Richard,

My compliments on your Corsair! I especially like that you took the trouble to add new sails - that really takes the build to the next level. Excellent!


By the way, exactly what is the "Japanese tissue" that you mentioned using for those sails? I'd like to try using it myself one day.

'Japanese tissue' is a generic term for vegatable fibre based paper, only made in Japan (I think)

I used 'silkspan' in the past for sails, (used for covering balsa and tissue aircraft models), but this is getting harder to find because mylar and polyester based films are replacing it.

Japanese tissue comes in different weights, and one use is in bookbindingg. It is fairly inexpensive to buy. Two manufacturers are 'Esaki', and 'Mt. Fuji'. It accepts paint well, but can be bought pre-dyed.

Here is a link to the 'Easy Built Models' site.
https://easybuiltmodels.com/esaki.htm

PS - I also used E-Z Line (elastic thread) for some of the rigging.

PPs - here is a link to Youtube video for making silkspan sails. It's a little more info. than you need, but you'll get the idea. I just painted the tissue with water based acrylic paint on both sides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_m_VWzk4w8

Wow, thanks for this! I'll add it to my bag of tricks.

Hi guys,
Great work going on. That Corsair is spectacular.
In my last update I mentioned oddities with the kit, mainly the mast. The mast and bowsprit attachment was a method I've never seen before. Here is the kit mast.



The base of the bowsprit was to fit in the box structure near the bottom of the mast and the tip of the bowsprit was to pass throw a ring mounted on the bow and extend over the bow. I removed the box and mounted the mast cleat that is included in the kit to cover the place where the box was at. I'm not using the bowsprit. Since the kit is in 1/72 scale I wanted to add whatever details I can. I attached the bowsprit ring to the mast to serve as an anchor point for a pully to mount the spar.



To add some details to the kit I sourced some parts from a Model Shipways wooden kit of the Phantom which is 1/96 scale, I think. I had completed about 3/4 of the kit about 30 years ago when a workbench accident destroyed much of the masts and rigging. I lost interest after that and placed it on my could've been shelf. The mast ring didn't last long so I removed it and drilled a small diameter hole through the mast and inserted a metal hook from the Phantom kit. I also drilled and added a hook to the spar. I got a wooden single pulley and threaded it with the running rigging thread from the Phantom. It's stiffer than sewing thread with no visible fuzziness. Here's the result.



Since I want to add rigging to the boat I needed anchor points so I used brass nails to make belaying pins. I drilled holes in the bulwark in locations that would not interfere with the oars. I added four per side. The most forward pin on each side will anchor the spar lines that keep the spar squared up. The next two on each side are to anchor the main stays and the last pin on each side will anchor the main sail sheets. The main bow stay will be anchored to the forestay iron mounted on the stem. Anchor and tow lines can also be tied to the forestay iron when in use.

Here is the mast and spar assembly. I'll be flemishing the end of the main sail halyard after installing he mast.



I've also added the swivel gun to the bow. Interference with the bow stay is avoided by swiveling the gun while at full elevation. Here are a couple views of the hull at present.





I'm going to have to restain the outer hull. In attempting to add another coat of enamel wash it removed most of the earlier layers so now I've cleaned off the residue and am letting it dry thoroughly before making another attempt.

Thanks guys and stay safe.
John

Great progress John. Amazing as to what we keep as spares for another day.

cheers
Michael

Some progress on the minesweeper.
Created a base for from a piece of old floor board. There is always a few under the house.
The hull is painted and sitting in place. Just need to add screws and rudder.

The main superstructure and decking mountings completed and primed.

The build is not too far away. Most time will be taken with the rest of the photoetch for railings, ladders and detail.

cheers
Michael

Hi John,

I have had the same experience of oil washes attacking prior layers, even acrylic layers! In my case I had used a wash thinner that was too "hot". Paint thinner is a mild solvent and is generally good for these washes, while the Model Master oil thinner is hotter - I've had it ruin Tamiya acrylic coats. Anyway, your boat is coming along nicely. Good luck with your repaint!

Hi Michael,

Your minesweeper is looking tasty! Great progress so far, I will enjoy watching it come together.

Hi everybody.
Thought I'd post another update on my lifeboat. Tim, I appreciate the info on the thinner. I tried Testors Thinner with my wash application and it came out much better.

I have discovered to my dismay that when it comes to rigging a boat I make a good spaghetti cook. After stepping the mast I started with the bow stay. Didn't really have any problems other than the string from the Phantom kit is stiffer than normal thread so there was a lot of spring to it when trying to tie knots.

Then I thought I would go front to back in setting the spar lines and mast stays. After spending 5 very frustrating hours getting the spar lines on the belaying pins I decided to go a different route. I pulled out the other belaying pins and installed brass ring bolts. I also discovered if you wet the string it wasn't so stiff. I progressed with the mast stays but because the boat is so small and light I couldn't get it to stay put while rigging so I had to hold it in my hand while tightening the knots. Some of the lines got a little loose. I'm hoping the string will tighten after it dries.

The last lines were the spar halyards. These gave me problems as they got caught on the spar lines causing them to come loose from the spar meaning a lot of rework. And I wound up with some slack in the halyards as well. I have increased my respect greatly for the modelers who build sailing vessels.

I tried to coil the rope ends where appropriate which gives the boat a busy look. I also placed an anchor and rope in the bow. The boats of this period used grapnel type anchors. I found one in my spares box from an old incomplete Lindberg kit of the USS Monitor I got at a yard sale for a dollar years ago.

