DESEADO, 1961. 11,248 gross tons 32’=1″

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I am now building a big ship again.   Here is present progress, I have completed all the major parts and am about to start the interesting work of fitting out the hull with fine detail.

 

Royal Mail Line’s DESEADO, completed in 1961 as the IBERIC for Shaw Savill.

 

Bob

 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Nice model as usual, Bob………Are you going to add the sea or are you having a change?

 

Can we see the full size version please?

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

No sea on this one.   If I builkd a waterline model, I don’t even make the underwater part of the hull.      In the DESEADO, it is all visible, but I have not added the propeller yet.   It will be mounted on two brass pedestals.

 

You can find photographs of the actual ship in google images, but I can’t put one on here because I don’t hold the copyright!      The colour scheme changed over the years and this one will be built with the least attractive one.     Building it for someone who sailed in it, hence his choice!        It looked better when the ‘midship island was white above the top of the bulwark level with  a white stripe all round the hull and black-topped funnel!

 

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

Just out of curiosity…………….How is the weight of 11,248 tons obtained?

 

I can only think that this is the calculated weight?

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

All horribly complicated and seemed to have very little to do with weight.   They calculated the actual capacity of the ship below the upper decks in cubic feet and divided it by 100 to get the gross tonnage.     Nevertheless,  if someone said a ship had a gross tonnage of 25,000 or 6,000, I can  easily visualise the size from these figures!

The smallest ship I ever sailed in was a 1,792 gross ton collier and the largest was the 36,000 gross ton passenger liner WINDSOR CASTLE  and all sizes in between.     I just use them as a rough guide to actual size these days.    Give me the simple life!

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Time for an update picture, Bob?

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

It doesn’t look a great deal different at the moment.   The reason being that I have been making and fitting the deck winches.    I have now completed and fitted all 22 of them, but they are only 5mm square.    I am about to start on some of the bigger items such as masts, posts, lifeboats etc and as soon as it looks a bit more advanced, will post pictures.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

Found a picture of Deseado….I`ve put it in my “Other boats” gallery

 

There`s quite a few pictures of your ship in….. “Ships Nostalgia”

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Bob,

Thanks, that is a very good picture – best I have seen so far.    It should be of great help as I come to complete the model.     Yes, it is in SHIP’S NOSTALGIA together with many other of my productions!        More interest in them over  there because most of the members have sailed in similar ships over many years and many of us are old shipmates as well!

 

It is sad that  most l the old ships have gone now and the general public in the UK have little interest in such things!   

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Here is the latest progress.    The posts will not be painted until the derricks are soldered on them.   The funnel is in the process of it’s final painting.   All the deck machinery is now fitted.    Still lots & lots of deck details to go on yet:   rails, ventilators, ladders, masts, davits, boats, radar scanner, mooring bitts, DF loops , contacter houses, anchors, propeller, wire reels davits, fairleads, ensign staff, jack staff, navigation lights, skylights etc.    The list is endless.     Prbably the reason why so many model makers do not like building big ships.

Bob

 

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

This is really nice! …..Bob….From what you say….There`s lots to be done yet?

 

Will your customer be watching the build, either in person or on this forum?

 

You and I work at opposite ends of the spectum!……You make the smallest and I make the biggest!

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Thanks,

Put quite a lot more small items on today and my wife put the final paint  coating on the funnel this afternoon.    I don’t suppose it will take all that long now, because I built the display case and base before I even started the model.    I have already made all the deck rails, but not fitted any of them yet.

I keep my client updated on the progress, but he can look it up on my website if he want to.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

Just spotted your gallery of Miniature Masterpieces….Very nice

 

I particularly like the battleship…….. and the nice rust effect on another…..was this a special request?

 

The full size Deseado has quite a bit of rust showing…….are you tempted?

 

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hello Bob,

I just made the gallery today!    Don’t do many warships, they changed them so much over the years that it is very difficult to obtain accurate plans,   DREADNOUGHT was my 2nd  (And last) warship, first one was cruiser NORFOLK.        I built the rusty DARTFORD alonside the coal hulk because I wanted to – it was not a private commission.    It sold at Christie’s auctioneers London several years ago and fetched a very good price!

SOMALI is rusty as well!     Not really applicable for full hull models that are supposed to show ships as new!

I have always been attracted to obscure or semi-obscure ships as subjects for models.

Have never built a CUTTY SARK, BOUNTY or VICTORY, but did a TITANIC once.    I built the DREADNOUGHT because someone told me that building merchant ships was easy, if I wanted a complicated subject, I should try and build a battleship!

After DESEADO is finished, I will be embarking on the British four-masted full-rigged ship FALLS OF FOYERS (Four masts with squares sails on all of them).       But merchant sailing ships are a lot easier than steamers & motorships, so it  will make a good relaxation project!

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

I like the latest batch of pictures in your gallery…..Especially the five masted “France”……it looks nice out of the water!

 

How do you get the rigging so neat and tight?….and what camera are you using?

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hello Bob,

Thanks.    The rigging is not really tight.   It is all made from thin copper wire.    I stretch it slightly with two small pairs of pliers and then put it down again.    The slight stretching makes it go perfectly straight.   I then measure the length I require with a pair of dividers and cut it off with a scalpel.   I pick it up in the middle with a pair of fine tweezers and dip each end in contact adhesive and place it on the model.   No messing about with knots or anything like that!   If I want a slight curve in it, I hold one end in tweezers and draw thumb and forefinger along it.    The greater the pressure, the greater the curve!

No great skill required when using this method of rigging, but it looks good, is not “hairy” and does not rot or decay!    Only suitable for static display models.    Only the ratlines are soldered across the shrouds, the rest is glued.    All the masts and spars are metal as well.   Lower masts are tubes, topmasts/t’gallant and royal masts are either brass,copper or silver steel rod.    Yards and booms are brass, copper or silver steel rod soldered together at the doublings!

 

At present, my camera is a Samsung 10.1 Mega Pixel digital S1030, set on Macro.

 

Bob

 

 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

This one seems to go on and on.   I have added quite a lot of fine deck detail, but it doesn’t look a great deal different!       Main items left to go on  are davits and lifeboats plus all the guardrails that are already  made, but not fitted.     Once I get on the masting and rigging, it will soon be finished and I can get back to something easier such as a four-masted full-rigged ship!

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

Just had a look at your gallery…

 

I notice some new entries…….but where have all the earlier ones gone?

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hello Bob,

I erased them.   I find that people tend to get a bit bored if they never change, especially with the sort of models I build – big ships!    But with a store of well over 200 pictures, I can keep them circulating.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I have finally finished the hull and all the deck details including rails & propeller.   Took a long tim and it doesn’t look all that much different.   next task is to make the masts and derricks and then rig them.   That, fortuantely, is a small task when compared to building and fitting out the hull.

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

very nice Bob although whoever came up with the colour scheme appears to have been visually challenged!

 

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

You can say that again.    When she was Shaw Savill as IBERIC, the raised forecastle and lower part of the raised ‘midship section was white and there was a white band round the hull below that.   The funnel had a black top as well and in that colour scheme, she looked quite good.      The sister ships looked even better with black hulls!

 

I believe at a later date, DESEADO’s accommodation was changed from white to light grey, which did nothing for the general appearance!

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

All the masts,  posts and derricks have now been made, painted and fitted.   All that I have to do now is complete the rigging.   Shouldn’t take long.   I will begin on Monday morning.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Nice Bob…………….A little gem!

 

Just back off hols, so I`ve missed a few days chatting!

 

Bob

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