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

[robgizlu]

Steve - that's one of the best pics I've seen of a Carley float.  

It's really beginning to look like a properly used Coastal Forces gunboat

Rob

[steve5]

man this is one incredible build , really nice work .

[Steve D]

11 hours ago, robgizlu said:

that's one of the best pics I've seen of a Carley float. 

Thanks Rob,

 

For completeness, here are the other two pictures I took.  Not sure they add much, but maybe worth posting nonetheless.  If I ever built at a larger scale, I would definitely have a go at this level of detail

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Steve D]

Odd jobs

 

Canvas finished off with a coat of B15, love the wrinkled effect

 

 

Then cut into sections and crammed into the deck bin.  Checking the pictures, this really is what they looked like, I guess they didn't bother to be too neat, wet canvas is a bugger to fold anyway

 

 

Then I turned my attention to the mast and rigging (I hate knots...)...

 

First, painting the ensign, same as I have described previously using Tulip fabric paint and fine linen (from a cheap handkerchief, £10 buys enough handkerchiefs for a lifetime of flags)..  This flag is 4ft by 2ft so quite small

 

 

After attaching the hoist, the flag is soaked in weak PVA and hung to set its shape.  This small hand clamp seems to be just right for achieving a realistic shape (I may have mentioned before my dislike of flags that stick out as though they were starched   ).  Plus the curled up shape has the added benefit of covering up any painting mistakes👍  

 

 

I made up the signal flag blocks from a scrap of 4 mm x 1.5mm walnut with the end sanded down to around 1.8 mm x 1.  The ropes are then tied in place before the each length is cut off, sanded flat and drilled out 0.5mm for the hoist line.  Before drilling, I rolled the blocks in cyno to harden them and darken the wood.  Helps prevent the walnut splintering when drilled.  This is all tiny stuff for me..  Everyone on this forum is better at rigging than I am, even the ones who have never tried it...... 

 

Very unhelpful out of focus picture that doesn't really help...

 

 

Finally, secured to the signal yard (from 1.2 mm brass wire, tapered in the lathe).  The yard stay lines and of course the main mast stays (in wire rope) will be added when it is finally fitted for good, just about the last activity

 

 

I guess it'll do.  Note I've also glazed the windscreen, probably needs a little more sanding flat on the top edge.  The glazing sticks above the metal frame

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Steve D]

The last item of brass, the anchor.  This is the 5th one of these I've made so getting used to it now.

 

Articulated with 16BA nuts and screws 👍

 

 

The revised transfers are on the post so hopefully, I can get them on and varnish ahead of rigging, nearly done now 

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Courageous]

Now that is looking very sweet indeed.

 

Stuart

[Steve D]

Well, all builds come to an end and this is the end of this build thread.  The model will be back with an RFI thread once the base and stand is made.

 

Today I finished off the rigging.  The wire-rope handrails are made from SoftFlex Softtouch 7 strand thread sold for threading beads.  The Very Fine size has a diameter of 0.25mm and is used for the stays and Fine (diameter 0.36 mm) was used for the rear handrails.  These are finished with loops that are clenched up with thin wall brass tube.  0.8 mm for the very fine and 1 mm for the fine.  In the past I've struggled cutting these thin walled tubes (0.1mm wall thickness) but this time I made this cutting jig and it worked a treat with the piercing saw

 

 

The model still needs a few more rope coils, some helmets, a bucket and my signature sailor to allow people to understand the scale, but for the basic vessel build, it's done

 

 

The forecastle has the emergency tow rope coiled up and held in the waterline bow fitting.  This rope was made up on my ropewalk, described in an earlier thread.  The anchor is stowed on the starboard ahead of the breakwater with a length of ground chain and a rope coil.

 

 

It's all had a coat of matt varnish to level up the finish.  Dirty I know, but hopefully it is reminiscent of a working boat in wartime

 

 

I'll be back soon with more progress on the Räumboote thread but meanwhile many thanks for your interest, comments, advice and likes. 

 

I hope I've managed to impart some useful information in between my ramblings.

 

Cheers and thanks again

 

Steve

[Faraway]

I might not have made many comments during this build, but I’ve watched in awe as you made parts I can only dream of making.
To watch a true craftsman at work, is always a joy.

The end result is superb and I shall definitely be looking out for the next one.

Jon

[Dmitriy1967]

Steve, I thank you for the pleasure I got watching this build. The ship turned out great!

Your builds are also a great tutorial of different ways to work with natural materials.

Thanks!

 

Dmitriy

[Bertie McBoatface]

Thanks Steve. That was most interesting, informative, entertaining.

 

The boat is a beaut!

