Bob Fraser

Background - 
One day earlier this year I found what I thought was an old penny at the entrance gate to the field where our horses are kept.
When I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a token with the letters CD with a crown between on it.  After some research it turns out it is the cover of a button from the uniform of a Civil Defence Force member.
I asked the farmer if it could have belonged to a member of his family so I could return it, as he regularly uses rubble from a dumping ground to fill in holes in the tracks.
It wasn't, and he explained that he has an area of land that, during 1941 - 43, Bootle council used as a dumping ground for clearances from the bombing, mainly from the May blitz in 1941. Over the years lots of bits and pieces have turned up, including, gruesomely, some body parts. Over the years other local councils have used Crosby beach front to dump their wartime rubble, and to help create a sea defence.
After 1943 these buttons became plastic / bakelite, and where it came from definately dates it to the Blitz. The members of the Civil Defence Force were initially Air Raid Wardens, but widend into the CDF and became responsible for many other roles during and after the air raids. Liverpool Civil Defence Force
I've found bottles and cutlery but probably this is the most poignant and personal item I've found, belonging to an unknown person who, for whatever reason was unable to join up, took on this thankless and often dangerous job.
My grandfather was a member of the Home Guard during WW2, and one of his friends drove a fire engine His Story which he told me himself but here is told by one of his daughters. And more Civil Defense Liverpool stories Liverpool CDF Awards 1941
These stories and the brave actions were repeated all over the UK.
 
So this turned into my own little homage to these brave people.
This is the first time I've touched a plastic model airplane in about 45 years, but the button desreved a display, not just to be put away.
 

 
Thanks for reading,
Bob

Background - 
One day earlier this year I found what I thought was an old penny at the entrance gate to the field where our horses are kept.
When I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a token with the letters CD with a crown between on it.  After some research it turns out it is the cover of a button from the uniform of a Civil Defence Force member.
I asked the farmer if it could have belonged to a member of his family so I could return it, as he regularly uses rubble from a dumping ground to fill in holes in the tracks.
It wasn't, and he explained that he has an area of land that, during 1941 - 43, Bootle council used as a dumping ground for clearances from the bombing, mainly from the May blitz in 1941. Over the years lots of bits and pieces have turned up, including, gruesomely, some body parts. Over the years other local councils have used Crosby beach front to dump their wartime rubble, and to help create a sea defence.
After 1943 these buttons became plastic / bakelite, and where it came from definately dates it to the Blitz. The members of the Civil Defence Force were initially Air Raid Wardens, but widend into the CDF and became responsible for many other roles during and after the air raids. Liverpool Civil Defence Force
I've found bottles and cutlery but probably this is the most poignant and personal item I've found, belonging to an unknown person who, for whatever reason was unable to join up, took on this thankless and often dangerous job.
My grandfather was a member of the Home Guard during WW2, and one of his friends drove a fire engine His Story which he told me himself but here is told by one of his daughters. And more Civil Defense Liverpool stories Liverpool CDF Awards 1941
These stories and the brave actions were repeated all over the UK.
 
So this turned into my own little homage to these brave people.
This is the first time I've touched a plastic model airplane in about 45 years, but the button desreved a display, not just to be put away.
 

 
Thanks for reading,
Bob

Background - 
One day earlier this year I found what I thought was an old penny at the entrance gate to the field where our horses are kept.
When I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a token with the letters CD with a crown between on it.  After some research it turns out it is the cover of a button from the uniform of a Civil Defence Force member.
I asked the farmer if it could have belonged to a member of his family so I could return it, as he regularly uses rubble from a dumping ground to fill in holes in the tracks.
It wasn't, and he explained that he has an area of land that, during 1941 - 43, Bootle council used as a dumping ground for clearances from the bombing, mainly from the May blitz in 1941. Over the years lots of bits and pieces have turned up, including, gruesomely, some body parts. Over the years other local councils have used Crosby beach front to dump their wartime rubble, and to help create a sea defence.
After 1943 these buttons became plastic / bakelite, and where it came from definately dates it to the Blitz. The members of the Civil Defence Force were initially Air Raid Wardens, but widend into the CDF and became responsible for many other roles during and after the air raids. Liverpool Civil Defence Force
I've found bottles and cutlery but probably this is the most poignant and personal item I've found, belonging to an unknown person who, for whatever reason was unable to join up, took on this thankless and often dangerous job.
My grandfather was a member of the Home Guard during WW2, and one of his friends drove a fire engine His Story which he told me himself but here is told by one of his daughters. And more Civil Defense Liverpool stories Liverpool CDF Awards 1941
These stories and the brave actions were repeated all over the UK.
 
