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Hey Denis...any updates for this one?  

Hey Denis...any updates for this one?  

Hey Denis...any updates for this one?  

Hi all, thanks for the likes...another installment
 
Spent the last couple days focusing on the chainplates and the anchors
 


also finished mounting the ship's boat

added some strips to the anchor stocks to simulate banding

then painted them out and added rings

the ring alone was too thin so some puddening was called for 

just wrapping in black cotton thread and reinstalled

still need to touch-up the paint
thanks for looking in that's all for today
 

Hi all, thanks for the likes...another installment
 
Spent the last couple days focusing on the chainplates and the anchors
 


also finished mounting the ship's boat

added some strips to the anchor stocks to simulate banding

then painted them out and added rings

the ring alone was too thin so some puddening was called for 

just wrapping in black cotton thread and reinstalled

still need to touch-up the paint
thanks for looking in that's all for today
 

Hello everyone...this is the last installment of the Sparrowhawk build, she is complete...
The wing support rigging was completed with 0.015 stainless steel wire...the radio antenna is line from my rigging box, the attachment points are small hooks made from the stainless wire CA'ed into predrilled holes...I was able to use most of the kit decals though they all broke at one point or another, the stripe borders were a total lose though, so those are really thin pieces of masking tape, they were painted  with a pointer brush after the green had dried, that was a pita...my thanks to all who've participated in this log your support is much appreciated...on to the photos
 
 
 

I'm going to replicate BuNo 9058 as it would have served aboard the USS Akron in the early 30s for a couple reasons...first, everyone always seems to model 9056, the red one and second, by the mid 30s Washington demanded that the colorful paint jobs be eliminated, so the tails were all painted a blue-black and the flying trapeze insignia was removed.  A bird from the early 30s would carry all the color and markings.
 
 This will be a box stock build, with the exception of scratching the secondary gunsight,  which the kit instruction sheet calls for.
 
The decals have all the bureau numbers, allowing one to build of any of the six aircraft.  Each a/c was assigned a different color as well, 9056-Red, 9057-White, 9058-True Blue, 9059-Black, 9060-Willow Green, 9061-Lemon Yellow, the color was applied to the engine cowl, wheel pants, the upper wing chevron strip and the fuselage strip.
 
The carrier film was yellowed on these so they spent some time in the window before they were clear coated, turned out ok
Started assembly by attaching the horizontal stabilizers, so I could get the gaps filled and sanded before the primer coat
Then painted the interior with light sea gray...Testor Model Master color, a coat of gloss will be applied before the halves are joined together
the throttle quadrant needs to be detail painted 

seat assembly was painted natural metal

the engine assy was painted black and dry brushed with aluminum
That's it for today

Hi all, thanks for the likes...another installment
 
Spent the last couple days focusing on the chainplates and the anchors
 


also finished mounting the ship's boat

added some strips to the anchor stocks to simulate banding

then painted them out and added rings

the ring alone was too thin so some puddening was called for 

just wrapping in black cotton thread and reinstalled

still need to touch-up the paint
thanks for looking in that's all for today
 

Hi all, thanks for the likes...another installment
 
Spent the last couple days focusing on the chainplates and the anchors
 


also finished mounting the ship's boat

added some strips to the anchor stocks to simulate banding

then painted them out and added rings

the ring alone was too thin so some puddening was called for 

just wrapping in black cotton thread and reinstalled

still need to touch-up the paint
thanks for looking in that's all for today
 

Thanks for the likes...
This weeks update, still working on little odds and ends
 
First I reattached the billboards
 

the ships boat was cut down and a new stern fashioned...it was way too long, a rudder was constructed and a cradle fashioned for mounting on the deck

all painted out and test fit

lines will be added to secure it to the deck later
 
Started scratching out the anchors
for the arms I first cut small pieces from some curved stock I had in the spares box...not sure of the species

and added pins for the shank and shaped them a bit
the shanks were made by chucking square walnut in a dremel and turning against sandpaper, I left the top square to mount the stock

the stocks are shaped pieces of basswood 

and the flukes were cut from heavy watercolor paper

still have a bit of shaping and sanding to do...
 
also worked on the lower deadeyes for the shrouds

this "fixture" allows the deadeye to be held in place with a couple pins while blacked wire is wrapped around it and the pins
 
the pins leave spaces so they can be tacked to the hull when installed
 
Well that's all for now, thanks for looking in
 

Hope everyone had a nice holiday, did you get what you wanted from Santa?  
The saga with the stern continues...this pic shows the original fashion pieces I spoke of back in #41...
 


you can see how horizontal they appear compare to the plans behind the hull, and also how much distance there is between the bulkhead horns, it was the combination of these two that caused me a lot of grief.  If the distance between the horns was reduced to remove some of the horizontal run, there was not enough room in the stern for the post and rudder...soooo another tear down
the resolution, for me anyway, was to change the angle and height of the bottom of the stern timbers and thus the top of the counter

I removed about an 1/8 inch from the bottom of the transom to align with the bottom of the stern timbers
this pic show the final configuration of the transom and counter, my fashion pieces will have a slight s bend to them, but I think it will look better the the straight line it was 
 
With the stern finally were I can live with it I moved on to cutting and pining stanchions that will be needed later
and got the upper planking started 
and got the hull sanded out...
you can see the final angle of the counter in this pic...she still runs a little long but once the stern post and rudder are mounted it will be much less noticeable.  Overall I'm happy with the general shape of the hull, I think she has the buff bow and sweep to the strakes required.
 
