¹⁄700

Building the Vnimatelni Torpedo Boat

The mast abaft the bridge was installed, unusually this was offset to stbd. of the centerline on the real ship and therefor on my model also - for reasons I cannot fathom.
The main challenge on this model was that of adding the netting to the deck edge rails these were white on the original vessel the PE items when painted looked too dense and did not allow the 'see-thru' effect I desired. I hunted through haberdashery stores, buying a yards of fabric ranging from wedding dress veils to mosquito netting, air filter mesh to hosiery....
Eventually at a jumble sale I came across an old little rectangular timber frame ( 6 " x 3") labeled 'Letraset Carrier frame.

This frame was spanned with the finest mesh giving the desired airy look when dry brushed with thin white paint giving a recognizable mesh pattern. This was attached to the inside of the previously fitted rails using thinned matt varnish applied with a fine pointed brush.



The awning stanchions were cut from 1/350 PE handrail longitudinals and rigged with white stretched sprue as per photos. The aft companionway spray hoods were made of scrap PE parts and given a cover of thinned white glue as were the canvas dodgers covering the railings of the conning platform.
Anchors, simulated chain, and various other details including coal scuttles and small hatches, doors, platform supports, davits and boats completed the model, which was then rigged using black stretched sprue for the standing rigging and brown sprue for the signal halyards. The naval ensign aft was made using a blue ball-point pen on thin paper.

Conclusions. . .

All in all a delightful model, which despite its small size held my interest all the way through the build.

A website with useful views of all members of the class

Morskaya Kollektsia magazine image was obtained from Sergey Myagkov's website.