Hercules by Kevin - FINISHED - OcCre - 1/50 - Tugboat

[Kevin]

1/50 Hercules Tug Boat- Occre - by Kevin - REVIEWS: Model kits - Model Ship World™

 

above is the link to the kit i reviewed November 2023

[Kevin]

good morning everyone, im back (less boo's from the back of the room please)

 

loosing my best friend really took it out of me, and i made the decision to just go quiet on the forums and Facebook, although i do miss him so much, life does go on.

 

Having said that i have still been building, Indy was put to one side and i got the tug out

 

What ever people feelings are about Occre Kits are, i want to build OOB, no lighting, weathering  etc and see what i could do with one of their kits,

she will be complete within a day or so so this will be a short log, but may be of interest to a couple of people, 

OOB for me also meant i did no historical research for building, and she was done in my paint scheme

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Old Collingwood]

Welcome  back  buddy.

 

OC.

[Kevin]

the Laser cutting is good, with very small tabs to be removed, but right from the start you quickly realise, there are just not enough frames for a vessel this size, it needs at least another 5 frames to allow fairing, and possibly adapting the area around the prop shaft area, as you are pretty well left to sort it out for yourself

planking is shown as laying one plank next to the other, NO TAPERING, and filling with scrap wood, i did it that way, but after building a decent kit like the Vanguard Models Indy, i was never going to be happy with the results

 

[Kevin]

at this point i still could not get the shaft are right

 

the deck is planked and painted

messy but fill sand and repeat

s

eventually i got the shat entry area looking tidy, and first coat of black on the hull

[Kevin]

bilge keels and below waterline coats sorted

[Kevin]

will never ever be happy with the shaft/rudder area, as she is designed to be an RC kit, so rightly or wrongly i added a rudder post, the gap looks far to large, between the prop and post nothing i can do about that

deck fittings are generic and oversized, and not many of them

[Kevin]

that is the hull mainly complete, but everyone who knows me, i chop and change, and never start on page one and turn to page two, me im more of page 1, then 27 and back to 13

so whilst the hull was being built up, so was the superstructure, how ever i dont have so many phots of this jn progress

the funnel is flat packed and planked, with two brass panels at the base to create the flared shape

on top of the main superstructure the decking is also planked and painted

so

 sorry about lack of photos this was never going to be a build log

 

couple photos of the instructions, for bits i missed

Edited May 21 by Kevin

[chris watton]

You have done a very neat job there, Kevin.

[Kevin]

sorry about the lack of photos, and words and the general lack of discussions i have with followers, in hindsight i should have thought more about the log, as it was a free review kit, apologies 

i was going to use a Vanguard Models ships boat, but then removed it to keep in the build as a OOB theme, But i did replace the Metal Tyres with those for a 1/35 tank transporter set, i also used my own rigging thread, the kits was to fluffy for my liking

 

here are a few more photos to take her to the end of the build

 

Edited May 25 by Kevin

[James H]

A real result, and I had no idea she was that big too!

 

Oh....

 

[Kevin]

Conclusion

 

The kit

This is my first Occre Ship kit and i was surprised  how well she would turn out, she will certainly not be my last one

The hull

at 1/50 she builds up fast into a nice  90cm long sleek looking hull, without much effort, but:

Far too few frames I think at least another 4 frames are needed and  as a result careful attention is required on the fairing to ensure the planks have max contact, she is  also  single planked therefore, some experience at planking would be suggested rather than the non tapering way suggested, with lots of infills

The shaft tube area, could do with  better defined photos and explanations, it is very much hit and miss on trying to get this important area correct

If being built as a static it might be worth looking at obtaining some better drawings to find a way of reducing the large area/space around the prop, ali I have done is put in a rudder post,

Superstructure

No real issues other than where the large 8MM holes for portholes which have to be drilled into the planked areas, the wood is very soft/balsa like and tends to rip rather than be allowed to be drilled, so took several redo’s to look presentable,

Fixtures and fittings,

 the cast items were clean of flash and required very little work to remove seam lines, but some items did seam out of scale to the hull

Conclusion

This was from the start going to be a OOB build, no scratch, lighting or special effects, the tyres are the only change from the metal kit ones.

Im mixed on this, the lack of detail, makes her a average static display kit, and as a RC build I think a lot of work would be required to make her work well on the water, but feel she would be quite delicate due to the way the superstructure lifts off to allow access into the hull, even on my desk the railings, forward vents and riggings got in the way and needed repair,

She was on my work bench for a period of six weeks, and reckon I put about 120 hours, from start to finish

With a retail price from Cornwall Model Boats of £269, I think that is extremely good value for money,

Thank you again Occre for the opportunity of myself doing the review, you have given me 120 hours of modelling enjoyment.

 

Paint

Hull  

Halfords Rattle can red primer and Vallejo red brown surface primer

Halfords rattle grey primer and Halfords Rattle can matt black

Superstructure

As above

Halfords Rattle white primer and  Vajello white primer

Funnel

Rattle cab VW brilliant orange.

Mast

AK 11118 ochre

Rigging various sizes from the Amati range. I found the Occre ones out of scale and very fluffy

Extras

The tyres are from the 1/35 Trumpeter M1070 tank carrier.

Edited May 25 by Kevin

[Mirabell61]

congrats Kevin,

your Hercules is a very fine tugboat, well done, also thanks for your conclusion notice

 

Nils

[Old Collingwood]

She turned out really nice,  I  see  your frustration  regarding the  screw - rudder   situation.

 

OC.

[Knocklouder]

Nicely done Sir, another keeper. Congratulations 

Bob M.

[Blue Ensign]

Nicely done Kevin👍

 

B.E.

[SiriusVoyager]

That is a very nice looking tug!

[ccoyle]

She looks fantastic, Kevin!