HMCS Bonaventure by NavyShooter - 1/96 scale - an RCN fitting out

[Keith Black]

 It does look good. 

[Ian B]

An epic build 😁

[NavyShooter]

Some careful measuring, scribing, and cutting this afternoon, and I've got the hangar deck cut-out done, and the hangar deck insert fits almost perfectly. 

That said, I realized that the design I made originally was factored around the 6mm thick wooden flight deck, so the top of each of the elevators actually projects 6mm up above the white 'pad' around it.  That is....less than desirable.  It means that I have to either do cut-outs around the elevators, or, re-print the elevator modules. 

 

So.

 

I'm about to start re-printing the forward and after elevator modules.  Again.  Version 5 now...?

[NavyShooter]

Here's the problem....

[NavyShooter]

As I await the printer before I do anything further with the flight deck, I decided to have a look at the anchor system.

 

Here's the 'anchor module' that I've designed.

 

This will be about a 9 hour print.  You can see at the top the 'ears' which will hold a 3mm brass rod that'll act as a spool for the chain to run across.  Below that is the winch deck, and below that at the bottom is the cable well, and there's a solid 'bar' in the cable well to tie the end of the anchor cable around so that it isn't lost by running out all the way. 

 

We'll see how version 1 works...

[NavyShooter]

As I wait for the hangar modules to print, I'm getting in some 3D design time. 

I was originally going to have a folding articulated accommodation ladder, but realize that this will exceed the limits of what I can do with my FDM printer, so I went back to basics, got some dimensions, and produced a swappable folded, or setup accommodation ladder.

 

When the Elevators are done printing, and the anchor module, I'll be able to kick a couple of these out to test them out.

 

 

[Pirate adam]

This has been really interesting to follow. It is amazing how you are able to do the 3D design work and bring it to life with the printer. 
 

Adam 

[NavyShooter]

Hangar elevator modules #2 finished printing this morning....as I left for work I started printing the accommodation ladders - we'll see how that looks when I get home tonight. 

 

 

[NavyShooter]

Well, 

 

New modules printed over the weekend, last night I finished cutting out the old modules and installing the new ones.  A good time to have a nice sharp, fine razor saw!  Almost a perfect fit. 

[NavyShooter]

Well, those who have been following me may be aware that my 'building slip' has been filled up with a 1/100 scale model of the RMS Titanic, and the 1/48 scale HMCS St Thomas - which, as of yesterday, have both been launched, and are no longer occupying dry-dock space in my garage.

 

So, that means I can now do a bit of tidying up, and hopefully get back to working on the Bonnie again!!

 

NS

 

[NavyShooter]

New hobby shop opened up in town - I got an invite to the pre-launch opening and tax free sale...so I bought a little bitty helicopter.

 

Concept - strip the orange fuselage off, and fit a 3D printed Sea King fuselage...then I can launch it from the ship while at sea and fly it home!!!

 

 

[NavyShooter]

Comes out about 50% oversize...but...I think it'll do.

 

I have to re-print the fuselage to make it about 5% taller - give a bit more space for the battery pack.

 

The battery is 'normally' removed for charging, but I think I'm going to set this up to have the battery fixed in place, and I'll charge through a port I make in the side by the cockpit.

 

 

[Canute]

Very nice. Just hope some gull won't mess with the "bird". 😁

[NavyShooter]

Test flight - took off in the garage, 'landed' in the garage....it wasn't pretty.  But.  It flew.

 

I've also just returned from 2 weeks of vacation - did you know that most cruise ship's have a builders model onboard?

 

 

[NavyShooter]

Got caught up on some things last week, and this week I got back to some work on the Bonnie.  The HMS Blackpool model is basically complete - just some minor details left to add/finish up, so This week I got the Bonnie out on the paint table, flipped her over and did the upper hull portion in gray paint.  Next step will be to scribe the waterline, mask, then do the red.  

 

We'll see how that goes!

[yvesvidal]

On 7/16/2024 at 8:57 AM, NavyShooter said:

Those modern ships are scary! Way too high above the water and not enough rescue boats, to accommodate 2-3000 passengers.

