1880's-1890's Sternwheeler by Ferrus Manus - Lindberg - 1/64 - PLASTIC - A quick build of a Western barge-pusher

[Ferrus Manus]

A build log is being made for this build because I would like to get some information/do some research on Late 19th century American sternwheel paddle boats. This is Lindberg's "Southern Belle" kit, although it isn't based on any particular ship. I will still be working on the Chebec while I am building this kit, and this kit will not take long- maybe 3 weeks max. 

I have a few things dry-fitted so far, namely the fore deck and engine room gear. One of the things that factored into my decision to build this model is the fact that the last (and first) powered work boat I made was Revell's tug boat, which turned out pretty great. 

The tug, accompanied by a late-19th century fishing smack: 

Another element that factored into my decision to build this kit was @Keith Black's Lula, a sternwheeler intended to supply a floating piece of machinery. 

The only issue here is that I have never, and I mean never, seen a river boat, even a barge-pushing river boat, whose bow and Stern were completely squared off. Any information would be helpful. 

[Keith Black]

6 hours ago, Ferrus Manus said:

The only issue here is that I have never, and I mean never, seen a river boat, even a barge-pushing river boat, whose bow and Stern were completely squared off.

  The sternwheeler in the image below is the Juanita built in 1954. Ferrus, were I you and I liked the kit, i'd build and have fun with it.

 

 

[Ferrus Manus]

Yesterday and today, I worked on the engine room machinery mostly, and also painted the deck. 

I'm not particularly a fan of the pristine "as launched" appearance of modern restorations/reconstructions (this goes for models as well) of work boats. They wouldn't have looked like that for most of their working lives, and in the case of a coal steamer, would have looked disgusting after the first voyage. Hence the unhealthy, lung-destroying layer of coal dust on the deck immediately aft of where the boilers will be. So far, I have assembled the engine room machinery and dry-fitted the paddle wheel and its associated ironworks. 

[Ferrus Manus]

Now I know why most of the machinery and moving parts on a ship powered by steam would have been unpainted iron- when I painted the parts, I had to give them a protective coating or the paint would rub off, and, much to my annoyance, the arms would have a habit of freezing up when I attempted to cycle the stern wheel. That has, hopefully, been remedied by close alignment of the arms and the parts that connect them to the paddle wheel. 

The aft assembly is not permanently affixed to the hull as of right now. The individual paddles themselves and the hull will be painted the same shade of red as the wheels. I didn't spend much effort dirtying up the machinery inside the hull itself, as that will only be visible through the windows. I might not even paint the interior walls, we'll see. So far, with just a few exceptions that arise from necessary procedures (unless, of course, Lindberg wants to supply me with genuine cast-iron parts), this is shaping up to be a fun little project.