I just would like all of you to be aware of this;

Over the past two or three weeks, I've been closely working with my publisher on editing drafts of my MAS boat book. The draft which he sent to me late yesterday was also sent to an author who helped me greatly on the text and is one who I've grown to respect very much, and he said that it was an attractive work.

Additionally, Rear Admiral Maurizio Erteo assisted with the drafts as well as my writing and researching the text and getting me whatever data and photos for the book.

Whereas I cannot say it is the definitive work on the subject; that title can easily go to the books by CDR Erminio Bagnasco hands down and I will not put myself into his strata, I can say that you will be impressed by the work I've done.

Garth

Hi Garth,

New references are always welcome.

Al

Hi Guys,

OK time for some questions, the parts have had a wash so I'm getting ready to get underway.

Would the internals of the cabine be in white?

Does anyone have a picture of any other parts of the internals, In thinking of what lies under the forward skylights/hatch.

I've scraped down the underside of the cabin roof to get rid of some pin marks and manufactuers stamps, so building has started.

Any recommendations for the light and dark grey, Tamiya paints preferably.

Thanks

Al

White is a common interior color for small craft.

These are two sections looking forward, in the 4th series boats, from the original Baglietto plans



This is a color rendering from the Italian naval camo book by Bagnasco and Brescia:


The colors are representative. I don't use Tamiya colors, so can't provide any similarities. In the book, the colors are somewhat like FLOQUIL Reefer Gray and SP Lettering Gray.

Al Ross

Many thanks for the speedy reply Al.

Alan

Edit

The photograph I have of MAS 558 shows most of the foredeck in red/white with the pattern running across the boat rather than diagonally. The stripes appear to come up to the start of the cabin.

Is 558 a 3a or 4a. It would seem to be a good candidate either that or 563 as supplied in the kit.

Thanks

Al

According to Bagnasco, 558 was a third series boat, built by Celli of Venice.

Third series - MAS 551-564
Fourth series - MAS 566-576

Interestingly, 551-554 were metal boats, so it's a bit curious they are included in the series. While they look generally similar to the wooden boats, there are outward physical differences and, of course, internal structure.

Thanks Al.

Parts clean up continues.

Alan

Mine's still lost in the mail somewhere.

Al

Hi Al,

Christmas Post lol, lol.

OK, I couldn't hold off any longer .
Interesting all my pics disappeared!

Try again

First the stand, this has some ejection marks on the inside that you might like to sand down and some seem lined to file off. A little filler will be needed here and there.



That's better things seem to be working again.

Next I looked at the cabin top. This has some ejection marks and manufactuers marks on the underside of the roof and I scrapped these off. Be careful here as the window braces are quite fragile and are easily snapped lol, lol.



Then I cleaned up some of the other main cockpit fittings. The joint between the part and the spure is quite thick so again be careful you don't twist the part when cutting it off if you know what I mean. The sliding hatch also has some ejection marks to clean off underneath.



Then a dry fit.



The rear plate fits nicely with only two small joint spikes to remove.



Then I cleaned up the hydrophones (?) and the torpeados.





The front hatches can be modelled open hence my question about what lies below. Open hatches alwasy draw you into a model so I'm tempted to add some detail underneath if I can find a walkabout of the layout. This also leads me to another question as to wat lies under the central section behind the wheel house?

Al

A note on the torpedos.

Page 15 Step 26. Reverse parts 40 and 41 or part 42 won't fit.

Al

Hi Al

Good looking start. Picked mine up last week. Itching to clear some space & get going.

Shall be watching with much interest.

Si

Hi Simon,

Thnaks.

Build note. When you add parts 2e and 3e the sides of the cabin, leave them to set fast over night, otherwise when you add part 4e which takes a bit of pressure to push into the curve you might move the previous 2 parts slightly.

Al

Hi Guys,

Work continues, fitting the life belt supports and small brass fitting on the outer cabin.

Question? On either side of the cabin are what I assume are pilot lights. I don't have a really good picture of these but there appears to be slightly different fittings depending on the boat. My question is I can see some wiring coming from them, well at least I think it is, but I am not sure where it leads too, ie at what point does it disappear inside?

Anyone any thoughts.

Thanks

Al

Al,

Look at the photo of the cockpit on page 2 of this thread.

Al

Thanks Al.

Alan

Here's another shot, identified as MAS 530 in 1941. Not sure this gives any more detail of the light, though.


Al

Thanks Al.

I like the picture of the crewman. Would I be correct in thinking that's an open window? Interesting.

Alan

Yup, it's open. Looks like the same one on the other side is, too. Makes sense in a Mediterannean climate. If you look at the other photo on page 2, you'll see that the same window is just slightly opened. They are hinged on the aft end and fold back.

Al

Thanks Al, open hatches, open widows, you can't beat em with a big stick

We shall try one of those.

The lights are positioned much further back in the two pics than on the kit. Looking at what references I have there are some clear different placemnets,

Many thanks

Alan

When I get home tonight, I'll look through MAS E MEZZI... and see if it was a series thing or a builder thing. I have the Baglietto drawings for one of the series (not sure which) and recall seeing some photos in which the sidelights were about halfway back on the cockpit.

Al

Thanks, I can't get a pic at the moment the light is too poor by the time I get home.

Al

Based on photos in MAS E MEZZI... and the Baglietto drawings, the sidelights on the third, fourth, and projected fifth series boats were on the windshield:



(MAS 555)


Thus, for the wooden boats actually built, this would be MAS 555 - 576.

Al

Thanks Al. That looks spot on for the kit. Don't see any external wiring on these either.

Alan

Hi Guys,

Following on form Al's excellent pics of the cabin here are some where I'm at now pics.

As you will see I had already added some wiring to the pilot lights which will need removed but that's simple. There are 3 contact points on the underside of the cabin roof and sides you may wish to fill in also.

I've joined a few of the larger fittings together, depth charges, Breda ammo bins and having thought about it I decided it would be much easier to paint the the deck free from fitttings. I did experiment with doing the whole foredeck red/white but thought that might be too much so clean it off and started again opting for the alternative as outlined in the instructions.

Step 9 of the instruction show where to drill the fixture holes and there are quite a lot of them but these are indicated underneath the deck, although looking at the layout not all will be needed so don't just drill away. I've done most of the ones on the fore deck but will open them up again when I've done painting the air recognition markings.

You get a nice little jig to bend the PE fitting for the life belts on.

Things might look a bit untidy at the moment but there is a plan ?



















If your leaving the cabin doors open then shave off the ejection marks, this also helps thin them down a bt.

Al

Yay! My kit finally arrived (shipped six weeks ago). Not sure if I'm going to build it as a fourth series boat or backfit it to MT 540, one of the motor gunboat versions. If I go that route, I'll have to pick up a couple 20/65 BREDAs. Where did you get your BREDA kits, Al?

Al Ross