Vic Smeed’s Model Boat Designs

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Our thanks to Anthony Armitage for drawing attention to this Vic Smeed design.

Colin

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Found this little miniature in the January 1962 magazine.

Tony

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Found these two photographs in the 1966 re-print of the MAP technical publication – Power Model Boats. Couldn't help but admire these models and thought I would like to share them under this thread.

The first is Silver Mist (MM 524) and the plan is available should anyone be interested in this 21" round bilge hull of balsa construction with ply decks.

The second photograph is of the Empress of Britain built from plan MM 445 which is currently not available. The model is 980mm (38.5" long) I can't help but like the design of this class of three liners, Empress of England and Empress of Canada being the other two. Further reading — **LINK**

Anyone built Silver Mist? would like to see photographs posted.

Tony

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Enlarged version, 3ft long. Power Model Boat is still one of my favourite books.

Ian

Edited By Ian Gardner on 16/01/2014 16:51:07

Edited By Ian Gardner on 16/01/2014 16:51:34

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I remember trying to build Empress of Britain when I was about 14 years old. I used parana pine with bread and butter construction but the hull was too top heavy. I tried splitting it and inserting more depth but that didn't work either. I also had problems with the portholes and with the bridge front with all the windows. I did manage to make a great funnel but eventually the project was consigned to the garden bonfire. The Empresses were indeed good looking ships and I have a 1:1250 metal casting model in my liner collection.

Colin

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Just found this website today and you will like it, Colin and co

**LINK**

Very interesting…..Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Bob, That is certainly a find! These were very successful and well built ships. I just wish I had had the opportunity to sail on the Topaz while she was operated by Thomson. we did sail on one of their other cruises and I think I would have really enjoyed a trip on the old Empress. These older vessels have a wonderful atmosphere onboard compared with modern cruise ships.

Colin

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

A magazine item featuring the Empress of Britain was published in the December 1964 Model Maker magazine. Does anyone know whether it featured the full sized ship or a model?

Ian,

Thanks for the photograph of you Silver Mist, a lovely model. Is it still in your collection?

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Here is the original cover which appeared in 1956 when the plan was published, I don't have the issue though.

Colin

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

I just wish I had had the opportunity to sail on the Topaz while she was operated by Thomson.

Colin

Liz and I did sail on Topaz on the penultimate cruise she made for Thomson around the Canary Isles. She was definitely getting on and a bit tatty – I recall having to call for an engineer to fix a dripping pipe over my bunk at 2 in the morning! The cruise was "all-inclusive" so the place was strewn with bodies dedicated to getting as much sun and "free" lager as possible. There was at least one bloke who I swear never left the bar except to visit the Gents. I also remember docking alongside Ark Royal and marvelling at how big Topaz was in comparison (we were looking down quite a long way onto the flight deck).
Having just last November done 11 days on a medium-sized P&O cruise ship (Oriana) I can say that Topaz was no competition – and neither are Thomson, but that's quite another story………………..

Dave M

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Dave,

Yes, I had heard that Topaz was hanging on a bit towards the end. Certainly no competition for more modern ships. A few years back we did a couple of Thomson cruises on Thomson Celebration to Norway and round the Baltic which were both excellent. In 2012 we did another round the Adriatic on Thomson Majesty. The itinerary was superb but the ship was a bit nondescript and the other passengers a rather downmarket. It wasn't up to the standard of the previous trips. Cunard Transatlantic on QM2 was fabulous but you do have to accept the dressing up as part of the package. All being well we are due to do a Celebrity cruise to Alaska following a Fly Drive over the Canadian Rockies and down to Vancouver in July.

Colin

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Thanks Tony, and yes I still have my Silver Mist- won't ever part with that one.

Ian

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Colin,

Thanks for the information in your earlier post — "Here is the original cover which appeared in 1956 when the plan was published, I don't have the issue though." — this is yet another useful piece of information.

As these snippets of information become available, I update the original list, not only to include any missing designs but now to include if the plan was presented as a free plan and if (and when) a magazine item was published to supplement the plan(s).

Unfortunately I don't have an open budget to go out and buy lots of old magazines on ebay (or elsewhere) so I just keep "chipping away" as best as I can.

Tony

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

Hi ya there Tony

 

Sorry for the delay in replying, I just noticed your message. I built the Cervia Tug from Vic Smeed's plans a few years ago using the plank on frame method. I will post some photographs shortly.

