Harry,

Thanks for the info and the quick reply

hello Harry,
got the paints,took the pic of everything now ready to start my build.i am building a RNLI severn class lifeboat.my first WIP should be Friday,i hope.
cheers,
Bruce

Hey all,

I've made some progress on the USS Consulation. I'll be going without a chopper since I can't find one that looks right to me in 1/400.





As you can see my workarea is down in the basement, at lest it's quite and away from the little ones. I also forgot to reset the date on my camera.

Not being able to wait 10 months or so before my first campaign of the year, I've decided to join an exsisting one. Here is my 350th Hasegawa Soya Antartica Observation ship/ Icebreaker. I think Skipper is building the same ship, his being the 700th Sealsmodel kit, so I hope he doesn't mind sharing the ice flows.

The kit comes with a 48 page book with over 100 colour and b&w photos taking the modeller through the history of the vessel, which if I can decipher correctly through the mostly Japanese text, begins in 1936. The Soya was originally built in 1936 for the Soviet government as the Borochavets, but due to constant tensions with Russia, was never transferred over, she was kept by the Japanese and christened the Chiryomaru in June 1938. In 1940 she was renamed as the Soya.The book is a great source for possible dioramas. The middle of the book shows the progression from 1938 through to 1962 with 12 different colour profiles including a couple of war time profiles. She saw a substantial overhaul in 1956 to ready it as a South Pole research ship,making six trips to the south pole through to 1962. From 1962 to 1978, she served as an icebreaker rescue ship in Hokkaido. The end of the book shows the current status of the ship at the Museum of Maritime Science.



Hasegawa's dedicated P.E. set (QG11) provides all you need to spice up the model. It includes a multitude of crew members, penguins, dogs and even a cat. This together with the two pewter tracked carriers and the float / ice skid plane, will give you plenty of diorama possibilities.



The kit itself is molded in white plastic, which isn't my preferred choice. The hull is reinforced with 5 bulkheads, which unfortunately do not contour the hull as well as it should. Cross member B2 (aftmost) is best left glued to one side only, if you try and force it to glue to both hull sides, you will break apart the soft plastic,.. as I did.





The next hurdle comes from the segmented hull in step 2. Hasewaga has given us an upper and a lower hull, unlike most ship models, this cut is not straight, it takes a meandering path that makes no sense. This really could have been better engineered. The bottom line is that plenty of care must be taken to assure a correct fit. Once this headache is overcome, the rest of the main hull components fit quite handily.







At this stage the plane hangar and visible inner portions of the vessel will have to be painted, in addition to my breaking out the dremel to chop it down to waterline,... or is that iceberg line?

Frank

Next step is to cut the hull to water line...

CAUTION: WEARING OF EYE PROTECTION IS A MUST!!!

The first step is to mark out the cut line, I always cut 4 to 5mm below the waterline. This will ensure that if I make a mistake I'll still have something left to correct. The guide book has great reference photos of the ship anchored on an ice shelf, perfect for figuring out the cut line. I use Graphic illustrators tape to deliniate the cut line.





I then use the dremel tool to cut through the water line, slowly and carefully with a firm grip on the model. (I've had plastic parts go flying across the room using this technique in the past!) Once the circumference of the hull is cut, I then mark out with a Sharpie where the bulk heads are and make perpendicular cuts across the hull, breaking apart the hull sections along the bulkheads.





A few swipes with a coarse sanding stick and the job is complete.



Next step is to attach the P.E. in the internal sections of the ship prior to painting.

Here are a few photos of what I plan to do with the ship. Both of the following photos are shown here strictly for discussion purposes, They are both of the same scene, and show the icebreaker anchored on an ice shelf in the Antarctic sometime in 1956. I hope to pull off the stark contrast of water and ice as well as nature's beauty and humanities footprint.





