WIN!

THIS HANDY MODELLER'S

12-PIECE TOOL KIT
No.1 For
Sail & Scale
April 2022
Vol.72 No.857

MODELLING GROUP
GET ON BOARD
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£6.20
HOW TO USE WASHES
WHEN WEATHERING
A beginner's guide to
this versatile technique

K7 FAN CLUB
Creating a working model
of the iconic Bluebird K7
powered by an EDF

NET RESULT
A easy & inexpensive first
R/C project recommendation
YAMATO
Taking on one of the biggest
battleship modelling challenges!
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 Vol.72 Issue 857: April 2022

Published by MyTimeMedia Ltd.,

Suite 6G, Eden House, Enterprise Way,
Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF.
UK and Overseas:
Tel: +44 (0) 1689 869 840
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
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contents
10 Compass 360
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EDITORIAL
Editor: Lindsey Amrani
Suite 6G, Eden House, Enterprise Way,
Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF.
Email: editor@modelboats.co.uk
PRODUCTION
Designer: Richard Dyer
Illustrator: Grahame Chambers
Retouching Manager: Brian Vickers 11 WIN a 12-piece
Ad Production: Nik Harber modeller’s tool set!
Don’t miss your chance to
ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE nab this handy prize, kindly
Angela Price:
Email: angela.price@mytimemedia.com donated by the kind folks at
the Sussex Model Centre
SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER
Kate Hall

MANAGEMENT
Commercial Sales Manager: Rhona Bolger
Email: rhona.bolger@mytimemedia.com
Tel: 0204 522 8221
Chief Executive: Owen Davies

26 Vitse-Admiral Popov
Scratch-builder Lionel Broadbent
briefs us on the history behind and
construction of a very quirky model
that commands both attention
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and a great deal of curiosity
whenever he takes it out for a spin!

www.facebook.com/modelboatsmag
twitter.com/modelboatsmag 12 Fischkutter
© MyTimeMedia Ltd. 2022 Fishing for first R/C project ideas?
All rights reserved ISSN 0140-2910 David Neal explains how to turn
The Publisher’s written consent must be obtained before any part of
this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, including
Aero-Naut’s inexpensive, easy to
photocopiers, and information retrieval systems. All reasonable care is
taken in the preparation of the magazine contents, but the publishers
construct kit for Möwe 2 into a
cannot be held legally responsible for errors in the contents of this working model to be proud of!
magazine or for any loss however arising from such errors, including
loss resulting from negligence of our staff. Reliance placed upon the
contents of this magazine is at reader’s own risk.
Model Boats, ISSN 0140 - 2910, is published monthly by MyTimeMedia Ltd,
16 Bluebird K7
Suite 6G, Eden House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF, UK. Ashley Needham records
The US annual subscription price is 89USD. Airfreight and mailing in the
USA by agent named WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, how he managed to achieve
Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11256.
US Postmaster: Send address changes to Model Boats, WN Shipping USA, his very own jet-propelled
156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription
records are maintained at DSB.net Ltd, 3 Queensbridge, The Lakes, version of this iconic hydroplane
Northampton, NN4 5DT. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.

32 A wash & brush up - Part 1

Want to improve the finish of your
models? Richard Simpson starts a
two-part beginner’s guide to the
techniques of washing and dry brushing

4 Model Boats April 2022


38 Yamato
Bob Gilbert shares details of how he married
traditional model scratch-building skills with
21st century tech to create a magnificent
1:80 scale model of one of the heaviest and
most powerful armed battleships of all time
46 Southern Trow – Part 2
Having covered the construction of Ashmead
in the March edition, this month Tony Judd
talks us through the logistics of transporting
her, the tricky art of sailing her and the diorama
designed and built to show off her off to best
advantage as a static exhibit
Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk
I
WELCOME TO THE
APRIL 2022 ISSUE OF
MODEL BOATS....
hile I appreciate that,
W in the grand scheme of
things, it’s little comfort,
I am hoping that this issue will
serve, as much for all of you
reading as it has for us while
working on it, as a little port in
a very big storm. Who would
have imagined as we counted
down the seconds to midnight
on New Year’s Eve 2019 what
the first years of the decade
ahead was going to throw at
us? So, I hope you’re doing
OK and are finding some
solace in being able to
immerse yourself in the hobby.
As you will see from the list
of contents to the left, we’ve
tried to incorporate as wide
a spectrum of material as
possible, both in terms of
subject matter and skill level.
And, in terms of the latter,
I have to say I am really
delighted this month that
we’ve able to showcase the
work of perhaps the youngest
ever modeller to have been
included in the magazine –
so, at least in terms of our little
world, the future looks bright!
Plus, there’s the opportunity
to win, courtesy of the kind
folks at the Sussex Model
Centre, a very handy
54 Collectables catch-up 12-piece tool kit.
John Parker showcases some of the It is, of course, always a
fascinating additions made to his ever expanding pleasure to announce the
early modelling artefacts collection winning entrants in our prize
draws, and the lucky recipient
58 Boiler Room
Richard Simpson tries out Denes Designs’ of the ARTR (Almost Ready
innovative new Valve Control Engine to Run) Joysway DF65 yacht
(see page 10), so generously
64 Your Letters offered by CML Distribution
Views aired and both additional information in our Feb 2022 issue prize
and memories shared draw, is in for even more of a
surprise. CML has gone above
and beyond by deciding to
upgrade what was already
a superb prize to the just
released new version of this
model from Joysway.
Enjoy your read and
67 Your Models please keep all your insightful
Prepare to be wowed by the work of your
fellow readers!
feedback and fantastic
contributions coming!
73 Next month... Lindsey
Just a little taste of what you can look forward to
in the May issue
5
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Brave Borderer FG SETMM609 £81.00 Scale Boats & Ships Hydroplanes
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 Signals
Compass 360
BUY THE BOOK
Warships in the
Baltic Campaign,
1918-20
Due for release on April 28,
2022, this new book, penned
by Angus Konstam and
illustrated by Adam Tooby,
and published in paperback
format, takes a fascinating
look at the British naval
intervention in the Baltic in
1918-20, and at the British,
Soviet and Baltic nationalist
fleets that fought.
On November 26, 1918,
just over two weeks after
the end of World War I, five
British light cruisers left
Scotland, bound for the
Baltic. They would form the
core of a hastily assembled
Allied naval force, the
mission of which was to
protect Allied interests
in this volatile corner of
northern Europe. These
ships and crews, and those
that followed them, would
soon become embroiled in
a multi-sided conflict which
centred around the struggle
for independence by the
fledgling Baltic States of
Estonia and Latvia. They
would also find themselves
waging an undeclared war
against the Soviet Baltic
Fleet. This would be the only
time in history when British
and Soviet warships would
fight each other.
Priced at £11.99, pre-
orders are now being taken
via the publisher’s website at
www.ospreypublishing.com
or alternatively, pre-orders
can be placed with your local
bookstore, quoting
ISBN 9781472851666. l
10
Our hobby-related
news round-up
If you have a news story for these pages, please contact
the Editor, Lindsey Amrani, via e-mail at editor@modelboats.co.uk
Alternatively, pick up the phone and call 01689 869840
The way of the Dragon
DF65 winner
In the February issue of Model
Boats, thanks to the incredible
generosity of the kind folks at
CML Distribution, we were able
to offer you the chance to win a superb
Joysway DragonForce 65 ARTR (Almost Ready
to Run) yacht (Product Code JY8815A), worth £179.99! We
are now delighted to announce the winning entrant in this exclusive
prize draw... Congratulations Dave Parker of Camborne, Cornwall!
We are also delighted to advise that CML Distribution will kindly be upgrading your prize to the
latest version (V7) of this model that has just been released by Joysway. l
Out and about to take advantage of a free trip out onto the water
to experience the Grand Union Canal, courtesy of
Grand Modellers’ LNBP Community Boating (with each trip lasting
Bring & Buy approx. 30 minutes and with boats running every
Sale/Sail 10 minutes from 10.10am onwards on every day
of the show). What’s more, included in the ticket
Sunday, April 3, 2022, price is a full programme of afternoon and evening
the Mutual Model Boat entertainment in the Wheatsheaf Marquee, with
Society will be holding headliners this year including David Bowie and Amy
a Grand Modellers’ Winehouse tribute bands.
Bring & Buy Sale at the On the first day (Thursday, June 2 – from 12 noon
Crimble Croft Community to 6pm), admission will be restricted to the trade and
Centre, Aspinal Street, Preview Day ticket holders, while from Friday, June 3
Heywood, Manchester OL10 4HL. to Sunday, June 5, the show will be fully open to all. 
For a fee of £10, those with items to sell can For those wishing to stay overnight or make a
reserve a table calling the Society’s Events weekend of it, the Crick Boat Show has its own
Secretary, Kevin Winward, on 01706 868616 camping field for caravans, motorhomes and tents,
(landline) or 07803 975089 (mobile). which offers access to water, showers, toilets,
For the admission price of £1.50 (which includes etc. Spaces, however, are limited so must be booked
entry into the raffle), between 9.30am and 1pm, in advance and it should be noted show tickets do
visitors, as well as being able to browse all the not include the price of a camping space (which
goodies on offer, will be welcome to sail on the must be purchased separately.
Society’s newly refurbished like, which now has You can view prices for all the various ticket
a concrete banking, with parking right up to the options (including Preview Day permits, one-
water’s edge. The whole site is wheelchair friendly, day admission and weekend passes, plus all the
with full on-site facilities, and a selection of drinks separately charged camping and mooring charges)
and snacks will be available to purchase. by visiting the website at
For more details, visit https://www.crickboatshow.com/tickets/2022/ l
www.mutualmodelboatsociety.co.uk l
Crick Boat Show 2022
Britain’s biggest annual inland waterways
festival, the Crick Boat Show, is this year
scheduled to take place from Thursday, June 2 to
Sunday, June 5 to tie in with the extended Bank
Holiday to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Visitors to this family friendly event, held at
Crick Marina, West Haddon Road, Northampton
NN6 7SQ, will not only able to view all the boats
moored in the marina and browse trade stands
and exhibitor marquees but will also be able
www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022
 Prize Draw courtesy of The Sussex Model Centre

A handy Modelcraft tool set!

WIN! BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
For 50+ years and three generations now, the family-run
Sussex Model Centre has served, and continues to serve,
the modelling community. Customers have the choice
of visiting The Sussex Model Centre at 57-59 Broadwater Road, Worthing,
West Sussex BN14 8AH, or viewing its extensive range of products online at
https://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk, and, whether in person or virtually,
its friendly team of staff are dedicated to offering expert advice and assistance.

HOW TO WIN
To be entered in the draw, all you have to do is complete the
entry form (a photocopy is acceptable if you don’t want to
deface your magazine) and pop it in the post to us at:

Sussex Model Centre Tool Set Prize Draw,

Model Boats
Thanks to the generosity of the Sussex Model Centre, MyTimeMedia Ltd
this month we’re able to offer you the chance to win a Suite 6G
Modelcraft 12-piece Model Boat Building & Craft Tool Set Eden House
(Ref. PTK1012), which retails at £29.99, and includes: Enterprise Way
Edenbridge
* AA pair of mini pliers Kent TN8 6HF
* A sanding block
craft knife and 5 x #11 blades 
Please note, all entries must
* A flat diamond file be received by the closing
* A hammer date of April 22, 2020.
* Bent nose tweezers
* A swivel top pin vice Good luck, everyone!
* An aluminium carry & storage case
*
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Entry is open to all UK residents with a permanent UK
Sussex Model Centre Tool Set Prize Draw
address, with the exception of employees (and their families)
of MyTimeMedia Ltd, its printers and agents, and any other Name:
companies associated with the competition. All entrants must
Address:
be aged 18 or over. Only one entry per household is permissible.
No responsibility can be accepted for entries lost, damaged
or delayed in the post. Winners will be notified by post. Prizes
are not transferable to another individual and no cash or other
alternatives will be offered. The promoters reserve the right to
amend or alter the terms of the competitions. The winner will Postcode:
be chosen from all correct entries received by the closing date
Tel No:
specified. Please note that data will be managed in compliance
with GDPR law. Our privacy policy can be found at Email:
www.mytimemedia.co.uk/ privacy. The decision of the judges is
final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 11

Easy-build R/C fishing boat

Aero-Naut’s
Fischkutter, Möwe 2
Fishing for first R/C project ideas? David Neal explains how to turn this
inexpensive, easy to construct kit into a working model to be proud of!

T his inexpensive but comprehensive kit

for the 1:25 German fishing boat Möwe 2
(which translates into English as Seagull)
is ideally suited to anyone considering having
a go at building their first radio-control model
– or, as in my case, wanting to build an R/C
model from a kit that didn’t cost much or take
years to build, unlike the World War II warship
I’d previously tackled!
This particular kit (see Photo 1) is one of a
series produced by Aero-Naut, who also offer
four larger, and more detailed Fischkutter
kits. CenturyUK also offers a more detailed,
Fischkutter kit, which regular readers will
remember having been featured as a prize in
January 2022 issue of Model Boats.

The contents
Aero-Naut’s kit for Möwe 2, which on
completion measures in at 495mm
(19.5-inches) in length, comes complete with
a glazed wheelhouse, mast and booms, a
winch, ship’s wheel, flagpole, three fish boxes,
navigation lights (non-working) and a stand.
Built straight from the box, it makes for a
very attractive model indeed, but of course
1
“Built straight from the box, it
makes for a very attractive model
indeed, but of course there’s also
plenty of scope to add all sorts of
extra detailing of your own”
there’s also plenty of scope to add all sorts
of extra detailing of your own: maybe a crew,
lighting, instruments for the wheelhouse, fish
for the fish boxes, nets, lobster pots, coils of
rope, or perhaps even a mermaid! I found my
imagination began to run away with me, and
so I eventually had to put down my product

12 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Easy-build R/C fishing boat

a tough piece of wood, so it took me some

time to remove the keel parts from the sheet.
A slim craft knife blade is required, and you’ll
need to apply quite a lot of pressure on this.
A degree of perseverance is necessary here.
Remember, too, to keep your fingers clear of
the blade! You’ll find the other four keel pieces,
cut from 0.8mm birch, prove easier to remove.
The propellor and rudder tubes are glued
into gaps left between keel parts, so they’re
held at the correct angles. I used the supplied
glue for gluing the timber but filled the small
gaps round the tubes with UHU All Purpose
2 glue, because a round tube in a square hole
requires something to square the circle. The
prop tube has a lubrication hole in its side, so
catalogues and remind myself that I needed The construction I made sure this was facing upwards before
to concentrate on getting the boat built first. The first stage is to build the keel. This consists leaving the glue to set (see Photo 5).
Well, at least some of it! of eight pieces of wood plus the propellor The motor needs to be fixed to one of
The box holds eight sheets of laser-cut and rudder tubes. The centre of the keel is the frames using the supplied screws and
timber of various thicknesses, from 0.8mm made from 5mm ply. It’s laser-cut, but this is washers. Next, the frames are fixed to the
to 5mm (see Photo 2), and a sheet of clear
plastic for glazing the wheelhouse. A plastic
bag holds the motor, screws, aluminium
tubes for the masts and booms, rigging cord, 3
exhaust pipe, propellor tube, a flexible tube
for coupling the propellor shaft, the rudder
tube and linkage, flag, rods, dowels and
even glue (see Photo 3). The accompanying
manual (see Photo 4), with instructions
not only in German but also in English and
French, is excellent. Each page carries one
or two assembly diagrams and the written
instructions that relate to them, so there’s no
need to keep thumbing through pages as you
alternate between text and plans. There’s also
a parts list, again in three languages. Plus, all
the wooden parts are laser numbered.
So, what, if anything, is not included? Well,
paint and radio control gear. Some suppliers
will also supply a suitable radio control pack:
a transmitter, receiver, speed control, rudder
servo, a 7.2v battery and a charger.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 13

s
Easy-build R/C fishing boat

7 8

keel. I added the one holding the motor last,

fitting it to line up with the propellor tube (see
Photo 6). I did encounter a bit of a problem
with the propellor shaft. The instructions and 10
parts list showed a single item consisting of
prop and shaft, but there was only a prop
in my kit. I reported this to the supplier but,
fortunately, I already had sufficient rod of
the correct diameter in my spares box, so I
glued the prop on to this with Araldite, test
fitted it to the tough silicon tubing, which acts
a connector between motor and shaft, then
cut it to the correct length. I then trial fitted
the rudder assembly and found there wasn’t
enough of the shaft projecting from the tube
to fit the wooden tiller arm and the second the stringer is inserted. This holds it firmly while it with De Luxe Materials Perfect Plastic Putty,
lock nut (see Photo 7). After a moment is curved round and glued to the frames. followed, to prepare the hull for painting, and
of anxiety, I realised I could just cut a few After the stringers, skins for the bottom of wood strips were added outside and inside
millimetres off the tube to expose more of the the hull need to glued to the stringers, keel, the bulwarks and transom. Following this, I
shaft. I used a Dremel mini drill with a cutting frames, bow and transom. I found these fitted spent a considerable time masking and using
disk, so all was well. Note to self – always test- very accurately and were easy to curve. They rattle cans to spray the outside and inside
assemble bits that must then be glued into were held in place with clothes pegs, pins and of the hull and I also sprayed the deck with
the keel or deep in the hull. masking tape, as shown in the instructions. acrylic varnish.
Next comes the skinning the hull (see Once dry, the hull sides were attached, Having sprayed four coats, I opted to
Photos 8, 9, 10). The material used for this is a followed by the outer transom. Afterwards, a improve the appearance of the bulwark
composite of thin wood glued to a layer of woven second skin was glued to inside the hull, with capping, as some of the threads from the
cloth and is very flexible. A longitudinal support the wooden side of the skin facing inwards. cloth backing stuck out at the edges. I
stringer is fixed to each side of the hull into This strengthened the hull and meant the decided I would add white plastic strips from
notches in the frames. A nice feature is a hole visible parts of the hull were faced with wood, a model shop to cover them, which also
cut into the keel at the bow into which the end of not cloth. Sanding, plus a little gap filling meant that I wouldn’t have to paint them!

