ThePublisher ’s writ tenconsent must be ob tained before anyp ar tof this public ationmay be reproduc ed in anyformw hats oever, including photocopiers, andinformation retrievals ys tems.A ll reas onable care is takenint he prep arationoft he maga zine contents,but thepublishers cannot be held legall yresponsible forerrorsint he contents of this maga zine or forany loss howeverarising from such errors,inclu ding loss re sultingfro mnegligenc eofour st af f. Reliance plac ed up on thecontent s of this maga zine is at reader ’s ow nrisk.
ModelBoats,ISSN0140-2910, is publishedmonthly by Kelsey MediaGroup Ltd, TheGranary,Downs Cour t, YaldingHill, Yalding, Maidstone. Kent.ME18 6AL. TheUSannualsubscriptionprice is 89USD. Airfreight andmailing in the USAbyagent namedWNShippingUSA,156-15, 146thAvenue, 2ndFloor Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicalspostage paid at Brooklyn,NY11256
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Bria nK nigh ttakes on thebuild of this rece ntly reva mped R/C compatible BillingBoa ts’kit
20 The Ultimate GP hull top
Ashley Ne ed ha mintroduceshis Universalc rowd -pleaser
30 Shedloadstoconsider
NevWad esha reshis (moving) ex pe rience of,a nd toptips for, crea ting thebes tpos sible mod elling workspace
37 Model yachts tability
John Wa tkinsonexplainsw hy ac hievingthisisfar more complex that theu nini tiated amongs tu s migh teve rhaveimagined
42 Japanese RazorSaw PrizeDraw
Don’tmis syou rc ha ncetoWIN asuperblyc ra fted Dozu ki Razor Saw, ma nu factured by Gyokuc ho, cour tesy of ww w.toolnu t.co.u k
44 Most useful pondside tool
Be fore youc an resolvea nissue, youfirs tneedtodiagnosew ha tthe proble mactuallyis. GlynnGuest provid es some helpfuladvice, alonga ve ry ha ndypor ta bletool recomm enda tion,for doingjus ttha t
48 Save moneywit ha subscription
Chec kout thelates tprint and digi tald eals andg et your favourite magazine forles s
50 Kadet challenge
Ha rr ySmi th tacklesthe re fu rbishm en tofa ve ry ba ttered oldu tili ty boat model
54 Flotsam&Jetsam: TheWhitehead Torpedo
Jo hn Pa rker trac es th ew ea po ntha t revo lu ti on is ed nava lw ar fa re ba ck to it so ri gi ns,a nd co ns id er sthe di fferen ta pp ro ac he stop ro pu ls io n ta ke nbym od el le rs
58 Tech to keep youon your toes
Robe rt Bulbrook ex tols thevir tu es of em bracing change
66 Boiler Room
ARichardSim pson talksu sthrough how he tackledamorec hallenging than an ticipa tedres tora tion projec t
72 DIYScale Rule
GlynnGuest shares an ea sy to ma ster pe ncil andpaper only me thod
74 Your Models
We sh ow ca se mo re of th e wo nd er fu lw or k
80 Your Letters
Open foru mfor allmat te rs model boat rela ted
82 Next month…
Just threeofthe reasonsyou won’t want to miss theJuly2025issue of Model Boats
sregular readerswillbeaware,Model Boatsisnow under newownership, havingrecentlybeenacquiredby Kelsey Media. Just to reassure you, Ishould pointout that arrangements have been put in placetoensurethatduringthistransition period allofthe correspondence,prize draw entries, subscription renewals,etc,senttous viaour previous publisher, MortonsMedia Group, arebeing stillbeing received anddealt with,soit’sver ymuchbusinessasusual Theeagle -eyeda mong st youmay notice that theT&C s( Te rms& Conditions)noted forthismon th’s prized raw(se epag es 42-4 3) stillrefer youtoMor tons’privacy polic y. This is nota ne rror;wea re simply awai ting adirec tive upda te.You ca n, howeve r, be confiden tinthe fact that Kelsey appliesthe sa me du edilig ence to da ta protec tion and that allyou rpersonalinforma tion will be ha ndledinexactly thesam esafea nd secu re waythe Mortons’ privac ypolic youtlines. And, on thesubject of this month’s exclusiveprize draw,cou rtesyof ww w. to olnu t.co.u k ,I’m deligh tedtorevealtha t therewillbenot ju st onebut twoluc ky winnersd rawn,eac hofw homwillreceive a fa bulous Ja pa nese Dozu ki RazorSaw.Hig hly rega rd ed by craf tsme na nd modellersalike, theDozukisaw is alla bout precision. It sthin bu tinc rediblys trongblade,rigid spine, fine te etha nd draw -s trokeactionresul ts in clea n, exac tc ut s, ma king it an absolu tely te rrific tool foryou rmod el boat building workshop. This lead sm enea tlyontoflagging up a featuretha tI thinkwillbeofinteres ttomany of you, rega rdless of your individual thematic pe rsua sions, in whic hNev Wade drawson hisown pe rsonal ex pe rience to poin tout some of theworkshopfac tors it ’s worth givingsom eheadspace to (see Shedload sto consid er,s ta rtingonpag e3 0).
