Armidale Class Patrol Boat

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Armidale Class Patrol Boat

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24 July 2009 at 07:13 #22187
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
After about 18 months of thinking and talking about it, much research, and invaluable assistance from a number of very kind people, I have finally started building HMAS Bundaberg. Bundaberg is one of the Armidale class of 14 patrol boats built in Perth, Western Australia, by Austal, for the Royal Australian Navy. All 14 boats are now in service doing off shore patrol work, and have proved to be very popular with their crews. They replaced the smaller Fremantle class boats.

The model is to 1/50 scale, giving an overall length of 1120 mm, and is built from 1.5 mm ply on 6 mm ply frames, which in turn are mounted on a 7 mm pine keel. I had to plot the frames myself, as the builders were unwilling to part with that information, no doubt worried I would build a full size one in competition with them

The hull is well under way, and prop tubes and rudder tubes with their associated mountings have been fitted. Following my usual practice, I have built all of these assemblies myself, allowing them to be built to suit the job.

Some photos below, including one of HMAS Armidale at sea, others can be seen in my albums.

Peter.

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Edited By Peter Fitness on 24/07/2009 07:14:59
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24 July 2009 at 07:13 #6583
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
1/50 scale model of HMAS Bundaberg
24 July 2009 at 11:21 #22191
David Wooley
Participant
@davidwooley82563
Hi Peter The new Armidales look superb and a good subject for modelling . I know Alan Pew did the Armidale but I think he may well have had some assistance re- the drawings . I also like your choice of scale , big enough to work any water yet small enough to fit conveniently into the back of the car. I have been trawling detail on the Roisin class of OPV , similar in some repects to the Armidale , Both Roisin and Niamh were built at Appledore and like the Armidales would make attractive larger scale models. Once again Alan has made a superb 1:72 Roisin . Good luck with the build.

Dave Wooley
25 July 2009 at 00:13 #22210
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Dave, I was in contact with Alan regarding the hull frames. He told me that he was not prepared to pass them on, as he was planning to produce a 1/50 scale hull himself, at some time in the future. This is quite understandable. He also commented that the 1/50 scale would be far more suitable for an RC model than his 1/72 hull, which he felt was too small to easily fit RC equipment into.

The first time I saw a photo of an Armidale I thought what a good model it would make, as it has pleasing lines, to my eye anyway, and is not too cluttered. Not having built a warship before, I have often been intimidated by the vast amount of detail many of them have, but I was confident I could cope with the Armidale class. The results will tell the tale, though.

Peter.
25 July 2009 at 09:00 #22216
David Wooley
Participant
@davidwooley82563
Hi Peter The knuckle from the bow back looks quite a difficult feature to lift from photos . I’m keen to see more .

Dave Wooley
26 July 2009 at 05:24 #22221
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Dave, I used the side elevation drawing to try and plot the points on the frames, plus I also had some photos from the internet of Armidale under construction. These gave an idea of the shape, but time will tell whether or not I got it right.

Peter.

Edited By Peter Fitness on 26/07/2009 05:25:57
14 August 2009 at 06:24 #22634
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
There has been slow progress on the build, but I have waterproofed with resin, and installed all the working bits, including the electronics. I have used one of ACTion Electronics amazing P94 units and, with the help of Dave Milbourn’s excellent wiring diagram, I managed to get everything working correctly, including the Raboesch bow thruster. The Armidale class have 5 blade propellers, and I was able to obtain 2 of the correct size from George Sitek, who was most helpful.

Peter.
14 August 2009 at 13:06 #22638
David Wooley
Participant
@davidwooley82563
Hi Peter question, what type of batteries are you going to fit ? and are you going to fit any additional ballast other than the battery ?

Dave Wooley
14 August 2009 at 23:41 #22648
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Dave, I’ve made provision for a 6v 10Ah SLA battery, so I will have to “suck it and see” as regards any additional ballast. I will be doing a test tank – bath – test to check what’s needed.

Some more photos, showing the props and rudders, the rudder linkage, and the battery temporarily in place. The long servo lead wrapped around the rudder posts will be replaced by a shorter one, it is all I have at present.

The filler looks a bit of a dog’s breakfast , but at least it won’t be visible when the superstructure and deck is on. It looks worse in photos than it does in real life.

Edited By Peter Fitness on 15/08/2009 00:08:48
31 December 2009 at 00:07 #24814
Laszlo Winkler
Participant
@laszlowinkler71202
Hi Peter,

I am a hungarian modeller and I am interested in this patrol boat. I have been trying to get the set of plan about this boat. I built an other Australian boat – Fremantle class, HMAS Gawler – and would like to build this boat too. Can you send me any information how way can I access to plans, or can you send it (them) to me if possibble?

We build our models fiberglass and resin.

Thank you for help,

Laszlo

e-mail: [email protected]
31 December 2009 at 00:58 #24815
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Hi Laszlo,

Email sent to you.