14 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022


11
12
13
I used pre-cut strips 3mm wide and 0.25
thick for the top, and 4mm by 0.38 thick for
the sides. Before fitting the strips, I checked
how they would take to the bends needed
near the bow where the hull sides curve both
inwards and upwards. I assessed one and,
sure enough, it objected to being curved
across its width and started to buckle. So,
just as an idea, I tried curving it by hand,
holding it by pinching the outside edge of the
bend between the thumbs and forefingers
of both hands, held close together and
pulling outwards. It worked! (See Photo 11)
shows the original straight strip and the
curved version. I continued by repeating this
technique, holding each strip up to the hull,
until I got the correct shape, then gluing them
on with superglue. Had the strips been thicker
I might have needed stronger hands!
I also used the 3mm plastic strips for the
side rubbing strakes, instead of the provided
wood. I then looked at adding the waterline.
I didn’t try and paint it as I already had some
white ‘Trimline’. This comes in a 2.5m long
roll. Each roll consists of eight self-adhesive
Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk
Easy-build R/C fishing boat
strips in widths from 0.5mm to 10mm and is
available in many colours. It was useful to
have the various widths, as I used the 2.1mm
wide one first, but it looked too narrow. I,
therefore, peeled it off and substituted the
3.3mm one instead, which looked fine (see
Photo 12). However, when I went to fit the
stripe round the transom, I encountered a
problem. I’d forgotten that bottom of the
hull at the stern was not flat but a shallow
vee shape, so when I added the transom
waterline the area below it should have been
red, not blue. I couldn’t just leave it blue like
the hull sides, but I didn’t want to mask the
hull up again to respray this section. As luck
would have it, however, a quick look in my box
of Humbrol and Revell enamels revealed I had
just the right red – well, close enough –
to brush paint it!
The superstructure is the next task on the
agenda. Photo 13 shows my trial fitting of
the parts. First, I built the removable deck,
which enables good access to the interior of
the hull. I fashioned an engine control for the
shelf holding the boat’s wheel, from a piece
of scrap wood with a dressmaking pin for a
throttle lever, and added various instruments
and a compass. A disk of wood left over from
the centre of a laser cut ring served as the
base for the compass, while its face was cut
from a product catalogue illustration and then
covered in a bubble of De Luxe’s Glue ‘n’ Glaze,
which is viscous enough to hold its shape;
indeed, this is a very handy and easy to use
product that can be used to glaze apertures of
up to 6mm in diameter. The instruments were
also cut from the catalogue and glazed over
using this method (see Photo 14).
I wanted to add a skipper, so I
commandeered a Graupner naval officer
figure who, even though he was 1:20 scale
not 1:25, looked the right size. As he’d been
modelled with his arms behind his back, I
initially considered attempting to remove
and refit them posed as
if holding the wheel but
concluded this might end
up looking a bit messy.
He definitely needed
repainting, though, as it’s
unlikely anyone would
skipper this working boat
attired in such smart
clothes. So, I set to work
sanding off his epaulettes,
14 cap badge, tie, lapels, and
buttons and used Humbrol
enamels to instead clothe
him in a shabby green jumper and a denim
cap. I also gave him a beard. It was only
his dark trousers and shoes that were left
untouched. Photo 15 shows him fixed firmly
to the wheelhouse floor by dressmaking
pins, which project through the wheelhouse
floor having been inserted and glued in from
below, and into the soles of his feet. I needed
to be absolutely sure he was secure as the
wheelhouse interior would be inaccessible
after assembly, and should he come adrift the
boat just wouldn’t look right with him laid out
on the wheelhouse floor!
15
s
Easy-build R/C fishing boat
There are doors to fit to each side of the
wheelhouse. These are already ‘grooved’
by the laser cutter to give the appearance
of boards. The kit illustration shows round
doorknobs, and I used dressmaking pins with
blue heads to make these. The strips, which
fit over the corners of the wheelhouse and
under the windows, were added, and window
frames glued to the inside of each of the
eight window openings. The pre-cut glazing
supplied was also bonded to the window
frame edges with Glue ‘n’ Glaze. I then glued
the wheelhouse onto the removable deck and
fixed its roof on. The winch was assembled
from the parts shown in Photo 16, which
were then painted black with artist’s acrylic
paint. I painted the boat stand, navigation
light housings and the anchor black, too.
The anchor is pierced at the top for fitting
to a chain or rope (not included). I fitted a
jewellery ‘jump ring’ to attach a short piece
of chain. Jump rings consist of a short wire
formed into a circle but not soldered together.
17
18
19
16
To attach a ring, you don’t open it up by
pulling the ends apart, as then you’ll not be
able to close it fully by squeezing it back
together. Instead, you twist the ring ends
sideways in opposite directions to open it,
then twist the ring ends back to close them.
Another ring was used to join the chain to a
length of cord. The two small sections of deck
were varnished and glued to the removable
deck. The superstructure parts were painted
before final assembly (see Photo 17).
My next task was to trial fit the mast to the
hull. As I wanted my mast to be removable,
I decided to add a mast step. I therefore
drilled a hole in a piece of scrap wood, cut
the excess off and glued it onto the top of the
keel, judging the correct position by inserting
the mast and making sure it was straight.
When a large hole in a small part like this is
called for, drilling it into an oversize piece of
wood that can then be then trimmed down
will minimise the risk of your wood splitting.
Before the flotation trial, I loosely fitted the
radio control equipment (more on which later)
into the hull. For readers new to radio control,
Photo 18 shows the gear on the bench
where it’s easier to see what things are and
how they’re connected, as opposed to once
mounted in the hull (see Photo 19).
Flotation trial
At this stage I had not yet fixed the deck down,
as I wanted to have maximum access to the
interior should I need to add more ballast.
I was lucky to have a plastic skip just large
enough to take the model. Resting this on
trestles meant that the model was higher
up than if on a pond or in the bath, making it
easier to see and assess how it floated. The
boat weighs 900g all up, so would need to
displace 0.9 litres of water when floated at
the waterline. No waterline is shown in the
instructions, but it seemed logical to me it was
at the white line dividing the sides and bottom
of the hull. After filling the skip with rain-butt
water, the boat did float close to this line (see
Photo 20) but needed about another 100g
toward the bows. This made sense, as I was
using a lighter 6v battery than the specified
7.2v. I, therefore, fixed two 50g lead strips
under the battery, held by rubber bands so the
ballast and the 6v battery could be removed
easily if I found the boat sailed too slowly.
R/C installation
The kit holds three pieces of wood to fit the
radio control parts. I chose to add a bracket
made from plastic card for the on/off switch,
and another to keep the battery from sliding
about. Small pieces of wood, Velcro and double-
sided tape held the other components in place.
The rudder servo was mounted on its side, as
shown in the instructions, because the hull is
too shallow to fit it vertically. It was bolted to two
wooden blocks glued to the stern support.
My ESC was fitted to a homemade wooden
bridge to lift it partly over the motor so that the
hole to oil the propellor shaft was accessible.
The ESC instructions specify the antenna
20

22
should be taken up outside the model. I drilled
a small hole in the removable deck, close
behind the wheelhouse, and brought it up
into a piece of plastic tube to hold it. After
installation, I tested the radio system on the
bench and luckily it worked!
Finishing touches
I glued the deck down and sealed around the
edges with Glue ‘n’ Glaze, which ran freely into
the cracks and didn’t show afterwards. Next
came the mast, booms, and rod assembly. The
rods go through the hollow booms and project
into the mast collar. This holds the bottom of the
booms to the mast. Rigging thread runs from the
mast collar up through the mast top, and then
down to the top of the booms to keep them at
the correct angle. The assembly was pushed
through the deck into the mast step. However,
this still left the booms able to swing around the
mast, so I added more rigging to hold them in
place, making simple belaying pins from plastic
rod inserted in a short piece of plastic strip fixed
to the inside of the bulwarks. I hung the anchor,
21
23
Easy-build R/C fishing boat
chain and coiled rope on the port bow and
added a Sampson post from my scrap box to
hold the other end of the anchor rope. I put the
lifebelts on each side of the wheelhouse and
assembled the three well detailed fish boxes,
to which I added a glass fish and a crab found
in a seaside gift shop (see Photo 21). The flag
and exhaust pipe were then fixed in place. I used
self-adhesive vinyl lettering to add the boat’s
name to the stern and bows. I wondered if the
boat also needed a registration number and
port, but after checking the internet found that in
Germany commercial boats less then 15m long
do not require these, and the model if full-sized
would be only 12.5m.
First sea trial
At this point I decided it was time for a ‘sea
trial’ and so took the model to the local club
pond. The weather was bad, which in a way
was a relief, as no one else was sailing and
therefore there would be no witnesses to
any errors I made! Fortunately, however, the
model sailed well, went fast enough on its
6v battery, and did not need re-ballasting.
Möwe’s wide hull indicated stability, and this
proved to be the case (see Photo 22). The
rudder, however, was not quite right. The boat
turned to port almost within its own length but
made lazy wide turns to starboard.
24
“I wondered if the boat also
needed a registration number
and port, but after checking the
internet found that in Germany
commercial boats less then 15m
long do not require these, and
the model if full-sized would be
only 12.5m”
The last little tweak
Back at the shipyard in the spare bedroom,
I removed the superstructure and inverted
the hull over its carrying box, so that the
mast and booms were hanging inside
and the hull could lie flat. I had made the
mast removable for this sort of situation,
but then rigged the booms to the hull,
forgetting to make them detachable too.
Hmm… Anyway, I could now see the rudder
properly and it wasn’t quite straight when
the transmitter was in the zero position.
I employed a protractor from a school
geometry set (you can still buy these!) with
a piece of paper below it to make the angle
markings visible and used the Trim button
on the transmitter to adjust it to move
equally each side by about 35 degrees
(see Photo 23). 50 years ago, I worked in
a shipyard in Brazil and tested the rudder
angle Indicators on 12,000-ton cargo ships.
Fortunately, it wasn’t necessary to invert
them to do this!
The end result
Satisfied with my adjustments, in summing
up I have to say I found the ease of building
this kit, and the appearance and sailing
characteristics of the resulting model, very
pleasing indeed (see Photos 24). l
Orpheus in the Modelling World
Bluebird K7
Ashley Needham records how he managed to achieve his very own jet-propelled
version of this iconic hydroplane…
T here is something of a trend for trying
Electric Ducted Fan (EDF) units as
a means of propulsion at our pond
just lately. They have been used to power
everything from speedboat hulls to foil born
craft, and from hovercraft to skimmers. There
is, however, an iconic vehicle for which an
EDF seems ideally suited: Donald Campbell`s
K7 Bluebird.
Bluebird K7 was a jet-engined hydroplane,
which Donald Campbell used to set seven
world water speed records between 1955
and 1967, during which time the record was
raised from 178 miles per hour to 276 miles
per hour. Sadly, though, in January 1967,
he was killed in an accident on Coniston
Water in a modified K7 while making a bid
for his eighth record.
18
Over the years, I’ve seen various K7 models
in magazines powered by water propellers,
albeit sophisticated surface piercing types, but
to my mind this is the easy option or even, I’d
go as far to say, just plain cheating! That said,
these can be devastatingly fast; indeed, one of
our men has a converted kit example and it’s
likely three times faster than mine! But, as an
iconic design, I think a K7 model deserves to
be powered as per the original, by a jet engine.
So, I set out to design and build my own,
which I should point out, would be a simplified
representation, and not a replica, of Bluebird.
“Over the years, I’ve seen various
K7 models in magazines powered
by water propellers, albeit
sophisticated surface piercing
types, but to my mind this is the
easy option or even, I’d go as far
to say, just plain cheating!”
www.modelboats.co.uk
The quest for speed
You can, of course, buy real jet engines small
enough to install in a model boat. Sadly,
though, as well as the small matter of some
serious expense, by fitting one these you
will dramatically limit your options when it
comes to where you can run your model on
completion. At our local pond, for example,
i/c engines are banned as there isn’t the likely
500 metre run you’d need for a jet model.
So, despite poo-pooing the use of a
propeller and calling for originality, I’ve
cheated and used the finest cheap EDF,
sourced via a well-known on-line auction
site: 64mm, 12-blade, driven by a 3500Kv
(yes, really) brushless outrunner (see Photo
1), and rated for a 4s Lipo battery – not that
I intended to use a 4s, as I decided there
would be power aplenty on a 3s, and that
1
Model Boats April 2022
 Orpheus in the Modelling World

2 ABOVE: hull stiffening and likely equipment placing.

this would cut the not inconsiderable power weights to pin the structure to the board
consumption down. As is so often the case and prevent twisting of the hull.
with this type of thing, actual performance Having cut the base sheet and fixed the
figures are hard to come by, but I noted that bow upsweep in place, two lengths of 3mm
a very similar unit advertised by a supplier balsa sheet, 32mm deep, were glued along
produces in excess of 650 grams of thrust. the axis. These ensured end-end stiffness, as
Because these units are unmarked, it was well as providing a channel for when sliding
difficult to tell if they were the same; however, the battery in and housing for the ESC and
I guesstimated I may have roughly 600g of receiver (see Photo 2). To complete the
thrust, so this would be the overall weight of `chassis`, a stern piece in 4mm ply was cut
the completed boat, as the performance does and stuck in place (see Photo 3).
all depend on weight, or a lack thereof. Did I Bluebird had a very small rudder, offset
need a 1:1 thrust ratio? Well, the original had at the stern, so, in keeping with this design
an approximate 1:1 thrust/weight ratio, and feature, my rudder tube was set on a 12mm
that went quite fast! extension, operated by a plated garden-wire
My 3s battery was 200g, the fan, pushrod, of 2mm in thickness, via a micro
ESC, rudder servo and receiver would be servo up front. This would be run in a model
about 150g, so for the hull that left…? aircraft `snake` control line outer tube to stop
Bother – where did my calculator go!