 

I also built the RTTL from Vic Smeed's plans which and I will put some pictures of that on as well.

 

aye

 

John

Edited By bluebird on 20/01/2014 11:32:20

Edited By bluebird on 20/01/2014 11:51:06

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

RTTL from Vic Smeed's plans

aye

john

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

John,

Thanks for posting these photographs, nice to see your models extremely well built from the plans. I think all of us must have thought about building the RTTL at some stage during our model making time. Your Cervia is a gem of a model.

When reading the list, or buying a plan, the design of interest to a prospective builder is just a name with a brief descriptions. In this thread to see someone's model, built from the plans (or further information) adds real interest.

A note of thanks to Colin for starting the thread and suffering my historical research.

Tony

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

XQQME (ex-cues-me), a free plan in the June 1976 edition. A simple multi-race boat designed for the 3.5cc A class, it was hoped this design would form part of a Club 20 category, which avoided tuned engines and other costly extras. The model's construction consists of a ply keel, balsa bow blocks and 1/16 ply skins and the inside is finished with glass fibre, it was 655mm long and 300mm beam at widest. A standard under deck exhaust silencer is fitted as against a tuned pipe.

The photographs shown on the cover of the magazine, show a model built to the plan before some modification was needed to improve the engine's ventilation. This was done by enlarging the clearance around the engine in the hatch lid and the two holes were made into a slot.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Panache, 30" semi scale ocean racer, MM 1299

Came across this photograph in February 1981 Model Boats mag. The text was the third (of 3) items following on from the free plan in the Dec 1980 magazine. The text talks about deck fittings, cabins etc, but the photograph doesn't show them, further reading the text indicates the model was built in a hurry. Looks a good easy build, handy sized yacht, which would look really interesting with the addition of the fittings and yet another to add to the to-do list!

Has anyone built this and can post further photographs?

Plan MM1299 in the shop also has a review added.

[Eric Moffat 1Participant @ericmoffat1]

Vic Smeed also designed a 36' sailboat named "Krispie" because he made it from strips of carboard from – you guessed it- cornflake boxes. He waterproofed it with 1 or 3 coats of oil paint and raced it!

I built one and called it " Sea Reel" – sailed well.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Eric, I took a look at the archives for this one and found this photograph in Vic's 1977 book, showing the method of hull construction –

Do you take any photographs of your 'Sea Reel'?

[Runar MadshusParticipant @runarmadshus11679]

The plans for (MM 535) "Scudabout" is not listed as available. I don't know what Tony exactly means by that, but they are available from Canada on e-bay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MODEL-BOAT-PLANS-16-1-2-CRUISER-BEGINNER-PROJECT-RADIO-CONTROL-GAS-OR-ELECTRIC-/251484769342

In fact, I'm building it as my first model boat project. It's a little bit downscaled (and modified too) though.

 

 

 

Edited By Runar Madshus on 30/03/2014 20:18:32

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Can anyone help with this one? In the 1966 Power Model Boats book this airscrew driven hydrofoil Scorpion is shown. I can't find any further reference or information about it.
Does anyone know of a plan number (MM ???), or when it was featured as a magazine item? any any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Tony.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Bought this book at a bring-and-buy sale yesterday, thought it was worth the 50p asking price. I was then told, if I bought raffle tickets at £2, I could have the book FOC. Bought the raffle tickets, didn't win the raffle, so my 50p book cost £2.

Nevertheless there are a some photographs in the book worth posting. Two photographs of Moccasin (MM 1062) still in the plans list. Couldn't help but think that this model in colour this would look superb. The other photograph is Cachalot (MM 1032) again the plan is still available.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Tony

You have brought back some memories

At thirteen years old I was given a copy of this book as a Christmas present in 1972 and it was the source of much inspiration for some of my successful early builds.

I've just got it out and read it again and its amazing how the past comes flooding back.

Paul

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Hi Paul,

You are quite right about these old books bringing back memories. These are two other books from my collection which I find of interest.

The first one Boat Modelling, my brother bought me a couple of years ago whilst he was out shopping. He spotted this book in a second hand book shop in the village of Ramsbottom, (north of Bolton/Bury), brought it round and commented "it looks a good book too". What was interesting though was for someone who has no interest in model building to make such a good comment.

The second book, Model Ships, my dad bought me in the 1980's. Always regret not getting him to write in the front.

[Author]

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