yvesvidal

I published a Blog on this model a while back. It is not easy to build and even less easy to make it run correctly. Yves

My sentiments, exactly. Yves

You can find local shops that will chrome parts for you. The price may be very reasonable and if you prepare your parts correctly, the final results will be outstanding. Yves

Superb book. The pictures are stunning and the overall quality makes my mouth drool. Yves

Mike, At the scale of 1/700th, this is self inflicted torture. How much are you going to spend in chiropractor and therapy after this PE set? Yves

Fantastic model. You really did a wonderful job on this kit. Yves

Folks, For the Bismarck and other German ships lovers, Trumpeter just announced the following in 1/200 scale: The 1/200 scale Scharnhorst battleship by Trumpeter is a newly-tooled plastic model kit. The kit features a one-piece hull, a finely-rendered deck pattern, six pieces of photo-etch (ladders, handrails, radar parts, etc.), and two Ar196 waterplanes. The kit features over 1600 parts on 25 sprues and measures over 46 inches when completed. Paint and glue are required to complete this model kit and are sold separately. Yves

The passageway is superb and incredibly realistic. Yves

Thank you Chris. This picture is interesting for many reasons: - It shows the evolution of hull shapes and funnels as an effort to take away all smoke and fumes from the decks. - Respective sizes of the liners. - Simplification of the rigging with modern vessels. Yves

Fantastic choice for your upcoming projects, CDW. All three are incredible models. I only drove the M635i .... The other twos....? Forget it, it is impossible. Yves

Fuji, If I may say this, I think the axles are exhibiting too sharp an angle. You may have an issue installing the electric motors and their universal joints. If it is not too late, I would relocate slightly the shaft supports on the outside of the hull, soften the epoxy with warm water and try to re-orient the shafts to be more parallel. If you do not intend to navigate the model, then no need to change anything. Yves

Beautiful model Chris. Absolutely stunning. Any hope we can see all your 1/600 fleet all together for a group picture? Yves

I am going through your Build log again and realized what you did: Oh my Gosh.... you are so brave !!!! It must have been a delicate decision to take..... Yves

Could you post the URL of that Build Log, when you get a chance? I thank you in advance. Yves

This is fantastic. I was tempted to get that kit (being a BMW enthusiast), having ridden an R75 and owning an R1100S, but the price gave me a cold shower. I will follow your build log with a lot of interest. I never rode the R90S but had a taste of the R100S and these machines are marvelous once you tame the gearbox. Do you have a Build Log for the Porsche engine? Yves

Your work at removing the laser char is amazing. The wood looks so perfect and so clean. Yves

How about pouring some clear acrylic resin in these pools? Your models are absolutely stunning, especially at this scale. Yves

Fantastic amount of details Blue Ensign. And what a pleasure to see both vessels next to each other. I am sure you are now Chris Watton's favorite builder. After the bathroom, what will be the next project? Yves

Ras, your model is beautiful. Please start a Build Log or post pictures of the finished model, in the gallery section. You are very brave to attempt the sails on such large model. I suspect you have access to a sewing machine or someone who is skilled at that trade. Yves

Thank you for the compliments. The lettering.... I used Dry Transfers as the kit does not provide any decals or templates. I went with the Roman font Gold characters from Woodland Scenic MG703. The characters come is various sizes which makes it handy. Note that you will need two sets because of the scarcity of the letter "M" on one sheet. The stern marking was done on a piece of white paper painted black with gesso (like the rest of the hull). That piece of paper is carefully cut following the edges of the large oval shape provided in the kit. Basically, the paper edges will be hidden underneath the wood frame, around the name. It is difficult to dry-transfer/rub characters on the hull directly and it is much easier on a piece of paper on an horizontal table. The "bubble" of paper is then glued on the stern and the wood framing is placed on top with four tiny dots of CA glue to hold it. For the bow markings, I used a small piece of wood, painted black; then I dry-transfered the characters and finally glued the small piece of wood to the hull. It is not entirely prototypical but I could not find a way to place the transfers on the finished hull. Yves

Finally, the Dry Transfers were received and the hull has been completed. The bowsprit can be fully disassembled for future maintenance or transportation. I will try to do the same with the main mast and rigging. A few pictures: I have also procured a nice board made of bamboo plywood (no risk of warping with that stuff), which is very light and extremely sturdy. With a dimension of 30 x 8 inches, it will give me a nice area to build a diorama representing the ship undergoing some restoration. Happy Holidays to all the members of the Model Ship World forum. Yves

Superbe !! Yves

Stern mooring bitts are now completed. The mooring bitts have evolved on the Emma C. Berry and have been changed a few times. The original bitts were located on each side of the wheel house, enclosing the rudder mechanism. Later on, that little housing was removed, the wheel discarded and replaced by a tiller. The bitts were later on removed from the deck, during the latest renovation and installed on each side of the bulwarks. I have decided to represent the vessel, with the tiller and still the old mooring bitts, on each side of the rudder mechanism. Looking at the Restoration Book, the mooring bitts are depicted in the following way: Inside the hull, a very strong base is provided. Unfortunately for me, with a fully planked deck, it is not possible to depict the base. It would not be visible anyway. So, armed with a 2.5 mm bit and a square file, we reluctantly drill through the deck: The openings are done with a small square file and the bitts fabricated with square wood. They insert with a good amount of resistance and are long enough to touch the bottom of the hull: The top is covered with our fake lead, a coat of smoke and a coat of matte clear coat to finish the bitts: Even though the picture cannot reveal the details, the bitts are actually resting against the hull: Et voila. That pretty much concludes what I can do on the hull, while waiting for these @#$%^& Dry Transfers. Yves

That is a nice pair of horns 🙂 Yves

The windlass is now finished. The aluminum foil was darkened with Tamiya Smoke and covered with a generous amount of flat clear. I have also added two wooden levers to actuate the windlass: Since the Dry Transfers are still stuck with USPS, somewhere in the USA, I am going to work on the stern mooring bitts, on each side of the tiller. Yves