The plan 3
Bluebird is a highly complex and curvaceous
machine: the sort of thing you could spend
hours on, bearing in mind the complicated
framing and planking, etc, required if you “Bluebird is a highly complex
were actually trying to replicate it. That,
however, is not for me, so as previously
and curvaceous machine: the sort
mentioned, my aim was merely to create of thing you could spend hours
my own representation of the original. on, bearing in mind all of the
Construction was, therefore, simplified to
allow the maximum use of flat or simple complicated framing and planking,
curved pieces, and dimensions were etc, required if you were actually
chosen to suit the propulsion system (see
later) – aspects of the which would affect trying to replicate it.
the overall design. As lightness was the goal, That, however, is not for me…
3mm lite-ply was chosen for the base.
It’s a bit wobbly, though, so all stages of
My aim was merely to create my
the build were accomplished using heavy own representation of the original”

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 19

s
Orpheus in the Modelling World

it kinking, and I added a rubber bellows seal

at the rear on the inside to stop water ingress
(see Photo 4). After a few runs, however, it
became apparent that the plating on the
wire had rubbed off and the steel was going
rusty, so it has since been changed for some
stainless-steel welding wire.
Sides were then cut from 2mm lite-ply and
pre-drilled for the 4mm carbon fibre sponson
support tubes at the bow before being
attached with superglue. Superglue was used
as it penetrates balsa and lite-ply very well,
leading to a stronger joint, although this didn’t
stop me running a fillet of PVA along all the
joints afterwards as belt and braces! A small
score line at the bow helped the transition
from the parallel centre section to the chisel
nose and, although the rear fuselage tapers,
the flexibility of the ply coped well with this,
without the need for any scoring.
Carbon fibre tubes (hidden by the
drinking straws used to protect them from
sanding work, etc, in Photo 5) were run
6 from one sponson to the other across the
hull to provide the maximum support for
the sponsons, as I knew simply gluing balsa
outer arms to the hull/sponson could lead to
possible hull side flexing and failure. These
were set in place with epoxy, making sure
they lined up properly, and, to complete the
front section, a Styrofoam nose block and
balsa top were fitted, also using epoxy. The
foam front enabled easy contouring for
the round nose. Sponson blanks were cut
from 25mm grey Styrofoam on my small
bandsaw, as a pair, and drilled for the support
tubes. Some carving and sanding then took
place to transform them into the necessary
streamlined shape (see Photo 6).
I tackled the nose section, with sanding
blocks, next, making fairing pieces from balsa
for the carbon tubes before finally gluing the
covers and sponsons in place with epoxy. As
previously, with the help of some weights, I
very careful positioned these parallel to the
hull! Once the glue had hardened off, filler
was applied to the forward outer sponson
strut joints only (as they’re the most visible).
The other strut/hull joints were reasonably

20 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022


“Size matters: too large and
the boat would be heavy and
require substantial power;
too small and there would be
seakeeping issues at speed”
thin and were filled afterwards with a fillet of
epoxy; once again, this required care, as it’s
almost impossible to sand this to shape when
sitting against soft plywood or foam without
seriously scoring occurring.
The only thing left to be made before
testing could commence were the wedges
underneath the hull and sponson rear ends;
these are the things that the boat would sit
on at speed, so they needed to be of a depth
to raise the boat off the water surface while
at the same time not so deep as to make the
boat look like it’s on stilts! It would be of no
help scaling these down from the drawing,
as my model wouldn’t have the original’s
mass and, of course, you can’t scale down
water viscosity. I settled, therefore, on wedges
75mm long by 18mm deep, cut from foam
and epoxied in place, as a starting setup. It
was unlikely they’d be too deep, and simply
sanding off the tips would make them
shallower if required.
For effect, thin wedges made from a
hardwood (type unknown, from my spares
box) of about 3mm in thickness and 230mm
long were cut and glued to the hull sides
at the rear end to simulate the shelf that
appears on the real thing.
Finally, only construction of the top and
cabin was the only task that remained, but
first I wanted to ensure my EDF was up to
the job. If tests revealed I needed to install
a larger unit, then alterations would be
required, so I decided to leave this job until
last. Total hull weight at this stage was 215gm!
Propulsion –
Orpheus jet substitute
As stated earlier, I’d chosen an inexpensive
12-blade brushless electric ducted fan unit
of 64mm. I’d judged 64mm to be about the
right size (why, I’m not sure) and capable of
generating the necessary power. Dimensions
of the boat were, essentially, dictated by the
Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk
Orpheus in the Modelling World
EDF unit. I figured as the outer duct had a
70mm outside diameter, the hull could then
be around 90mm in width, bearing in mind
the top is semi-circular, thus giving a good-
sized air inlet. I needed to accommodate a 3s
Lipo underneath the fan as moveable ballast,
which needed about 30mm of headroom,
giving a depth of 100mm.
Using the above considerations against
a drawing gave me an overall length of
roughly 500mm, which would be very car-
boot friendly! Size matters: too large and the
boat would be heavy and require substantial
power; too small and there would be sea-
keeping issues at speed, not to mention
difficulty installing the gear and, in particular,
having insufficient length available to
reposition the battery for trim changes.
So, by my reckoning, if the motor was not
powerful enough, the 90mm diameter
would, in theory, allow room for a larger
75mm EDF to be installed.
Two very thin flanges on the EDF outer
tube would allow for mounting the unit, and
blocks were positioned inside the hull for this.
Location of the unit was problematic, though.
Basically there were three choices: right
up front, giving a long jet pipe but the best
access for the air inlet: at the stern, giving a
very short efficient jet pipe but putting the
weight of the unit right aft and also having a
long induction run; or, in the middle, allowing
access just in front of the unit to slide the
battery in place, having `medium length` inlet
and exhaust runs, and having the weight
central in the hull. There was no contest really
– centre it was!
There was scope for experimentation. I
could move the EDF aft, although not forward
due to access issues, and I didn’t want a hatch
on the nose, as hiding it and waterproofing
it wouldn’t have been easy. Along with a
decent sized air inlet, the exhaust needed to
be taken out of the hull with as little turbulence
as possible, and this was achieved by rolling
some very thin card into a slender cone and
painting it with PVA to hold shape, then dusting
with spray paint to waterproof. This was fitted
over the rear of the fan casing and held at the
back in the inside of the circular stern piece, its
shape and thus true purpose then becoming
evident! The exit diameter being a touch
smaller than the fan tube added some velocity
to the exhaust, and this also dictated the stern
width and shape. A 35A ESC (J. Perkins EnErG)
was tested with the unit, giving the ESC a
reasonable margin of over-capacity against
the advertised requirement. It’s not obvious but
there is no reverse!
Finishing the hull
Due to delays in receiving my fan-motor,
and despite saying I was going to do some
testing first, I decided to make the top cover
and finish off the building stage. Practically
speaking, the boat had to look as it looks,
and really the only variables I could apply
were weights (by moving the battery around),
lift wedge depth under the sponsons and
rear hull (for rise above water at speed) and
of course the EDF unit (changed for more
power). Anything else would have called for
a complete redesign and would have meant
scrapping the build as I’d got it thus far and
starting again from scratch (see Photo 7).
So, the top cover then… This was made
up from 0.8mm ply in front, with tapered rear
sections, both parts being formed around a
bit of 68mm plastic waste water pipe. Heat,
in the form of a hot air gun, was used to
soften the ply, which was held in place until
cooled, whereupon the pieces took a `set`
(and looked a bit like model railway tunnels!).
Hoops, laminated from 0.8mm ply, were
attached to the hull to support the top, and
additional hoops were added to the rolled
sections to build up their thickness so that
the top, when in place, sat flush with the sides
(which were 2mm lite-ply, remember). Long
tabs inside provided a snug fit and held the
top securely in place. A fair amount of filling
then followed to hide the front/rear section
joint and even up one or two other areas,
before the crowning glory (the rear tail fin),
made from balsa sheet, was fitted.
21
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Orpheus in the Modelling World

“Deciding on exactly which colour to go for proved problematic, as K7

was painted in several different shades during its lifetime. However, the
Impatience is a virtue consensus on the internet is that `Ford Fjord Blue` is the right colour for
Although still waiting for the 64mm EDF, I the boat’s final guise, and so this is what I went with”
am an impatient soul and decided I just had
to carry out a quick test run on the pond
to check the steering and balance of my I used spray primer as I’d decided to use the sponsons (which I made from paper I’d
creation. So, I temporarily fitted a brushed car spray paint cans to finish the K7 off. It’s suitably doodled on with a fine felt pen) and
55mm fan unit of comparatively very low worth point out that you need a compatible varnished into place.
power (as this is what I had available!) and undercoat to use with acrylic spray paints,
headed to the pond with my model still at this and having both types from the same
stage wearing nothing more than its grey manufacturer helps in this regard. Accommodation
primer (see Photo 8). This photo essentially Final painting took place after testing had Some cheating took taken place when it came
reveals the same layout I included in the been completed. Deciding on exactly which to the driver’s cabin, which in reality occupied
final and finished interior, although with colour to go for proved problematic, as K7 probably half the hull width and all the air
substitutions for the brushless EDF unit and was painted in several different shades intake height. This was clearly a non-starter
non-transparent exhaust shroud. during its lifetime. However, the consensus for an EDF powered boat, which needs as
The trial proved encouraging overall. on the internet is that `Ford Fjord Blue` is clear an inlet as possible to enable the EDF
Manoeuvrability was OK – not great, but the right colour for the boat’s final guise, to breathe properly and develop maximum
usable, and it went along at a decent pace and so this is what I went with. Finally, a few thrust – something which also applies to a
without showing any untoward signs of Union flag stickers were applied, along with smooth clear run out for the exhaust (see
distress or issues that might have to be the all-important white circle patches on Photo 9). A thin, 4mm Perspex, ’cabin’ was,
solved, such as sinking for instance! There
was no spray and a nice shallow draft, it was
simply lacking power.
9
Diversion over
Lite-ply and balsa both require some serious
grain filling to get a smooth result, so more
than a few coats of spray primer and knifing
filler had to be used, alongside much sanding
down, to achieve this – reminding me why I
tend to shy away from using these materials.
Also, unfortunately, there was the softness of
the sponsons’ Styrofoam to contend with, and
here less is more when it comes to sanding,
as the harder you try, the worse things seem
to get. Plus, I had all the dings and dents you
get when you are fiddling with other things to
make good. At some point, though, you just
have to call it a day, which I did, and the finish
is OK; not fantastic but it looks just fine when
the model is out the water.

22
 Orpheus in the Modelling World
10

therefore, made to emulate the fully rounded

version, and from most angles (although not all,
of course) this looks convincing enough. The
bottom line is this was a necessary operational
compromise and was certainly better than
having no cabin transparency (see Photo 10).
Following on from the first few tests, the
leading edge of the transparency and the
lovely clear surface was lightly matted
in order to actually see that there was
something there, and then sprayed silver,
as water on the matted transparency was
making the acrylic clear again.

First test in finished form

The thing I’d been most worried about was
spray entering the large open orifice at the
front (the air inlet) and flooding the interior.
There wasn’t much I could do to stop this
without compromising the inlet area. Photos
of the real K7 show it sitting fairly low in the
water and generating vast volumes of spray as
it gathered pace, but, fortunately, my version
is very light and sits high, with a draught of
approximately 15mm. I put serious effort into
ensuring the internal hatch was a good close
fit, so as to prevent water running directly into
the hull, and I also felt reasonably confident
that the shaped fillets inside would stop
water running down the length of the hull by
directing it up into the EDF unit. Thin aluminium
strakes were glued on the inside edges of the
“The noise from the 12-bladed EDF at a distance was just
subliminal – worth every penny, it sounded exactly like the
Orpheus turbojet I’d intended it to represent”
sponson front; cut to, hopefully, minimise spray back to the jetty. It was then that two things
production, as per those fitted to the original. struck me. The first was that the noise from the
The stage was set and so, on a windless day 12-bladed EDF at a distance was just subliminal
when the water surface was very flat indeed, – worth every penny, it sounded exactly like the
the Bluebird, equipped with a 2s Lipo battery, Orpheus turbojet I’d intended it to represent.
was plopped in the water. Previous testing The second was the jet blast blowing water
with the brushed EDF had already proved that up at the stern. It made my eyes water! If
the boat had barely adequate steering at low only I could have been watching in black and
speed, and so it was motored out to the far side white. There it was… Footage of Campbell at
of the pond and slowly turned round to point Coniston, albeit in miniature. Superb!

Get a load of the exhaust kicking up the spray.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 23

s
Orpheus in the Modelling World

Having directed the pointy end towards
the middle of the pond, I open the throttle
in stages, until Bluebird was on the stop, at
which point this beautiful bird simply flew
across the water. Even on the 2s Lipo, the
performance was good, with the model up on
the plane yet not quite clear of the water.
Back at the jetty the 3s Lipo was then fitted,
and we motored out again. 30m from the
jetty her nose dipped for some reason, but I
continued. It became increasingly apparent,
however, she wasn’t going as well as before,
so I throttled back but she conked out before
reaching us. In retrospect, I think she had bashed
one of the huge carp lurking in the pond (you
couldn’t make that up, eh?) and scooped up a
boat’s worth of water. And just to compound this,
I’d inexplicably forgotten to fit the model’s internal
cover – a failure I can only really put down to
sheer stupidity. As a result, it took a whole week
of drying time before we could venture out again.

ABOVE & BELOW: Drenched in spray Bluebird at slow speed.

Will she fit in your boat shed?

Overall length sponsons-rudder 570mm
Hull length 500mm
Width over sponsons 215mm
Hull width 95mm
Hull height 110mm
Overall height including the fin 190mm
Weight fully equipped 720gm

24 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022


Further work
Before putting her back on the water, though,
there were a few other issues that needed to
be addressed; the big one being the wetness
caused by the weight of the 3s Lipo, visible
even before the accident. This didn’t add an
awful lot of extra weight per se, but it was
a pretty large difference percentage wise
and sufficient to cause appreciably more
water being thrown about compared to
when using the 2s battery. After some further
thinking on the matter, it occurred to me that
the performance was just about there on
the 2s, and that extra power could be had
from simply changing to a 3s-rated motor of
4300Kv, so I could keep the 2s and its lower
weight. Does that make sense?
Lastly, as she will never stay very dry
inside her hull, silicone sealant was squeezed
around the ends of the aircraft style ESC
plastic sleeve and the receiver was wrapped
in a small plastic bag. Strictly speaking,
sealing up the ESC is not a good idea;
however, this boat is not going to be doing
very long runs.
With these modifications in place, we were
ready for the big test.
Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk
Orpheus in the Modelling World
How does she go, mister?
In a word (well, actually, two), very fast! On three
points and accompanied by a howling frenzy
from the EDF screaming away at some 30,000
rpm, the small amount of extra power was all
she needed to perform just as I’d hoped.
Fears about massive flooding from spray
ingestion appear to have been unfounded
in normal running with the 2s Lipo. Although
the interior gets moderately wet, the ESC
and receiver waterproofing has proved
itself to be a sound idea.
Rudder throw had been reduced
somewhat, in order not to have too much
effect at high speed, resulting in a fairly
wide turning circle, but then this model was
never intended for steering competitions!
I’ve not been brave enough to try turns while
at anything near top speed, as the boat barely
has contact with the water, but generally it
seems to be stable enough and fast-ish turns
haven’t caused any problems either.
I’d discovered during the course of my
research that Bluebird models tended to
lift their nose excessively at speed, but
fortunately mine seems to be OK, the hull
rising with only moderate front-lift. My watt-
Bluebird moving very fast, yet with very little wake.
meter shows the motor draws 21-amps
on full throttle, and the 2200 mAhr 2s Lipo
doesn’t last for too long before giving up.
This is, however, a demonstration machine;
the point being to briefly show what she’s
capable of before being returning to the
jetty to sit drying out on her stand! This is
fine by me, as the ESC gets quite hot, and
after a few nerve-racking fast runs I can
do with a rest myself! She may not be the
fastest thing on the pond, but she does
achieve ‘the look’. Besides, our pond is not
particularly large and so things that are
very fast zip across it in seconds, giving
no time to appreciate the qualities or
otherwise of such things. The total boat
weight, fully equipped, is 720gm, so not
quite within target, but not at all bad either.
High five for K7
At the end of the day, then, did I achieve
my stated aim of producing a standoff
representation of Campbell’s K7 Bluebird
which is not just faux jet propelled but can
skim across the water in the correct manner?
I do believe I did! l
25
 Gather round…

The Vitse-Admiral
Popov Scratch-builder Lionel Broadbent
explains how he constructed a model
that commands both attention and a
huge degree of curiosity whenever
he takes it out for a spin!

