Model Boats Plan Features Special Issue

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Have you built a model from MHS/MAP/Nexus/ASP Plans?

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

We are planning a further Special Issue of Model Boats for publication later this year. The theme will be to promote the Plans Service by republishing and updating a selection of classic plan feature articles from the archives. Many readers will be unfamiliar with them and those who remember them will appreciate seeing them again if feedback from the previous two Special issues is any indication.

The idea is to cover differing skill levels and to encourage readers to try their hand at scratchbuilding which is by no means as difficult as some people believe!

The vast range of plans available is not always appreciated so we will also be trying to showcase typical examples to spark the imagination. If you have built a model from the Plans Service drawings and have some decent photos of it then we would be happy to consider featuring it in the issue.together with some very brief notes about it. No payment I'm afraid, but you would be credited in the magazine and see the photo of your pride and joy in print!

If you are interested then respond on this thread or send me a PM.

I look forward to seeing your contributions.

Colin

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Gosh, My HMS MIdge is from a Nexus plan if I remember correctly.

I think the topside as virtually as per plan (so looks plan when floating), but sadly the hull is "Glynn Guest" style square bottom. Always the bodger, me. Mind you may well account for the spiffing turn of speed! (see pictures). It does mean that it takes a 6V gel battery, which I dont thing the round bilge version would (and stay very stable) .

Boat now painted matt Black and black bottom (gloss)..looks much more mean. I have a few better snaps if you were desperate..but of course I didn`t follow the plan properly did I !!

Ashley Off on sea cruise Saturday (IOW)

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Colin

My first scratch built model from the plans service was the Graham Bantock yacht, Nimbus I way back in 1991 and a few years ago, the Nimbus 2

Next came the William Daniels vintage Marblehead……..Pocahontas

Louis Heloise was built about 2000, followed by the paddle steamer Wilton Castle and the vintage 36R Skylark

Sandy Cousins classic yacht Britannia was a lovely build, the plans were very informative and interesting, followed by two further yachts, another Britannia and Altair based on the Pocahontas hull

In the magazine that the Louis Heloise build was described, I noticed the giant paddle steamer, Jeanie Deans by Andy Thompson……WOW! That was the one for me!

It seemed absolutely enormous at the time and was a great build and a very popular model on the club water.

Soon after that came along the mighty Great Eastern which was based on the JD hull

If any of my builds are of interest, please let me know and I'll dig out the relevant photographs

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Thanks Bob,

I'll get back to you in due course on that.

Colin

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thanks, Colin

Just remembered a few more!

Ritalea launch, which was originally a free plan, a nice model and was fitted with a Becker rudder

Not forgetting Jeanie Deans at War, based on the original peacetime Jeanie Deans of course

Bob

[Richard J HuggettParticipant @richardjhuggett]

Does this count, Colin…my old U-117, built from the MAP Plan MM471 at double the size, plus a bit.

All wood construction, ripped down scaffold planks, old doors, etc.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Hi Richard,

The plans are still listed, it's a sufrace runner only isn't it? Have you got any other photos to a decent file size?

Colin

[Richard J HuggettParticipant @richardjhuggett]

No, she was built to dive, Colin…two Volvo truck screenwash pumps filled two 1 gallon ballast tanks, she had two blower motors (I think they were) run from a Mini car battery, home made electronics, a ducking captain (he was on a cork float) and working lights.

I have a set of pics from when we built her, but they are only 35mm pictures, nothing really special. She was featured in RCMB magazine when we (the AMS) put on our first show at Gosport sub museum, I have photocopies of that.

She won a trophy for best performing boat at a show we did at Bewl Bridge reservoir, years ago now it was.

I can try scanning the photos if that would help?

Richard

[Gareth JonesParticipant @garethjones79649]

Hi Colin,

As you probably know by now I have lots of photos of Shemarah II built to the My Hobby Store plan MAGM 2040. I dont think the model will be finished before the end of the year though. Here's the latest picture taken this morning during ballast adjustment in our pond.

Gareth

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Richard,

Yes, scanned prints will often work if they are to 300dpi and the DESCEEN function is on but don't go to too much trouble. I do have oigial images of a lot of Plans Service models as they were usually featured on the cover and in coulour inside the magazine.

Gareth,

Yes, coming along nicely isn't she? But, as you say, it will be a little too late for this issue as the target publication date is end of August at the moment.

Colin

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Hello Colin,

I completed an enlarged version of Vic Smeed's Silver Mist last year. This is 1.7 times the original plan size and I changed the saloon window arrangements ( having seen a photo of a full size Silver yacht of similar appearance) to avoid having to make window frames! I don't know if this would qualify. There are photos in my album andI have completed some minor details since.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

That's a very nice looking model Ian. Is that the only real change you made to the original design. in which case then yes a photo would be useful although the file size would need to be over 250kb ideally.

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Ian your Silver Mist is great.

Colin can we see some more about Vic Smeed including some plans?

Paul

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Paul,

The plans are good but the monochrome illustrations in those old magazines are pretty dreadful and don't reproduce well but I will have a look and see If I can include some of Vic's work.

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Colin

It might be worthwhile putting those old drawings through a CAD system and producing a set of usable plans and working the monochrome images through Gimp to get decent reproductions.

Paul

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Hi Paul,

The plans are not a problem, many are still in the Plans Service anyway and the line drawings in the old magazines scan in very well but some of the old illustrations are very muddy indeed. MHS do have the facilities to get the best out of them but it can be hit or miss depending on the quality of the original material. The usual problems are blurred detail and lack of contrast.

Text is not a problem as my OCR software takes care of that, it's usually just a case of it getting confused with all the fractions used to describe timber sizes etc.which needs to be corrected then adding the metric equivalents.

I have just found a nice little article and plan of a pilot launch by Vic and Arthur Pollard in the June 1961 issue which should scrub up quite well though.

I shall carry on looking.

Colin

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Thanks for the nice comments about my Silver Mist- I was very pleased at how it turned out and of course, the fact that it enlarged so well is testament to a great and much missed designer.

Colin, I could, of course, supply photos at a larger size- these were resized for the album. The only changes I made were the size- it's about 1:16 now, hull length 36'' and weight about 15lb, and the shape of the saloon windows.

The construction method was exactly as Vic Smeed designed but using obeche planks on 6mm ply frames and obeche blocks at bow and stern where called for. I didn't need to build it on a board as I usually would, as the structure was so stiff before planking. I also went to town a bit on the deck, using 1.5mm parana(?) pine on a 1.5mm ply sub deck with black paper caulking. There are some rather nice photos of Vic Smeed's original (in construction and complete)in his book Power Model Boats.

I guess most modellers with any experience would be likely to make modifications to designs, but I feel that this is pretty faithful to Vic Smeed's original intentions- wouldn't want it any other way!

Hope this helps.

Ian

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Ian,

The photo above would be very good if you can scan it in. I will PM you my Email address.

Colin

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