Patrick Matthews

Not really a ship or boat, but it floats. 
"She's not very fast in the water, but she'll beat any boat on the highway!"

 

1:12 operating model of PILAR.
04OCT2021 Update: Adding a few beauty shots.

Fans of San Francisco's "Monterey Clipper" fishing boats know that most were originally powered by Hicks single cylinder gas engines. Since the engine was visible in the semi-enclosed wheelhouse, it becomes a necessary but challenging feature in a model. 
No complete plans have been published for the Hicks, but I was able to photograph a complete engine's worth of original part blue prints at the library of the San Francisco Maritime Park. This 1:8 scale model was then built in CAD, and most parts were 3d-printed in plastic. Most of the brass and bronze parts were investment cast using 3d-printed waxes. Other parts were machined or photoetched from brass and stainless steel.
The model appeared on the cover of the Summer 2017 "Ships in Scale". Search Youtube for "Yuba Hicks" to see the engine's animated operation and authentic sound.

PT-61 was one of the final group of Elco 77 foot PTs built. The design featured a more streamlined cabin than previous models, and this group was fitted with two Mk-18 torpedo tubes instead of four; the aft tubes were replaced with eight depth charges. PT-61 operated at Guadalcanal in the "slot", and was famous for taking a shell from a Japanese destroyer through the bow, yet coming home to be repaired and to fight again.

The model is in 1:24... large enough for R/C, but this is a display model. The hull is dual-diagonal planked in basswood over laser cut plywood frames. The cabin and almost all detail parts are 3D printed in acrylic plastics, using both "multijet modeling" and "stereolithography" printers. The model is displayed on an Elco A-frame cradle, used when shipping the boats to theater as deck cargo.

Primary design sources are original Elco drawings and innumerable photos from available books and web sites.

A complete build log is posted at RC Groups: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2217225 ... showing the wood hull construction as well as how the 3D Printed parts were used.

Pan American Airlines was a pioneer in international airline service in the 1930’s, making use of seaplanes to service areas without developed landing fields. Their ultimate seaplane was the well known Boeing B-314, the classic Pan American “Clipper”.
Every Pan American base, from New York to Miami and Havana, across the Atlantic to Lisbon, and across the Pacific from San Francisco to Honolulu and Manila, had a small fleet of seaplane tenders. These boats were used for a variety of tasks:
· Towing the seaplanes when required;
· Clearing the landing areas of any flotsam;
· Transporting crew to moored seaplanes;
· Inspection and maintenance of floating seaplanes;
· And rarely, for fire-fighting, rescue and recovery.
A number of seaplane tender designs were used, and the boats were often sourced locally. Most were semi-open cabin cruisers in the 32 to 36 foot range. In 1939, a standard 36 foot design was developed. The design was detailed by Walter Boyne Boat Company of City Island, NY, and the boats were constructed by Julius Petersen of Nyack, NY—who also constructed a number of sub chasers and Army rescue boats.
These 36’ seaplane tenders were equipped with:
· Hall-Scott Invader six cylinder engine, providing 22 mph speed;
· Kermath 4-cylinder Sea Chief for auxiliary power and firefighting;
· Foamite firefighting foam system, twin forward fire monitors, and fire hoses aft.
· 500 mile range for possible rescue work;
· Multiple benches fore and aft (presumably for rescued passengers);
· First aid kits, fire extinguishers, fire ax, and other tools;
· Lifeline around hull;
· Goodyear “Airfoam” fenders under canvas covers, around entire hull;
· 1000W Carlisle-Finch manually operated search light;
· Flood lamps for under-wing inspection;
· Towing bitt
The boats were assigned numbers that were associated with their bases. This model is “PANAIR XX-P”, which served at Honolulu. Panair XX-P is notable for having fought fires in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Pan American base was at Pearl City on the Middle Loch, within sight of Ford Island.
Little more is known about the Petersen boats. The Pan Am archives at the University of Miami have yet to yield any information regarding how many boats were built, there is no trace of the Boyne Boat Company, and the current owners of the former Petersen yard have no Petersen records.

The model is 27 inches long in 1:16 scale, and is designed for R/C operation. Plans were developed from many existing photos, and from lines from other contemporary cabin cruisers of the period.

Nearly the entire model-- hull, cabin, and many details, are 3D Printed. Even many of the brass fittings are investment cast from 3D Printed waxes. The fire monitor base is a little more than 1/2 inch high; note the detail in the flange bolts and lock knob. These brass parts can be highly polished and then plated, which is useful for fittings such as chrome plated pleasure boat parts.

Traditional techniques were also used for some parts, such as the rudder and prop shaft, and the fully machined 1000W searchlamp. The lamp is fitted with parts from a high intensity LED flashlight, and it throws quite a beam!

Power is from a pair of 7.2V NiMH battery packs and a brushless in-runner motor, coupled to an Octura 937/3 prop.

The Canadian Coast Guard began taking delivery of a nine ship class of Midshore Patrol Vessels (aka the "Hero Class") in 2012, beginning with Private Robertson V.C.

The 1:72 scale model is about 24 inches long, and is virtually completely made with 3D Printing.

All plans and part designs were developed in 3D CAD, based on sketchy lines available online, and hundreds of photos taken by myself and others.

There really is a "Baywatch", it's the Lifeguard Division of the LA County Fire Department. LACO FD has a small fleet of wooden hulled rescue boats, mostly built by the now defunct Seaways Boat Co. of Long Beach.
The 32 inch model is scratch built in 1:12 scale...plans were developed by myself from photos, beam and length dimensions, and "inspiration" from a similarly hulled Dumas Trojan kit.
The model appeared in the Sept 2012 "ModellWerft".

"Dearborn" was a modern twin-diesel electric tug specified personally by Henry Ford for ship handling use at Ford's Rouge Plant. She otherwise followed the form of traditional steam powered tugs on the Great Lakes.

Model is 42 inches long in 1:24 scale, and was built from original Great Lakes Engineering Works drawings from the archives at Bowling Green State University.

The model was featured in the Nov/Dec 2008 issue of "Ships in Scale" magazine.