This is the twenty first entry in the build log and does not relate to the assembly manual, this is all about the Customer Handover of the build log model. At about 7-00 am during a very cold, wet and windy Sunday morning at a lakeside in Eutin, Rhineland Pfalz, Germany, which happened to be about halfway between me, traveling from Boulogne and the new owner Magnus Falkenland (shown with transmitter), travelling from Warmland, Sweden, the model was rough weather tested and officially handed over.
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The flash video, below, shows the first test run, that also happened to the the model’s handover with Magnus’s first go at the transmitter. Overall, he and the model performed very well in the rough weather.
This is the nineteenth entry in the build log and relates to Step 19: Painting and Marking Guide. In this step, I describe which parts are painted in which colours.
The 400ML (Satin Finish) Aerosols I used are listed below:
1 x RAL 1004 Yellow (Torpedo Warheads)
1 x RAL 3011 Red (Hull)
1 x RAL 6003 Dark Green (Decks)
2 x RAL 7042 Grey (Hull & Superstructure)
1 x RAL 9003 White (Mast Tops, Life Rafts, Life Rings)
1 x RAL 9006 Silver (Diesel Exhausts, Deck Vents)
1 x RAL 9011 Black (Torpedos, Masts, Radar, Search Light, Life Rafts)
1 x Clear Satin (Hull)
1 x Clear Matt (Decks, Bofors & Oerlikon Guns)
The 10ML (Matt Finish) Humbrol tinlets I used are listed below:
The above picture is a library image of a Perkasa class vessel being fitted out (probably in 1967), as can be seen by the ‘KD’ on the upper part of the life ring.
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The above image is the model boat at the same angle for comparison. I am very pleased with the result.
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I used premixed cellulose aerosols for the bulk of the work, these cans are available from Morelli’s in the UK and similar car body repair paint suppliers. Although you could use acrylic, I prefer the spray modulation that these cellulose aerosols always provide, as they come with very precise nozzles with adjustable fans.
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In addition, cellulose has a very rapid flash off to touch dry, (which is essential when you have to spray outside and hope nothing lands on your work). They do retail at about £8 each, but are very much worth it.
This is the eighteenth entry in the build log and relates to Step 18: Complete Main Dynamic System. In this step, I show the completed layout and wiring of the motors and r/c component assembly.
The following set of images show the completed view of the radio control installation. The first image shows the three main motors installed with the re-positioned battery tray across them.
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The second and third images show the servo (modified to continuously rotate) in position in the underside of the forward superstructure assembly.
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The rotating radar, and the LED navigation lamps, are powered on when the receiver power switch is switched on. The complication of making the radar transmitter switchable simply is not justified.
This is the seventeenth entry in the build log and relates to Step 17: Main Dynamic System Assembly. In this step, I describe the installation and wiring of the motors and r/c component assembly.
The main point to note is that for three propeller shafts it is necessary to fit some sort of differential throttle control that works in alignment with the rudder operation. The boat turns very well with such a system fitted. I used two micro switches placed on top of the rudder servo, these in turn cut off the power to the inboard engine in a turn, which has a strong effect of increasing the turn rate significantly. See the images below for photo (top) and circuit diagram (bottom). The rudder was moved from its original position to the position shown in the image below, using strong wooden beams as servo bearers.
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Take note also that one shaft runs in the opposite direction to the other two (see circuit diagram).
In addition to the wiring modification, I cut the servo tray in half to allow the battery tray to fit cross-ways in the aft part of the main r/c tray, this has the effect of moving the centre of gravity of the boat rearwards to bring the model to sit accurately at the waterline.
Finally, the flash video, below, shows the end result. This layout is very effective in creating great slow speed maneuverability and control.
This is the sixteenth entry in the build log and relates to Step 16: View of Completed Model. In this step, I describe how to fit the removable rigging and aerials to the masts. The mainmast rigging is simply rigged to the removable mainmast. The mast can be fitted and removed with all standing rigging. However as I built the masts entirely from brass, I decided much earlier to fit three small brass eyelets for the removable rigging.
