Ramon de Larrinaga 1954

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hello again.  

Here is my latest project as far as it has got.   British diesel tramp RAMON DE LARRINAGA of 1954, built to a scale of 32’=1″.      I know there is almost zero interest in things like this here, but “ever hopeful,” thought I would let you see the latest progress.     I have been badly delayed by the freezing weather that prevents work outside on the display case, base and carrying case, but the model itself is coming along fine and should be complete within ten days or so.

 

Bob

 

PS.   It is NOT a Boat, but a Ship!

Edited By Bob Wilson on 08/01/2010 19:03:55

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Happy New Year, Bob!

 

Welcome back to the forum

 

Your latest model is looking very neat and tidy……..I see this is not a waterline model….special order?

 

I pity you, working outside in this weather…….it was -15c here a few days ago!

 

Keep up the good work

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Thanks.   No chance of me working outside at the moment though.    Only outside work left is a bit of work on the base, display case and carrying case.       As usual, this one has already been reserved.       The demand for steam and motor ships is insatiable and I often wonder why modelmakers have so little interest in building them.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Completed it yesterday.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Very nice, Bob

 

Your customer will be highly delighted!

 

Bob

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

These are lovely models Bob.

My father, who passed away earlier this year, had been a keen waterline modeller all his life and I have inherited his collection. They were built at 50ft :1in and he used the Historic Liners series from Model Boats.

I remember when I was a boy playing naval wargames on the kitchen table with 100ft:in models he had made- we sort of cobbled together rules about speeds and fire power and it kept us lads amused for hours.

When I was sorting his stuff out I came across a freelance liner I had made when I was about twelve- that gave me a funny feeling!

I would like to post some photos of his models in due course- they aren’t as perfect as yours but have a charm of their own.

You are probably right about the current level of activity in waterline modelling- my father knew the ships from his young days in convoys-  It may have been something people did when there wasn’t so much money about,  which is a shame I think.

I have had a stab at it from time to time but just haven’t got the patience or, quite frankly, the skill;  I’ll just enjoy yours and my dad’s.

 

All the best,

Ian Gardner

 

 

 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Thanks for replies.  

In the past, I also made quite a few smaller models from the Model Boats Historic Liner series and also wrote regularly for the magazine when Vic Smeed was editor.     That was when they were Argus Books.    They even accepted a book manuscript from me and paid advance royalties in 1976.   But then Vic Smeed left,  the book was never published and I, together with Historic Liners, was discontinued!

 

I haven’t much patience at all!    For that reason, I seldom take more than 50 or 60 hours to build anything.      When modellers say they have no patience, I always ask them how long it takes to assemble kits and they usually say either months or years – now that really is patience.

 

Publishers will not generally allow anyone to get interested in merchant ships because they are very blinkered in their views and rarely accept anything on the subject , but there is a hidden world-wide community that can’t have enough of them.

 

A general dumbing down in Britain has led to anything that floats being referred to as a “boat” even if it is quarter of a million tons!    (Battleboat – ugh)

 

Best wishes

Bob

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

At the risk of turning this into ‘old git’s corner’, I agree about the general infantilisation of society- a couple that get me going- train tracks instead of railway lines and adults talking about things being ‘really, really scary’.  Aaaaagh!

 

As for patience- I take your point. I find it irritating when people say they haven’t got time,  and spend half their waking life down the pub or slumped in front of the telly- both lovely occupations in their way – but it’s a matter of choice. 

 

Ian.

[Dave_PParticipant @dave_p]

Another exquisite model Bob, thanks for sharing it with us.

 

While looking through my model ship bookshelf I came across a booklet I had forgotten about written by your good self entitled “The art of Modelling Merchant Ships”. There is no date but it was published by Claughton Press Ltd, Preston. I purchased it from a well known second hand bookshop in Rochester, Kent for £3.00 nearly 10 years ago if my grey cells serve me right..

Slightly off topic I know but thought it may be of slight interest.

 

Dave

 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Dave,

Thanks.      The Art of……    book was published early 1982 at my expense by Claughton Press.     I think I had about 500 made.     Their sale was initially curtailed because a few days after I got them, I joined my ship on what I thought was a normal voyage, but we got tangled up with the Task Force at Ascension and the Navy though we would be a splendid support ship.   We were requisitioned, refitted within a week and packed off down south and it was 13 months before I was able to get back to selling the books again.   They sold out years ago.    Incidentally, it was the one that Argus Books accepted, but never printed.    I returned their advance royalties (after waiting patiently for 4 years) and produced it myself.    It sold out years ago, but I occasionally see copies on Ebay for quite ridiculous sums (30+ £s).

Bob

[Dave_PParticipant @dave_p]

Hi Bob,

 

Nice to know there is history behind the booklet. I will not be selling it as I like to keep it. Pity you don’t get royalties from the Ebay sales.

 

Dave

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