realworkingsailor

I agree with you, I’m under no illusions
 
In O scale you’re pretty much limited to making the rotary spin, but that’s about all (maybe some sound effects). You’d never get enough weight in it to keep it on the tracks let alone be able to add a motor and batteries etc. (even the G scale rotary derailed at the end of the above video). 
 
Andy

If I recall correctly, a large number of the Churchill tanks used by the Canadians at that time were either AVREs (Fascine tanks, petards etc), or Crocodile (flame thrower) variants. 
 
Most of the main armoured regiments were using Shermans or Sherman Fireflies 
 
Andy

If I recall correctly, a large number of the Churchill tanks used by the Canadians at that time were either AVREs (Fascine tanks, petards etc), or Crocodile (flame thrower) variants. 
 
Most of the main armoured regiments were using Shermans or Sherman Fireflies 
 
Andy

I agree with you, I’m under no illusions
 
In O scale you’re pretty much limited to making the rotary spin, but that’s about all (maybe some sound effects). You’d never get enough weight in it to keep it on the tracks let alone be able to add a motor and batteries etc. (even the G scale rotary derailed at the end of the above video). 
 
Andy

Hi all,
 
A couple of pictures regarding the layout.
 
 Firstly, the contents of the Tamiya Normandy Road Signs. Although there are a lot of signs in the box I only intend to use two of them. The rest will be kept for other projects.

On first examination I thought the Sign scale was too large, but I can see from this article that they are correct.... https://www.themodellingnews.com/2022/02/preview-135th-scale-french-concrete.html   My layout will likely show two broken and misaligned concrete signs.
 
Below, my latest thinking on the scenario.
- The Farmer who owns the orchard that produces the apple brandy is offering a bottle to the tank Driver. The Loader and Gunner look keenly on.
- The wall is no longer a garden wall but a wall that surrounds the front of the farmhouse. I have made a small gate for the wall.
- Meanwhile the tank Navigator is trying to confirm directions to Caen (or maybe Paris?) from a passing soldier. The two concrete road signs are seen leaning against the banking - these will be weathered etc.
- I will terraform the scene. There will be a sloping grass bank at the rear. I will try to mostly use materials from my garden.
- Although the initial D-Day landing was wet, the rest of the progress towards Paris apparently took place in very good weather.
- The tank has been weathered but is mostly covered in dust. The Churchill MkVII was relatively new so there would have been little rust/road wear present.

 
The Canadian 3rd Division had, as far as I can see, more Churchill tanks active in the campaign but I couldn't resist the 'Ben Nevis' name.
 
There is a very good graphical explanation of the Normandy movements here... https://www.britannica.com/event/Normandy-Invasion  I feel I have learned a lot more about this episode than I ever did at school.
 
Any thoughts/advice/comments about the scenario and what road signs would be best are welcomed.
 
Finally, thanks again for all the Likes and Comments - they are much appreciated,
 
Richard
 
 

Saw this, thought you might be interested:
 

Looks like fun! And it works pretty well too!
 
Andy
 

Thank you for posting that video. Yes, G-Scale or Gauge 1 (1/32) is another story and you can envision this kind of operation as long as the snow is very fresh and cold. In On3, it would not be possible.
 
Yves

Post One Hundred and Twenty-eight
 
Shipping the rudder
I thought I would add the rudder now as fitting involves positioning the hull for access.
The rudder has a central Pear core with facings engraved to represent the tablings and other sections that properly make up the rudder of a large ship.

1754a
As I won’t be coppering, all this detail will remain visible.

3198
Before assembly of the rudder it is a good idea to check the fit thro’ the rudder port and against the stern post.
I found I needed to fettle the port a little to get the head of the rudder into position.
 

5434
With regard to rudders I have mostly used the Syren system which produces a moving rudder on individual pintles and gudgeons.

2271(2)
On Sphinx the kit provided ‘faux’ pintles/ gudgeons (above) were a thin brass etch affair which didn’t do it for me, and I used the Syren system.
 
The arrangement on ‘Indy’ is a much-improved resin version of a pintle/gudgeon combo and with laser board straps replacing the brass etch.

1750a
Chris has done a fine job in replicating these items and I am sufficiently impressed to use them on my build.
 
These little widgets slot into the Rudder beautifully, and the corresponding gudgeons match to the slots in the stern post.

1759a
The strap positions are marked on the rudder for the pintles, for accurate fitting.
I think it is also a good move to make the straps out of laser board, saves all that brass blackening and then messing it up during fitting.

1778a
The manual indicates use of brass pins inserted into drilled holes on the straps. I prefer to represent the bolts on the straps using blobs of pva applied with a toothpick.
 
The final addition to the rudder is the Spectacle plate.