In fact,aswellasthe specifickit / scratchbuild andres toration ar ticles in this month’sissue,there areanumberofmore general ‘how to’typearticlespackedwith explanations,advice, hintsand tips that Ihope youwillfind informative, useful andenjoyable –one of which, ModelYacht Stability(star ting on page 37)seescontributor John Watkinson ex tollingthe virtuesofJapaneserazor saws! As expressedmanytimes before,being a hobbymagazinewe’re naturallyver yreliant on thecommunity we servefor varietyof content. Please thereforekeepyourboth your submissions(whethertheybefeaturelength ar ticles or detailsand photos of your magnificent work to shareinthe Your Models section) andnotificationsoffor thcoming events andgeneral interest storiesfor the Compass360 news sectioncoming!
Enjoyyou rread, Li nd sey
Compass360
If you have anews story for these pages,please contact the Editor,Lindsey Amrani, via e-mail at editor@modelboats.co.uk
Tightspace trimming plane Ti pace tr ng pl
Afully functional 1:3 scale replica of the Veritas Tools (Canada) cabinetmaker’strimming plane has now been addedtothe extensiverange of traditional tools,handtools basedonclassic designs, and hand tools witha modern twist, available to order from www.toolnut.co.uk
Designed to perform in areas unreachablewith afull-sized plane or chisel, this nifty little plane measures just 2 3/16-inches long, 5/8 of an inch wide, and is under 1-inch tall, facilitating precise paring cuts in confined spaces.
The 25° bevel blade combined with a15° bed angle results
The tiny trimming plane tool designed for tight space tasks, available from www.toolnut.co.uk
in an effective cutting angle of 40°, and the fully exposed, full-width blade which enables you to work right up to adjacent surfaces can be set flush with the sole for meticulous trimming without leaving marks.
The plane is constructed from investment-cast stainless steel with machined sides and aground sole, while
OUTAND ABOUT T
the lever cap is stainless steel and the rear tote is crafted from walnut, making it comfortable to grip andoperate.
Presented in aFrench fitted embossed leatherette case,the Veritas Miniature Cabinetmaker’sTrimming Planeispriced at £49.98, plus p&p (www.toolnut.co.uk offers free delivery on all orders over £75).
Date correction forKirkleesMBC SteamDay te co tion fo ee
Due to a faux pas on our part,the date provided for the Kirklees MBC Steam Day given in the May issue of Model Boats was regretfully incorrect.
PLEASE NOTE the Club will be holding its first open day of 2025 on Sunday May 25 (not May 18, as incorrectly specified in last month’smag) from 10 am to 4pmatWilton
Park, BradfordRoad, Birstall, Batley.WF17 8JH. The theme is steam powered models and Mountfleet Models kits and builds. Therewill also be adisplay of military models.
Visitors will be very welcome take alongand sail any type of model, with the exception of IC and highperformance fast electrics. Please note, however,steam models will needavalid test certificate. Club members will be happy to answerany questions.
Free car parking will be available, and visitors will be permitted to use thetoilet facilities in thepark’scafé.
For further details contact Stan Reffin on 0113 2675790 (after 6pm please).
PLEASENOTE:the Kirklees MBC Steam Day will be taking place on Sunday,May 25 –not Sunday,May 18 as advised in last month’smag.