26 Model Boats April 2022

 Gather round…

could forgive anyone for taking one quick

Ship’s spec (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Details Ship Model

I look at the photos in this feature and
immediately forming the words “What on
earth is that?”. Well, for those of you unfamiliar
with her, the Vitse-Admiral Popov was a
Length 126 ft 10 in (38.7 m) 2ft (61cm)
Beam 117 ft 8 in (35.9 m) 1 ft 9.5 in (54.5cm) monitor built for the Imperial Russian Navy in
Hull draught 14 ft 9 in (4.5 m) 3 in (7.5cm) the 1870s. She was one of the most unusual
Displacement 3,600 tons 12.1kg (27lb) warships ever constructed, and still survives
in popular naval myth as one of the worst
Propellers below hull 19 ft (5.8 m) ever built! Her hull was circular to reduce
Freeboard 18 in (46 cm) draught, while also allowing her to carry much
Two inboard 3-bladed propellers 14 ft (4.3 m) diameter more armour and a heavier armament than
Four outboard 4-bladed propellers 10 ft 6 in (3.2 m) diameter other ships of the same size. Having playing
Crew 19 officers and 187 ratings a minor role in the Russo-Turkish War of
Speed of around 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) 1877–78, she was later, in 1892, reclassified
Range at full speed 540 nautical miles (1,000 km; 620 m)
as a coast-defense ironclad. Finally being
Armament Two 20-calibre 12-inch (305 mm) rifled guns
decommissioned in 1903, she was, in 1911,
Shells 640-pound (290 kg)
eventually sold for scrap.
Intrigued by the quirky, to say the very
In 1878 British-built Moncrieff-type disappearing gun mounts were installed on the
Vitse-Admiral Popov. least, design of this vessel, I decided to have
a go at constructing my own version of her
On February 13, 1892, she was reclassified as a coast-defence ironclad. from scratch. There were no plans available,
or none that I could find, but fortunately I

The initial sub-frame. The first hull planking band.

The hull first circular planked from below The hull prepared for motors

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 27

s
 Gather round…

“Interestingly, and unexpectedly,

after scaling down these
measurements so the resulting
model would fit in my car boot,
I realised that this ship had not,
in fact, been circular but slightly
RIGHT: The electric motors installed. oval. Clearly, she was going to
BELOW: Likewise, the electrics installed.
present even more of a challenge
than anticipated…”

was able to scale down the sketches and

measurements found on Wikipedia and
create a plan to work from myself.
Interestingly, and unexpectedly, after
scaling down these measurements so the
resulting model would fit in my car boot, I
realised that this ship had not, in fact, been
circular but slightly oval. Clearly, she was
going to present even more of a challenge
than anticipated and my thoughts quickly
turned to what the best construction strategy
would be. After some thought, I opted for
an egg box-like structure, as it occurred to
me that this would afford both strength and
plenty of compartment space for the housing
of the motors and electrics.

ABOVE: The cannons fitted. BELOW: The fore cabin that would have served as sailors’ quarters.

ABOVE: The main Deck.

BELOW: The guns, barbette and mechanism.

www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Gather round…

ABOVE: A close up of stern,

illustrating the rudder and six props.

BELOW: The full deck viewed from

the port side. BELOW: The full deck looking aft.

BELOW: The aft cabin, which provided

accommodation for the Captain and officers.
s
 Gather round…

ABOVE: Detail featured when viewing from starboard.

“Steering this ship/model

was/is somewhat akin to
driving a tank…”
I double planked the hull, firstly with circular
planks, then with strips running from deck to
keel. Planking a ‘round’ hull, I discovered, is no
easy task. I’ve planked many sailing ships but
the difficulty with a ‘round’ hull it that it’s like
planking two prows and involves lots of trimming.
As per the original ship, I decided on a
fixed rudder. Steering this ship/model was/
is somewhat akin to driving a tank: forward
left or backward right and the ship turns right;
forward right or backward left and the ship

30
 Gather round…

Vitse-Admiral Popov at the Blackpool Model Show.

The rest of the deck furniture was hand-

made, and copied from the cabins, boats,
funnels, etc, in the picture found on Wikipedia.
I tried to represent the actual gun barbette
and mechanism as authentically as possible
from the reference sources available.
The flags I placed on the ship are the Jack
of the Imperial Russian Navy, the Ensign of the
Imperial Russian Navy and the Sea Standard
of the Emperor of Russia, the latter only flown
when the Emperor was on board. I like to
imagine that aboard my version he’s in the
wardroom with the Captain drinking vodka! l

ABOVE: Lionel’s model on Kirklees lake.

turns left; forward left and right the ship moves

straight ahead; while backward left and right
and the ship reverses. After a few trials it was
possible to spin the ship on its axis: forward left
and backwards right, etc. The rudder merely
assisted in a forward motion.
The ship has six engines, so, you can see
from my photos, I installed two sets of three,
each set working on the left and right controls.
For simplicity, I fitted two speed controllers
and two batteries, while in the bow section
I opted for a double (red and green) switch,
the two different coloured switches serving to
independently turn on/off each set of motors.
I also located a ship’s horn in the bow section.
Another problem arose when building the
main deck. The real deck was ramped, sloping
from the cannon housing to the edge of the
ship; obviously to slough off water in rough
seas. To achieve this, I ramped cake-slice
shapes to achieve the correct angle and fit the
circle/oval. I then laminated with thin veneer
strips, which accomplished the required look. Lionel (left) with fellow club member Chris Behan at Blackpool Model Show receiving their awards.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 31

 Finishing school
1

ABOVE: Making up your own wash is easy, but subsequently

mixing identically matching batches might prove a challenge.
Richard has even used dirty brush washing thinners in the
past as a wash. BELOW: Both AK Interactive and MIG Ammo
washes are enamel based and are quite dense out of the
bottle. They may well need further thinning before use.

ABOVE: Some of the best washes you can buy come from the Tamiya range. While difficult to find in the UK, they seem to
be readily available in Europe and further afield. Richard ordered his from a Polish supplier, and finds them to be of a perfect
density, plus they come with a very neat, good quality, small brush nestled in the lid for easy pin washes.

Wash and Brush Up

Part 1 Richard Simpson provides a beginner’s guide to
two highly effective finishing techniques

L indsey recently passed on a letter to me

sent from a reader in New Zealand, which
just goes to show how far the circulation
gets! The letter posed questions about some
of the terminology, i.e., ‘washes’ and ‘dry
“A wash is basically nothing
more than a paint that has a
very high solvent and a very low
then play around with them to vary both
consistency and depth of colour to suit my
own individual requirements.

brushing’, used in my Adding Figures article

published in the November 2021 issue of Model
Boats Magazine. Consequently, we’ve decided
to run a further feature, explaining what these
terms mean, how the techniques they refer
to can be used and the effects they make
possible to achieve. So, let’s get started…
So, what is a wash?
A wash is basically nothing more than a paint
that has a very high solvent and a very low
pigment content. While it’s easy to imagine
this as a very thin, watery paint, we’re talking
way more dilute than that. Washes can be
nothing more than a jar of solvent with just a
few drops of pigment added to produce what
pigment content”
simply looks like a coloured-tinted water (see
Photo 1). The ratio of solvent to pigment can,
of course, be increased or reduced to suit
the purpose for which a wash is intended.
There are many manufacturers out there
who produce their own washes, such as AK
Interactive and MIG Ammo, (see Photo 2),
and Tamiya (see Photo 3) and, while mixing
your own is as easy as watering down paint,
the big advantage of these manufacturer
branded washes is consistency – although
obviously there’s nothing stopping you from
making up large quantities of wash yourself.
I tend to use manufactured washes but
How is a wash of use to us?
As a wash is so thin it demonstrates the ability
to perform capillary action, so will run into every
little nook, cranny and surface texture of the
subject. Due to its low viscosity, it carries more
pigment into all the crevices than it leaves on
the raised surface, making it very useful for the
enhancement of shadows. Imagine painting
an undulating surface with a wash: the paint
will collect in the valleys but will be very thin
and hardly noticeable on the peaks. Once the
solvent has dried the effect will be much darker
in the areas of shadow. Basically, washes will
generally be a darker colour than the main
base paint, and either the base colour with a
deeper shade added prior to the solvent or an
entirely different, darker colour.

32 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022


4 gloss surface, as the excess can
The two basic types of wash
Very basically there are two different types of
wash: a pin wash and a flood wash.
A pin wash tends to be a little denser and
is applied with a very fine brush to a part of
an engraved or raised detail. Capillary action
will carry the paint along the recessed detail
and can be left to dry. This will create a much
harsher or higher contrast look.
The flood wash usually has less pigment
and is simply painted with a large brush over
the entire surface of an object and left for
the wash to find its own way into the detail,
naturally draining away from the higher areas
(see Photo 4). A frequently used variation of
the flood wash is to apply it and then remove
most of it with a dampened brush, something
we will look at next.
Using washes
General
One thing to remember with washes is that
you’re using a large quantity of solvent,
particularly when it comes to flood washes.
So, if you paint over a base colour with a wash
of the same solvent you run the risk of the
wash lifting the base paint. Consequently,
it’s always worth waiting for the base colour
to have completely hardened, not just dried.
Alternatively, you could use a wash of a
different solvent to the base paint so that
it won’t dissolve it. Most of the problems
modellers encounter with paint incompatibility
are due to the fact that they’ve not left the
undercoat to completely harden, to the
point where all solvents have evaporated.
With acrylic paints this can require a couple
of days, but with enamels I’d recommend
waiting for as long as a week to be completely
Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk
5
sure. I frequently use enamel washes over
acrylic base colours and acrylic washes over
enamel base colours without any problems,
but I always allow time for the base paint to
have totally hardened.
Another consideration is the finish of the
surface. Pin washes are best applied to a
gloss surface, as the excess can easily be
removed. Flood washes, on the other hand,
are best applied to a matt surface, otherwise
they drain off too easily.
Pin wash
A pin wash is probably the easiest wash to
apply as it’s simply spotted onto engraved
or raised detail and left to dry. Any excess on
the raised surface can be wiped away with a
Finishing school
“Pin washes are best applied to a
easily be removed. Flood washes,
on the other hand, are best applied
to a matt surface, otherwise they
drain off too easily”
LEFT: Here you see nothing more complex than a simple flood
wash. Notice how it has collected around the base of the
bulwark stays and settled into the flush rivet holes and plate
joints. There are varying numbers of washes applied across
this test piece in order to experiment with the effect of
layering more than one coat.
BELOW: Pin washes can be spotted into recessed detail or
dropped alongside raised detail. Best used on a gloss surface,
the excess can be easily wiped away once it has dried.
cloth moistened with the solvent to leave nice
clean lines (see Photo 5). The colour of the
wash is generally chosen to complement the
base colour, so as not to look too harsh when
dry. As with most modelling, a sample test
piece is well worth experimenting with before
you commit to painting your pride and joy.
Flood Wash
In its most basic form, a flood wash is nothing
more than a complete paint over a surface.
It’s usually worth considering how the paint
is going to flow before it dries, so you might
want to have a surface horizontal to allow the
wash to settle evenly across it. Conversely, if
you want a higher density at the lower edge,
holding the surface upright will encourage the
33
s
 Finishing school

ABOVE LEFT: A flood wash over the whole part enhances the shadows perfectly, as well as toning down bright colours and blending different colours together. ABOVE RIGHT: A Tamiya Dark Brown
wash painted directly over a large flat surface. This will need to be completely dry (which will take a few hours) before trying to remove it.

“Practice applying washes in

8 different ways, with different
paints and on different surfaces.
This will give you a feel for how
washes respond to a surface
and just what sort of effects it’s
possible to achieve”

wash to drain to the lower edge and create a

darker area lower down. This works well with
smaller items featuring deeply recessed detail
(see Photo 6).
Removing the flood wash afterwards is
probably one of the most interesting and
rewarding wash techniques. In this case,
however, the best medium to use would be
enamel or oils as they’re far easier to lift.
Acrylics are very difficult to remove once
hardened, or sometimes even just once dry,
so don’t lend themselves to this technique.
The removal process should be undertaken with a wide flat brush, dipped into thinners then wiped dry. As soon as the brush The effect can be subtle and yet pleasingly
starts to pick up the wash, frequently dry it off on a piece of kitchen roll. noticeable and can really bring an otherwise
very bland surface to life. The process is to
9 basically apply the flood wash then leave it to
dry (see Photo 7). If you try to remove it too
early you’ll end up removing too much, but,
equally, if you leave it too late and let it harden
it could prove troublesome to remove. I usually
apply the wash in the morning and remove it
either that afternoon or the next morning.
The removal process is best done with a
wide flat brush; this needs to be dipped into a
pot of the solvent, wiped almost dry and then
dragged down the dried wash. You’ll find it will
take a few strokes to dissolve the wash, after
which it will start coming off in the brush. Your
brush must, therefore, be frequently wiped
and regularly dipped in fresh clean solvent
(see Photo 8).
What you’ll end up with is a streaked and
subtly enhanced surface. This is a perfect
technique for adding realism to vertical
surfaces, as it represents how, on real vessels,
dirt and grime is washed downwards by rain
or sea water and results in the formation of
The difference is subtle, especially from a distance, but the overall effect creates a noticeably enhancing level of realism. distinctive streaks (Photo 9).

34 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Finishing school
10

Trial runs
So that’s basically what a wash is and what it
can do for us. I’d wholeheartedly recommend
buying a dirt-cheap old plastic Airfix kit,
gluing it together, with minimum detail, and
using it as a test piece. You can then practice
applying washes in different ways, with
ABOVE: Wood is a great subject for a well watered-down flood wash. Different types of wood soak up wash to varying degrees, so it’s well different paints and on different surfaces. This
worth experimenting. The platform shown here is made from a very soft light-coloured wood. BELOW: After a soaking with thinners and will give you a feel for how washes respond
then different coloured washes spotted over the surface, the wood takes on a much more weathered and worn appearance. to a surface and just what sort of effects
it’s possible to achieve. Likewise, practice it
on different materials, such as wood. Play
11 around with as many ideas as possible. One
very effective one is to soak a piece of wood
with thinners then spot it with different colour
washes; the wash will soak into the thinners,
giving a very smooth and realistic transition
between the colours (see Photos 10 and 11).

Finishing figures
Washes are also, of course, excellent for
emphasising detail on figures. Their usage
will result in a look so much better than the
finish you’ll achieve by simply applying a solid
colour (see Photo 12).

Dry brushing: the highlights

Join us again next month when I’ll be explaining
the basics of dry brushing and sharing lots of tips
and tricks that will help you get the most out of
this useful technique. l

12

Figures, especially, benefit from the use of washes, as the 1:76 scale gun crew here (courtesy of Mr. Elliott Ashcroft of Ceredigion, Wales) so ably demonstrate.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 35

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Integrated modelling
The IJN Yamato running at top speed.