There’s no progress to report at the moment, as we have a house full of grandchildren and their parents, so there is no time for modelling – plus it’s a bit too hot in my shed right now anyway

Peter
11 March 2010 at 23:21 #25880
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
After a long break away from my shed, due to firstly, family, and secondly hot weather, I have restarted the Armidale class build. The deck is on, engine air intakes are built, and all the forward bulwark supports are in place.

I am now in the process of making some of the deck fittings, such as the anchor windlass and its associated equipment including chain rollers, as well as the anchor. It’s slow work and a number of hours seem to show very little result, but it’s very satisfying producing some of the fitting on my lathe.

Some photos of the deck etc below.

Peter.
23 May 2010 at 05:46 #26888
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Some progress has been made in the last week or so, despite numerous interruptions. The hull has been primed and painted with the correct grey, or as near as I can get it. The hull bottom will be painted plain black with no boot topping, as is the prototype.

The Typhoon gun has been made, a little model in its own right, and the styrene superstructure is under way. I’m starting to feel as if I’m getting somewhere now, perhaps it’s the fact that the hull is painted, making it look like a naval vessel.There’s still a lot to do, though, and it will be some time before it gets wet.

Peter.
23 May 2010 at 23:16 #26890
Laszlo Winkler
Participant
@laszlowinkler71202
Hi Peter,

Your boat looks wery good.

We were talking about you just today cause we put the Armidale ribbs to the boatyard. We building a core for fiberglas-resin gauge. After this we would like to make 3 hull.

I will send pictures as soon as I can.

Laszlo
31 May 2010 at 23:33 #27025
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Work continues, with the main body of the superstructure well under way. I’m finding styrene very easy to work with, it’s quick, clean and has a smooth finish which should represent the aluminium construction of the full size boat very well.

There’s lots of detail to add yet, but I’m happy with the way it’s looking so far.

Peter.
1 June 2010 at 22:03 #27041
David Wooley
Participant
@davidwooley82563
Hi Peter your Armidale is looking really smart .

Dave Wooley
1 June 2010 at 23:35 #27044
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Hi Dave, thanks for the kind comment.

I have been following with great interest your Kiev build in Model Boats magazine, what a brilliant piece of work. I have gained some very helpful hints from your articles and, while I could never aspire to the standard you have set, it does give me something to aim for.

My biggest regret is that I came into boat modelling late in life, only 6 years ago, having been an aeromodeller to that point. I have found that each boat I build is more challenging than the previous one, which helps me improve my skills, and makes me want to attempt something more difficult.

I still have a great deal to learn.

Peter.
2 June 2010 at 13:29 #27059
David Wooley
Participant
@davidwooley82563
Hi Peter It’s not the length of time that a modeller has been in a hobby only that they enjoy the experience and from what I have seen you are not only rising to the challenge , improving your skill base but you certainly appear to be getting the enjoyment out of the task you have set yourself. You really can’t ask better than that.

Dave Wooley
4 June 2010 at 00:55 #27078
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Hi Dave,

I’m certainly getting plenty of enjoyment out of the hobby, and that’s what it should be about.

Peter.
17 June 2010 at 00:35 #27319
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
The hull has now been fully painted, and the pennant numbers (BECC) are on. The superstructure has also had its first coat of paint, the mast assembly likewise, although more fittings have yet to be placed on the mast. I still have to make the radomes, the unusual dish shaped aerial and its associated mast, the 2 RIBs and their davits, and the deck has to be painted its final colour. There is also a lot of other detail to be added, but I’m happy with how it looks at present.

Peter.
17 June 2010 at 07:55 #27323
David Meier
Participant
@davidmeier28154
It is a really nice looking ship Peter. I like the lines of the hull. It will fairly slice through the water and handle quite a chop I would think.

David.
17 June 2010 at 23:49 #27340
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Thanks, David. If she handles a chop like HMAS Larrakia is doing in this photo, I’ll be very happy. Larrakia is the second in the class, after Armidale.

Peter.
18 June 2010 at 15:21 #27345
David Wooley
Participant
@davidwooley82563
Hi Peter Looking at the shape of the hull this reminds me of the Irish OPVs Roisin and Niamh . Alan Pew does a nice hull of these in 1:72 .

Dave Wooley
18 June 2010 at 23:44 #27353
Peter Fitness
Participant
@peterfitness34857
Hi Dave, I did know about Alan’s 1/72 hull which he built as a commission for the RAN as a display model. I contacted him about frames, but he was not willing to pass these on as he has future plans to produce a 1/50 scale model, which is fair enough. He had to plot the frames himself, as did I, because the manufacturer, Austal, would not give this information.

He also commented that he felt the bigger model would be much better as a radio controlled boat, because of the relatively shallow draft.

Peter.
19 June 2010 at 10:32 #27356
Bob Abell 2
Participant
@bobabell2
It looks a real….Goer!……………The nose looks fast and sharp!

Nice model, well done Peter”

Bob
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