Battle Station by Finlo - Mantua/Panart - Posto di Combattimento

[Finlo]

Good morning Guys,

 

Stuck in under lockdown in Ghana, so I thought I would post progress on the Panart Battle Station I am doing. Everything is hard here. Even when the shops are open you can't buy modelling materials so it is a mater of make do. No micro drills, no proper paint, no razor saw. Nothing is easy. Even the correct glue is hard to find, and that's when the shops are open!

 

The kit has been carried around the world for about 10 years whilst I made the Billing Cutty Sark, and now is suitably mature, so started.

 

Before I started I made up a couple of Mantua Cannon I had in the cupboard. Here is the US Coastal cannon, and here is the French Marine Cannon. 

 

Battle station details to follow

Finlo

[Finlo]

The Battle Station Kit Kit is pre laser cutting, and was missing a few pieces (bellaying pin, a few brass eyelets), but worst of all some of the eye blocks. They will be hard to make without a micro drill. Maybe a red hot needle??

 

Anyway, having had the luxury of laser cut parts for the two cannon it was a bit of a shock to have to hand cut the parts, and that took about a day.

Here are photos of the box, (as you can see very old stock), the parts list (with missing bits) and the check of all parts, plus the assembly of the main frame.

 

Worst was de-lamination of the ply, which took a bit of sorting out with glue and clamps.

 

The brass plating on the connons was coming off badly, so they wer esanded and painted matt black, which I think is a lot better than brass. I haven't seen a brass cannon, except in the Woolwich Rotunda, where there is a magnificent exhibition of old artillery.

 

Here are photos of the check list with missing bits, the parts layout, the ribs, (note the router didn't cut notches square, so you have to do those by hand too), and a few other details.

 

Hull planking today.

 

Finlo

 

[Finlo]

Ist plank went on this morning, and then the second. I cut the planks slightly uneven lengths, since I liked the rough look on one of the other builds I had seen on this site by another modeller, where the ends of the planking didn't finish in a perfect line.

 

In addition, joints in the planks were added at the ribs by a partial cut through. Will double nail these joints too, to make it look like a join.

 

Nails will have to be added later, probably have to sharpen a nail to make and awl to get that done. Welcome to Ghana!

 

You may have noticed in the framework pictures that not all the strengthening corners have been added to the main deck ribs yet. That's because without the right tools, (micro drills) I can't fit the hammock hooks. They have to be sharpened on wet and dry, and then pressed in with pliers (a technique I had to use when making the Mantua cannons). If the mitres were in place there would be no room for the pliers. The plan is to finish the planking and deck today, give them a coat of polyurethane matt. I notice on one of the other builds, (either Cobra 1951 or Bryank I think) that the corner mitres in the newer kits are much higher quality. All mine are different thicknesses, and rough as a bears what's it. The new ones look about 5mm thick and even. I don't intend to remake. Most will be covered by decking anyway. 

 

I've shown a photo of the cannon sides being cut. Note the poor quality ply and the router not cutting square corners. Also the kitchen knife for trimming....another welcome to Ghana tool!  

[Finlo]

The french Marine Cannon I failed to post earlier

[Finlo]

The french Marine Cannon I failed to post earlier.

 

Also Red Rhino has asked for a set of English instructions which I will send him, but it reminded me of something.

 

Obviously prepared before the advent of Google Translate, but they are truly awful. Almost incomprehensible! You would have thought that near the factory they could have found a native english speaker to proof read the instructions? 

 

Has the newer version improved? I note many complain that the plans, kit and instructions don't match (true) too.

 

[Finlo]

Hi All,

 

Have been pressing on with the battle station.

 

A warning for anyone doing the Panart kit. Unless the quality of the castings for the gun port hinges have been significantly improved since the era of my kit (probably 20 years old...(nicely matured!!) then take great care. They are made of a very low grade, weak Mazak, and the holes in the hinges for both the pins and the screw eyes are not well cast. In my case they were not cast at all.

 

Thus I had to drill them. Using a Dremel and a Dormer (good quality) 1.5mm, the smallest I can get here in Ghana under lock down, the job was a nightmare.

 

Drilling the hinge pins was 2 out of 4 broken ☹️, and the holes for the screw eyes similar result, with 2 out of 4 bust. And believe me, after the first one, I was VERY careful. The castings have the tensile strength of a warm Mars bar. I will post a photo showing the epoxy repair. I will paint the hinges black to disguise the glue, but not a good result.

 

Decided to go for the HMS Victory paint scheme, (white below deck except the deck) since it seems common, (and apparently made it easier to see below deck with the low light levels). Quickly gave up that idea, since the quality of paint I can get here is not even like good household enamel. Once I started painting I realised that I was making a good job bad, just because of the "gloopy" nature of the paint. And no compatible thinners...used Cellulose thinners which did work. Luckily I had only done a couple of beams, so stuck to the beams only as you can see in the photos. If I get to UK I will pick up some Humbrol paint tinlets.

 

I have also decided not to install the brass nailing detail meant to depict the hull plank fixings. I have never seen that pronounced fixings, and if they had been there, would have been over painted black or warship colours anyway. Any comments on this decision? I can always put them in if you think they add realism.

 

Made up the 1.5 mm ring eyes.....bent around a small screwdriver. Made an awl from a piece of timber and a ground down nail (see photos) to make holes for them...lack of micro drills is killing me....and fitted the eyes. You can see in the photos. 

 

Tomorrows tasks,

1) Clean up and paint gun ports and hinges and mount them...including holes for the lines to support them open.

2) Deck support trees and the columns, (which I pre-painted white).

3) Paint the framing of the gun ports red (suggested on the plans...not sure why...

4) Start the cannon

 

Good modelling,

Finlo