Another big one

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

This one is about the limit I can manage in size.    It is 21 inches long overall.   I am quite restricted with my work space.   Despite its size, it is still at my normal scale of 32’=1″, but is a model of the 19,524 gross ton CARMANIA of 1905..

Bob

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

looks beautiful already, bob.

 

i love the old Cunarder’s with their majestic funnels.

will she be accompanied in her case with a berthing  tug or two!!

 

neil.

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Neil,

 

Thanks.     No tugs I am afraid,   model is really a bit too big for me and to have anything else with it would increase the size of the display case.

 

Whatever I build next, it certainly wont be another  passenger liner.   Time to go back to sail again, I feel.

 

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Coming on nicely Bob, she did have enormous funnels didn’t she?

One of my favourite periods is the 1880s/1890s when the liners still had the vestiges of sail carried. and yacht like lines, sometimes with bowsprits. Nice compromise between sail and steam.

There is a replica of the Empress of China’s figurehead in Stanley Park, Vancouver which replaced the original which stood there for many years and is now in a Museum. Not something you see on modern ships!

 Colin

 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Yes, the funnels were big.   Some had even bigger ones though, CAMPANIA springs to mind, but I they they were going just a bit too far.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I have now fitted two levels of accommodation and public rooms.    Also, the major task of making the 16 lifeboats has been completed.    The next task is to fit the boat deck on top.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

An excellent model, Bob!

 

The big question…..How did you make the lifeboats?

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Not all that difficult on miniatures, but just a bit repetitve when making 16 of them.

 

The boat shells were made from 0.015 plasticard sheet vacuum formed in a small home-made vacuum box used in conjunction with a normal vacuum cleaner.    The insides (seats/thwarts) are just flat images drawn in large scale and shrunk down on the computer, stuck on plasticard, cut out and stuck in the boats.   The grablines were also made on the computer and stuck on.  

 

The keels are fine copper wire glued on.   Boats spray painted with white matt aerosol primer (Halfords) .    

 

Works very well for miniatures, but would probably look a bit “phoney” on larger models!

 

All an illusion really!

 

Bob

[Peter FitnessParticipant @peterfitness34857]

It’s looking good, Bob, the illusion certainly works on the life boats.

 

As Neil said, the Cunarders are magnificent ships helped, I believe, by the colour scheme. The black hull, white upper works and red funnels make a very striking combination. 

 

Peter. 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I always liked black hull ships.    The white line also improves things.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I have just spent two days etching and fitting the side stanchions to the two decks and it is looking a lot better now.   Before fitting the stanchions, the boat deck was fitted on top.     It was all made a bit easier by the fact that the promenade deck has solid bulwarks rather than rails.    I can understand why not many people like building complicated passenger liners, as it is all a bit repetitive.   However, it should be downhill from now on, as all the boats are already made.   Lots of cowl ventilators to make, but I don’t mind them so much as they are not difficult items on this scale.

Bob

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

That is looking stunning Bob……..beautiful indeed.

neil.

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I have now done a lot of work on the model, fitting the boat deck and side stanchions, plus a lot of work on the bridge and engineroom casings.    Taking a break yesterday, I veneered the display case.

 

This one has really been a bit too big for me and it has been tiresome moving it round on a small work table and even photographin it is difficult because it is longer than my usual backing sheet.    I will be glad to get back to something small again.

 

Bob

 

[Laurent Gontier-VersaillesParticipant @laurentgontier-versailles47241]

Hi Bob,

 

outstanding work, as usual!

 

Regards,

 

Laurent 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I have made some more progress with deckhouses and ventilators.

I fear this will be my last big model.    At 21 inches hull length, I am finding it rather hard-going having to continually manoeuvre it around a small work desk.    I feel that 14,000 ton passenger liners at the limit of my comfort zone for physical size, although I am happy enough with the 32’=1″ scale.   This one is over 19,000 tons.

Bob

 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Have done quite a lot more fine detail and as the lifeboats are already complete, the end is now in sight.        I am not planning on building any more large (long) passenger liners after this.   With a hull length of 21 inches, it is really abit too big for my work table and not a great deal of interest in this sort of thing anyway.   This one has a home to go to, but it is on the continent.    Whatever I build next will no doubt be a sailing ship, and not a very big one either!

Bob

[Laurent Gontier-VersaillesParticipant @laurentgontier-versailles47241]

Hi Bob,

 

I’d like to know the paint reference you used for the red part of the funnels, as Cunard red references are really difficult to get, and your’s looks right spot on.

 

Regards,

 

Laurent 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I am fairly sure the colour is wrong!     Initially, I painted them red, but the person getting the model said they should be more like vermillion.    The above picture shows the new vermillion funnels.    But I remember in Southampton, if a Union-Castle ship with vermillion funnel was next to a Cunard vessel, the colours were definately very different.   Don’t really know what to do about it at the moment, so am carrying on with the rest of it.   The funnels are just stood on top loose at the moment.   Today, I made and fitted all the skylights.

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I read somewhere that ‘Cunard Red’ was derived from the old red lead paint that used to be applied to funnels because only that colour and black could be used due to the funnel getting hot and the paint blistering.

 

However, as always, light effects can make colours at sea look all sorts of different shades and models usually look better if toned down a bit from the original so who is to say what is right? My Avatar shows the funnels of the old Queen Mary. These are not the originals, which rotted away, but stainless steel replicas. I imagine the restorers did make an effort to get the shade right as they are a distinct orangey red whereas Union Castle ship funnels were definitely a darker, more reddish shade.

 

Some interesting comparisons in the Southampton Maritime Museum can be seen here: http://www.modelboats.co.uk/news/article.asp?a=7072

 

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 03/11/2010 17:50:31

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I had also heard about the red lead because of the heat, and it makes sense because those funnels certainly did get very hot.   I also know what you mean about them looking different in different light conditions, so I think I will leave them as they are.

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I’ve just been looking at photos I have taken of the QE2 and Queen Mary 2. The former has a very orangey red shade whereas the latter seems to be distinctly darker.

 

Od course the biggest problem shade is Union Castle ‘Lavender Grey’ hulls. Dulux had a colour which was pretty much spot on, I don’t know if they still sell it though.

 

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I mix my own Union-Castle lavender.    I start with Smoke Grey and then add some Harbour Blue and a bit of Lavender until I get to the correct shade..    Before I run out, I mix the next lot using the existing pot as a colour guide.     Years ago, I used the real stuff just thinned down a bit.    Even after the company finished, there were still supplies of lavender grey  to be found in St. Helena, but even that is beyond my reach now, having left the sea.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Latest progress

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Just beautiful, Bob

I`m impressed with the fine detail!…..You must have the eyes of a Barn owl!

 

Bob

 

 

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