Destroyer!

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Noel has picked up a very nice model there for an embarrassingly small amount of money.

​To my mind (and we have talked about various options) the twin gun turret grates…the front ones look bang on style, but the rear…no.

​A simple swap for another set of torpedo tubes would be easy. Looking at the photo again, possibly the front bridge area is a bit out of keeping and simply taking the front section of roof off to create the period "open" bridge would also tick a box.
​Just my thoughts.

​To get such a good shape from a solid lump of wood infers a certain level of skill from the person that made this model, and although it does have a keel (made of….??) the inside of the hull must have been hollowed out to a good degree. Chisel marks abound, and the inside has not been finished off to any great smoothness (what's the point).

​The leaky stuff…what a product! The sort of thing I might get in the future, although generally by the time a tiny crack has appeared there are usually a few more elsewhere and I would usually repair these and do a repaint or at least touch up. Having red oxide paint below the waterline is handy for repainting.

Ashley. Usual disclaimer regarding style comments.

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

I was lucky to get down to Bushey park on Sunday for a quick test, as the cycle race went past the Hampton end rather than the Teddington side of the park where I come from.
The crack cure is indeed very thin. Its like a watery PVA, although I think theres more to it than PVA. Reminds me of Unibond sealant, but again very thin and with no surface tension at all really – hence its ability to get in everywhere. I did the main crack, plus the deck edges, around the prop tube, in fact anything with a joint!
If you used it properly I think the idea is to keep feeding it into a crack, and wipe off the excess each time, until the crack takes no more. But I kept going and finished with a final layer over the crack to ensure full coverage.
The dryness is now sufficient that I feel I can fit the siren electronics and speaker, plus switching module without feeling like they will get water damaged.

The smaller three blade brass prop has also been successful, still fast enough but without the crazy bow wave. This should give the motor and battery an easier time to

One question, The direction finder thing on the superstructure roof, would that rotate like a modern radar or what? It would be easy to make it rotate, as I have a spare channel on the Action twin switched I have bought.

She now has a pennant number, which is fictional as I deliberately could not find a WW2 destroyer with pennant F99. There is an ensign staff and ensign at the stern, made out of plastic tube and glued onto a rubber mount so it should survive the odd knock without snapping off. I skillfully managed to cut this out of the picture.

Next thing is to apply the name to the stern. And wire up the siren! oh, and move the wire/string rigging so it comes down just near the mast, would it really have gone all the way forward and aft? Surely that would have been vulnerable to copping a shell from the main armament?

I know the twin turret looks a bit out of keeping, but the J-class Destroyers (which is the closest to what this looks like, with a single funnel and vaguely similar proportions) did have twin turrets. Anyway even if it looks wrong, it's got to stay for a bit because it rotates now!!
This link is kind of my reference for this:

**LINK**

Maybe I could make an open bridge, and move the direction finder to a mast just at rear of the bridge?

So much to do!!

Noel.

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Noel,

Looking good and the type of boat that can be an ongoing project adding bits on as time allows.

Should be back down the pond on Sunday (and Thursday too) maybe trying one of the current projects.

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Thanks, It's going to be an everlasting project, there'll always be something – which is good!
I need to look at the jack-staff too, not sure that should be jutting forward like it does, it ought to be perpendicular to the deck didn't it?

Not sure I am going to get boating until later in August now as we are away for a couple of weeks soon!

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Jackstaff would be vertical I think.

​The thing on the cabin roof is the optical rangefinder, or at least, its that shape. As such it would not rotate when the guns were training. A ruse would be to have it train with the gun(s). Or make the torpedo tubes move?

​A battle ensign on the main mast would add a little something.

Ashley

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Yes I'll add some other flags in the rigging too, maybe a Destroyer flag and a couple of letters.

I am not going to change much about the superstructure yet, as its a bit over scale so I will over the winter replace it with something a bit more scale-er. I mean if the deckside safety railing are about midriff height, then that would make the doors into the bridge area are about 10 or 11 feet tall!

Currently adding in the wiring to run the hooter.

Noel.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

This is the joy of building to "stand off scale".

Everything looks ok until you compare items against each other. The more you add, the more everything will look out of balance.

​My Invincible is a case in point. The Harriers and `copters look ok on the flight deck, and on the other side the ships boats look ok. BUT you cant see them together or the size imbalance would be very noticeable !!

​Ashley

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

After nearly 2 years I have made some progress with new superstructure and guns that look more like a war standard Destroyer.

Bridge and A B turrets done. More detail to add still and still have to work my way to the stern, but it's been fun scratch building in balsa and ply.

Do need to replace the huge port holes next as it messes up the scale somewhat!

Edited By Noel on 06/07/2019 20:59:47

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Good stuff Noel, and what a difference. Will end up to be a really nice boat, although as it was it had a certain nieve charm to start with.

Ashley

[Martin Honor 1Participant @martinhonor1]

Very nice! The forward superstructure reminds me of the L & M classes of destroyer, especially the gun mountings which look like the Mk XI 4.7", rather than the Mk VII of the J, K & N classes.

As an aside about ensigns: during wartime they were worn continuously from either a gaff on the mainmast or a stump mast on the aft superstructure. An ensign staff is the peacetime harbour position and when in entering or leaving harbour. It is then shifted to the sea position.

[Rich Griff 2Participant @richgriff2]

I would fill the stern tube with grease, I use Castrol LM or similar but there is underwater grease.

The crack at the bow, can it be opened out so thinned waterproof PVA can be brushed in, or a thinned epoxy perhaps, and can the crack be closed up after glue so it sets in the closed position ?

I now see that this is page 4, and 2 years down the line….have a similar subject in the loft, a model boats free plan easy build….

Edited By Rich Griff 1 on 01/01/2021 15:25:18

[Fred wooleyParticipant @fredwooley76212]

simple enough to do this go to Halfords and buy some Figerglass resin and hardener mix some up in a pot of some sorts then simply pour into the hull keeping the stern up in the air swill the resin around the hull and this will seal it up…..obivously Make sure the hull is perfectly dry or you are wasting your time….Dont simply just mix the whole tin of the resin up in one go !!!!!!! it will also do where you put the wood glue on the bottom of the hull .

Stav

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I believe Noel used the crack stuff and has had a good result.

Most of the problems in this sort of boat (heavy wood construction) stems from differing expansion rates due to temperature differences and indeed a bit of moisture causing swelling, and thus movement in the joints.

Only a full fibre glass sheath is the total cure, however, considering the length of time the boats are in the water, and hoping the boat is left to dry out properly with the top off, this should not be a concern.

My 6 foot destroyer also is showing a small horizontal split, but I have varnished over this and am hoping the hull will eventually settle down.

Ashley

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

I have only just noticed these comments 6 months on, apologies.

Very pleased that Martin Honor recognises the look of the L&M class, because that is exactly what it is modelled on.
I had to adjust the proportions a little because the forecastle is shorter in proportion on this old model than a real L&M was. I have also removed all the wobbly handrails and added some hawse pipes and windlasses. Also sports Oerlikons, a quad pom-pom and a 4" AA gun.

The crack was solved by Tolleys crack cure and PVA glue, did the trick. The whole hull has since been rubbed down, skimmed with marine filler to fill the crack, and now sports 1943 Mediterranean pattern camouflage. Should put a picture up really as it looks totally different now.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I may be needing some Tolleys on my big destroyer, as not sure if the hairline crack is getting worse or not (you can hardly see it).

Ashley

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