Frank

very nice build, love the blog so far, lots of good information! Cheers

Hey all,

I have a couple of more pics of my USS Consolation





As you can see I have made some progress. The wood decks are finished and I have most of the construction completed. This has been a challenge for me. I have never put wood decks on a build before but I'm pretty pleased with the results. I also found out that there weren't any decals out there (that I could find) so I made my own. For the most part they came out fine. I did have some trouble with the placement (the black stripe will be evened up with a xacto) but not bad for a first timer. I still have PE rails to finish plus some odds and ends to put in but it seems that I may finish this build.........oooooooo aaaaaaa!

hello Frank,
looks very good,thanks for the pic's.
cheers,
Bruce

Well here is my finished submission for the campaign the USS Consolation;



I have learned much from this build and hopefully my next will icorperate what I have learned.

Ok guys

Computer is up - trying to catch things up...
So here's a trio of my back-up entry for "No Guns Allowed" Campaign:
It's the High Grade Seals Models Icebreaker Shirase in 1/700
Superstructures are not glued yet - just for the photo







Still waiting for PE set for 1/700 Soya - which I intend to built! Interallied has been delaying the re-release of this set since November
Anyway... I decided to go with another entry - the Shirase - that already included the PE set (hence the High Grade)
As usual comments/critics are most welcome - and yes, it will have a sea base (that I left out on purpose!!!)

Cheers,
Skipper

Frank and Rui,

Well done my friends. Well done.

later...Gator

Those are some nice looking build everyone!!

Thanks guys - still a lot to be done
Hey Frank - why don't you take about a dozen better lit photos and submit them as a MOD Feature for USS Consolation?
it would be interesting to see more of it

Cheers,
Skipper

Aye, I second the motion...

This is becoming a very interesting thread! Really like those icebreakers, some interesting ideas from those photos Frank and nice to see a couple of these colourful ships. Nice clean job on Consolation there too by the other Frank.

I'm planning to build my Hog as the Panamanian owned Comol Cuba in the 1930's I think (need to check on the book for exact date!) but idea at the moment is to show her on passage though the Panama canal with those funny train things they had.

In the meantime a shot of my tanker British Promise, more soon on this one



Mike

Very Nice, Mr. McCabe!!
Looking forward to seeing more my friend.........

Ah Mike

I like your Promise - it's good to see a man that keeps his promises (sorry, I couldn't help)
In the meanwhile, I have to make some updates on my Shirase - not much to see, but it's there!
Keep up mate
Skipper

I have three models to photograph so there will be more along in due course. Promise is a little updated since this last shot, forgot to put the crew on.

Any luck with the Seals kit Rui?

Mike

If you're referring to the Fuji Icebreaker - no
The Shirase is going slowly

Cheers
Rui

Rui
Yes, I meant Fuji, couldn't think of the name. Never been easy kits to find and they seem to be short run and deleted quickly according to HLJ

Maybe one will turn up

Mike

Hi Mike

Yes, I could come across one - but I am in no stress
But it would be fun to find one
Cheers,
Skipper

hello all,
I have put the lifeboat on the far back burner,until i get some answerers from Airfix about the problems with it.

So here is what i am doing for the campaign.Academy kit New Bedford Whaler circa 1835 in 1/200 scale.i am even going to try Mr.Kenny (Gator)Loup's water effect.
All ready started the painting and Miss Mary is going to make real sails for it (i hope).
This is a very simple kit,so i should be able to do it (i hope).
No photo's yet,i will try to get some soon.
Wish me luck.
cheers,
Bruce

Ahoy, mates!

With all of the campaigns running hot here at MSW, we can fall behind in our updates...so how about it? Where are we all at with your "No Guns Allowed" campaign entry's? We still have three months to go in build time for this one, gents, so sound off, ye squabbs.........arghhhhh.........

hello Mark,
i think the whaler should be done this week,not the water effect,just the model.
cheers,
Bruce

Hi All,

Sorry, but I am going to drop out of this Campaign. I just do not have the time to build a ship.
I have been pouring resin 10/7.
BTW, thanks for all the ships you have purchased!!