So this turned into my own little homage to these brave people.
This is the first time I've touched a plastic model airplane in about 45 years, but the button desreved a display, not just to be put away.
 

 
Thanks for reading,
Bob

Background - 
One day earlier this year I found what I thought was an old penny at the entrance gate to the field where our horses are kept.
When I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a token with the letters CD with a crown between on it.  After some research it turns out it is the cover of a button from the uniform of a Civil Defence Force member.
I asked the farmer if it could have belonged to a member of his family so I could return it, as he regularly uses rubble from a dumping ground to fill in holes in the tracks.
It wasn't, and he explained that he has an area of land that, during 1941 - 43, Bootle council used as a dumping ground for clearances from the bombing, mainly from the May blitz in 1941. Over the years lots of bits and pieces have turned up, including, gruesomely, some body parts. Over the years other local councils have used Crosby beach front to dump their wartime rubble, and to help create a sea defence.
After 1943 these buttons became plastic / bakelite, and where it came from definately dates it to the Blitz. The members of the Civil Defence Force were initially Air Raid Wardens, but widend into the CDF and became responsible for many other roles during and after the air raids. Liverpool Civil Defence Force
I've found bottles and cutlery but probably this is the most poignant and personal item I've found, belonging to an unknown person who, for whatever reason was unable to join up, took on this thankless and often dangerous job.
My grandfather was a member of the Home Guard during WW2, and one of his friends drove a fire engine His Story which he told me himself but here is told by one of his daughters. And more Civil Defense Liverpool stories Liverpool CDF Awards 1941
These stories and the brave actions were repeated all over the UK.
 
So this turned into my own little homage to these brave people.
This is the first time I've touched a plastic model airplane in about 45 years, but the button desreved a display, not just to be put away.
 

 
Thanks for reading,
Bob

Background - 
One day earlier this year I found what I thought was an old penny at the entrance gate to the field where our horses are kept.
When I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a token with the letters CD with a crown between on it.  After some research it turns out it is the cover of a button from the uniform of a Civil Defence Force member.
I asked the farmer if it could have belonged to a member of his family so I could return it, as he regularly uses rubble from a dumping ground to fill in holes in the tracks.
It wasn't, and he explained that he has an area of land that, during 1941 - 43, Bootle council used as a dumping ground for clearances from the bombing, mainly from the May blitz in 1941. Over the years lots of bits and pieces have turned up, including, gruesomely, some body parts. Over the years other local councils have used Crosby beach front to dump their wartime rubble, and to help create a sea defence.
After 1943 these buttons became plastic / bakelite, and where it came from definately dates it to the Blitz. The members of the Civil Defence Force were initially Air Raid Wardens, but widend into the CDF and became responsible for many other roles during and after the air raids. Liverpool Civil Defence Force
I've found bottles and cutlery but probably this is the most poignant and personal item I've found, belonging to an unknown person who, for whatever reason was unable to join up, took on this thankless and often dangerous job.
My grandfather was a member of the Home Guard during WW2, and one of his friends drove a fire engine His Story which he told me himself but here is told by one of his daughters. And more Civil Defense Liverpool stories Liverpool CDF Awards 1941
These stories and the brave actions were repeated all over the UK.
 
So this turned into my own little homage to these brave people.
This is the first time I've touched a plastic model airplane in about 45 years, but the button desreved a display, not just to be put away.
 

 
Thanks for reading,
Bob

Background - 
One day earlier this year I found what I thought was an old penny at the entrance gate to the field where our horses are kept.
When I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a token with the letters CD with a crown between on it.  After some research it turns out it is the cover of a button from the uniform of a Civil Defence Force member.
I asked the farmer if it could have belonged to a member of his family so I could return it, as he regularly uses rubble from a dumping ground to fill in holes in the tracks.
It wasn't, and he explained that he has an area of land that, during 1941 - 43, Bootle council used as a dumping ground for clearances from the bombing, mainly from the May blitz in 1941. Over the years lots of bits and pieces have turned up, including, gruesomely, some body parts. Over the years other local councils have used Crosby beach front to dump their wartime rubble, and to help create a sea defence.
After 1943 these buttons became plastic / bakelite, and where it came from definately dates it to the Blitz. The members of the Civil Defence Force were initially Air Raid Wardens, but widend into the CDF and became responsible for many other roles during and after the air raids. Liverpool Civil Defence Force
I've found bottles and cutlery but probably this is the most poignant and personal item I've found, belonging to an unknown person who, for whatever reason was unable to join up, took on this thankless and often dangerous job.
My grandfather was a member of the Home Guard during WW2, and one of his friends drove a fire engine His Story which he told me himself but here is told by one of his daughters. And more Civil Defense Liverpool stories Liverpool CDF Awards 1941
These stories and the brave actions were repeated all over the UK.
 
