Viking Neptun by Javelin - 1/1250 - Subsea Construction Vessel

[Jim Lad]

Yes, a splash of paint certainly makes it shine!

 

John

[KeithAug]

Roel - Amazing at this scale and such rapid progress. I am gobsmacked.

[Javelin]

Thanks for the reactions everyone. 

I've now come into a detailing phase, lots of work and little to show for it. 

 

Prepared a lot of items for primer and final white coats. Cranes are nearly finished, the control cabins are also sprayed, but I still need to add the windows before mounting them on the cranes. They will also get fly tying thread wires. 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, the cable lay installation is started. A lot items are left out. 

below you see the stern chutes (shoots?) in progress. They are probably the most fiddly parts I ever built. Mostly built up of 0.3mm styrene sheet and just 1 single straight edge on the whole thing....

 

In between I'm doing some "quick" items like davits and the large yellow boarding ladder (called a "surfer" to transfer people from small craft at sea). On other ships its either near the stern (bad when the vessel is pitching) or permenantly on the side (annoying when mooring since it requires decent fenders and often interferes with shore fenders). So here they seem to only hang it over the side when they use it.

 

 

The helicopter deck is also cut and primed. 

 

The reason it's all still dry fitted is that I'll need to repaint the deck in a slightly darker shade of grey (as well as the bridge top, chutes etc.)

[Keith Black]

 Amazing, Roel. Absolutely amazing. 

[Jim Lad]

Absolutely beautiful work, Roel.

 

John

[Javelin]

Thanks, moving forward. Finished that darker grey deck colour and continued with the helo deck and its supports. 

 

 

 

In the meanwhile also started the challenge of that fancy mast structure. Doesn't look too good for now, but next attempt will be better. It's mostly the middle platform that causes issues. (still a template for now)

 

 

And the cable lay system is advancing as well. I will be able to start installing a lot of parts now since the grey paint is on. 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Beautiful work, Roel.

 

John

[Javelin]

Moved ahead on that mast and started adding windows all over the place, to be able to move ahead on the final phase. 

 

 

 

 

I've been producing a lot of details as well, so I'm nearly finished with those. Only the ROV and its A-frame are remaining. 

The helo deck is also in its last phase by now, adding its darker coat and putting at least H with circle on it. 

[Keith Black]

 That's really impressive work, Roel. The windows are neat.  

[Glen McGuire]

Nice work, Roel.  What is that small structure made from and how did you make the windows?

[Javelin]

Small structure? 🤔

Assuming you're asking about the base of the mast, everything is styrene. The bridge as well actually. 

The only parts that are just copper are the stanchions (made from electrical wiring, rolled straight between the tabletop and a steel ruler). Also the exhaust pipes, which are difficult to see in these pics, are also brass and copper wire. 

The windows are done with a very fine tip marker. Sometimes I use 1 or 2 rows of masking tape to keep them in line on the bottom and/or top. 

 

 

 

 

[Glen McGuire]

This is the small structure I was talking about.  Not sure what it's called.

 

[Javelin]

That is the bridge itself, however in your defence it's complicated on this vessel since they've incorporated the funnel into it. I believe this is done for several reasons, perhaps even to use the heat from the exhausts to heat up the accomodation  She's built for cold weather and effeciency after all. 

 

That bridge is built from styrene, several layers, thickness adapted to certain steps required by its shape. I cut those layers in the shape of the largest dimensions (roof top), then I draw the bottom outline on the lower surface and then I carve and/or file the sides connecting the top and bottom outlines. 

Hope that is somewhat clear?

[Javelin]

Since I was doing the last portholes/windows on the side now, I took a picture. In this case I used an upper and lower piece of tape. 

Normally this marker needs a porous surface (=paper). It does dry on the painted surface, but takes a long time to do so. Unfortunately it does appear to creep in and under the masking tape when the masking tape is left for too long. The result is visible in rather unsharp top and lower edges with occasional smudges. I might remove them with a knife tip. 

 

And finally finished handling and turning over that hull, so time to continue building up now. 

A bit to small to use a piece of railway track, so I'm using other relatively heave and stable objects.

 

 

Nearly there now! 

[Javelin]

Assembling a lot of parts now. This way it becomes obvious which parts I forgot to build 🤫

 

The crane is rigged with fly tying thread and the end is fixed to a tiny piece of copper wire inserted in the deck. They lash the real hook on deck as well to avoid swinging during sailing. 

 

The boats were glued to the davits to enable insertion in the recesses. 

 

Helo deck has its markings. I used my stencil cutter with vinyl to make the mask for the first time. Although the vinyl sticks a little too strong to my liking it did not have any bleeding nor did it tear out any paint underneath.

 

 

Working on the ROV area as well as some details on starboard, the main item being a large curved loading arm for the carousel. I thought to leave it out (no idea why really), but it's a really visible item. 

[Glen McGuire]

1 hour ago, Javelin said:

ROV area

What is that?  Sorry for all the dumb questions, but I do not know any of the terminology for these large industrial vessels.

[Javelin]

I don't see any stupid questions here @Glen McGuire, but speaking of them, wait until I start my Sherbourne... 😂

 

The "New" ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) area is located just behind the big crane on portside. It's probably hired equipment since it's a blue A-Frame and it seems to be a habit in the offshore to rent this kind of equipment from specialised companies like Helix Energy Solutions or Reach Subsea. 

 

I simplified this equipment quite a lot compared to my 1/700 Living Stone. It's not very visible in this model and not worth hours of work to make each support beam and detail. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Lad]

The inclusion of some of the detail is really showing her off now.

 

John