IJN Yamato
Bob Gilbert
shares details of how he
married traditional model
scratch-building skills with
21st century tech to create
this magnificent 1:80
scale model of one of the
heaviest and most
powerful armed battleships
ever constructed

fter finishing the scratch-built USS

A Missouri, BB63, I moved onto my

next scratch-built project, the IJN
[Imperial Japanese Navy] Yamato in 1945
configuration, a version of this formidable
battleship I find particularly interesting due to
the high number of armaments carried.
To put a 21st Century twist on this build, I
decided to have a go at 3D printing as many
parts as I could. I first created various parts
using CAD software. The CAD files were then
converted into an STL file, which once placed
into the 3D Printer software was converted into
the 3D machine software codes necessary to
operate the 3D printing machine.
These parts formed the lion’s share of the
superstructure and all the gun turrets. I did,
however, make use of my lathe to turn all the
barrels for the 18-inch, 6-inch and 5-inch main
guns using brass and I used 1mm brass tube
for the 25mm anti-aircraft guns.
Like most things in life, 3D printing has its
advantages and disadvantages. Multiple
parts can be easily produced, which certainly
saves time, and these parts are consistent
in their size and quality of finish. The cost of
quality filament (the extruded plastic used in
3D printing) can be expensive, though.
I began this project sometime around April
2017 and built over a four-year period, dipping
in and out whenever I had the time.
Working from the IJN 1:200 scale plans
supplied by Miyuki-Kai, Yokohama (Japan), I
initially drew the hull frames using CAD, then From 1:200 scale engineering drawings supplied from Miyuki-Kai, Yokohama (Japan), frame patterns, keel and supporting frames
scaled them up to 1: 80 scale. This unusual were drawn using CAD to 1:80 scale, then cut out and assembled on a building board ready for planking.

38 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Integrated modelling

LEFT: The keel laid.

BELOW: Hull first planking begins.

choice of scale was necessary to ensure

the length of the completed model would be
within the legal maximum length requirements
when transporting on a 6ft x 4ft box trailer. The
resulting model is 3.25m long (approx. 10.5 ft)
and weighs in, fully ballasted, at 101.3 kg.
I also discovered a great publication,
Anatomy of the ship, Battleship Yamato,
and Musashi, by Janusz Skulski and Stefan
Draminski (ISBN: HB: 978-1-8448-6317-4),
which provides scaled line drawings and
3D-animated drawings of the ship’s fittings.
So, for those of you considering embarking
on a similar project, or perhaps just interested
in how everything was done, here’s a little
insight into the work involved…

The hull
I constructed the models’ hull from timber,
and the keel and main frames from 9mm
marine plywood. The hull was double planked
with Tasmanian Oak, which was milled into
14mm x 3mm x 3.6m plank lengths. Double
planking allows me to ensure all the ‘hollows’
are smoothed out.
The bow and stern were formed from
Jarrah, a hardwood available here in Western
Australia, and glued into position.
The next stage was to fibre glass the hull
to minimise the timber movement. This was
then painted in the IJN 1945 medium grey, red ABOVE: Frames were double planked using 14mm x 3mm x 3.6M long Tasmanian Oak planks. The bilge keel was glued to the first layer.
(below the water line) and black. BELOW: The hull having been fibre glassed to stabilise timber planks.

39
s
Integrated modelling

ABOVE: The hull undercoated and painted in IJN 1945 medium

grey. At this point the superstructure was still under construction,
although some of the 3D-printed sections can be seen.

BELOW & RIGHT: A propeller A frame being made and fitted.

Drawing of the tower.

The 12.7cm open gun cover.

ABOVE: The 3D printed superstructure tower.

Drawing of the rear
superstructure. BELOW: Aft superstructure.

ABOVE & RIGHT: CAD drawings of various 3D-printed ship’s fittings.

40 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Integrated modelling

CAD drawing of the fairleads.

ABOVE: CAD drawing of Yamato’s funnel.

CAD drawing of the paravain. BELOW: CAD renders of the Chrysanthemums.

The main 18” gun turrets, the 6” gun

turrets, the 5” gun turrets – both covered
and uncovered, and the 25mm anti-aircraft
guns frames were also all 3D printed.
Decking was hand drawn, covering an
ABOVE: A CAD render of one of 15.5 gun turrets. area from the front capstans to the aft
aircraft platform. ABOVE: The ship’s funnel with search lights and 3D printed
The superstructure and guns Chrysanthemum emblem in place.
For the superstructure I used 6mm marine
ply to form the sub frame and then employed
3D printing (using 1.75mm PLA filament) to
manufacture the main tower, funnel, all the
different sized range finders, the gun turrets
and the search light housings. Other parts
include capstans, winches, fairleads, bollards,
and the breakwaters.

RIGHT: The 3D printed 6 inch gun turrets.

BELOW: The forward main 18 inch turrets and 6 inch gun

turrets in place.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 41

s
Integrated modelling

ABOVE: A 3D printed breakwater.

ABOVE: The 3D printed covered 25mm anti-aircraft guns.

BELOW: 3D printed rear 10M range finder.

ABOVE: A full view of the completed superstructure. This was designed to be removable from the hull, thereby allowing access
for the insertion of batteries and ballast and for protection during transportation.

Preparing for action

To make my model of Yamato fully functional,
I’ve equipped her with the following…

Motors
Four 400 Turnigy Outrunner brushless motors
55A running on 12V system. These motors are
each coupled to an 8mm diameter shaft. The
propellers outboard P&S [Port and Starboard]
are 65mm diameter four-blades, while
inboard P&S are 70mm diameter five-blades.

42 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Integrated modelling

LEFT: A Further view of the superstructure sitting on the

hull. Note the two battleships in the background. These are
the scale models of USS Missouri and KMS Bismarck.

turrets centrally and then set port/starboard

rotation using only one channel. The use
of these systems allows you to extend the
rotation of the servo to its maximum travel,
and you can reverse all four outputs so that
you can position all turrets facing port or
starboard as required.

ABOVE: The Shockwave 2 programmable sound card (P31)

from Model Sounds Canada.

RIGHT: A view of the electrics, showing the Perspex sheet

base (in front of the blue battery) with the ESC’s, receiver,
and Matchbox hubs. The Matchbox hubs are programmable
hubs, used to connect all three main turrets for rotation and
barrel elevation to the receiver using only two channels.

ESC:
Four, Turnigy marine ESC 90A.

R/C
Futaba 14-channel T14SG transmitter and
receiver.

Sound card
A Shock Wave 3 5.0.2 sound chip from Model
Sounds Inc (Canada), which runs on both 6V
and 12V systems. Main sounds include:
*18-inch cannons firing
*Incoming shells and explosions
*Large ship’s horn
*Anti-aircraft guns
*Action station bugle sound
A Japanese Military (Naval marching) tune.
There is space on the sound card chip for
up to a dozen other sounds.

Matchbox servo matching/power system

The Matchbox systems are mainly used by
the R/C aircraft clubs to trim flaps, etc. In the
case of battleships, however, you can align all

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 43

s
Integrated modelling

44 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Integrated modelling

ABOVE: Bob’s magnificent 1:80 scale IJN Yamato patrolling

the water at Jackadder Lake in Perth, Western Australia.

LEFT: Bob’s enormous model exhibited at a ‘small’ display

put on by Task Force 72.

The second club is the Australian Model Ship

Society (https://australianmodelshipsociety.
wordpress.com), where we sail all types of
models, including, electric, steam and sail.

Turrets The first is the Task Force 72 Scale Model What next?
I coupled my turrets to a Robostar SBR5- Ship Association Inc (https://taskforce72.org). At the age of 75, I have just started my fourth
5314HTG 25 kg torque digital servo motors At this club, as the name suggests, we sail battleship, a 1944 version of HMS Rodney
through a vertical drive system. Barrels rise generally 1:72 Scale warships on Jackadder 1944 as she served in the D-Day landings. I
and fall via a small Turnigy 5kg digital servo Lake in Woodlands, Perth Western Australia hope to have this finished in a few years, so
motor coupled to the barrels. The LEDs on the first and third Sundays of each month. keep watching this space! l
inserted into the end of each barrel are
Luxeon Rebel 90 lumens ultra-bright mini-
LED’s, red, running on 3.6V 700Ma. These
were wired to a 6V system with resistors
reducing the amps to 300Ma.

Running Lights
The running LED lights featured P&S and
those on both the mast and superstructure
operate on a 6V system.

Search Lights
Yamato’s four LED search lights run on a 6V
system.

Signal Lamp
Ultra-bright LEDs, P&S, run on a 6V system
and are operated on Channel 12 through a
Turnigy receiver-controlled on/off switch.

On the water
I belong to two model ship clubs, alternating
between them on every Sunday.

Model Boats April 2022 45

 To the water, on the water and off the water

Severn
Trow
Part 2
The large decked trow, Jonadab.
Image courtesy of Bristol City Museum.

Having covered the

construction of Ashmead
in the March edition of
Model Boats, this month
Tony Judd talks us
through the logistics of
transporting her, the
tricky art of sailing her
and the diorama designed
and built to show off her
off to best advantage as Gas struts have lifted one end level with the van floor. The raised boltsprit has to allow the mast to recline, held by the jib luff,
a static exhibit and the topmast has been lowered.

aving been built to 1:12 scale, Ashmead the 170kg of model and gear were loaded in. chassis, using gas struts to come level with

H is a sizeable and very weighty model,

so getting her to the water meant that
I’d need a safe and spacious vehicle in which
to transport her. My car simply didn’t fit the
bill and I realised I needed a van of some sort,
and ideally something that offered decent
suspension for a comfortable ride even before
So, a VW camper van was procured second-
hand, which we now use for its intended
purpose (as a camper) in the summer but
come winter serves as model mover.
Ashmead’s trolley also needed some
thinking about. The answer, however, proved
to a load deck lifted at one end above the
the back of the van. The model’s rigging must
be able to fold down before entering the van,
something I had already accounted for by
opting for a bolt sprit, not a bowsprit. This can
be released and sleeved up and the mast
can fall back. By necessity, the topmast had
to be housed first, in front of the mainmast.

46 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 To the water, on the water and off the water

“The windlass assembly has the

whole weight of the sailing rig
on it when sailing and hitting the
bank at speed with the bowsprit
is something that doesn’t bear
thinking about. Think about it I
had to, though…”

BELOW: Ashmead, shot from ‘Camera cat’.

ABOVE: Sails reefed and the third jib set. Topmast housed
and headsails backed to the wind.

This means that the windlass assembly has

the whole weight of the sailing rig on it when
sailing and hitting the bank at speed with
the bowsprit is something that doesn’t bear
thinking about. Think about it I had to, though,
and as a result the necessary damage control
arrangements were made.
A consequence of all this meant the boat
facing needed to face forwards in the van
and be suitably chocked and lashed to a
stand in case of an emergency stop, or
worse still, collision.
Launching would have to be bow first.
Fortunately, our lake has a beach and four
slipways, so the angle of these was plumbed
before designing the trolley because the
daggerboard and weights must clear the front
of the trolley to enable launch and retrieval. Sailing the boat and the then prevented from going to the lake for
The trolley weights 32kg but breaks down ‘camera catamaran’ what’s felt like an interminable time.
to fit on its side in the van alongside the Boosted along the programme by lockdowns, But what of the sailings mentioned? Well,
model, and likewise lashed down in place. Ashmead was ready to sail on October 16, I found them difficult, so say the least. There
Loading and unloading is strenuous, so I 2020, and five sailings were had before was a tendency for Ashmead to see-saw
keep up my weight training exercises so I’ll be another five-month lockdown came on around the daggerboard with a sail plan over
able to cope for as long as possible! November 4. A victim of the tier system, I was 8ft long (2.4 m)

BELOW LEFT: The vessel has been backed onto the trolley, which lays inclined on the slipway in super clear water. A croupier stick, consisting of a ‘behind the radiator’ paint roller, TEK screwed to a
3m telescopic arm, has guided the stern between the twin ‘Pillars of Hercules’. BELOW RIGHT: Everything, including Ashmead, safely loaded into the back of Tony’s VW camper.
s
 To the water, on the water and off the water “I came to understand that I was
oversteering with the large rudder,
and that in fact only tiny trim
movements are necessary at the TX
to maintain a course. Moreover,
much anticipation is required…”

end of the sail plan requires a tiny but vital

compensation on the rudder.
This brings me to the ‘camera catamaran’.
Towing a waterborne camera has a number
of pitfalls, the biggest being a face full of stern
and not much else. My tow was, therefore,
made to kite out to one side to try and
overhaul the trow. For now, it’s riding in the
wash, and as the 86-acre gravel pit where I
sail soon gets a lop on the water the waves
shot from this low angle add nicely to the
effect and drama. My 400mm long clinker
dinghy, on the other hand, bounces like a
mad thing; just watching a video of this can
make you seasick!
I then decided to build a 700mm long,
flat bottomed camera barge, with
ABOVE: Healing to a fresh easterly, but the decks are dry. Note the tiller lines. BELOW & INSET: The ‘Camera cat’ the camera mounted two thirds
showing all that is needed to make her kite out to starboard. Note the tow line position bottom left. of the way back – the point of
least pitching. On trialing this
didn’t prove much better, so a
large quantity of ballast was
loaded, and a considerable
amount of polystyrene
added, just in case she
should swamp in rough
weather. She did swamp and
as a result was unable to tack
or gybe, thereby proving a real
struggle to bring back to shore.
Following this, the ‘camera
catamaran’ was conceived. The sponsons
were foam filled, as a preventive measure
against sinking, and its length and width
designed with stability in mind, although it
must be ballasted to 75% of the sponson
displacement to ride through the waves
and not skitter. I’ll admit it didn’t take long to
capsize during a rather fast track in a gust

Gradually, however, I came to understand

that I was oversteering with the large rudder,
and that in fact only tiny trim movements are
necessary at the TX to maintain a course.
Moreover, much anticipation is required. If the Another ‘Camera cat’ shot of Ashmead,
boat starts to luff, a small corrective action getting along nicely, with topsail set over
must be made immediately, and cancelled a reefed main and the second jib set.
before the boat starts to fall off the wind
again. The response to any action takes
several seconds, something which must be
allowed for.
The oversize rudder may be to blame, so
I intend to make a 70% version and a 40%
version. That said, when the wind is light and
the boat is slow, the big rudder is needed.
So, I think it’s all about the time and effort
needed to be put into learning how best to
sail her, and I have to say that towing a GoPro,
or having one on board, which allows me to
view the rudder movements and responses,
has already taught me a lot. I now know
any alteration to the jib or mizzen at each

48 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 To the water, on the water and off the water
INSET RIGHT: Tony’s own drawing,showing a trow unloading
having its cargo unloaded into tip carts and featuring details that
include the cargo gaff, jinny wheel and cargo bucket being swung
into the tiny rural wharf. Note the elliptical stern, which would
have been unusual for a trow.

BELOW: A tack completing. The brown staysail is sheeting home

to port and the jib, just in view ahead, is also coming across to
port. It has been holding her
head down (away from the
wind while she gathers
enough way to steer.

ABOVE LEFT: While there are two big ropes coiled on the fore hatch, there will be no steam tug at this tiny quay. Note those anchor chains in the deck mangers.
ABOVE RIGHT: Probably best not to ask if that’s the slop bucket coming back! The mainsail tack has been tied up to afford a better view.

and a lop, but at least this time Ashmead was
able to gybe round and come home.
It was necessary to mount the camera
about 200mm above the waves in order
to reduce spray on the lens and get a less
distorted view of the trow, plus, of course,
have some of the deck detail in view, and
I shoot in 2.7k and 60fps or the time lapse
photo equivalent, with software set to linear to
minimise distortion.
Setting the camera angle took practice, as
the faster the speed of the trow, the more the
cat kites out to overhaul the trow and the lens
looks further aft
I’ve posted a few videos to YouTube under:
“Radio Controlled period sailing boat models”.
These feature action footage shot from the bank,
the deck, and various towed scenarios, together
with many stills of the build and detailing.
The diorama in which
Ashmead is exhibited
Everything about the model was designed to
weave the path between performance and
‘looking right’ both when out on the water
and when being statically exhibited, The idea
of a diorama came about partly to try and
tell more of the trow story and partly out of
exasperation during third lockdown, during
which, having an inordinate amount of time
on my hands, a project of this magnitude
served as welcome therapy against going
completely stir crazy!
To accommodate Ashmead, I worked to
2.4m x 0.75m, with a 1m high backdrop. The
scene represents a small rural wooden quay
located far up Somerset’s very muddy river
Axe. The tide has gone out and the barge
is loaded and almost ready for the water to
return, before departing with a load of pit
props, representing logs cut from the forest

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 49

s
 To the water, on the water and off the water

ABOVE: Mainmast head detail, illustrating the heel of the

topmast resting on the lower cap by means of a removable
brass fid, to enable the topmast to be lowered.