Piratesin thePark!Piratesinthe Park!
From 12 noonthrough to 4pm on Sunday,July 20, members of the Alvaston Pirates Model Boat Club will, once again, be supporting the ‘Fun Day’ at Alvaston Park, Derby DE24 8QQ, an annual family friendly event organised by theAlvaston Park Friends. Not only will thePirates be putting on displays of their own models, both on andoff the water,they will also be taking along the club’s colourful and always popular fleet of ‘Fun Boats’ so that children can enjoyfree‘have-a-go’sessions under their expert supervision.
Admission to the event itself will also be freeof charge, andother attractions will include livemusic, charitystalls to browse, adog show,fair rides,and lots more besides
Sailing with Dolphins
The Dolphin Model Club, which holds its meets at Orpington Pond (just offKent Road by the A224 Cray Avenue, Kent BR5 4AD), has announced thedates of its sailing sessions for 2025. These sessions areopen not only to members but also anyone wishing to show up and participate (NB, no IC or petrol boats can be accommodated). Non-members will be asked to pay anominal fee of £2 per boat but can be assured of avery warmwelcome.
Therei so ff ro ad parki ng o nc lub d ay s, but pl ea s e not et he re aren oo nsite to ilets or re fre sh me n ts ava ilable (so you’ ll need to take your ow n provisions).
All of the following dates fall on aSunday,with sailingcommencing from 10am:
● April 6
● April 27
● May 18
● June 8
● June 29
● July 20
● August 10
● August 31
● September 21
● October 12
Robinson’s Pond Regatta
For further details, visit theclub’swebsite at http://www. dolphinmodelboatclub.com/ or email dolphinmodelboatclub@live. co.uk
Exeter Heritage HarbourFestival
Sunday,June 1, 2025 will see the second Robinson’s Pond Yacht Regatta held. at the CentenaryBoating Lake in Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 2TN.The event will be open to all, including those of you wishing to bring along your own pond yachts and compete. For more details, visit https://www. facebook.com/profile. php?id=61562652281812
Sunday, June 8will see the return of the hugely popular annual celebration of Exeter’s Heritage Harbour status. Expect steam boats, railways, traction engines andclassic cars, together with musicians and other performers. This free event will take place from 11am to 4pm at the Custom House, under the Transit Shed,aroundthe waterfrontand on the Piazza.
Knightcote MBCOpenDay Kn ht te MB ay
From 10am to 4pm on June 8, 2025, the Knightcote Mode lB oat Club will be holding an Open Day at New House Farm, Knightcote, Wa rwickshireC V47 2EQ. The local RNLI will be in attend ance with am erchandise stall. Therew ill also be ar affle, ab ring-and-buy stall and re freshments availab le to
purchase in the clubhouse .V isitors will be ab le to ta ke ad va nta ge of free parking and us eo fo nsite site facilties (toilets). All arewelcome,including
EveningcruiseonMS Oldenburg
clubs and groups. For further details , contact chrismoiruk@bt int ernet. com or chec ko ut the club’sw eb site at www.kmbcmodelboatc lu b.com .
MS Oldenburg moored at Bideford (photo taken by Mark New on March 4, 2006), the starting point for the evening cruise on Friday,June 27, 2025, RNLI fund raising evening cruise. The RNLI’svolunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards saved 437 lives; that’smore than one person rescued every single day!
BUYTHE BOOK BU HE OK
Tickets (priced at £33.22 each)for a RNLI fund raising evening cruise on MS Oldenburg this summer can now be purchasedonlinevia https://www. eventbrite.co.uk.