 

Yves

[NavyShooter]

Here we go with a second layer of gray on the hull. 

 

Next will be scribing the waterline, taping it up and doing some red, then the black boot topping. 

[ddp]

yvesvidal, i think it is required by law to have enough life boats for entire crew & passengers so as not repeat what happened to the crew & passengers of the Titanic.

[KeithAug]

On 8/30/2024 at 9:04 PM, NavyShooter said:

Next will be scribing the waterline, taping it up and doing some red

I find a laser level works quite well for that.

[Javelin]

On 8/30/2024 at 11:50 PM, ddp said:

yvesvidal, i think it is required by law to have enough life boats for entire crew & passengers so as not repeat what happened to the crew & passengers of the Titanic.

Not entirely so. Normal regulations (SOLAS) for cargo ships dictate 100% capacity in lifeboats on each side (if it capsizes, one side is unavailable), however on passenger vessels, some of that capacity is offset by liferafts rather than only lifeboats. Cargo ships do have liferafts as well. 

 

I assume the Navy has its own regulations as they do not have to follow SOLAS. 

 

That said, love your build Brad. Good to see some paint, the red will really make a big difference too, for me it always takes a build to the next step! 

[NavyShooter]

Hull has been masked, and boot topping applied.

 

Next will be to let this dry for a few days, then a strip of tape to cover the boot topping, and then the hull will be red by the weekend!

[NavyShooter]

Tonight I was out in the garage puttering away at a few things - I masked up the boot topping, and shot the keel with the first layer of red.  I'll let it dry a bit and shoot it again on the weekend probably. 

 

I was also puttering away with some electronic bits - once the keel is done and dusted, I'll be able to flip the hull over and start working on the guts...but wanted to get some work done tonight on some of the 'extra' channels on the receiver.  I was puttering away at the Anchor Chain hoist system tonight.  It's a bit finicky. 

[NavyShooter]

There's something really nice about pulling off that ball of tape...and seeing that nice clean boot topping...

[NavyShooter]

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a gent who has a display setup honouring the sailors from the Bonnie (and other veterans) in a local mall, so on Monday, I'm dropping off a 'mini' air-det to him, with one each Tracker, Banshee, Sea King and Horse.  There is a glass cover for the display box, so they'll be protected (which is a good thing.)

 

Also, the hull has now dried a bit, so I've decided to put the draft markings on.  I'm quite pleased with how that looks.  

 

Let that dry for a few days and I'll add a few layers of clear coat sealant on it to protect them.

 

[NavyShooter]

So this afternoon I had a few minutes to invest in working on the Bonnie.  I've got the large opening in the flight deck for the hangar module done, now it' s a question of having access to the rest of the interior bits I need to get to.  

So, here's the entry hole for the rudder post/servo area cut out.  It's also the space where I put in the workshop spaces that I 3D printed - so - I have to be able to remove them through this hole.  

It all fits and works. 

Observe the use of the post-it notes to setup the edges of the hole for cutting - I put the post it notes on the hull to line up where I wanted the edge to be on the flight deck, and then instead of measuring/transferring the hole dimensionally, I simply put a post-it note over top of the lower one, aligning the edges perfectly.  

If it looks stupid, but it works...is it really stupid?

[NavyShooter]

OK, here's how she looks with almost all the holes cut in the flight deck - the island hole is still to be cut in this image. 

[NavyShooter]

And here we go - this is the interior access hatches all cut out.  Now I'm clearing some access space under the island to allow the wiring harness and smoke stack to get up, and then I'll be working on the deck crane. 

[PvG Aussie]

Looking good Brad.

I hope my 1/350 scale USS Enterprise CV6 build looks as good as your carrier, although mine is a little smaller. 😊

Peter

[NavyShooter]

Alrighty!  After many steps back, we are now moving forward!  Here's the flight deck with a layer of nice fresh green paint applied.  I'm going to mask it next and do the gray landing strip, and the various yellow safety lines.  Then I'll glue it onto the hull. 

 

Getting there!!

[NavyShooter]

The deck is now partly gray!