LEFT: The quay, with pit prop logs stacked.

BELOW: The ship’s boat awaits the return of the water, ready
to take a line across to the opposite bank to haul the barge
around to face the sea.

that would be shipped to Cardiff for the coal

mines (coal would likely come back).
My second model, the clinker rowing boat,
or ship’s boat, was pressed into service to
tender for the trow.
The 1:12 scale articulated figures you see
are Lion Rock MegoToys. These have long
been out of production but were sourced on
the second-hand market via eBay from the US
and Luxembourg. I’ve suitably clothed these
figures from sail offcuts sewn for me by a
friend, Jane Lovell of Daventry. We worked on
the designs from the attire seen worn in period
photographs featured in the books mentioned
in Part 1 but replicating a scaled down proper
cloth cap has so far defeated both of us!
A fisherman’s style anchor initially seemed
impossible, until the idea of using a copper

Anchors made by Tony from copper tube,

and incorporating brass round bar inserts,
solder, epoxied cardboard palms and a wooden
counterweight on the stock (failed deadeye).
 To the water, on the water and off the water

ABOVE: A lovely model of the ‘Norah’, as exhibited in The Gloucester Waterways Museum at Gloucester Docks. BELOW: The starboard main rigging about deadeyes, just after first assembly.

Making a round anchor ring was pretty

straightforward. I wound a 1.5mm diameter
copper TIG [Tungsten Inert Gas] welding rod
several times around a suitable hot brass
bar, the wire having been pre-warmed, as
opposed to heated to a high temperature.
The trick is to keep going at a steady rate. You
then hacksaw the spiral longways, discard
the first and last turn, squeeze the circle shut,
as you do on a key ring, after fitting to the
anchor, and butt solder.
The anchors and chain are removed before
sailing in case they interfere with the radio
signal, as the RX is under the lid of the fore
hatch, right behind them.

BELOW: The notorious ‘Gang of Four’ yarn on foreshore while

waiting for the pub to open! The ‘beach’ was created by
pouring epoxy resin to fill the tray to about 4mm, before
a heap of sharp sand was tipped into the middle and a half
dozen oscillations made to spread the sand a bit – in an
action somewhat similar to sieving, that ensured the finer
muddy stuff made its way to the edges while the bigger
stuff mostly stayed in the middle. Once set, the whole
surface was sprayed with a 50/50 solution of white spirit and
clear varnish to ‘wet’ and stabilise further.

tube with close fitting brass round bar

inserts came to me. Soldered together, these
have the correct weight, and strength, too.
The large palms are made from two layers
of cereal packet cardboard, superglued
together and then impregnated with epoxy
and microfibres to add texture. These were
then painted matt grey and daubed with
the ever-useful dark oak stain to suggest
corrosion and rusting.
The anchor chains I ordered came looking
like costume jewellery, but a week in a shallow
salt bath outdoors soon changed that!

Model Boats April 2022

s
 To the water, on the water and off the water
INSET: Ashmead’s pit prop load. These were typically 6’
to 8’ long, and 7” to 10” diameter, cut and dressed logs.

BELOW: A cat shot of Ashmead taken on a dull,

cold and wet day, with very little wind.

Wrong Said Fred sailing trows). Fred would probably turn in his
Fred A. Ashmead and George Head & Son grave if he knew a trow bearing his name was Armchair viewing
were rival owners of lighter and barge fleets operating under the George Head banner. You can view Tony’s models out on the
operating in the Bristol and Gloucester docks. Sorry, Fred! I hope you will forgive this modeller water from the comfort on your own home
They would buy old trows, de-rig them and for taking a bit of cheeky artistic licence in via YouTube by simply type the following
use them as dumb barges (the Severn & Canal order to tell the fascinating story of the description into the platform’s browser:
carrying company did the same, but also had Severn trows! l
*Radio Controlled period sailing
BELOW: A final look at Tony Judd’s stunning Southern trow model, Ashmead. boat models

*Severn Trow, Ashmead

*Plymouth Hooker, Jesse Oke

52 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Flotsam & Jetsam
Collectables catch-up
John Parker showcases some of the fascinating additions made to his ever
expanding early modelling artefacts collection
B ack in the May 2018 issue of Model
Boats I wrote an article on the
development of model internal
combustion engines and included an
illustration of an advertisement for an early
Brown Model D engine of 1942. Reader Dave
W. of Atlanta, Georgia, USA wrote in to say
that he had one just like the one pictured in
the ad and would I like to have it? I quickly
assured him that any contributions to the
Parker Collection of Early Modelling Artefacts
would be gratefully received, and just a
couple of weeks later I found myself excitedly
unwrapping it.
The engine is historic for being one of the
first (perhaps even the first) model internal
combustion engines. Junior Motors was
founded in Philadelphia in 1934 to meet a
demand for the engines that Bill Brown had
begun designing and winning competitions
with while he was still in high school. The
Junior model D was made from 1938-1942
and the clear fuel tank suggests Dave’s
example is of 1940-1942 production.  father, working in the difficult early post-war
54
“The engine is historic
for being one of the
first model internal
combustion engines”
LEFT: Brown model D engine rear. ABOVE: Brown model D engine front.
A quick glance shows that this is a spark-
ignition engine; note the Champion spark
plug on top and the adjustable circuit breaker
points lever on the crankshaft. To run, the
engine also required an ignition coil, battery,
condenser and wiring – complications that
spurred the development of diesel and glow-
plug engines that could do away with these
items and simplify installation. Fuel required
was a mixture of three parts petrol to one part
engine oil. They were mainly intended for free-
flight model aircraft, where Dave’s engine
found its first home, but, as this website (:
https://www.golden-era.cz/brown-jr-motor-
models-b-c-d-and-m/) shows, a flywheel-
equipped marine version, the model M, was
also available.
Diminutive Dubarry
My ‘Back to the Bookshelf II’ article in August
2021’s issue elicited a response from Stephen
D. of Victoria, Australia. He told me of how his
www.modelboats.co.uk
years when money was tight and modelling
materials hard to come by, acquired a copy of
The Model Boat Book featured in my article and
built a model of the Dubarry river cruiser from
it. And when I say he built the model from the
book, I mean just that: the model is 1:1 scale to
the reduced drawing reproduced in the book,
making it a scant 153mm (6 inches) long.
Although it has suffered from storage
over the past 65 or more years, that saw the
loss of its rear railings and some general
deterioration, the workmanship that
Stephen’s father put into this tiny display
model is still very evident. Despite its small
size, every detail is present as per the
plan’s intended larger model, including the
finely wrought miniature brass propellers,
cowl ventilators, engine ventilator, skylight,
and so on. No wood grain is visible in the
paintwork of the carved wooden hull. A fine
effort I think, and one that shows how, with
determination, model making can still be
carried out in the most difficult or reduced
circumstances.
Model Boats April 2022
 Flotsam & Jetsam

LEFT: 1941 catalogue page for the model D.

“If anyone reading has

further information, I’d love
to learn more, so please do get
in touch via the editor”

brushgear. I’m guessing the armature

drives one shaft alongside through 3:1 spur
gears, and then it in turn drives the shaft on
the opposite side of the armature through
two further 3:1 ratio spur gears using the
armature as a layshaft to achieve 3 x 3 x 3 =
27:1 reduction.
It looks quite superb in its red anodised
aluminium case of about 60mm diameter
and must have been a useful motor in its day
with its large Ticonal (Alnico) field magnet
to provide torque to the three output shafts.
When that day was, I don’t know, for I’ve
been unable to find any information on the
company that made it, JfJ Microwatt, or its
products. I would guess it dates from the
1960s or 1970s. If anyone reading has further
information, I’d love to learn more, so please
do get in touch via the editor.

Outsize outboard
This was another on-line auction item and
comes from the later days of the Marx
company of Germany. It’s probably of 1980s’
manufacture as it doesn’t appear in the 1978
catalogue. It’s an enormous electric outboard
motor of modern appearance, standing some
230mm high, and known as the Neptun 100.
Opening the box reveals a red and cream

Microwatt motor
This item was acquired from an on-line
auction site, and I was immediately intrigued
by it as I had never seen one before. It turned
out to be a French-made motor by a brand
known as Microwatt and it had ‘3 vitesses’,
or three speeds, provided by a single output
shaft on one side of the case and two on the
opposite side. I connected up a 6-volt battery
to try it (recommended range is 2- to 10-volts),
but there were no signs of life. The reason, I
soon discovered, was that the grease that
had been put on the shafts, most probably in
the factory when it was made, had congealed
into a solid mass that was preventing the
shafts from turning. I flushed it out with the aid
of some solvent, replacing it with thin oil, and
soon had the motor humming happily.
The twin output shafts, despite their
suggestive equal spacing, ran at different
speeds and therefore this wasn’t a dedicated
model boat motor for driving twin prop shafts,
despite being found amongst model boat
paraphernalia. It was instead a general-
purpose motor for models offering both direct
drive and two geared outputs of about 3:1
and 27:1 ratio. I was initially tempted to open
the case to check the gearing arrangement
but decided not to in case I disturbed the Cutaway drawing of a similar Brown engine.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 55

s
 Flotsam & Jetsam

ABOVE: The 6-inch Dubarry river cruiser and the book page it was built from.

A close-up of the Micowatt

ABOVE: The Microwatt motor (twin geared output side) and its origin box. motor’s opposite side.

56 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Flotsam & Jetsam

“Surviving examples of
this particular outboard
are quite rare today”

coloured motor with a choice of three 50mm

propellers of differing pitch, as well as a
40mm 4-blade propeller for the optional clip-
on Kortz nozzle.
It’s obviously a performance-oriented
design. The accompanying data sheet refers
to boats up to 1.5m long and 10kg weight, as
well as smaller speedboats, achieving up to
6m/sec (22 km/hr) speed. Tabulated data is
provided for operation with the four different
props, including current drain, rpm, thrust
and efficiency, in the usual thorough German
manner. The nominal rating is 12-volts, with
an 8-volt minimum and a 16-volt maximum
(for five minutes).
Opening up the plastic case reveals not
the expected German Hectoperm, or the like,
but a Japanese Mabuchi 540-class motor; ABOVE: The original box for the Neptun 100 outboard.
a case of the “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”
philosophy I suppose. This drives via typical RIGHT: The enormous and very attractively styled Neptun
Marx 3:1 epicyclic gears to 1:1 bevel gears 100 outboard.
on the prop shaft which has a thrust bearing.
Everything is located well within the two Self-neutralising servo
half-shells and there are no parts to rust, all The final item was sent in by someone long
being either stainless steel or plastic. Overall, ago and I am afraid I have lost his details.
it seems quite impressive, but I’d have my It’s a Graupner Duomatic Mehrkanal Ruder-
doubts about the plastic gearing coping mashine, or multi-channel motorised servo.
with weed in the water, and the adjustable This was part of the line-up of Graupner radio-
angle plastic mounting doesn’t look strong control equipment in the mid-1960s, and at that
enough to keep the outboard at the desired time it formed just about the best R/C system
angle with the varying drive conditions in available. Within the case is a miniature motor
a faster boat either. Surviving examples (probably a Microperm) with a 260:1 reduction
of this particular outboard are quite rare responding to two R/C channels in order to
today, suggesting it never achieved large drive the output horn full right or full left. By the
sales, perhaps through being unfortunately end of the decade, it was rendered obsolete by
positioned mid-way between the small ‘toy’ R/C systems that offered proportional control,
outboards and the more expensive dedicated which we take for granted today even on
performance models. inexpensive toys. l

The Graupner Duomatic servo, together

with its original illustrated box.

The installation diagram for the Neptun 100 included within the box.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 57

 Steam basics Pt.127

will be used to control speed and an on/off

channel will be used to change direction.
While taking up an additional channel in the
transmitter probably isn’t a major issue for
most of us, having to flip a switch to change
direction is neither intuitive nor quick, so
operating the engine requires thought and
care. I’ll admit, though, that when first told
the two functions could be combined into a
single channel, I was a bit skeptical. Bearing
in mind the dramatic improvement this could,
potentially, offer in terms of ease of engine

Boiler Room
operation and significantly quicker, and
therefore safer, control, I had to ask myself,
somewhat suspiciously, “Why, then, hasn’t
anyone done this before?”.
I thought if nothing else, though, I had to try
it out, and being in the process of putting an
Richard Simpson tries out Denes Designs’ open-hulled steam model together realised I
had the perfect opportunity to see what Denes
innovative new Valve Control Engine Design’s new device could do in practice.

1 2

LEFT: The Engine Control Unit, as received: a neat and compact housing with connections on the side, including pins for the two
servo leads, reversing links and two potentiometers for the reversing servo adjustment. ABOVE: The compact yet comprehensive
instructions are downloadable but can, of course, be printed off if you prefer to work from a hard copy. An easy to follow, step
by step set up procedure is included, making installation a breeze. BELOW: Any valve type of engine, such as this slide valve
Stuart Turner D10, can be operated by the ECU. A servo would need to be connected to the reversing mechanism, so that a
90-degree movement changes the mechanism from the ahead position to the astern position.

f you refer back to Boiler Room Pt. 118 in the

I July 2021 edition of Model Boats magazine

you’ll see an Automatic Boiler Controller
produced by Denes Designs being tested. New
on the scene, this company, run by a software
3
design engineer, has been producing some
very innovative products at a commendable
rate, so I was delighted when recently
approached to test one of the latest products it
has developed and brought to market.
The item in question is an electronic control
device, which has been designed to combine
the two functions of a valve operated
engine, namely speed control and reversing.
Currently, it’s the norm to use different servos
for these two functions, with each being
operated by a separate channel on the
transmitter. Usually, a proportional channel

58
 Steam basics Pt.127

“The Engine Control Unit, or

ECU, is designed to combine the
functions of reversing and speed
control for a valve type steam
engine into a single proportional
control lever. You therefore need
to think up front: where you
are going to place the servos
for these two functions and,
4 consequently, where will the best
location for the ECU be?”

lent itself very well to having the two servos

mounted on the cockpit bulkhead in a back-
to-back attitude so they could easily be lined
up with the two plant control levers, which
measured up as being around 20mm apart. I
wanted my model to include a figure posed in
the cockpit as if operating the engine, so the
plan was to extend the servo linkages through
the bulkhead and somehow connect them up
ABOVE: Another prime candidate would be this TVR1A engine. In this case, the reversing lever can be fixed in any attitude to to him. This lent itself very conveniently to the
make connecting a servo arm as simple as possible, although it will need to be next to the engine. idea of housing the ECU and the receiver in a

The hardware
On arrival, the unit consisted simply of a single 5
black box with a row of connections and a The engine for this project is
couple of potentiometers down one side (see a piston valved engine: the
Photo 1). The input signal cable is hard wired Hemmens ‘V’ four Caton. The
reversing shuttle valve is on top
into the board, so the only connections are
of the engine, so lends itself to
two more servo plugs. Power is taken from the
an easy and neat installation.
receiver battery, so connection is incredibly
simple. The unit is small enough to be easily
hidden in most models and will almost
certainly be able to be fitted alongside the
receiver, especially with the new generation
of 2.4 ghz receivers, which don’t even have
an antenna anymore. The instructions need
to be digitally downloaded (see Photo 2) and
should be studied before installation begins,
but they don’t contain any surprises and they
comprehensively guide you through the set-
up process step by step.

