Marine modelling international february 2016

MORE BUILDING IDEAS FOR THE MARITIME MODELLER

FEBRUARY 2016

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Corvette Flower Class 3-D Printed Marine Engine

Modelled as an artificial reef!

Review

Pro Boat Recoil

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Issue 347 £4.50•

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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2016 - ISSUE 347

Features

9

BOMMEL DECK CRANE

30

UK POWERBOAT

34

CORVETTE FLOWER CLASS

Details of a crane build following the article in Dec 15 MMI

Looking at forthcoming events in the UK for powerboaters

COVER STORY

Building the classic Matchbox ‘Snowberry’ kit as a diorama

42

50

Building a traditional fishing boat, but will it float?

56

PRO BOAT RECOIL

62

66

COVER STORY

HERRING BOAT PEARL GOES TO SEA

50

STARTING OUT IN HOME 3-D PRINTING

A model two-cylinder Marine Engine

Review of one of the latest RTR FE boats

MMI VISITS JoTiKa

The editorial team visits a vibrant company producing modelling hardware

UNION PLUTO

A close look at a full size coastal aggregate carrier

Herring Boat Pearl Goes to Sea! For a modeller who has been building very good static model traditional craft for many years it is something of a challenge to persuade him out of his comfort zone into making the model actually sail. The model chosen was the west country traditional craft Herring Boat Pearl, the first voyage was a disaster and it sank but success has now been achieved. Tony may be considering making it radio controlled as his next move!

Regulars

7

8

8

MESSAGE FROM THE ENGINE ROOM

Chris introduces this month’s edition

30

MASTHEAD

News of interest to the maritime modeller

DIARY DATES

Events for your diary

12 WATERLINES

Continues with the story of British Petroleum (Part 2)

14

Details of some of the latest maritime kits

16

VINTAGE CHATTER PT 30

18

22

32

70

6

PLASTIC KIT SCENE

56

The ‘Wee’ MacGregor!

SCALE SCENE

This month looks back at some early models

MEETING POINT

Bumper edition of recently held show reports

SAIL FREE

The Six Metre Class Model Yacht

COMING NEXT MONTH

Some of the articles in the planning stage for the March edition

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MESSAGE FROM THE ENGINE ROOM EDITORIAL CONTACT MMI generally publishes commissioned articles, but will consider other contributions including news items and factual articles. It is important that contact is made with the editor before any material is written, as duplication of items may result in articles being rejected.

Prospective contributors can email or write for a copy of the MMI Notes for Contributors via Traplet Publications Ltd. Any other Editorial queries can be made by telephone to 01749 347172 during normal office hours.

HELLO READERS

I have a friend who spends a great deal of time viewing and buying from eBay. The other week he was rejoicing in the purchase of a part complete Amati Arno XI Ferrari Timossi Racer, which on initial inspection seemed a real bargain. The hull was almost complete and looked great with the planking well aligned and thoroughly varnished. Thus I was happy to agree to add R/C and running gear for him.

When I got home with it my thumb happened to catch a loose end to the bottom ply panel. Intrigued I took a closer look and found that the only things holding the panel in place were the profusion of nails around the outside. All the glued surfaces had split apart! With a little help from my modelling knife this panel came away from the hull complete with all the nails.

Fearing that other glued panels were in the same condition I checked the rest of the hull. Every panel was similarly un-glued and was easily removed with the nails. So I now had a much bigger job than expected in order to get this craft running. The most important question was “why had the adhesive failed so badly”.

Inspection of the frames showed that they had been laser cut and that the black charred cut surface was still there. This should have been cleaned back or abraded before attempting to glue anything to them. The glue was also very poorly attached to the ply panels.

Here again no attempt had been made to clean any releasing material, used in the construction of the ply, or abrade the surface.

As a result the glue, which seems to be a two-part epoxy, had nowhere to bond to either the frames or the plywood.

At the moment I have cleaned all the surfaces and refitted them

EDITOR Barrie Stevens mmi@traplet.com Tel: 01684 588604 Traplet Publications Ltd, Traplet House, Willow End Park, Blackmore Park Road, Welland, Malvern, WR13 6NN ASSISTANT EDITOR Chris Saunders chris.saunders@traplet.com CONTRIBUTORS Eric Bauthier, Patrick Boniface, Mike Ewart, Kelvin Holmes, Tony James, Derek Owens, Alan and Gillian Talbot, Robin Trott, David Wiggins, Ian Williams, Rick Eyrich & Barrie Griffin CHAIRMAN Tony Stephenson

MANAGING DIRECTOR Tom Stephenson PRODUCTION MANAGER Nick Powell DESIGN TEAM James Scott MARKETING Ally Alldritt, Abbey Morris, Samantha Minton ADVERTISING SALES Angela Price - 01684 588568 Email: advertising@traplet.com ADVERTISING COPY CONTROL Angela Price - 01684 588568 Email: adcopy@traplet.com PRINTER Warners plc NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION Seymour Distribution Ltd. (02074 294000) HOBBY TRADE DISTRIBUTION Traplet Publications Limited (01684 588568)

using two-part epoxy glue. Unfortunately things never fit as well as before so some filler has been necessary.