Oldenburg will depart from Bideford Quay in North Devon (EX392EY) at 7pm on Friday,June 27,and sail along the Taw& Torridge estuary,passingthe AppledoreLifeboat Station alongthe way.Passengers will be able to take in the gorgeousscenery while enjoying
The two ships covered in this volume of the Shipcraft series (aimedspecifically at modellers) werethe only capital ships designed and built between the wars –a special concessionofthe Washington Treaty’sban on new battleships –and they wereunlike anythingbefore them,with the superstructurethree-quarters aft andall main armament turrets forwardofthe bridge. During World WarII, Nelsonsustained mine and torpedo damage,while Rodney played a major part in the destruction of the Bismarck, both surviving, only to be broken up post-war. Thoughtfully compiled by co-authors Les Brown (a leading lightinthe Small Warships
live music and alicensed bar before returning to the Quay two and ahalf hours later at 9.30pm. Please note this is an over 18s event,and passengers areadvised to dress for the weather on the day butbearinmind that once the sun has set it can cool down very quickly outonthe water
Youcan keep up to date with all the other RNLI 200 fund raisingactivities at Appledorebyvisiting https://www. facebook.com/AppledoreLifeboat/.
Group of the IPMS) and Robert Brown (a Canadian ship modeller, whohas contributed three previous volumes to theShipCraft series), this revised edition not only features colour profiles and highly-detailed line drawings and scale plans, along with details of the ships’ paint and camouflage schemes, but newly updated Model Products and Modellers’ Showcase sections.
Published in paperback format, under the ISBN 978103 6150334, the title carries an RRP (Recommended Retail Price) of £16.99, but can currently be ordered via https:// www.pen-and-sword.co.uk at the generously discounted (20% off) price of £13.59.
QueenElizabeth ClassBattleships –Revised Edition
Just released in paperback format is author’s Les Brown’s revised edition of Shipcraft 15 –Queen ElizabethClass Battleships. Thisprovides everything the ship modeller needs toknow about building one of these
Pennedbynaval historian LeonardR.Heinz, this new book documentsthe operational historyofthe navies of theSpanish CivilWar, about whichvery little has hithertobeen published in the English language.
The book begins by outlining the pre-1936 Spanish navy,prior to its fracturefollowing therevolt of the generals, and then goes on to cover all the significant actions of the two opposing (Republican and Nationalist)
famous warships and includes numerous detailed plans and colour illustrations. It also features afully updated Model Productssection,alongwith a gallery of recently completed builds in the Modellers’ Showcase section
Th et itle (ISBN: 9781 03 6150303) carri es an RRP (Recommended Retai l Price) of £16 .99 but can currently be ordered vi aw ww. pe n- an d- sword.co.u ka tt he gen e ro usly discoun te dp rice of £11.89.
forces and their ships. In addition, the book describes the crucial roles playedbythe British, French, German, and Italian navies during theSpanish struggle
Published in hardback format, under ISBN 978103 6113988, thetitle carries an RRP (RecommendedRetail Price)of£25 but can currently be purchased at the discounted by 20% price of £20 when ordered directly from www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
Billing Bo at s’ WS P10
Brian Knight takes on the build of this recently revamped R/Ccompatible kit
Over the many yearsIhavebeen building model boats, Ihave learnt astaggering amount not only from my fellow Yeovil &District Model Club members but also from those who contributearticles to this magazine. In turn, therefore,I hope that I, too, can now sharesome of the methods, tips and tricksgleaned and the skills developed (sometimes through alot of patienceand some verysorefingers!).I’ll admit Ifind demonstrating some of thetechniques easier than putting them down on paper,soifyou ever fancycoming alongtoone of our Yeovil &District Model Boat Club sailing sessions, Iassureyou you’ll be made most
welcome. Youcan findlocation, meetdatesand times postedonline at https://yeovilmodelboatclub. wordpress.com/
Up until recently,most of the Billings boat kit builds I’ve tackledhave been those aimed at the ‘expert’, but Ihave to say Ithoroughly enjoyedworking on this newly revamped, aimedat‘the advanced beginner’ (i.e., the novice with alittle bit of previous modelling experience) kit for the WSP 10. While fairly easy to assemble, the WSP 10 does present some challenges. For the moreexperienced amongst us, this makes the project that little more interesting. Forthe novices amongst you, however,restassuredthatif
“While fairly easy to assemble, the WSP 10 does present some challenges”
you do have still have questions after reading this review,a quick emailto the friendly crew at Billing Boats’ will see some prompt additional guidance.
Thekit unpacked
Photo 1 shows the kit as it was delivered, promptly and very well packed.