The theory
The Engine Control Unit, or ECU, is designed
to combine the functions of reversing and
speed control for a valve type steam engine
into a single proportional control lever. You
therefore need to think up front: where you
are going to place the servos for these two
functions and, consequently, where will the
best location for the ECU be?
The unit can be set up to control any valve
engine, from a reversible Stuart Turner D10
(see Photo 3) to a TVR1A (see Photo 4). The
engine being fitted to my own project was a
John Hemmens ‘V’ four Caton engine, which
has the reversing shuttle valve on top of the
engine (see Photo 5) and the speed control
valve built into the cluster on top of the boiler
– something which, in this particular case,

Model Boats April 2022

s
 Steam basics Pt.127

wooden locker I’d planned to build into the side

6 of the model, along with its own rechargeable
battery and switch. These ideas were sketched
out and, having satisfied myself they were
workable, I began the installation.

The build
With the engine position pretty much a
given, driven by the position of the shaft,
the boiler was located along the centre line,
with enough of a forward position to help
with the ballasting and the fitting of the
separator. Beams were built into the hull
for mounting the engine and boiler and the
main components were put in place (see
Photo 6). As the valve on the boiler was quite
stiff and couldn’t really be slackened off too
much as leakage might occur, I decided to
go for a couple of substantial high torque
servos. These were mounted into a softwood
frame and stuck to a ply base to give a very
secure glued fixing to the bulkhead. Careful
measurements of the positions of the levers
ensured I could cut a couple of penetrations
into the bulkhead to carry the extended
ABOVE: The boiler and engine in place, mounted on beams on the hull, with the separator mounted on the deck and the pipe work
linkages through to the cockpit. These
completed. The speed control valve lever can be seen on top of the boiler, while the reversing valve lever can be seen on top of the engine.
penetrations were framed with a flange,
decorated with some plastic nuts to give a
little credibility, and the cables led through a
7 piece of brass conduit to match in with the
style of the model (see Photo 7). The linkages
were chosen as 2mm threaded rods with
a threaded clevis on the end for maximum
adjustment and mounted to the servo arms
with rotating clamps, helped by Nyloc nuts to
afford nice smooth rotation.
Attentions then moved to the locker. This
was built up from a softwood frame (see
Photo 8), and then clad with dolls’ house
flooring beech planking before a decorative
frame was added to the outside. It was then
finished off with a couple of dolls’ house door
hinges and a hasp. To locate it, the lower
external frame piece was glued to the deck,
which neatly holds the locker in place (see
Photo 9). The battery pack was mounted
in the top of the locker, which enabled the
switch to be neatly mounted on the forward
ABOVE: The two high torque servos mounted onto the cockpit bulkhead. With the two valve operating levers set just 20mm apart reflecting the two servos, this made it easy to align them with
the operating arms. Penetrations through the bulkhead will allow the linkages to be extended into the cockpit area.

BELOW LEFT: Housing the electronics started with building a softwood frame into the hull, which neatly fitted between two of the hull frames and sat on the deck. BELOW RIGHT: Beech planking
and more softwood external framing, finished off with hinges and a hasp, completes the look, and the structure is surprisingly roomy inside, as well as looking like it was meant to be there.

8 9

60 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 Steam basics Pt.127

11

The ECU and the receiver in place, with all cables connected. Easy to identify
are the two leads from the reversing and the speed control servos, as well
as the steering servo directly into the receiver.

LEFT: Mounting the rechargeable battery on the underside of the lid enabled
10 easy installation of the power switch, and the spare tail from the switch
provides a convenient charging point.

“Do not reconnect the linkages

until you’re sure there’s not 12
going to be any over movement or
conflicts and that everything will
operate as expected”

bulkhead, thereby making it easy to connect

up to the receiver (see Photo 10). The
receiver and the ECU were both mounted
on the hull, the two engine servo leads were
led through to the locker and the steering
servo was hidden under the deck coaming
and also into the locker (see Photo 11). Once
everything had been fitted in place it was time
to set up the operation of the ECU.

Setting up the ECU

The first step in setting up is to disconnect the
linkages, power up the ECU and observe the
operation of the servo arms. Do not reconnect
the linkages until you’re sure there’s not going
The reversing servo linkage is quite short, with the valve only just being in front of the bulkhead. Both servos and linkages
to be any over movement or conflicts and
have been painted up with enamel to give a suitable appearance of engineering machinery and given a light wash as an initial
that everything will operate as expected. stage of weathering.
Once you’re happy the reversing linkage
(see Photo 12), and the speed control servo
(see Photo 13) can then be connected. Both 13
servo movements can be reversed if required
to suit your installation. The reversing servo
works differently to the speed control servo,
as the movement can be adjusted with the
potentiometers in both directions. This means
that you can very precisely adjust the position
of any reversing mechanism to give the perfect
sweet spot location on any engine. This can
even be done when powered up, so you can
have the engine running on steam or even air
while adjusting the potentiometer to give you
perfect positioning. The speed control servo
is adjusted by a combination of moving the
position of the linkage according to the valve
position, adjusting the range by using the
different holes in the servo arms and the valve
lever and finely positioning with the clevis.
Once the two servos are set up you should
then be able to operate your transmitter
in exactly the same way you would if you
were controlling an electric motor. With the
transmitter stick centralised, the reversing
servo and the reversing gear should also The linkage to the speed control valve on top of the boiler is a good bit longer but, being parallel to the reversing linkage, when
be centralised. When you push the throttle all painted up looks neat and believable.

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 61

s
 Steam basics Pt.127

LEFT: Having the two bulkhead penetrations allowed the

ends of the linkages to be bent up in a 90-degree bend.
This enabled two brass levers to be added, with a couple of
wooden handles for the operator figure. The penetrations
need to be quite a size to accommodate the fact that the
linkages are moving through an arc.

BELOW: Having a figure in the cockpit always adds ‘life’ to a

model but also having him ‘operate’ the engine takes things
to a whole new level.

14

forward the reversing servo moves to the

forward position and further movement of
the transmitter stick controls the speed of the
engine. Go back to the neutral position and
the engine stops. Go astern with your throttle
lever and the reversing servo and gear move
to the reverse position. Any further movement
of the transmitter stick controls speed astern.
Once I was happy with the set up of the
two servos, I got the boiler up to steam and,
after blowing through the condensate in the 15
engine, I tried the control unit. I was really
surprised at how well it operated and how
smoothly it transitioned from ahead to astern.
Full control of the engine from full ahead to
full astern is all on a single throttle lever on
the transmitter, negating the need to give any
thought to changing the engine direction with
another switch.

Test bench conclusions

At the end of the day, this proved to be a simple
to fit yet incredibly effective device. It turns the
operation of a valve type steam engine into
an easy to operate and intuitive process that
greatly improves the pleasure of controlling it.
It’s extremely efficient, can be adapted to any
engine reversing gear and can be installed as
unproblematically within an enclosed hull as it
can in an open hulled model.
Just to finish off, I modified my own servo
linkages with a vertical bend inside the
cockpit and fitted a couple of brass levers
with wooden handles (see Photo 14).
These can now both be held by the figure I
positioned within the wheelhouse, so that
when the engine is being operated by the
servos it appears as if he’s actually controlling
the boat. In fact, I now find I myself unable to
resist frequently turning the transmitter on
just to enjoy watching how beautifully this
works (see Photo 15).
So far, the model has been successfully
tested under steam on the workbench but has
yet to be trialed on open water. Once this has
happened, however, I will, of course, share a
picture or two and let you know how the ECU
performs under real operational conditions. l

62 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

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Have your say…

ABOVE: Like David’s rudder, none of the rudders featured on

examples of the Unda-Wunda in its original red/grey colour scheme we’ve scrutinised on auction websites
pre- and post-war releases, appear to feature the hole that featured in later issues, to which a string cou

BELOW: As you will see, the modification clearly features on this much later in the
model’s production life issue, following its final incarnation
in terms of colour in 1976.

Your Letters
2

Got views to air or information to share?

Then we want to hear from you!

Letters can either be forwarded via email to editor@modelboats.co.uk

or via post to Readers’ Letters, Models Boats, MyTimeMedia Ltd, Unda-Wunda
Suite 6G, Eden House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF

rudder modification
Full circle F ollowing on from Chris
Browning’s article on
restoring a Sutcliffe ‘Merlin’
in the Feb 2022 issue, I am
well beyond the scale load
line for stability. I still have the
(much knocked about) hull but
can’t see it being restored as

I was interested to see the free

plan for ‘Tristian’ that featured
in the March issue, as I have
a copy of an early 1950s’ model
boat book that features many
attaching a photo of a rudder
– now all that remains of a
Sutcliffe ‘Unda-Wunda’ given to
me in about 1958. It only survives
because it was repurposed to
Canberra though.
DAVID GARRETT
COUNTY DOWN, N. IRELAND

Oh, David, your letter really

plans and building instructions use (with the dive fins cut off) on unleashed my inner geek, and
for toy boats which are similar a 1:240 free running scale model I quickly found myself trawling
in design. The copy of this of SS Canberra that I started through lots featuring the Unda-
book I originally had as a in early 1960 – my first venture Wunda that have come up for
child was unfortunately lost into scratch-built modelling and, sale at auction.
over the course of time, but frankly, too ambitious a project! The Unda-Wunda was
recently I was able to obtain a, You will notice this rudder does the first submarine to be
somewhat tired, copy of child not have a hole in it, unlike from introduced, in 1934, to Sutcliffe’s
I had a copy of the book, but what I see in most surviving range, and having compared
it got lost during the course Sutcliffe boats, and I suggest numerous examples released
of time. Recently I was able this is a modification made in the in the original red/grey colour
to obtain a somewhat tired, early 1960s. Attaching a string scheme, none of them appear
copy of title. to a submarine, incidentally, to have had a hole in their
Also in the March edition, you featured the Keil Kraft range of while handy for recovery, would rudder, so I think you’re almost
‘EeZeBilt’ boats. Many years ago, I built the ‘Swan’ model launch for a have created extra drag and certainly right about this being
nephew. Recently, when visiting my sister, I had reason to enter her loft perhaps adversely affected its a later modification.
to sort out an electrical problem and there was the ‘Swan’ model, some diving performance, which relied Your assumption that this
30 years older but still in mint condition. It was returned to me and I on forward motion. On the other came into play in the 1960s
have now installed radio control. The model performs well on calm hand, a submarine is more likely could also be correct, although
waters and, I have to say, looks ‘the business! to snag on weed, etc! here things start to get a little
VICTOR ALLEN Interestingly, in the light of fuzzy for me, as after production
EMAIL Colin Bishop’s article on scratch- resumed post-war, in 1948
building, also in the Feb 2022 Sutcliffe began to also offer this
Glad to hear these features, Victor. I hugely admire all the authentic issue, my Canberra model model in an alternative colour,
detail incorporated into so many scaled-down model boats, but, featured a ‘bread and butter’ yellow, and I’ve come across a
for me, the simplicity of both Grahame’s Tristan design and the old hull, which had to be ballasted couple of these yellow models
Sutcliffe toys have a charm all of their own! Ed

64 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022


s, including both
uld be attached.
INSET ABOVE: Retained due to being
repurposed, the rudder from David Garrett’s
example of the Sutcliffe Unda-Wunda.
that clearly feature the hole
in the rudder. Of course, this
doesn’t necessarily mean,
though, that the modification
and the new colour were
simultaneously introduced, as
it could be there are early and
late production variants (with/
without the hole) of the yellow
version to be found. Much later
(in 1976), Sutcliffe changed the
colour of the Unda-Wunda to
all-blue, and as, unsurprisingly,
surviving examples of this
version appear to be far more
prolific and all the ones I’ve
checked feature a hole in
rudder, I think it’s fairly safe
to assume that by then this
would have been standard.
As for the rationale behind
the modification, you’ve
already provided a good
insight into the pros and cons,
no doubt considered when
the decision was made, but,
as there are lots of holes in my
research, hopefully, someone
far more knowledgeable on all
matters Sutcliffe will be able
to advise when the hole in the
rudder modification actually
came into play. Ed
Model Boats April 2022
Barry Lalonde and his family enjoying a day out on the Royal Sovereign back in September 1963.
February feedback
I would like to comment
on two of the articles that
appeared in the February
edition of the magazine.
Firstly, regarding the question
posed by the title of Colin
Bishop’s feature, ‘Is scratch
building dead’, I’d say, in the
form that I know it, the answer
is no, not quite – but it is in very
poor health. Like Colin, “working
with wood, glue and bits and
pieces“ is very much what floats
my boat. These were the skills
learnt while growing up, as
back then the only way to get
what you wanted was to build
it yourself, and even now, in my
retirement years, constructing
something myself, nearly always
www.modelboats.co.uk
a model boat, still gives me
hours of enjoyment and a great
deal of satisfaction.
Secondly, I was also very
interested to see Peter
Fitzgibbon’s excellent large-
scale scratch-build of Royal
Sovereign featured in the
Your Models section. This
stirred up lot of memories for
me, because I took a trip on
this ship with my mother and
sister down the River Thames,
departing from Tower Bridge
bound for Margate, and calling
in at Southend along the way.
We only had a couple of hours
at Margate but enough time
to have fish and chips on the
beach before re-embarking
Have your say…
again for the return journey.
Almost no sooner than they had
released the lines (we were only
about two to three feet away
from the pier head); however,
we witnessed a young girl who,
having just missed the boat, had
to be restrained by her arms to
prevent her attempting to jump
aboard. It was terrible to see her
so distraught. We often wonder
how she was reunited with her
family at Tower Bridge at the
end of the day.
I am including a couple
of pictures taken that day,
back in September 1963. One
features my mother, sister and
I sat together on the Royal
Sovereign while we were at
Southend Pier on our way
home (the sun came out at
the end of the day, making
it an ideal time to take a
picture), while the other is a
shot I took of my sister. I must
say I am, in retrospect, most
impressed with my younger
self, then aged just 18, for
choosing to wear a tie for such
a trip, something I would not
do today – standards have
clearly slipped over time!
On a separate note, I often
think I should submit a piece for
your magazine but never seem
to get around to it.
BARRY LALONDE
EMAIL
I am sure Peter with be as
delighted as I am that his model
of the Royal Sovereign has
triggered so many memories,
and that yet again this month
we can share some wonderful
family archive photos.
I know it’s easy to look back
through rose-coloured glasses,
and that this is not a fashion
magazine, but life seemed to
be so much more glamorous
back in the early ‘60s – just look
at you in your suit, waistcoat
and tie, Barry, and your mother
in her smart red coat, so
stylishly complemented by
matching white scarf, gloves
and handbag!
What hasn’t changed, by
the sound of it, is how much
you are still enjoying the hobby.
I do hope, therefore, that you
get round to writing a feature
length article for the magazine
at some point in the future. Ed
65
s
Have your say…

Christine
F irst of all, can I just start buy apologising
for the long delay, due to various
circumstance, in replying to the
questions posed in the Your Models section
of June 2021 edition about my boat Christine.
The plans were drawn on the centre
island of our kitchen, much to the dismay of
my long-suffering wife, Christine, whom the
model is named after; while our car had to
be moved onto the drive to make room for unfortunately, won’t quite close with Christine “Your Models” section I will gladly sent you
the build in our garage. In fact, the car still onboard, so instead has to be secured down. details/photos.
has to brave the storms and onslaught of the Both getting her in and out of the car and TIM DAVISON
elements while Christine continues to enjoy carrying her from the car to the river and EMAIL
the warmth of our garage! back is a two-man job.
Getting Christine to the River Derwent in I’ve also designed and built a boat called Christine sounds like quite a diva –
Ebchester, Durham, is a bit of a performance Wolverine (from Plan No. MM 1478), which the boat, that is, not your wife! And, yes,
– LOL! We transport her in my large SUV, was featured in the mag a few years ago, I, and am sure fellow readers, too, would
with he mid seats down and the front c. 1992/93, and I still sail her, If you’re absolutely love to Wolverine featured in a
passenger seat folded forward; the tailgate, interested in featuring this model in the future edition of MB! Ed

Grand Banks
handrail mods

F urther to having my model

of Grand Banks featured
in the Your Models section
of last month’s issue, I should
perhaps clarify my description
of the work undertaken on
the handrails. As mentioned,
I discarded all metal parts of
the handrails supplied with the
kit and replaced these with ones
I constructed myself from brass
rod, which I then finished in a
chrome silver paint purchased
from Perkins, the model supplies
outlet. While not completely
clear in my original copy, it was,
of course, the wooden parts of
the handrails that I veneered
with teak.
STAN REFFIN
EMAIL

66 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 All hands on deck!