I'll complete the fashion pieces next and then move on to the deck planking...trying to decide at this point if I'm going to paint above the main wale...has anyone left basswood bright? I've always painted it in my other builds...well that's all for now, thanks for you time and attention and for the likes and comments
 

Thanks to all for the likes and comments...the lower hull has been finish sanded, started with 80 and worked up through the grits to 400, its about as smooth as you would expect


She cleaned up pretty well and as I hoped all of the glitches fall below the waterline so they'll be covered with white stuff.
The stern post is mounted and the counter planking in place...
the gaps you see will be covered by trim and fashion pieces.
The main wale strake is mounted and trimmed...

and the waterline laid out, I may primer the bottom prior to doing anything else...still have the upper planking to do before moving on to the decking and furniture...
 

My best to you and your's during this holiday season🎄
 
 

Thanks to all for the likes and comments...much appreciated
The keel is repaired, still at a lose as to how it got broken in the first place...I cut the original keel at an approximate 45 degree angle and cut the patch to match, glued it in with pva and trimmed and sanded when dry...simple fix but aggravating to have to do

and finally started to plank...got the first two strakes in place next will be the garboard then I think I'm gonna jump to the stern planking, that section will be have some guess work involved as there is no definitive stern drawings to go by , gonna do some interweb searching to see what others have done

 
 

Hi Chuck,
 I'm using  Titebond III permanent waterproof wood glue, since it is waterproof I just figured the soak technique wouldn't work...I'll try later today and post the results, and thanks for taking the time to comment
 
Thanks to both Chris and Chuck for pointing out the error and suggesting a solution, soaking in iso worked very well

I was able to easily remove the offending bulkhead and deepen the slots and reinstalled

and got all the rest installed as well...there are a few that will require some material to the lower surfaces to flush out but the top and side profiles are good to go

well that's it for today, thanks to all
 

Made some progress today, here is a shot of the 3 mm Baltic birch ply that will make up the backbone of the build

nice stuff, b-bb grade, I cut out the bulkhead and keel patterns and positioned them to make the most of the ply and minimize waste, the pattern pieces were adhered with a glue stick

I wanted to double check my plan resize calculations, you can see here they are pretty close

after everything was laid down, all the parts went on a ride through the band-saw

once the rough cuts were made I used a 3 mm drill on the top of each slot rather then nibbling away on the band saw, all that was required to complete the rough slot were 2 parallel cuts

completed rough work

files were used to finish the fit of each piece

and here is where she stands...still more bulkheads to file/fit and all the parts need finish shaping, the topside cuts will be made using the same technique once the fit to the false keel is fine tuned.  
 
That's all for now thanks for looking in and thanks for the likes
 

Thanks for the likes...
This weeks update, still working on little odds and ends
 
First I reattached the billboards
 

the ships boat was cut down and a new stern fashioned...it was way too long, a rudder was constructed and a cradle fashioned for mounting on the deck

all painted out and test fit

lines will be added to secure it to the deck later
 
Started scratching out the anchors
for the arms I first cut small pieces from some curved stock I had in the spares box...not sure of the species

and added pins for the shank and shaped them a bit
the shanks were made by chucking square walnut in a dremel and turning against sandpaper, I left the top square to mount the stock

the stocks are shaped pieces of basswood 

and the flukes were cut from heavy watercolor paper

still have a bit of shaping and sanding to do...
 
also worked on the lower deadeyes for the shrouds

this "fixture" allows the deadeye to be held in place with a couple pins while blacked wire is wrapped around it and the pins
 
the pins leave spaces so they can be tacked to the hull when installed
 
Well that's all for now, thanks for looking in
 

HI CD thanks much...it was a fun build

The next important step is turning the figure into Jack. I did not have any experience with figures, so I decided to improvise

The sail is almost ready.

Blocks...

And one more small update...

Making deadeyes and the first attempts to make ropes.

Continuation of work with the hull of the boat.

Then I continued to work on the edges and the surface, so that the parts of the boat fit tightly together. Also I added intermediate frames and gunwale.

An update of sorts...I'll be away from the table for a week or so, home for fathers day an our anniversary.
 
   It wasn't till I posted the pic below in the last update that I noticed the sacrificial anchor rub boards (not sure of the exact nomenclature) were facing the wrong direction...the sweep should face fore not aft...so they have been removed and will be reinstalled going the right direction.  I may take the opportunity to weather them a bit prior to the reinstall too.
 
That's it for now...