wire connection plate as the rectangle is shown plain, possibly an inspection/access cover,....  The "mushroom vent" looks more like a jack staff base...

 

This is the bit of the hobby I like best, trying the work out these rather pointless little details 

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[GrzeM]

It's shockingly wonderful!

[Steve D]

Short update, gettign my head back into where I left things...

 

Meanwhile, I printed a load of misc deck items, lockers, cowl vents, depth charges, life-buoys (two sizes, a first for me...) etc...

 

 

That thing in the middle is the forward bulkhead of the open bridge which needs painting outside and glued in at theend.

 

Here is a better shot together with the wheelhouse with its windows fitted (hours of fiddling later...).  I had to glaze them before gluing it in place so they will need masking...

 

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Steve D]

OK, between research, I've managed to make a few more pieces.  Really, I'm not sure when to start priming the model, usually I've done this by now, but this time I wanted to get most items made before beginning painting (which I think I always rush...)

 

Anyway, the locker printing is complete, here they all are trial fitted.  I've also glazed all the windows now

 

 

Back to building, I put the first of the two twin Lewis pedestal mounted guns together, show here next to the etched parts of #2. - Guns have to be brass in my world, no exceptions....

 

 

And here it is in position on the rear deck- the printed base in the background is for the Holman projector..

 

 

Next the flag locker.  Remember I printed one but it was far too heavy, this is etched from .25 mm brass, ends 0.5 mm.  This creates a  much lighter looking result, though admittedly it hard to see one fitted...

 

 

This all proved quite a challenge to hold together to solder, had to make a throw-away mount in the end...  Soldering wood causes fires btw...

 

 

Finished and cleaned up.  The rivet butt strap on the top is to hold the canvas cover, might just be visible...  This version is a keeper.  I love the way my brass-work ends up a little wavy and bent, just like a real flag locker

 

 

Next the wind-screens.  This is in two halves to allow slots for the glazing.  It has 6 angled supports individually soldered, more or less fitted, only a little fine filler needed to tidy up the join

 

 

The vertical frames a bit too wide, but that's the limit of the etching, should be OK once glazed.  The two frames stuck together form "H" supports that the glazing will slide into I hope... sorryy not quite in focus

 

 

Lastly, I made up the IFF aerial frame that site across the top of the sliding hatch

 

 

So, that's most of the etched assemblies bar the main gun mounts, they are for another day

 

Cheers

 

Steve