[Steve D]

2 hours ago, Faraway said:

The end result is superb and I shall definitely be looking out for the next one.

Thanks Jon, I'll be back soon

 

1 hour ago, Dmitriy1967 said:

Your builds are also a great tutorial of different ways to work with natural materials

Thanks Dmitriy, I will continue to champion traditional methods, it's all I know how to do

 

1 hour ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

That was most interesting, informative, entertaining

Thanks Bertie, I really enjoy writing this stuff up and if people find it entertaining, my job is done

[Bertie McBoatface]

27 minutes ago, Steve D said:

really enjoy writing this stuff up

That’s very apparent. You write well I think. It’s an easy to read prose style. 

[Jerry L]

Steve, I have been a lurker during your build; however, watching a master builder is not only a treat but an honor.

[Brandy]

It's no real surprise that this has turned out beautifully. Your approach throughout had guaranteed that. Thanks for an interesting thread and a beautiful model!

(And I'm not even a maritime guy!)

 

Ian

[steve5]

I endorse what everyone else has said , it's just a credit to you .

[stevehnz]

She looks fantastic Steve. As a long time fan of coastal craft, that catches the look of them exactly right to my mind. 👍

Steve.

[Steve D]

On 31/07/2022 at 22:01, Jerry L said:

I have been a lurker during your build

Thanks Jerry, next thread ask questions, I want to make this type of modelling more accessible and will happily explain anything at great and tedious length....

 

14 hours ago, Brandy said:

And I'm not even a maritime guy

Thanks Ian, there is always time to rectify this character flaw 

 

4 hours ago, steve5 said:

it's just a credit to you

Thanks Steve, next time the painting will be better, I promise

 

3 hours ago, stevehnz said:

catches the look of them exactly right to my mind

Thanks Steve, I'll take that 👍

[seacon]

Molto bella!

Molto bravo!

Complimenti!

Marcello

[heloman1]

Wow, Steve what a magnificent build. I've just trolled through all eight pages at one sitting! The hull construction reminded me of a couple of model boats I had built in my teens. all hand cut formers in those days, no laser cutting! Excellent work with the planking, veneer has many uses in the modelling game.

I do like the deck parts and the brass guns, excellent work, and the drooping flag, superb.

 

Colin

[Steve D]

17 hours ago, heloman1 said:

The hull construction reminded me of a couple of model boats I had built in my teens. all hand cut formers in those days, no laser cutting! Excellent work with the planking, veneer has many uses in the modelling game.

Thanks Colin, I've also done it by hand many times, but the laser cutting I'm afraid is just better and more accurate than I can do these days.  In my build treads< I'm hoping to get people away from plastic kits and open up the world of possibilities scratchbuilding presents.  BTW, that's the first time I've used veneer on a hull, I'll use it again, so quick and simple

 

Cheers

 

Steve

 

 

[Steve D]

On 19/08/2022 at 07:35, seacon said:

Molto bella!

Molto bravo!

Complimenti!

Grazie mille Marcello

[Frank H Schmidt]

Dear Steve,
impressive craftsmanship everywhere, great work and thank you for sharing !

I'm gonna build an MGB via 3D-printing - scale 1:25 and rc-controlled.
I like this boat very much and i want to see one on water here, where e-boats (S-100 and so on) are more presently 😉

To my 60th anniversary two years ago i gave build plans from the Royal Musuem Greenwih to myself 🙂
Most of the boat is designed in CAD alreday and the hull-sections including the deck are printed (FDM) and glued together.
I want to print the superstructures (in sections) in SLA in autumn ... and then the work begins 😉

I collected a lot documents e.g. books from John Lambert, and if the weather is  going to turn to "in-house activities" i'll continue to work an it,

detailing equipment and weapons.

I got plans, fully ok for me, but i saw plans in the background of you pcitures and was asking myself, where they are from.
 did a big research two years ago, but i'm sure, i never saw the plans i see on your pictures.

Regards and Thank You again !

Frank

 

Sorry, i'm not able to present pictures becaus i have own page for uploading and sharing.

 

 

 

[Steve D]

Hi Frank,

 

Thanks for the kind comments and my apologies for not replying earlier.  I don't get alerts when people just add comments to my old threads so I have no way to know and respond.

 

Anyway, that sounds like fun.  This is the book you need to buy Haynes Manual, looks like the tank museum have a cheap deal on it.  It contains reproductions of Lamberts excellent drawings and many pictures.  If you get to the UK, I think you can even book a ride on the preserved boat in Portsmouth, if you are lucky

 

Good luck with the project and make sure you post the build on this forum, I know others would be interested in what you are doing

 

Any help I can provide, please just PM me 

 

Cheers

 

Steve