I am documenting my build as I progress and I will endeavour to keep it up to date too.

I bought the plans some 30 years ago while serving in the Army. However, I never got around to building it until now. Perhaps because I knew it required time and a more permanent residence for the build.

I'm now retired and build boats from scratch. I am really looking forward to building this and I expect there will be challenges along the the way.

These photos are of the first stages. I used a jig grid which I would normally use for building planes. However, I wanted to ensure everything is true and square for this particular build and I find it useful to clap and leave over night.

So this is my first post. I'm also looking at another post by Dave who is also building this ship.

Wow don't you just love sanding! I've taken some time mainly shaping the Bow. The rest of the hull was a piece of cake.

It's well worth making up templates to ensure the shape is correct. Here is a nearly finished bow but I just need to continue a little more here until I'm happy with it.

The aft section is now finished ready for popping in the prop tubes, rudder shafts etc but will do these once the bow section is 100%

I made this simple cutting jig to save time preparing the deck sides all of which are 1" using 1/16" ply.

The jig is approximately 15" long by about 6" wide. Made on an odd bit of timber. The pictures show the basic concept.

My metal rule is 3/4" so I needed to make a jig to ensure when the rule was placed on the guides it would cut 1" for me. The easy answer is naturally to purchase a 1" metal rule. Cash is tight in my house and I had a brilliant metal strap that's been around a few years. So .....

1. Have a strip of 3/4" x 1/8" ensuring it is true and tack this to the upper length of timer. This will support whatever you wish to cut (1/32" , to 1/8")

2. Cut two small strips about 3" long of the same material used above. Look at the photo, position this and tack in place. I have another small strip for my rule to sit on just beneath this.

3. The rule is in place ready to cut. it's that easy.

I think it is so simple to make and handy to have.

Roy

I've managed to get moving with the deck structure and I must admit it took some thinking about before cutting.

The plan I'm working from is really old and has been repaired countless times and has some areas missing. However, I managed to identify the main bits the rest I will have to rethink.

As an afterthought I drilled an inch hole in the mid bulkhead in order to feed wires. I am going to fit some lighting and other electrics in the ship.

Today I finished the bridge so I will post photos over the weekend.

I'm keeping my own diary of this build so once the whole ship has been completed I will be able to share the build with other people.

Roy

Just a little more work on the deck structure today and that's nearly all the parts cut from plan. Sanding, filling and adding the last few sides prior to a coat of primer will be the next step.

I have made up some temp aligning aids for the motors to prop shafts today and these will be fixed in place soon. I use car filling past which can be easily manipulated and sanded once dry.

The bow now has the correct shape too (concave) and I hope to put a coat of primer on the hull this weekend. Not that I'm going to get much opportunity due to some ex Army buddies visiting NE for the Sunderland vs Southampton football match which they have kindly purchased a ticket for me.... Might be nice to see another team other than the Toon.

Roy 😊

The last few days has seen me tidying up the superstructure (Sanding etc).

I also cut out the pieces for the Gun Turrets which has been a task and half given that some of the building instructions were missing off the plan. However, I managed to finish these to a fashion and need to fill and sand a little more prior to coating with primer paint.

The gun barrels were made from brass and BBQ skewers they seemed to have the shape I was looking for.

Incidentally, I build all three turrets next to each other on a strip on masking tape and this worked really well for me. I also made up an alignment tool so that each gap where the gun barrels will eventually sit were the same measurement. This was useful when positioning some of the inner walls too..... Just need some 1" dowel to fix gun barrels in place now.

Day off tomorrow!
Roy

Here are a few pictures of the gun turrets and how I built them along with the original turret.

I will fix the barrels once sanded and painted.

I also managed to fit the twin prop shafts and seated the engines too. The engines will be removed once I'm happy that everything is true and straight!

It's amazing how temporary jigs assist in building.
😊

Today has been spent making the decking hatches. I've decided to have three main entrances into each compartment for access to battery-radio-motors.

The hatches were made by simply making a frame-work which uses the boat contours and these were left to dry before removing them (see photos). This is how I make all of my hatches a tip my late father taught me.

I have had thoughts regarding the tower and I think this is going to be a challenge to make from brass. So.... Watch this space.

I've got to that stage where I'm working on lots of different bits. I have started to build the very small Whaler boat here.

Not too sure how this will turn out but I have built these small life craft before but carved from a solid block of balsa wood. I want a craft that looks the part so this is my first attempt at minI planking. it may or my not work fingers crossed.