As for th ec onte nts, Im ust commend Billing so nt he preci si on of the lase rc ut wood pan el s (Photo 2)
“Insome instances,you may fnd the cutting marks on the vacuum formed parts cast from the original moulds arenolonger as clear as theycould be, so here’sisa little tip…”
and the fact that the majority of the fit tings aree ither brass or plastic (I haven’tf ound as ingle white metal part). In some instances, however, you may find the cutting marks on the vacuum formed parts cast from the original moulds aren ol ong er as clear as they could be, so here’s is al ittle tip… For better definition, just lightly run ap encil over them, as shown in (Photo 3)
Also, while the photo instruction manual Billing Boats provides with this kit is very helpful, some images arealittle faint. If you visit the Billing Boats’ website, however,you willfind digital manuals for all the kitsinrange, including the WSP 10, and the high-
resimages all look much clearer and sharper whenviewed on screenas opposedtoinprint.
Constructing andequipping themodel
Beforeassemblingthe hull itself (an easy-to-follow process using the instructions provided), you will need to build your stand, for which all the basic parts aresupplied (see Photo 4). Please note, the foam rubber shown, which Iadded for cushioning, is frommyown personal stock andnot includedinthe kit).
Although this kit does not come complete with the equipment required for R/Coperation, it has been designed with this option very much in mind. Photo5 shows the unusual way suggested for mounting your motors. This involves cutting out the rings according to their diameters from the parts supplied for your motor mountings, and it actually works very well (see Photo6). Photo 7 illustrates how all your gear can be neatly installed within theinterior For those who opt to take this route, the deck also needs some
consideration. Iwas worried that once fitted it would be impossible to carryout any maintenanceorrepairs to the rudder assemblies (tiller arms have ahabit of coming loose), etc, so Ielected to cut an extrahatch.There aremany ways to tackle this, but the following three methods arethe most common… The first, shown in Photo 8, is standard practice, but an option I quickly discounted as, a) my hatch will only need to be removed should there be an emergency,and b), Ifelt it would look ugly and out of place. The second is as shown in Photo 9, i.e., secured with small track screws, but,again, I
didn’tfeel this would complement the outline of themodel andnor would it havebeen used on thefull-size boat –atrip hazardfor sure. So, Iplumped for the thirdoption:a platform directly under the deck to which my additional hatch could be flushly mounted (Photos 10 &11) and secured with small track screws. The joints, Ifelt confident,would be almost invisible once the deck was painted.
Beforepainting, however,Ifelt it prudent to dry fit thecabin and fixtureweights to thehull and then run aflotation test to establish a waterline that allowed for all the little
“Tereare many ways to tackle this, but the following three methods arethe most common…”
modifications/bits and bobs Iwouldbe adding to furtherenhance the model. This done, afterthe exhaust vents and cabin trim hadbeen filled and blended (see Photos 12 and 13)I painted both thehull and the deck (see Photo14) Iwas then ready to start adding detail, including the railings. The
two protrusions you see in front of the rear hatch areboltsthat match magnets to hold down therear of the superstructure. The front is held by arod to matchthe front hole, just visible to the foreofthe raised section on the deck.
Ifeel Imust apologise to Billings for one major changemade tomymodel. Simplydue to my ownineptitude, Iwas unsuccessful in constructing thecockpit windscreen as per the instructions. The laser cutout was very fineand Isomehow managed to breakmorethan one pieceofit. Ithink,
“I feel Imust apologise to Billings for one major change made to my model”
perhaps, this task is better suited to a younger builder with sharper eyesight than mine! Consequently,Iended up designing and scratch building my own version (see Photo15).
After fillingany small gaps, Ithen set about paintingthe cabin.A trusty old faithful, in the form of aHalfords’ rattle can,was used to spray on the main white of the WSP 10’sscheme, with the blue and grey elements provided by three brush paintedcoats ofTamiya acrylic.
Beforefitting any glazing to the windows, Ifirst sandedthe insides of my glazing sheets so that the essentially empty space within the cockpit wouldn’tbeevident.