So this turned into my own little homage to these brave people.
This is the first time I've touched a plastic model airplane in about 45 years, but the button desreved a display, not just to be put away.
 

 
Thanks for reading,
Bob

Background - 
One day earlier this year I found what I thought was an old penny at the entrance gate to the field where our horses are kept.
When I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a token with the letters CD with a crown between on it.  After some research it turns out it is the cover of a button from the uniform of a Civil Defence Force member.
I asked the farmer if it could have belonged to a member of his family so I could return it, as he regularly uses rubble from a dumping ground to fill in holes in the tracks.
It wasn't, and he explained that he has an area of land that, during 1941 - 43, Bootle council used as a dumping ground for clearances from the bombing, mainly from the May blitz in 1941. Over the years lots of bits and pieces have turned up, including, gruesomely, some body parts. Over the years other local councils have used Crosby beach front to dump their wartime rubble, and to help create a sea defence.
After 1943 these buttons became plastic / bakelite, and where it came from definately dates it to the Blitz. The members of the Civil Defence Force were initially Air Raid Wardens, but widend into the CDF and became responsible for many other roles during and after the air raids. Liverpool Civil Defence Force
I've found bottles and cutlery but probably this is the most poignant and personal item I've found, belonging to an unknown person who, for whatever reason was unable to join up, took on this thankless and often dangerous job.
My grandfather was a member of the Home Guard during WW2, and one of his friends drove a fire engine His Story which he told me himself but here is told by one of his daughters. And more Civil Defense Liverpool stories Liverpool CDF Awards 1941
These stories and the brave actions were repeated all over the UK.
 
So this turned into my own little homage to these brave people.
This is the first time I've touched a plastic model airplane in about 45 years, but the button desreved a display, not just to be put away.
 

 
Thanks for reading,
Bob

Background - 
One day earlier this year I found what I thought was an old penny at the entrance gate to the field where our horses are kept.
When I got it home and cleaned it up it looked like a token with the letters CD with a crown between on it.  After some research it turns out it is the cover of a button from the uniform of a Civil Defence Force member.
I asked the farmer if it could have belonged to a member of his family so I could return it, as he regularly uses rubble from a dumping ground to fill in holes in the tracks.
It wasn't, and he explained that he has an area of land that, during 1941 - 43, Bootle council used as a dumping ground for clearances from the bombing, mainly from the May blitz in 1941. Over the years lots of bits and pieces have turned up, including, gruesomely, some body parts. Over the years other local councils have used Crosby beach front to dump their wartime rubble, and to help create a sea defence.
After 1943 these buttons became plastic / bakelite, and where it came from definately dates it to the Blitz. The members of the Civil Defence Force were initially Air Raid Wardens, but widend into the CDF and became responsible for many other roles during and after the air raids. Liverpool Civil Defence Force
I've found bottles and cutlery but probably this is the most poignant and personal item I've found, belonging to an unknown person who, for whatever reason was unable to join up, took on this thankless and often dangerous job.
My grandfather was a member of the Home Guard during WW2, and one of his friends drove a fire engine His Story which he told me himself but here is told by one of his daughters. And more Civil Defense Liverpool stories Liverpool CDF Awards 1941
These stories and the brave actions were repeated all over the UK.
 
So this turned into my own little homage to these brave people.
This is the first time I've touched a plastic model airplane in about 45 years, but the button desreved a display, not just to be put away.
 

 
Thanks for reading,
Bob

At last - a real update! (Sorry for the delay)
 
Lower deck uprights added to the remaining side and both sides now have lower deck railings.
Steam stacks made and placed but removable for access to installing railings later on.

 
And of course the captain and his mate have to inspect

 
Cheers,
Bob

It's as if you were there!  This was only half a mile from where I used to live.  When the tall ships came to visit this was the entrance they used.
Really enjoy your paintings!
Bob

It's as if you were there!  This was only half a mile from where I used to live.  When the tall ships came to visit this was the entrance they used.
Really enjoy your paintings!
Bob

It's as if you were there!  This was only half a mile from where I used to live.  When the tall ships came to visit this was the entrance they used.
Really enjoy your paintings!
Bob

Glued the remaining rooms on and got the entire deck / walls coated in tung oil. For the small doors in the back rooms, i used window screen and superglued it on the back to allow to see inside, the inside walls are all painted white and I am debating one what else to put inside the rooms. 
 
for the doors themselves, I got the brass rings ready for the door handles and rather than keep them brass finished I let them sit in an oxidizing agent called brass black to give it a more rustic blackened look. I used the same method on a previous ship, huge fan. 