1763a
This is chemically blackened brass etch.

1767b

1786a

1765a
The fit of the rudder is excellent, with a good push fit.
With this system there are no worries about getting a close fit to the stern post.
 
Well done Chris.👍
 
 
B.E.
09/01/2024
 
 

Saw this, thought you might be interested:
 

Looks like fun! And it works pretty well too!
 
Andy
 

Saw this, thought you might be interested:
 

Looks like fun! And it works pretty well too!
 
Andy
 

Saw this, thought you might be interested:
 

Looks like fun! And it works pretty well too!
 
Andy
 

Saw this, thought you might be interested:
 

Looks like fun! And it works pretty well too!
 
Andy
 

Okay, the next step is a little bit of a logistical challenge. The thingy on the right is a jig for aligning the bow frames while glue sets. The challenge is, I'm supposed to glue the bow frames in, add the sub-deck, tack down the sub-deck, and, finally, temporarily secure the jig in place -- all before the glue sets. I mean, the MK guys know that wood glue sets up pretty quickly, right? Right??
 

 
As you can see, there's a laser-engraved center line on the sub-deck. The instructions don't say anything about cutting the sub-deck into halves, but I assume that's what the line is for. So my plan is to cut the deck into two halves and then do the aforementioned tasks one side at a time -- should be more manageable. Cross your fingers!
 

Saw this, thought you might be interested:
 

Looks like fun! And it works pretty well too!
 
Andy
 

Saw this, thought you might be interested:
 

Looks like fun! And it works pretty well too!
 
Andy
 

The upper bulkheads are in place. The upper hull strip, which is marked with the gun port locations, is temporarily clipped to the bulkhead extensions; this is then used to align the gun port frames. Here's half of those in place -- I didn't want to do both sides at the same time, because I had visions of myself repeatedly knocking the clothespins loose. There's no rush.
 

The stern structure is now complete. Next up will be the amidships upper bulkheads.
 

Update
 
Ergenstrasse is almost complete,
New are : Bridge awnings bothsides and frontpannels with stiffening out brackets, mokeydeck railings and front funnelstays, and several bracket supports for the  bridge and its wing cabs .....
Also mounted lifesavers with ropes in 8 places
Nils

sun protection awning

bridge wing pannels with supporting brackets and monkey deck railing

 

 
 
 

Post One Hundred and Twenty-seven
Channels
 The channels each comprise laminations of three parts. The core centre part is rounded on the edges and extends slightly beyond the upper and lower pieces to create a decorative profile.

1748a
In practice the edges of the channels were open to receive the deadeye strops, and a cover strip was nailed over the top, decorative or otherwise.
Quite a straightforward business prepping the channels; largely making sure you have the correct cores and matching outer pieces, carefully applied to each side of the core, and aligned with the slots and holes.

1740a
The Main channels require more bevelling on the aft side to account for the greater tumblehome.

1739a
The Fore channels require bevelling and a little fettlin’ to match the round of the bow and take a little more time to fit.

3192
The Mizen and stools for the main and Mizen backstays require little attention and there are location holes in the hull for accurate fitting.

3194

3189
A well-designed set-up by Chris for what can otherwise be a tricky exercise.
 

1733a
Whilst in the area of the Poop I added a lead sheathing to the Gallery roof, this will tone down to a dull grey over time.

1731a

1744a

1745a
Before I permanently fix the channels I think I will return to the deck and inner bulwark fittings.
At this point the channels will just present another incumbrance to be careful about when working inboard.
 
 
B.E.
07/01/2024
 
 
 
 

A bit more progress . . .
 
There's a series of filler "blocks" at the bow and stern. Instead of being the typical balsa or basswood blocks, the filler is built up from multiple layers of laser-cut plywood pieces. Three such pieces are provided at the stern, each marked with beveling lines. Once those are glued in, the gaps are filled with scrap plywood. A channel for the tiller must also be drilled out.
 

 
In the next image, you can see how I penciled the edges of the laser-cut pieces so that I wouldn't remove too much material from the filler pieces when sanding them down to the correct (hopefully) shape. The counter is soaked in water, bent, and glued into position (there's a notch that fits over a nub on the profile former, enabling proper positioning). The counter must be tacked into place until the glue sets.
 

 
While that sets, I decided to skip ahead a little and work on the bow filler pieces. No difficulties there.
 

 
You might notice the number "29R" on the top piece. It's nice that the parts are marked L and R on the plans and instructions, instead of L and P as in Polish kits, which takes getting used to.
 
Lastly, there is a beam to install right before the first quarterdeck bulkhead. This will support the aft end of the main deck. Once that's glued and clamped, some waiting is in order to allow everything to set.
 