I bring this example to your attention as this is a very common problem, which can easily be avoided. It is only after time that these, less than perfect, jointing techniques let you down so it is very worthwhile getting them right at the start.

This month we have three very different build articles. The first is for the more technically minded as it describes the building of a model marine steam engine using a 3D printer. The information and advice given in the article should prove very useful for anyone considering purchasing such a printer. The second project is the building of the Herring Boat Pearl. Tony James, a static model builder, ventures into the operational side of the hobby with some disasters and some successes. What he learnt makes useful advice for anyone interested in getting a scale model to sail well.

For those interested in plastic kits the third construction article describes how a very realistic diorama can be constructed around any model kit. Serge Prats begins with a standard Flower class corvette kit and describes how he turned it into a very realistic wreck scene. Clearly the techniques described can be used to produce almost any diorama involving the sea.

For our Waterlines enthusiasts Kelvin has the second part on BP tankers. Our sailors will be interested to see that we have Sail Free back this month, and there is a very informative article on the coastal aggregate carrier Union Pluto, which may give our scratch builders some new ideas.

We have an extended Meeting Point giving reports of events held over the past few months and a review of one of the latest RTR FE boats, Pro Boat Recoil. I also have an article on my visit with Barrie to JoTiKa, in which I describe how we were enthused by such a vibrant model boating company.

These together with our regular articles make this magazine a very good read!

Chris Saunders MMI

The underside of the Amati Arno XI Ferrari Timossi Racer after removing all the loose panels. I have added some polystyrene blocks to improve buoyancy US DISTRIBUTION Traplet Distribution USA Ltd, 806 Parkland Ct, Champaign, IL 61821, USA. Tel: 217-355-2970 Email info@traplet.com AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTION Traplet Publications & Hobbies, P.O.Box 501, Engadine, NSW 2233, Australia.

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All rights reserved.

This magazine is sold subject to the following conditions: that it shall not without written consent of the publishers be lent, resold or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in excess of the recommended maximum retail price. All rights strictly reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without the prior agreement of the publisher.

All letters must be accompanied by the senders full name and address. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited correspondence nor some of the opinions expressed. All material and artwork originated by Traplet Publications Ltd., photographs, drawings, plans used in this magazine become the publishers copyright under Copyright law. Some photographs may have been digitally re-mastered. The Company reserves the right to suspend or refuse any advertisements without giving reasons. Whilst every care is taken to avoid mistakes, Traplet Publications Ltd. cannot be liable in any way for errors or omissions. Nor can the Publisher accept any responsibility for the bona fides of advertisers. © Traplet Publications Limited 2016 ISSN 1746-8590

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UNION PLUTO

Union Pluto alongside at Whitstable Harbour

PATRICK VISITS WHITSTABLE TO GET A CLOSE LOOK AT THE COASTAL AGGREGATE CARRIER UNION PLUTO

AUTHOR: PATRICK BONIFACE

E

very year the port of Whitstable in Kent stages an open harbour day and in 2014 this fell on Saturday 9th August.

Patrick Boniface went along to see one of the small port’s most regular visitors the coastal aggregates carrier Union Pluto.

Whitstable is famous for its association with Oysters, but the small port offers much more besides with wharves set aside for the transhipment of a wide variety of cargoes but mostly a wide range of aggregate materials. This is where Absolute Shipping’s Union Pluto comes in.

The ship was built in 1984 by the West German shipbuilders Hugo Peters Wewelsfleth, her single diesel engine gives her a speed of around 9 knots with a single propeller. Union Pluto has a standard displacement of 2324 tonnes to which can be added a wide range of cargoes in her spacious forward hold.

For modellers it is interesting to note that the ship is of the selfunloading type meaning that the large JCB type digger on her deck is a permanent fixture and is used in the unloading process.

Additional vehicles are stowed in the forward ‘garage’ just behind the bow section of the ship.

Note from author: Since I wrote this piece they have removed the Union part of her name and she is now just called Pluto. MMI

Union Pluto seen alongside at Whitstable Harbour

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Bow section details of the Union Pluto

Stern of the Union Pluto

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Bow fixtures and fittings

The pedestal style bridge structure used to increase available deck space

Starboard side details of the bow

Some details of the quarterdeck of Union Pluto

Interior of the Union Pluto’s bridge

Underside of the bridge structure

Looking aft from the bow

Stern details

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