The railings on this modelneed to be very carefully located, mainly because both the bow and the stern rowsit at an angle. So, to make this
alittle easier,hereIsuggest you do as Idid. Copy the locations of the rails from the plan onto apiece of 3-ply/liteply,mountthe rails onto this, and then solder or glue them together beforefitting them onto the model. The completed structure, havingfollowed this process, for some of mine can be seen in Photo 16, Likewise, the layout of the hand roof rails on aboardcan be seen in Photo 17. Once painted(see Photo 18) these arethen ready to fit later Photo 19 shows them in situ (Photo 19). Note also from this photo that the added rear hatch, to provide access only if strictly necessary (e.g., if there weretobeany problems with the rudder assembly), is not intrusive, and that the rubber fenderstrip has also been fitted.
We now cometomyfavourite part of any build, all the finishing touches. The detailed parts included in this kit itself arequite extensive, and the smallerones in particular demand aconsiderableamount of time and patience be spent on them. For simplicity’ssake, therefore, I
“Terailings on this model need to bever ycarefully located, mainly because both the bowand the stern rowsit at an angle. So,tomake this alittle easier,hereIsuggest youdoasI did”
intentionally didn’tgothe extra mile by fitting my own working lights and radar to this model. Being agreat fan of 3D-printedparts however,I will always, where Ican, replace some of the standardparts supplied in kits with the moreprecise ones this new tech affords. HereIswapped out the radar, engine controls andbollards for 3D items orderedfromMartinatDockyard Models. Thereal cherry on the top, though, came courtesy of the figures designed especially for this model that he printed outand very skilfully hand painted for me (see Photos 20, 21 and 22 and 23).Iparticularlylike the dog, which can be seen on the finished model in Photo24).
On patrol
With the club’sboating lakecurrently undergoing an extensive refurb, simply getting the WSP 10 down to the water’sedge for her maiden voyage proved amuddy affair.However,asyou will see in Photos 25 and 26,asshe looked and performedfantastically out on patrol.
Vitalfeedback
In conclusion, Ican certainlytestify to the fact that this WSP 10 kithas been produced to theexacting standards we’ve come to expect from Billing Boats. That said, the expectation that any kit will be perfect, or that manufacturers areinfallible, is alittle unrealistic. If, therefore, you find any parts in anew kit to be missing, or indeed any kind of discrepancy when it comes to how everything fits together, it’svery important you contact the manufacturer direct; your feedback can only help them in futureproduction, and Iknow they appreciate all constructive criticism. Myobservations when it came to therearhatch and the faded cutting marks on the WSP 10 kit produced an immediate thank you and assurances that these matters will be looked into. Bravo, Billing Boats!
The model boats we sail at Bushy Park have attracted alarge public following. Not all those who gather at pondside aremodellers and, as Imentionedinthe previous Fireboat article, what they really enjoy is noise, speed, character figures, innovation, water squirters, and so on. Several of the conversations we’ve had as agroup,therefore, havebeen about designing ‘The UltimateBushy Parkboat’,something thatwould incorporate all these features, and more, and eclipse anythingelse on the water when it sets sail.
Inspirationfor the Ultimate boat
Hitherto,Ididn’thave astructured design in my head for suchavessel. Iknew just plonking, for instance,
character figures, cute animals, or the very-popular-at-Bushy Parkminions (from the Despicable me and minion Disney animated films) on aboat wasn’tgoing to cut it. While browsing stands at alocal car boot sale, however,I spottedalarge tub of about 30 minions, each of them roughly 50mm tall (see Photo1). The vendor only wanted at £1 for the whole tub; how could Iresist?
One figureinparticular stirred the oldbrain cells: asinging minion, with afull head of blonde hair,holdinga microphone.All of asudden, Ifound myself envisaging astage,with asinger (who Iam calling Minion Monroe!) and abacking group of minions performing in front of an audience (also minions). Emptying out the tub revealeda veritable treasuretrove of different
figures. Usesfor them quicklysprang to mind as Isorted them into groups, which we will come to shortly.
All this excitement coincided with the ongoing build of the Sandie Shaw fireboat on my General-Purpose hull No. 2(see theApril2025 issue of Model Boats), which, Istarted to realise, Icould make an Ultimate Boat top for as my next project.
Features to be incorporated Ihave mentionedacoupleofthe features that arepopular in the preamble, andhaving spread the minions outand examined them, aworkable plan gradually formed. This involved thefiguresbeing positioned either in groups or singly, dependingontheir characteristics. To accommodate them, my Ultimate Boat