 
I have half a mind to fire up a card model to work on during the intermittent waiting times required for this build.
 

Hi all,
a small update of my build, while working on the camouflage, I started to work also on the preparation of the landing gear pieces. I cleaned all the parts, filling extractor marks and furnishing them with some wiring simplifying what seen in the pictures of the real thing.

Then a black primer followed:

Finally, I sprayed them with a metallic white alumimium along with their L.G. bay doors. At the end, I picked up some details with Tamiya black and brown panel accent liners.

I will complete them with little placards that I will obtain from pieces of black decals. Landing gears are one of my favorite subject and generally, with little attention they can be improved quite a bit.
That is all for now,
Best regards,
Dan

I suppose before things get even more busier with the holiday season crazies, I should, at the very least provide a bit of an update on the status of things as they now stand.
 
I have been slowly picking away at the lettering, in the grand scheme of things, there really isn't a lot to be applied, but it's not without its challenges.
With any model locomotive, the number is always the part of the lettering that requires the most care. Decal companies usually provide a range of numbers in their lettering sets, but unless you're lucky, the numbers are not found in the order you need them. Black Cat Publishing is no different. Having said that, their Dominon Atlantic steam loco set does include a number set for #999, but the spacing is incorrect, which means I still had to cut out each number individually for application to the locomotive cab side:
 

 
 The standard CPR painting scheme required the locomotive number, when applied to the cab, to be applied in the centre of cab panel (between the front corner and the vertical handrail) located below the window. For a loco with a three digit number, this meant starting with the middle digit, and moving outwards. As I didn't want things shifting, this meant applying one number at a time and waiting for things to set fully before proceeding to the next number, until all were applied.
 

 
The Rapido model includes many lighting features, including a lit front number board (prototypically accurate). For the undecorated model, this is left as a white panel. I had to do some serious digging in my stash of decals to find some appropriately sized white numbers printed on a black background. (I had hoped for clear numbers, but this is the next best thing). It's easier to find white numbers on a clear background, as most earlier steam locomotive models (read: brass models) do not include lit number boards, so the numbers would be applied over an inert black painted background. 
 

 
One of the things that really piqued my interest in the Dominion Atlantic was the quaint, unique, tender herald applied to many of its steam locomotives. The herald celebrates Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem.
 
There are still a few more decals to be applied, but that may have to wait until after Christmas. Thanks to everyone for the "likes" and comments, and my gratitude to those who followed and are following along with this and my other builds this past year. Your support and kind remarks have been a source of endless encouragement and I can't thank you all enough. I wish you all the best through this coming holiday season (however you celebrate).
 
Andy

For those who missed it, I recently picked up three 1/87th scale CPR D-10 4-6-0 steam locomotives, recently released by Rapido Trains. All three come equipped with DCC and Sound. If you haven't "played with trains" in a while, you'd be astounded at the technological leaps the hobby has taken! These are absolute jewels of models, the level of detail is almost unsurpassed (I have noted a few small errors, but nothing that detracts from the overall appearance of the models). In my case I received 2 locos that came factory lettered for Canadian Pacific subsidiary Dominion Atlantic, as well as one unlettered version, which will also be lettered up for the DAR. 
 

 
My third D-10 would also require some detail changes to more accurately reflect on my chosen prototype. Thankfully, Rapido has included a small bag of extra parts, so scratch building, or otherwise sourcing replacement fittings has been thus far kept to a minimum. My chosen prototype is D10h #999. This locomotive served on the DAR from the late 1930s until the mid 1950s, when it was transferred to Ontario, until the end of the steam era. As luck would have it, #999 was donated to the Canadian Railway Museum (Exporail) in Delson, Quebec (just outside of Montreal), where it remains to this day. This makes #999 the only DAR steam locomotive to have been preserved.
 
Much information about the DAR and its locomotives, rolling stock, structures and history can be found at the Dominion Atlantic Railway Digital Preservation Initiative. The website includes numerous prototype photos of many subjects, including many of #999 throughout its service life:
 

 

 
I was able to make most of the desired changes to my model based of the above and other photographs sourced from the DAR DPI.
 
The first step in my conversion required careful disassembly of the model. Extreme care is needed, there are numerous small, fragile, detail parts, as well as the strong admonishment to follow the instructions included in the manual! After a lot of cursing, and only one or two damaged parts, I managed to get the locomotive broken down into its major sub assemblies:
 

 
This was necessary in order to access the steam pipes coming from the cylinders, and make modifications to the running boards. I would rather not have had to disassemble the locomotive, but things are as they are. As stated, the first change to be made was to the steam pipes. These are exhaust pipes and they came in two main types on the prototype D-10s. One version had the pipes angled, meeting the smoke box directly, the other had them coming vertically from the cylinder chest before curving in to the smokebox. The model came with the former, so the pipes had to be changed.
 

