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ABOVE: Stern of hull showing propeller and rudder, lower support for rudder stock still to be fitted ABOVE: Supports for motor and speed control unit in place ABOVE: Beams to carry radio receiver and base for 6 volt f 0 amp/hr battery in hull ABOVE: Tray carrying rudder servo fixed to beams in stern area of hull ABOVE: Battery pack and switch for navigation lights under after deck with modified tray and with rudder servo in place ABOVE: Centre of hull showing motor, speed control, switch and battery in place was then spray painted green, four coats being applied and each examined carefully as it dried. Technically the hull colour should have been black but this would not have been as attractive as a fine lighter colour and green (Ford Laurel Green) was chosen as it was to hand in the workshop. At this point the hull was set aside for almost two weeks to cure fully before further work was done and the main deck hatch was built in the interim. This hatch is a prominent part of the model and had to be researched and made as accurately as possible. THE HATCHES The full size hatches of such vessels in the years before and after the Second World War had covers that were formed from steel or wrought iron girders laid over the opening and intC! guides on either side of the opening. These girders were used to hold hatch boards of heavy timber and approximately six feet x two feet in size. Over these boards were then fitted tarpaulin sheets secured round the perimeter of the hatch with steel bars laid in side mounted brackets and made tight with wooden wedges driven hard in place. Thinner ABOVE: Forward end of hull showing radio receiver and battery mounted steel bars were fitted across the tarpaulin to prevent it moving and such bars were locked in place with bolts and nuts. The model hatch was made from a frame of 3.0 mm thick plywood approximately 25 mm wide stood on edge and glued into a rectangle with a raised centre at each end. The rectangle was braced at each corner with triangles of 3.0 mm plywood. The top was formed from two pieces of 1.5 mm plywood over three fine braces across the hatch. The outer faces of this hatch were covered with 0.5 mm styrene sheet glued down with contact adhesive. Round the sides and ends of the structure were glued fine styrene angle to simulate the perimeter rails and the whole of the top surface of the hatch was covered with fine cotton sail cloth glued down with diluted PVA adhesive. Once the glue had dried the cloth was painted with dark green paint mixed from water based acrylic artists medium and set aside to dry. The sides of the hatch were painted black and finally over 40 tiny wooden wedges were cut and glued round the hatch sides to simulate the correct finish. Strips of styrene painted black were glued in place over the hatch top as illustrated. This hatch consumed almost 25 hours of work and experimentation. Cross beams cut from 6.0 mm thick x 10 mm wide plywood were glued across the well of the hull to carry the main deck, these beams were fitted with small triangles of plywood at each corner to provide extra security. The main decks of 3.0 mm plywood were next cut to fit, templates of card being made first to ensure accurate fitting of the decks, this section of decks being made in two halves to allow easy attachment. Once tried in place and fit found correct the underside of both parts were treated to two coats of white primer to render the timber waterproof. 'They were then glued carefully in place using PVA thixotropic adhesive. Once this deck was complete, 0.5 mm thick styrene was cut to fit the inside of the bulwarks and fixed in place with contact cement. The relief ports were then cut through the styrene and bulwark supports cut from 1.0 mm thick styrene were glued in place with liquid poly. The athwartship beams in the way of the hatch opening were next cut away and strips of 3.0 mm ply cut to fit were glued under the edges of the opening thick area to which to attach the coamings. to fonm a reasonably 56 FEBRUARY 2010 www.marinemodelmagazine.com
Coamings made from strips of 3.0 mm thick ply approximately 15 mm wide were made to fit round the hatch opening, measurement of this opening and the fit of the coamings was critical as the premade hatch had to be a sliding fit after all parts had been painted. The coamings were reinforced at each corner with triangles of 3.0 mm thick ply and they were painted by brush with acrylics mixed to a dull red. The hatch was tried in place and found to fit; it gave a large opening, when removed, allowing easy access to the radio equipment, motor, speed controller and switches etc. Progressively the remainder of the decks were made from 3.0 mm plywood and fitted in place over suitable beams. It was found that the fibreglass hull had spread slightly and a pair of long, adjustable clamps was used to hold the hull sides until the beams and glue were firmly fixed. All the decks were treated with two coats of sanding sealer and sanded smooth once fitted. The after deck was cut away in way of the superstructure and low coamings were fitted made from strips of 3.0 mm plywood. Beneath this area a platform was made from 3.0 mm plywood over the propeller shaft and on this was fitted a battery pack of four 1.2 mmM cells to feed the navigation lights and a suitable on/off switch was also fitted <strong>here</strong>, in circuit with the battery pack and lighting harness. SUPERSTRUCTURE The superstructure was built from 1.5 mm plywood to fit accurately over the coamings and was of a simple box construction except for the wheelhouse. So frequently, when fitting glaZing, glue spreads and mars the clear material. On this occasion I decided to build the wheelhouse walls in three layers to allow glazing to slide into place, glue free, and to be held securely when the roof was glued on. The inner and outer walls were cut to show the full size of the window apertures. the middle section of the walls was cut smaller than the outer and inner sections by enough to allow the glazing to slide between the outer sections. All three individual wall sections were then glued firmly together and prepared for staining and varnishing before being assembled. The result can be seen in the photographs ABOVE: Stern view showing construction of aft superstructure Inside the wheelhouse were fitted, a wheel on a stand and complete with chain and pulley, binnacle and telegraph, all from the Mobile Marine Models range and a chart table complete with chart was made and.fitted to the port side of the wheelhouse. The funnel was carved and sanded from a block of jelutong to match the drawings. The wheelhouse roof was prepared next. painted and fitted with navigation lamps and casings, the lamps of LED's, from Mobile Marine Models, were fitted and white styrene tubes were added beneath the lamps to conceal the cables that led through the wheelhouse. The wheelhouse doors were fitted with small brass hinges purchased from Squires. and can be opened or closed as required. Aft of the funnel housing are two water tanks and a skylight and further aft is the quadrant over the rudder with operating chains in place. Tubes for the rudder operating units run on either side of the engine room casing. Above the aft tanks etc., are two frames upon which the lifeboat is mounted and a small ABOVE: View inside wheelhouse showing wheel, steering chain with gypsy and telegraph ABOVE: Stern end of superstructure base illustrating rudder quadrant with steering chain ABOVE: Main mast lower showing pivot arrangement for derrick ABOVE: slewing Base of main mast illustrating winch www.rnarinernodelmagazine.com FEBRUARY 2010 57
Page 2 and 3: £Ia GREAT BRITAIN MV DAWNLIGHT TOM
Page 6 and 7: ABOVE: Stern deck of model complete

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