Battleship first
This is my first ever model boat! After looking
at all the kits on the shelf during a trip to
Hobby City at Christmas, I got this battleship.
It’s taken a lot of time to build, and I’ve also
painted a special base to display it on, so I’d
be very happy if you could include it in the Wow – what an amazing job you’ve done, wrong, as I’ve only been editor of the title for
‘Your Models’ section. Logan! Not only does your battleship look a couple of years, but I think you may just
LOGAN FLANAGAN, AGE 10 beautifully built and detailed but I absolutely have set the record for being the youngest
NEW ZEALAND love the way you’ve created that wonderful reader ever to have had his work featured in
water effect on the display base. I may be the magazine. Ed

Your Models
Whether you’re highly skilled and experienced or
completely new to the hobby, you’re definitely
adverts in my brother’s copy of the Model
Maker. This model has been repainted twice,
the hull having to be resealed with dope and
tissue, and now has radio-control fitted.
A few years ago, I did consider building
another Terrier from plans on the EeZebilt
website but decided to build the US PT Boat
instead, re-scaling the plans to 1:35 scale,
invited to this launch party! So please keep the which gave a length of 28 inches. Also, I have
built the OSA 1 Missile Boat (Russian) which is
contributions coming by emailing 32 inches long.
your stories and photos to Perhaps I will build a Cresta but put the
motor inside rather than outboard.
editor@modelboats.co.uk TIM COOPER
EMAIL

What great examples of how plans can be

adapted to suit your own personal build
choices, Tim. I’m sure, like me, Dave Wiggins
will be thrilled to see all the fascinating input
his stroll down memory lane last month has
generated! Ed

US PT Boat and
OSA 1 Missile Boat
I enjoyed the Dave Wiggins article on
EeZeBilt Boats in the March issue. The models disappeared at some time,
Although I didn’t build the Cresta model, I probably during a house move.
wouldn’t have been able to talk my parents into I do have one model boat from about that
spending the 19s 3d on just the outboard motor! time: a Veron Trident Trawler, built when I
I did build the Terrier MTB and later the was 14 or 15. I can remember the Veron
Triton. I think it would have been during the
summer holidays in 1961. A friend had built one
of the other EeZeBilt Boats, so we took them to
a paddling pool on the Nottingham University
Park to sail them and hopefully get them back
when they stopped in the middle of the pool.
The paddling pool was fed by a nearby brook –
what would Health & Safety say now!

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 67

s
 All hands on deck!

Dazzling Duilio scratch-build

Colin Bishop’s feature about the demise of
scratch-building in the February issue made
for interesting reading. In describing the various
ways to build the hulls, he points out that the
old so-called ‘bread and butter’ method is no
longer frequently used because it’s impossible
to work in a normal home without risking
divorce! Effectively, the amount of dust and
chips produced while completing a hull is not
compatible with the dimensions of a modern flat.
I’m an old Italian model maker and I’m so
lucky to have a little garden and a lovable
wife, affording me the right circumstances to
continue building using the ‘bread and butter’
method. Despite all its drawbacks, the results
are very pleasing. In just a small amount of
a time a hull can be prepared, without need
to glue on fore and aft pieces, ready for the
application of the primer and paint.
I am sending you some photos of one of my
models, 1:200 scale model represents the Italian
Navy battleship Duilio (not Caio Duilio) in her She’s magnificent, Aldo, and a fine example of the remarkable level of skill that goes into
World War II dazzle-painted scheme, crafted modelling using traditional scratch-building methods. Thank you so much. Ed
using this old-style approach, along with some
of detail shots of the hull’s construction.
My compliments on the quality of the
magazine. It is the best of its kind, without doubt.
ALDO PETRINA
TRIESTE, ITALY

68 www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats April 2022

 All hands on deck!

A phenomenal fantasy fleet Considering the build quality, finish and

I thought I would share some pictures of the level of detail incorporated in the models
models I built during enforced periods of shown, completion of just one of them would
leisure during the horrible lockdowns. None have a remarkable enough in itself, Joe – so
of these were based on actual ships, instead I’m absolutely astonished by what you’ve
being purely figments of my imagination, managed to achieve! Ed
and so, of course, were constructed without
referring to any plans, and by simply working
with recycled wood.
JOE CALLEJA
VIA FACEBOOK

Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 69

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Next month in
In our May 2022 issue, on sale from April 22, 2022, be sure not to miss...
l That sinking feeling...
One modeller’s humorous account
of the highs and lows of his first
attempt at water ballasting

l A FREE LCT 7074 PLAN

l Perfecting Penang PLUS Part 1 of a detailed guide to building your own very own model
The challenging build behind this beautiful Barque of this D-Day survivor

PLUS A thematically varied selection of feature-length articles, all your favourite regular pages – including Your Letters,
news, reviews, and lots more... (Please note: content may be subject to change)

You will find more about the exciting content coming next, features of particular interest you may have missed in past editions
and details of the very latest subscription offers on our website at www.modelboats.co.uk

You can, of course, order you copy of the May 2022 issue, which goes on sale at all good newsagents from April 22, now,
but why not treat yourself to an annual subscription, as monthly copies will then be delivered directly to your door.

What’s more, the unique subscriber number allocated to you will provide website access to digital copies of the current issue and
to our archive of back numbers. It will also unlock subscriber exclusive bonus material not featured in the magazine.

If you can’t always find a copy of this Please reserve/deliver my copy of

on a regular basis, starting with issue..........................................
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Model Boats April 2022 www.modelboats.co.uk 73
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A VARIETY OF METAL
MINIATURE FIGURES,
ETCHED PARTS WE STOCK A WIDE RANGE OF RADIO CONTROL AND WEAPONS, LIFE BUOYS
STATIC DISPLAY KITS, FITTINGS, TOOLS AND PLANS
Amati Caldercraft Nelsons Navy Dumas Coastguard Vessels New! HMS Titanic 1:300 Scale OC14009 205.95
Bismark 1:200 Scale 490.00 US Coast Guard 42’ Utility Boat #1210 160.00 Occre AEC Bus 1:24 Scale 94.94
HMAV Bounty C9008 256.99
Bedford Whaling Boat 1:16 Scale 112.00 US Coast Guard 41’ Utility Boat #1214 180.49 Occre London Tram 1:24 scale 115.00
HM Bark Endeavour 1768 C9006 307.43
Adventure Pirate Ship 84.00 Occre Adler Locomotive 1:24 Scale 110.00
HM Bomb Vessel Granado 1756 C9015 280.04
Bellezza Italian Sports Boat 125.00 Dumas Paddle Steamers & Submarine
HM Brig Badger C9017 224.75 Panart Static & R /C Kits
Blue Nose Fishing Schooner 83.95 Hm Brig Supply C9005 186.47 American Beauty Paddlesteamer #1215 233.59
Dorade Fastnet Yacht 1931 279.95 USS Bluefish Submarine #1245 226.50 Amerigo Vespucci. Italian (741) 745.00
HM Cutter Sherbourne 1763 C9010 96.00
Fifie Scottish Fishing Vessel 1:32 scale 220.00 Anteo Harbour Tug 1:30 (743) 395.00
HM Mortar Vessel Convulsion C9012 122.47
Greek Bireme 480BC 74.95 Krick Kits Suitable for Electric or Steam Power HMS Victory Nelson Flagship 1:78 (738) 475.00
HM Schooner Pickle 1778 C9018 165.30
HMS Bounty 1787 218.00 Antares With Rigging Set 643.00 Open Whaler 1850 1:16 Scale 160.00
HM Yacht Chatham C9011 113.40
Mayflower English Galleon 159.95 Hamburg Harbour Launch 108.00 Panart Section Between Gun Bays 162.00
HMS Agamemnon C9003 869.00 Venetian Passenger Motor boat 1:28 259.00
Robert E Lee Mississippi Steam Boat 1:150 243.95 Grimmershorn motor vessel 289.00
HMS Cruiser 1797 C9001 260.00
Sexy Lady Riva type launch 160.00 HE Police Launch 485.35
HMS Diane 1794 C9000 595.50 Krick u Boat 99.00 RO-Marin (Robbe)
Rainbow J Class Yacht 1:80 Scale 73.99
HMS Jalouse 1794 C9007 285.77 Antje Fishing Boat 1:25 169.00
Riva Aquarama - Italian Runabout 279.00
HMS Mars 1794 C9007 256.99 Mantua & Panart R/C Boats Dolly II Harbour Launch 1:20 119.99
Aeronaut HMS Snake1797 C9002 260.00 NEW Aiace Wooden Model Boat Kit Static or R/C 413.95 Florida Motor Yacht 1:10 149.95
HMS Victory 1781 C9014 947.48 Anteo Harbour Tug 395.00 Sea Jet Evolution 169.99
Capri Sports Boats 129.95
Classic Sports Boats 65.00 The Mary Rose Tudor Warship C9004 331.62 Bruma Open Cruiser Yacht 1;43 214.00
RMS Titanic 1:200 950.00 Sergal Static Display Kits
Delphin Fishing Boat 108.95
Corel Static Display Kits Venetian Passenger Motor Boat 1:28 259.00 Dutch Whaler “Baleniera Olandese 284.00
Jenny 1930 American Motor Boat 124.99
Ramboline: Push Lighter 176.95 Berlin 17th Century Brandenburg Frigate 395.00 Cutty Sark Tea Clipper 425.00
Mantua Static Display Kits
Cocca Veneta, 16th Century Merchant Vessel 182.00 HMS Bounty 1787 1:60 193.00
Artesania Latina Dolphyn, Dutch Privateer SM16 202.00 Amerigo Vespucci. Italian Navy 1.100 359.00 HMS Jamaica 14 Gun Sloop 153.00
HM Endeavour Bark 1768 SM41 255.00 Astrolabe. French Sloop 236.00 HMS Peregrine Galley “Runner Class” 209.00
Bluenose II 143.99
Bruma Open Cruiser Yacht 1:43 214.00 Mississippi River Steamboat 425.00
Juan Sebastian Elcano Lifeboat 74.99 HMS Victory SM23 413.00
Golden Star. English Brig 94.45 Sovereign of the Sea 750.00
Marie Jeanne 79.99 La Sirene 18th Century French Frigate 1:75 259.00
HMS Endeavour 1768.1:60 194.00 Thermopylae Tea Clipper 95.00
Pinta 1942 132.00 Reale De France 17C Frech Royal Galley 665.00
HMS Shine English Cutter 149.00 VASA Swedish Man Of War 1628 1:60 750.00
Principe De Asturias Lifeboat 1794 89.00 Wasa AASM13 466.00
HMS Victory. Nelson’s Flagship 1.98 322.00
San Juan Nepomuceno Lifeboat 1765 55.99 Yacht D’Oro 17th C Brandenburg Yacht 203.00
Le Superbe. 74 Gun French Fighting Ship 359.00 TURK Model Boats Downloadable Instructions
Billings Static Boats Mercator. Belgian Sail Training Ship 175.00
Disar Models Nordic Class Boats Vega Schooner 1:35 179.00
Santa Maria. Flagship of Columbus 175.00
Colin Archer B606 103.00 Atrevida Cannon Boat 95.00 Skipsmodeller Killing Sailing Boat 1:12 128.00
Esperance Fishing Boat B908 58.00 Master korabel Taka Black Sea Fishing Boat 1:35 42.00
Nao Victoria - Magellan Army 195.00
HMS Bounty B492 224.00 Sandal Fishing Boat 1:12 Scale 32.00
Barquira Cantabrian Motor Fishing Boat 104.00 Cannon Jolle 1801, 1:72 Scale 79.00
Sir Winston Churchill Schooner B706 169.00 MS Pasabahce Bosphorus Ferry 1:87 194.00
Drakka Viking Boat 74.00 Schooner polotsk 1788 188.00
Waveney Class RNLI Lifeboat 56.00
LLaud Del Mediterraneo 74.00 Tender Avos 1806 148.99
Victory Models
New York Pilot Boat 84.00
Billings Radio Control Boats Modellers Shipyard Australian Manufactured kits Lady Nelson Cutter 112.00
Marieville Paddle Wheel Riverboat 1:72 Scale 160.00
Absolon Navel Ship B500 600.00 HM Bomb Vessel Granado 1:64 Scale 254.00
Patin Del Mediterraneo Catamaran 46.00 Colonial Sloop Norfolk 1798 181.99
Andrea Gail B726 247.00 Brig Perseverance 1806 278.99 HMS Fly 1776 1:64 Scale 255.00
Boulogne Etaples 188.00 Colonial Brig Perseverance 1807 - Deluxe 347.99 HMS Pegasus 1776 1:64 Scale 339.00
Dumas Tugs & Working Boats
Colin Archer B728 496.00 HMS Vanguard 1787 74 gun ship 1:74 Scale 684.00
Brooklyn Tug, A classic Tugboat #1238 421.00
Hoga Pearl Harbour Tug B708 155.00 Occre Static model boats/ Trams /Trains Mercury 20 Gun Brig 1:64 343.00
Kadet B566 ( For Beginners) 112.00 City Of Baffolo Lake Steamer #1278 283.00 Revenge 1577 Navy Royal Warship 1:64 Scale 390.00
Albatros Schooner 1:100 OC12500 81.00
Phantom B710 124.00 George W Washburn #1260 219.95
Apostle Felipe Galleon 1:60 OC14000 234.00
RMS Titanic B510 1100.00 Great Lakes Freighter #1264 221.00 Wooden Model Boat Co 400mm Kits
Bounty with Cutaway Section 1:45 OC14006 248.00
Smit Rotterdam B478 353.00 Jersey City Tug #1248 330.00 WBC Police Launch Boat Kit 400mm 64.58
Corsair Brig 1:80 Scale OC13600 136.00
White Star B570 114.00 Noahs Ark #1264 98.00 Diana Frigate 1792 1:85 Scale 225.00 WBC PT-109 Patrol Boat Boat Kit 400mm 74.00
Endeavour 1:54 Scale 225.00 WBC Riviera Motor Boat Kit 400mm 56.99
Caldercraft R/C Boats Dumas Airboats & Chris Craft Boats
Essex Whaling Ship With Sails 1:60 Scale 113.00
Branarren Swedish Coastal Tanker C7015 450.00 Big Swamp Buggy #1505 150.40 Golden Hind 1:85 OC12003 91.00 Volantex
Imara Steam Berthing Tug 725.00 Chris Craft 16’ Hydroplane 1941 #1254 259.00 HMS Revenge 1:85 Scale OC13004 136.00 Volantex Compass 650 Sailboat RTR 116.99
Joffre Tyne Tug C7000 379.00 Chris Craft 16’ Utility Boat #1240 263.00 HMS Beagle 1:65 Scale 110.00 Volantex Hurricane 1M Sailboat RTR 174.95
Milford StarSide Trawler C7019 340.00 Barrel Back Mahogany Runabout #1234 373.43 HMS Terror 1:75 Scale 110.00 Vector SR48 Brushed RTR Racing Boat 49.49
North Light Steam Clyde Puffer C7001 375.00 Cobra Speedstar #1232 272.05 Mississippi Paddle Steamer 174.00 Vector SR65 Brushed RTR Racing Boat Red 104.48
Resolve Twin Screw Navel Tug C7024 779.00 Commander Express Cruiser #1244 353.00 Ulises Ocean Going Tug OC61001 195.00 Vector SR80 Brushless ARTR Racing Boat 170.99

Hoga pearl
harbour tug

Prices are correct at the time of printing, but are subject to change without notice