Finished  after eight months work. the tying off of the rigging is not great. I found out that age has caught up with me. My hands shake far to much when trying to tie the correct knots and when guiding the cord through the blocks. as such all the blocks and areas where the line is tied off are done with simple knots. I am happy with the end result and it does look good displayed on the shelf it sits on.
might do the Sampson next from the same kit maker.
I have a few sailing vessels in my stash, but not sure about them as I would struggle with all the rigging requirements. trying to tie shrouds and ratlines would be hard with the way my hands shake doing fiddly tying jobs.
Might consider building one with just the bottom masts in place without rigging and see how it looks.  
 

Finished

Available in the UK from here. scalpelsandblades.co.uk
 
Bob

Hello Vladimir, 
thank you for your kind comment! 
I have almost no experience with enamel paint (I guess it was a typing error with "email paint", damn automatic corrector:) ).
I prefer to use acrylic colors and spray them with the airbrush. I usually use the standard brush only to highlight details with dry brush or recesses with wash and filters. For that purpose I usually use oil paints. 
Anyway, the base coat of Munz metal on my Cutty has been done by brush, due to a temporary problem with my airbrush. And the color was not diluted. 
There are two coats of color and the result is a uniform copper-goldish tint. 
The non uniformity visible now is created by oil washes, mixing green and blue in different percentages to break the uniformity. 
Please bear in mind that the enamel thinner used for the oil wash will wash away the enamel color below! This is another good reason for having an acrylic base coat and not an enamel one. 
Please let me know if I can help you with further details! 
And, by the way, is there a build log of your plastic Cutty Sark? I'll be glad to follow you! 
 
Update time! 
 
Fore yards progress:
 
Encouraged by the first test on the lower yard, I have adopted the same techniques for all the remaining fore yards.  
Here you can see the result:
 

 

 

 


 
The lower yard is already painted and fitted with blocks. Still a lot of work needs to be done, but they are starting to take shape! 
Please note that there is an error on the upper topsail yard: the jackstay is too short. I already fix the issue, but it is still there in these pictures. 
 
Thank you all for the comments and likes! 

Got the steps finished up, when I put the last piece on it ended up being a little more then 180 degree turn (see picture) so I took my cut off wheel and free handed a small section off so it lines up. Nice and straight meow. Then the outer edge of the steps had sections of overhang so I put a flap wheel attachment on the dremel and rounded them out nicely. 
 
the first deck and one of the rooms is now glued on, next I will be adding the remaining engine room, putting in whatever decorations I can think of to add to the rooms and then going through the painful process of adding lights to the model. 

Working on the spiral staircases at the stern end of the ship. My kit was actually short a few walnut planks for the hull (or I just royally messed up) so I emailed AL, they were more than willing to send another batch of planks. 
 
so for these spiral steps, I actually covered all of the visible portions in black walnut plank, leaving a 2mm gap on top where the next step would be glued to. It made gluing fairly simple and I think looks quite nice. 
 
for the spots section, it was hard to line up the center around the wooden shaft so I ended gluing the planks at an angle and it made it much easier to line up and allowed for kore surface contact for gluing. 

I finally decided to finish the Hull and the stand. 
 
once the sanding was complete with a 220 and then 320 sanding block, I used a little compressed air to blow the dust off and then coated the stand and the hull with Tung oil. First application was 3/4 tung and 1/4 paint thinner to really allow the tung a chance to soak in and absorb, letting it sit for 15 minutes and constantly reapply to any area the starts to dry up. After 15 min I wiped it clean and the second coat was tung with just a hint of thinner and I used the same technique. The third coat was pure tung oil and it turned out fabulous. 
 
(I used this same technique for more things that I coat in tung, there are YouTube tutorials on it, I think it works wonders)
 
I forget what length i measured as far as where I was putting the nails, but once I got my measurements I drew a parallel line 2.5mm on each side, alternating back and forth. 
 

First of the second deck guard rails installed and I started cutting the corner sections for the first deck support beams. The corner sections are difficult to cut because they're so darn small. 
 