I've still got to add the rudder and other supplies in the stern. I've discovered that the kit oars are longer than the boat hull, about 20 scale feet long. I'm going to be trimming them to about 12 scale feet. The last items I'll be placing are the figures. Not sure how many I'll place. I'm thinking four rowers, a bosun or officer at the rudder and a couple infantry/gunners at the front. It will definitely have a busy, crowded look. The figures may not be complete before the end of the campaign but I'll try. Anyway, here's a few photos of where I'm at right now. Sorry about the lighting. When I take photos at night the room light gives everything a yellow tint.

Here is my selection for Under 1000 Tons. Lindberg 1:64 Shrimp Boat. The average weight of Louisiana Shrimp boats ran between 50-60 tons. I am planning to build her as the "Jenny" from the Forest Gump movie. Kit box. Built up interior of cabin. Hull & deck. Scratch built wheel housing. 1st haul - toilet seat, boot, twisted cable and misc. crud. Winch and built up compartment under smokestack. Port side of Jenny. Twilight shot with Pico size LED warm white cabin light.

I am starting to work on the mast, outriggers, Try net boom and rigging. More pictures to come. Cheers and enjoy.

















Photo still of Jenny from the movie, Forest Gump.

Nice work Robert. I like the weathering on the hull.

Made a start on mine today. Got the hulls of the Minesweeper and Sub-Chaser cleaned up and bottom plates glued in place.

Stephen - I admire anyone that can work at such small scale. Good start!

Thanks Robert.
I quite like working on the 1/700 waterlines. These are probably the smallest ships I've got in my stash. I'll be building OOB though, I'm not great with etch and I admire anyone who can work with the stuff at this scale!

Holy cow! I struggled desperately with PE parts on a 1:350 scale liberty ship. I can't imagine going anything smaller. I am really impressed with such tiny scales.

Pasi - Nice choice. This should be a nice challenge!

Yes, Pasi, I too am looking forward to your build of this tiny terror!

YellowHammer --

The lifeboat looks very good. Nice wood tone. The addition of the cannon in the bow is a nice touch. Congratulations

Thanks Richard for your kind comments.
Update - I'm starting to work on some new figures to crew the boat. The boat seemed too small for 1/72 figures so I'm trying 1/100 (18mm) boat crew figures I sourced from Eureka Miniatures. A dry fit looked great. Right now I'm cleaning them up. They're metal figures so they have visible mold lines. I'll get some photos up soon. Keep up the good work everyone.
Thanks
John

Did a dry fit to get an idea of what the mast with outriggers, try net boom and scratch built stern ladder will look like. Still waiting for parts to arrive so I can continue on.

Coming along nicely Robert. The weathering is very nicely done.

Managed a little more work on my builds.
Bridge, deck gun, funnel and depth charge launchers are added to the Suchaser. I also added a rack of DC's to the rear. I cut these from plastic rod. Probably need a little more tidying up looking at the photo.
I'v also started work on the Minelayer.



I've also noticed that all three are lacking any davits for the boats. They're quite prominent on the box art and the Subchasers included as extras in Tamiya's Gato sub kit, have them. Not sure what their excuse is for forgetting them. Oh, and no anchors either!
Will have to scrounge the spares box for some I think.

Some update from my Musquet: I glazed the wooden socket in a friendly dark brown color and startet the etched superstructures. I am not wholly satisfied as the etched side structure beams of the deck do not fit - they are too long and have to be shortened by about 0,5 cm to fit properly. Also the instructions are unclear to me where to bend them. I made it but it isn´t surely for a beginner



Cheers

Amazing work on the Mousquet Thomas. The etch is beautifully done.

Had a good route through my spares today and found some boat davits from a Japanese Navy equipment set. These came free with a Destroyer I built several years ago. Not quite enough for all three boats. Got me thinking if any of the others in my stash had this set included. And low and behold, almost every one had it included! A huge thanks to Tamiya and Hasegawa. So plenty of parts to spruce these up. Will probably also replace the boats from the sets too.

Nice, Thomas - even before paint!

@ Stephen and Tim: Thank you both for your commendation; I need it as this kit is not as expected by me:

- Upper and lower railings doesn´t have pre-bending marks; some parts are different than in the manual and have to be shortened in length to fit anyway
- The 1 mm brass rods for both masts was not inside the kit (no big thing as I do have one but hey it should be inside according to the Manual
- Instead of the mentioned 0.5 mm styrine rod there was a 0,33 mm rod inside which was slightly too thin - again I did used mine.
- Some part locations were wrongly mentioned (Frames #23 and 27 were too far Forward so that later the tube for the front Torpedo swing bearing couldn´t be installed - discovered it too late
- At one door there was the wrong part number mentioned (too small - had to use the bigger one in the fret which is not mentioned at all)
- the upper railing #25 for the aft superstructure Building was completely too large and had to be shortened in lenght and width. Glued it Twisted and have to redo it again later
- some hawses are inside the PE-fret but no mention in the instructions were to position...

Don´t get me wrong. Despite there is some blood and sweat for me to build this ship I do still like it because of her sleek shape and her historial connection to the SMS EMDEN during first WW.


During week 3 of our Covid incarceration I was able to make some serious progress: Here are the last pictures before painting. I didn´t glued the upper railings (the railings for the other side are actually not yet bended and shortened), the ammunition lockers and the torpedo tubes. The hatches and the smaller guns will get installed after painting the main ship. Ist a very fragile affair now...










the right propeller shaft got loose - have to fix it again later



Cheers

Fantastic etch work Thomas. It should look great under a coat of paint.

Cheers
Michael