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The removable rigging is (and so is the mainmast rigging) simply a representation and not a full true scale interpretation of the original rigging. It simply consists of two pieces of elastic thread tied together, the long piece being fitted with two small hooks to fit the eyelets mentioned earlier. Once this is stretched across both ends of the thread can be cyano-ed onto the hooks, then the second elastic thread (with pre attached hook) can be tied to the first piece. The tension in the second piece is set to pull the main thread down slightly. The finished result looks great.
This is the fifteenth entry in the build log and relates to Step 15: Final Assembly. This step covers the accurate fitting of the forward and aft superstructure along with any methods to retain these items securely. Aditionally an ‘On-Off’ switch plate is fabricated and fitted.
To fit the rear superstructure, the hull requires some minor preparation of the hull opening, this is to remove any nasty sharp edges that may cause injury and to ensure the two lugs on the rear superstructure fit accurately and allow the rear edge of the moulding to fit accurately agains the rear deck. On my example, one of the two plastic lugs had snapped off, so I removed the other and made two new ones from four peices of 3mm or 1/8″ marine ply. These new lugs, along with two more peices of 3mm or 1/8″ marine ply are added to act as guides at the underside of forward end of the rear superstructure. All new lugs and guides are fitted 7mm inboard of the side edges of the underside of the moulding, which now slides fore and aft in the hull opening accurately and easily yet is a firm push fit into the closed position.
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To fit the forward superstructure, the hull requires some additional minor preparation of the hull. I used a 2mm drill bit as a router to carefully open up all the slots in the deck to allow the tabs on the superstructure to fit through. Once these slots were drilled, I used a needle file to true them all up. I also used the needle file on the forward tab of the moulding. At this stage I found it difficult to get all tabs of the moulding into the deck and to stay there. So I added a large wooden beam, profiled to fit the camber of the deck, under the deck at about the door positions. It was glued in with Stabilit Express, see below.
This beam holds the deck, (note the colour change on the RAL 6003 Dark Green / Humbrol Matt 30 using digital photography), at the correct shape and when used in conjunction with a steel hook glued firmly underneath the bridge and some short model aircraft wing retaining elastic bands, the arrangement acts as a very secure retaining system.
Now all I need to do to securely fix the forward superstructure is to follow the 4 steps below: 1 Hook the two rubber bands onto the wire hook. 2 Fit the forwardmost tab into the deck slot. 3 Wrap the two rubber bands around the beam and hook them on to the hook once more. 4 Fit all the remaing tabs into the remaining deck slots, one side at a time works best.
Finally the radio ‘On-Off’ switch plate is made from two more peices 3mm or 1/8″ marine ply, one part to hold the switch, the other to act as a stand off from the underside of the deck in order to allow the rear superstructure to freely slide back and forth over the switch. See image below.
This is the fourteenth entry in the build log and relates to Step 14: Deck Fittings Assembly 2. This step is very straightforward, as its just the fitting of the fittings made in the previous step.
Note: Brass wire and tubing used in this build are not standard kit items.
The only tip I would give here is that I fitted dowels of 2mm diameter brass to two of the four corners of each torpedo launcher, (along with correspondingly placed 2mm holes drilled accurately in the deck), allowing a very positive part location and fixing. The remainder of the small items such as parts C17 are also fitted with brass dowels to aid secure fixing to the deck.
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Photos above and below show (apart from my lack of interest in ironing) the practically completed model (with the hull primed and wet flatted), however all fittings are at this time just placed on the model. This is because I need to handle the hull some more for the fixing of the front superstructure retaining beam (see step 15) and I must install and test the radio control installation before fixing many fragile items to the deck. Experience has taught me that no matter how simple a step appears to be, it usually ends up becoming more complex. So I have for a long time now adopted the philosophy of getting the model to operate correctly far before completion. This prevents potential damage in any fault finding that may be required later on.
This is the thirteenth entry in the build log and relates to Step 13: Deck Fittings Assembly 1. The instruction manual appears to have steps 13 and 14 in reverse, as step 13 shows the placement of items assembled in step 14. Consequently, I shall describe the assembly of the fittings in this step and the placement in step 14. This step is very straightforward, however, I did deviate from the instructions in four areas:
Note: Brass wire and tubing used in this build are not standard kit items.
