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Ships by Class/Type: Frigates
This is for topics on modern Frigates. For the sailing variety they should still go under Sailing.
Corvette short forecastle conversion
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Model Shipwrights: 833 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 04, 2016 - 02:55 AM UTC
This is based on Revell's 1/144 Snowberry kit. At least ninety percent of modellers will probably build it OOB. I want mine to be different. I'm building it as HMCS Kamsack in 1942, as per this reference:

Kamsack is the upper ship with the more interesting Western Approaches colors.
This is a general arrangement drawing for the early short forecastle Corvettes with two masts:

And this is what I've done so far - cut back the hull; opened the scuppers and added a few more; and cut the forecastle deck to the right length so I can re-use that part. Also added detail to the new visible portions of the bulwarks:


That's been the easy part. Next is to make the new portion of the foreward main deck to fit the hull contours - some trial and error there.
More as it gets done.
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
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Posted: Tuesday, September 06, 2016 - 03:59 AM UTC
Didn't have any of the right Evergreen scribed sheet on hand, so I had my reference drawings re-scaled to 1/144 scale. Now I can take measurements directly from the drawings instead of having to calculate every cut. I also did some work on the main gun and shield. I used some bits of 1/350 PE railing and brass wire. Thinned the shield edges so they don't look like 12" armor plate, rounded off the front top and rear bottom edges, and replaced the molded-on gunsight aperture covers. Also added some interior detail plus elevation and training handwheels, although they can't be seen.





More when it gets done! As usual, comments and feedback welcome.
Cosimodo
#335
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Joined: September 03, 2013
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Posted: Tuesday, September 06, 2016 - 05:01 AM UTC
Well I don't anything about corvettes but I do like watching modellers chop up a perfectly reasonable kit to create a different version.
If the photo above showing the two hull halves represents one half having already been shorten then you have hidden the change very well.

I will be interested to see how this goes.

cheers

Michael
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
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Model Shipwrights: 833 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 06, 2016 - 08:59 AM UTC
It's not actually the hull that is shortened - the apparent difference between the two halves above is due to perspective. The section that was shortened is the raised forecastle portion. The original kit (Snowberry) has that feature extended to about mid ship. The ship I'm building (Kamsack) has the original short forecastle, as per my butchery.
Cosimodo
#335
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: September 03, 2013
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Model Shipwrights: 871 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 07, 2016 - 05:00 AM UTC
Cripes. I thought about that when I couldn't see the cut line but I figured the perspective change wouldn't be that dramatic. I will keep watching though
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Model Shipwrights: 833 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 08, 2016 - 08:51 AM UTC
Don't know why Photobucket deleted my reference pic above. Here it is again:


Did a bit more work and cut the main deck, and did some work in the well deck. Fitted the forecastle bulkheads and some detail work.




I got several plan drawings enlarged to the same size as the model so they would be the same scale and I could cut the copies and use them as patterns for pieces. Sounds good in theory but Revell fudged the proportions of the ship slightly so it is a little less beamy than it should be. So I end up having to fudge my measurements, too, to make everything fit.
More pics as things get done.
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