USS ENGAGE (MSO-433) by Brian Falke - FINISHED - Scale 1:96 - 1989 post modernization - first scratch build

[ccoyle]

Congratulations, Brian! That is an exceptional-looking model and display.

 

EDIT: I didn't realize that Engage was built in Stockton. My grandfather was a watchman at Rough and Ready USNSD at the time, so he might have seen Engage out and about.

[Roger Pellett]

Very nice Brian.  I see that you included my two nemesis’s, pelorus and controllable pitch prop!

 

Roger

[lmagna]

Nicely done Brian

 

A good friend of mine served on Agile class MSOs when they towed them to the Middle East. I am pretty certain that he would be envious of your build.  

[G.L.]

Beautiful model. Brings back a lot of memories to the time I served on the MSO's of the Belgian fleet.

[schooner]

Great job!!! It has been a real pleasure (and a trip down memory lane) to watch this come together. The model is awesome, as is the base and case.

[TomZZZZ]

Very nice but, where is the aft starboard hatch to after steering?

[GrandpaPhil]

Congratulations!  Well done!

[Brian Falke]

On 5/17/2020 at 12:49 PM, TomZZZZ said:

Very nice but, where is the aft starboard hatch to after steering?

Tom,

DANG!  Now I have to take it out of the case....just kidding.  That is a great example of planning.  I installed the starboard pigs and otters before thinking about the aft steering hatch.  Just could not get it in between the two.  As the DCA on ENGAGE, aft steering was my space, it was the DC workshop.  And with two DCmen that were, well, a little on the large size, I chuckled every time they had to go through the scuttle.

[Brian Falke]

On 5/10/2020 at 1:34 PM, Roger Pellett said:

Very nice Brian.  I see that you included my two nemesis’s, pelorus and controllable pitch prop!

 

Roger

Thanks Roger.  the pelorus' were purchased from shapeways.com.  I initially had made two out of wood and was not completely satisfied with them, but they were all that I had.  I did stumble upon shapeways when I was looking for the eggbeater antennas.  The 35' whips, the eggbeaters, the big eyes and the pelorus' were purchased from them. 

As for the CPP, I struggled with those.  Those were made back in 2009.  I looked through all the model ship building websites in an attempt to find a port and starboard CPP and could not.  They were pretty much fixed screws, and right hand at that, and wrong size.  Yes, they were 1:96 scale, but for a destroyer, cruiser, etc.  None for a Minesweeper.  So, I decided to fashion my own out of wood.  I initially tried to put some forward pitch on the blades but could not get the pitch uniform across the eight blades.  It was at that point I decided to mount the ship as if she is pier side with 0 pitch on the screws. 

[Joe Boyte]

A beautiful model Brian!  BRAVO ZULU!  Engage was my first ship of a 20 year career, and I agree with you.  You're first is always the best.

I went aboard in 1959 and she was my home for two years.  She was in the "as built" configuration with a 40mm Bofors forward, a motor whaleboat, and a shorter forward superstructure.  We were never towed or piggy backed anywhere and I made one Westpac cruise - 29 days from Long Beach to Yokosuka - with fuel deck loaded in drums.  Rode out one Typhoon and countless lesser storms. Still love that ship!

 

I build model ships and have been contemplating a scratch mode of he for a while. (there are no kit options) and I intend to use use your blog as a guide. Thanks and the best of fortune to you.

                                                                                                                                                               J. F. Boyte SCPO USN ret.            

[schooner]

Senior Chief, I sent you a message regading an MSO kit, let me know if you don/t get it.