 

I saw a model of this many years ago at a local swimming baths (New Brighton outdoor baths now long gone), but it was in a showcase behind a window.
There was a local group wanting to raise money to salvage her. She was built only a couple of miles from where I lived.
I've also recently found out her Executive Officer was a cousin (distant)!
Great build 🙂
 
 
 

Hi Cathead, and others who are following along.
Sorry for the silence so far, life really does get in the way at times!
Just before things were put away I fitted up a jig onto the mini pillar drill in order to make 0.5mm slots 0.5mm deep into 1.5mm planks to take the PE railings. This was so much faster than hand filing I'd done and I thought "Yes! I can get this done!", and then had to pack it all up.
 
It did turn out to be a longer job than thought. He wanted a space themed bedroom with models on shelves and walls, but wanted specific ones, and the room fairly specific. He's high end autistic and everything has to be just so. Still got the Saturn V to finish and the Eagle lander to do.

Walls, ceiling, bedding and curtains needed to be glow in the dark, and one wall a giant nebula mural with glowing stars added.
 
It didn't stop there! The house then had a new damp course in the hall, living room and kitchen, so a full strip down and decorate throughout which include the satirwell and landing, with a new kitchen yet to be installed and then re-decorated.
Meanwhile middle son (23) was staying with us as his "support bubble" for the first UK lockdown taking up the modelling area.
Our two youngest, above son (11) and his sister who is 13, are home schooled so I do a the lesson planning and "one to one teaching", normally I was able to manage to do a little modelling around them, but not this time.
Christmas arrived and went and I'm only now being able to get back to getting a corner to work on and the modelling stuff out.
I did get an early christmas present though, a pillar drill for the shed - ploy by the admiral to get me to make body joints for the posable teddy bears that she makes as presents for family and friends. (also because I nearly took my left thumbnail off at the bed of the cuticle using a hand drill to make them when she ran out of shop-bought ones).
 
I'm looking at the King as I type, back on a shelf in the living room, the parts box is almost accessible again in the store room so hopefully in a week or so.
Thanks for looking in,
Bob
 
 

Mast detailing, painting and assembly. 
 
All the lower masts are divided into two shells. 
I glued them together, filled the gaps along the seams with putty and sanded the juncture in order to have a smooth surface. 
The kit provides a good detail in this area but some parts are missing or simplified. 
There are no futtock shrouds, for instance, so I placed hand made eyebolts for them on both sides of all three masts. Position, size and orientation are taken from Campbell’s plans.
The jackstay on main and mizzen masts are simplified and oversized, so I removed the original one (visible in the picture down below, close to the mizzen mast) and I recreate my own version. 
Homemade eyebolts are fitted in predrilled holes (mini drills bits proved to be really useful along the entire build), glued in place and fitted with relative bars. The bars are made of spring steel (I hope it is the proper name in English). They maintained their shape and are perfect for the job.
 

 
I have also added the eyebolts at the mast base, they were absent in the kit. 

 

 
In the above picture it’s also visible the painting job: a first coat of matte white was followed by brown oil filters in order to enhance the shadow and break the white monotone. 
The blacks are all tire black, whit gray dry brush. 
 
All the tops were modified. The kit provide plastic shrouds and to fit them the tops have dedicated holes. 
They need to be filled with putty, sanded e prescribed. The excess of plastic around the holes needs to be removed. New holes were drilled for the futtock shrouds, following the right position indicated by Campbell’s plans. 
Even if I think this part was improved by my effort, I now think that I should have done more. They are still too thick and the lower metal frame should be added. But now it's too late. 
Many times along the build I have had to decide if “it was good enough”,   and usually I made the wrong decision.
Anyway, I thought it was easier to rig the shrouds with the masts not glued on the hull, so I started with the futtock shrouds and the main shrouds.
After many tests (I had no experience in rigging at all...) I found my way, here you can see the process in the making:
 
 


 
And here is the final result:
 

 


 
The black of the shrouds was attenuated by brown pastels. 
 
In the last images eyebolts and blocks are also visible. I decided to install them now, with plenty of space to operate.
 
Enough for today. 
 
I hope you like the updates and I wish you happy holidays!
 
 
 
 

Nice paintwork - wish mine was as good.
I've seen her each time she came into the Mersey. I used to work for British Telecom and the building looked out on the river. The 1st time she came to Liverpool, as she went down river to turn, she rode so high the funnel cut off the microwave phone links across the river, and again when she turned back to come up opposite the Liver building to anchor. Caused quite a stir until it was realised that was what had happened 😃