Titanic section 3
12/12/11
18:03
Page 37
MODELMAKERS’ SHOWCASE 37
BRITANNIC 1/350 scale
By REMCO HILLEN
T
he starting point of this model is the Minicraft 1/350-scale Titanic. Add-ons include the brass (eg gantry davits and dome covers) and resin (eg motor houses) sets from Tom Nicolai, brass sets from GMM (railings, cargo cranes) and decals from Bruce Beveridge and Duane Fowler (standard Titanic windows for the most part) and Tom Nicolai (Britannic decals). Various parts of the model are scratchbuilt, such as the altered A-deck, the covered well deck, the so-called shade deck and various parts of the gantry davits. It is virtually impossible to build a completely accurate RMS Britannic model, Because she never saw service as such. Of course there are various deck plans, but these did not take the First World War into account. It is quite possible that White Star developed different or new ideas for its new liner for its service after the war. This model is therefore based on, among other things, deck plans, photos from the builder’s models, photos from HMHS Britannic and Titanic, and of Olympic throughout various stages of her long career. Even wreck pictures have been used! Therefore, this model is an interpretation of various sources. How many lifeboats would she hold? What is that I see on top of the wheelhouse? Is that a blimp in the picture or is it a mushroom vent? Where is the compass tower? And so on.
Forward area: Most visible change in this area is in the forward well deck. Here the Third Class Entrance is situated, a resin part from Tom Nicolai. Various vents have been added or changed, as has been done on the entire model (Britannic’s vents differ from Titanic’s; almost all vents on the model have been changed, added or moved). The wheelhouse is an interpretation of the rigging plans and Olympic photos. With the compass located here on the model, the compass tower in the centre of the ship has been omitted.
Centre: As said, the compass tower has been left off. Other changes are the added childrens’ playroom (opposite the gymnasium), large lift gear house on the officers’ quarters and a rebuilt tank room. Also interesting, but difficult to spot, are the ‘openings’ created in the officers’ quarters to house parts of the gantry davit driving gear. With the new and large gantry davits installed on RMS Britannic, note how clear the railings are of lifeboats. Although not an enhancement of her profile, this was a huge improvement when compared with Olympic’s cluttered boat deck after the Titanic disaster.