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I replaced part E16b (the photo etched anchor rod) with a small length of brass rod (of about 1.5mm diameter with a loop formed into the end using some long nose pliers). The plastic anchor is drilled to accept the rod and the rod is fixed using cyano.
The chaff / flare launchers were modified to accept a length of 1.5mm diameter brass rod to secure the launchers to the plinth and also were fitted with small dowels of 2mm diameter brass rod to aid fixing to the deck. All brass parts are filed to give a key for the glue and the items are assembled with more cyano.
I replaced the C49a & C49b tripedal torpedo launch levers as well as the E7a & E7b jackstaff with items made from 1.5mm and 2mm diameter brass wire and some brass tubing, formed to fit the holes in the deck and then soldered in situ.
I replaced the steel wire parts E65 with 2mm brass rod formed with long nose pliers. I drilled the three 2mm holes through the photo etched disk and into the deck of the boat to ensure that the part would fit after assembly, then I drilled the 3 holes once more through the photo etched disk into some scrap wood, which will then act as an assembly jig. I filed all parts prior to assembly (especially the disk) and then applied flux. Finally the assembly is soldered using a micro butane torch. The moment the solder flows is very satisfactory.
The picture below shows a close up view of the tripedal torpedo launch levers and jackstaff parts made from scrap brass rod and tubing. These are formed using long nose pliers or similar until they fit together accurately when assembled into the drilled deck holes. I used a micro butane torch to solder these as it takes so few seconds to melt the flux and allow solder to flow. Heat is then removed and after a short wait (until the solder dulls) the item is then held in long nose pliers and removed from the deck. Make 4 tripods and 1 jack staff.
The tube sleeves are not cut to any specific length, they are just cut with the brass part flush with the edge of the K & S tube cutter. I.e. When you place the tube in the tube cutter, just push the tube through until it is flush with the other side of the cutter.
This is the twelth entry in the build log and relates to Step 12: Guard Rail Assembly. The kit offers two options here, the injection moulded plastic stantions, or the photo etch brass stantions. The latter being made totally flat.
I opted for a third option, turned brass stantions. The items I used are (3 packs of 10 in each pack) Graupner 25mm 2 Bar Stantion - Part Number 450.3. The Graupner items are drilled for a 0.8mm hole, but I drilled these to 1.25mm becuase I know for a fact that I would not be able to thread the stantions with such small holes.
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20 stantions are used as is (drilled only in my case) whilst 6 more are made into ‘A’ frames. Construction of the ‘A’ frames is undertaken by first drilling the stantion holes to 1.25mm as mentioned above, then a flat is filed onto the top ball at right angles to the existing holes. I then threaded the 1.25mm drill through the lower hole to enable me to hold the stantion at the correct angle whilst drilling. Firstly I used a 0.5mm drill turning very slowly initially, in order to obtain a correct centre, then at slightly higher speed to drill through. Finally the same hole is drilled to 1.25mm also. 1.5mm brass wire cut to appropriate lengths are then held in the Dremel chuck and rotated whilst being filed to make a reduced diameter to fit the ends into the new 1.25mm stantion hole.
The extra legs are then formed using long nose pliers or similar until they fit together accurately when assembled into the drilled deck holes. I used a micro butane torch to solder these as it takes so few seconds to melt the flux and allow solder to flow. Heat is then removed and the item is then held in long nose pliers (so that both parts are held securely) and then removed from the deck. At this point I examined the ‘A’ frames and, if necessary, applied more flux, heat and solder. Once finally cooled, I re-drill the top cross hole first at 0.5mm then at 1.25mm. Make 6.
The only other items I used that are not standard in the kit were brass eylets. These I think are billing items (from an old Nordkap build) and two will be glued into the fore decks to act as railing hooks, another 2 will be formed into hooks allowing the railing wires to be finished nicely. Naturally at this stage these items are just loosely fitted to the boat and as you can see, some appear at slightly drunkard angles.