 
You can see the difference in the pipes in the above photo, the (supplied) replacements are on the right. The changing of the steam pipes, necessitated a change in the running boards to ones that had notches cut in them to clear the pipes. The left side running board was easily replaced with a supplied part, it only required the shifting over of some detail parts from the "as delivered" part to the supplied replacement. The right side running board required a little work. The supplied replacement had a raised step, found on some D-10s, that carried the walkway over a power reverse mechanism. On my prototype, there was no power reverse, it likely had only a hand operated "Johnson" bar, and therefore a straight running board. This meant I didn't need to remove the details, but I did need to create the notch for the steam pipes.
 

 
You can see in the above photo, the replacement supplied with the model and my modification. For weight, as many of the model's parts as possible were die cast. I have messed around with other model manufacturers, so I have some experience in the area. It should be noted that different model makers use different alloys. Some are very hard, and some are quite soft. Rapido's alloys are quite hard, so power tools are needed! Some careful Dremel work, but in relatively short order, the running board was modified to fit.
 
The next small modification was found under the cab. For most of her career on the DAR, #999 had a large valance that curved down from the running board flange to the back plate. The model had only a thin flange on the backplate. This was common to most D-10s late in their careers, so I can understand the choice to only make this version for the sake of mass production.
 

 
I made my valances out of 0.020" styrene sheet that I had on hand, as it closely matched the thickness of the locomotive castings. There is a bit of a visible seam where the plastic and metal meet, but I would rather not mess around with too much sanding and filler near the delicate mechanism. In less than ideal lighting, the seam is hardly visible anyway.
 
After all the modifications, it was time to reassemble and test the model, as well as repair any damaged detail parts. Thankfully there was only one piece of pipework that suffered from my abuse, but a little CA and the damage was put to right. A test run proved that I hadn't caused any harm to any of the mechanism. Whew, breathing again.
 

 

 
The next steps will involve a little more cleaning of the model, as it arrived from the factory rather generously lubricated, and some oil has found its way onto the surface of the model. Not a big deal, I would rather have the mechanism functioning properly than having it come out of the box squeaking like a mouse the first time it was put on the track.
 
For lettering, I dug deep into my stash and pulled out a set of decals from Black Cat publishing (I was worried I might have to order a set, but I found I still had one left). They are very nice decals to use, I've had a lot of success with them in the past. I also pulled out a set of PE number boards from Andy Mallet at MLW Services.  I got them a long time ago, so despite the presence of a web site, I'm not sure if he's still in business.
 

 
Since I had the paint and glue at hand, I didn't waste too much time getting the number board on:
 

 
In the past I've used gold coloured decals to replicate the number board, but the opportunity presented itself to use PE instead. To prepare it I simply painted the board black, followed by dry brushing brass paint on the frame and numbers.
 
The project as it stands now:
 

 
My next update should have all the lettering applied, and sealed in, ready for a little bit of weathering. 
 
Andy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I’m glad you kept that part of the Shore Leave forum, and I understand the reasons behind the suspension of the other part. I hope that things can remain this way, as regardless of subject, MSW is a great forum to belong to.
 
I know lately I’ve been away from ship modelling (it’s a “mood” thing), but as part of my researching for my “other projects” I stumbled across another forum that uses the same type platform and similar format as MSW (I will not name it). While there was a similar wealth of information and a similar community of enthusiasts, some of the threads I read turned into almost outright nastiness: “You’re wrong!” “No, you’re wrong!” (I’m paraphrasing, but I hope you get the idea). I was considering joining as it would be a more appropriate venue for my current modelling endeavours, but after seeing the darker side, I lost my appetite. 
 
I truly hope that things are allowed to continue here in the newly adjusted format. I think, for the most part, the people posting down there at the bottom of the forum are still following the MSW rules (it really isn’t a high bar to step over, if you think about it). 
 
And if I do do something in error, please let me know so I can correct it, if possible, and avoid making a similar misstep in the future.
 
Andy

Hi, 
I went on with the camouflage and prepared the masking for the dark green. Instead of preparing paper masks, I eventually decided to go with rolls of blu-tack.

For the green, I used the Gunze H-309 which is supposed to be a good match for the Italian Verde Scuro 26 (FS34086), although it turned out a tad too light in my view.


The blu-tack rolls were supposed to deliver a slightly feathered edges, but, instead, this effect is almost unnoticeable. At any rate, the paints went on very smoothly and I think the result is quite acceptable and resemble very much a NATO finish of the '70s. Only few touch ups here and there will be necessary. Next step will be the aluminium paint on the bottom to conclude the main paint job of the airframe.
 
Best regards,
Dan