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davecov · Posted: Tue 08 Aug 2006 09:06 am Post subject: DaveCov's Build

My progress will be reported here:

Dave
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davecov · Posted: Fri 11 Aug 2006 20:06 pm Post subject:

I ordered an Airfix 'E' Boat from Antics Online on Tuesday and it arrived today. Very good service made better by the kit only costing £10! Now I have the kit, I can get down to doing some research and making some notes before the Group Build starts in two months time.

Dave
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davecov · Posted: Sun 15 Oct 2006 09:41 am Post subject:

I have taken some photos of the kit and given the sprues a scrub with soapy water. I will leave them for a day and hopefully give them a coat of primer (H64 or H147 actually) tomorrow.

I have also scanned the decals and flag. Whilst most of the decals are fine, the eagles have crosses and not swastikas. These will be replaced as will the separate, paper flag. This not only has crosses but it is somewhat blurred so I will print off a new one with swastikas.

There are some inaccuracies in the kit and some extras I want to add. However, I need to document them all first. So, it looks like the rest of today and part of tomorrow will be spent scribbling notes!

Dave

davecov · Posted: Tue 17 Oct 2006 09:26 am Post subject:

I spent quite a lot of time yesterday studying reference material for the build and compiling some notes. I also dug out all my modelling gear and have cleared enough of an area to resume modelling again!

Today will be the first day of "proper" modelling when I will be assembling some parts prior to giving everything a coat of H147. The particular subject of my build will be S11 when in service in 1939, just prior to the outbreak of WW2. S11 was only chosen because I have a couple of good close-up pictures of it!

Dave
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davecov · Posted: Tue 17 Oct 2006 22:21 pm Post subject:

I actually did something on the model tonight! I cut the two ropes off the foc'sle and sanded the deck smooth prior to making up the hull. The two 'x's mark the original locations. The larger rope was big enough for tying up the Bismarck and the way both had been left on the deck would have given any skipper a heart attack. I will replace both ropes with thread of more realistic scales.

Next step was to glue the hull together. I did have problems with two halves that were out of shape. This was caused by somebody deciding to issue the kit in a box that is 3mm shorter than the length of the hull! As a result, the two halves have been wedged in and created kinks in each half. Apart from the kinks, the hull had a tiny bit of flash at the bow.

If you look at the reflection of the bow in the second picture you can see just how out of line the two bow halves were. The port side especially was way off.

I glued the two hull halves (parts 15 & 22) in between the two centre locating pins only. I then taped the joins and have put heavy weights on this section to ensure that the hull bottom is flat. Tomorrow, I will do the same to the stern and bow. This should also ensure that the bow will line up properly.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Wed 18 Oct 2006 20:51 pm Post subject:

After the centre section of the hull was dry, the forward and aft sections needed glueing. As you can see from the next two pictures, the two halves do not meet at these sections.

Last night I glued the aft third of the hull join and left overnight to dry. I then added the stern.

Today, I had to deal with the forward third of the hull join. This was extremely difficult to get this and the bow join lined up properly. Lots of tape and leaving it for eight hours has solved that one!

This evening, the propellor shafts and rudders had seams and ejector pin marks removed from them and were fitted to the keel of the hull. Propellors have not been fitted at this stage.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Fri 20 Oct 2006 09:46 am Post subject:

The next step was to carry out modifications to the forward bulwark (part 108) that the two torpedo tubes pass through. The bulwark as moulded is shown in the first three pictures below. Unfortunately it is inaccurate as the opening should be over to the port side with the hinged side of the door against the triangular bracing (indicated by the shaded area).

The two triangular braces are a bit too thick and will be cut off and replaced by plastic card. There should also be a third brace on the centreline of the bulwark. S11 (subject of my build) had holes in the braces too.

On the reverse of the bulwark on the port side, there are two steps and a large circle. The circle is supposed to be a vent and is way too large and the steps are too thick and too narrow. All were to be cut off and replaced with plastic card.

In the third picture you can see the two screens (parts 201 & 207) that fit on top of the bulwark. The three locating tabs are way too large and I cut them off. I had intended to replace the tabs with four hinges (two on front and two on side) made from plastic card after fitting the screens. However, I have decided that the kit screens are too thick anyway and will be replacing them with plastic card.

Next step will be to modify the bulwark.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Fri 20 Oct 2006 10:12 am Post subject:

The modification of the bulwark has proceeded well. The vent and steps were cut off and a new opening for the door cut out. The resultant gap was filled with a piece of plastic card. The rear of the bulwark now needs some filling to make good. The third picture shows the locations for the new braces.

The picture below shows the three new triangular braces. These need holes drilling prior to fitting. They will be fitted after the bulwark has been fitted to the deck.

One knock-on effect of moving the door is that the deck treads/steps each side of the opening are now out of line. So, they need cutting off and the holes blanking off with plastic card and then filled and sanded. This should be done prior to fitting the bulwark to the deck! New steps will be fashioned from plastic card and fitted in the new position shown in the first picture below.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Sun 22 Oct 2006 00:03 am Post subject:

Whilst the bulwark was drying, I turned my attention to the scuttles in the hull. I painted the clear plastic parts (16-28) with H33 (Matt Black) and covered with Klear. Before fitting them into the scuttles, I painted the scuttles H64 (Matt Light Grey), including the internal surface of the holes. This was done to avoid the possibility of overpainting them when finally painting the whole hull in H64.

Whilst I had the black paint out, I put the first of three coats on the keel and rudders.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Sun 22 Oct 2006 00:59 am Post subject:

Next step was to turn my attention to the cabin for the first time. Shape wise it it a pretty reasonable reproduction. Unfortunately, the real thing had doors on both sides of the cabin. The doors were also external to the cabin and slid aft on rails when opened.

First step was to paint all the windows H33 Matt Black and cover with Klear (as I like to do). After painting the window frames in H64 ,I fitted the windows. Before I assembled the cabin, I cut the centre window out of the starboard bulkhead (part 132) as you can see in the picture below. This window will become the top of the new door. Note that the two lifebouys (parts 206 & 209) and the handrail (part 205) are not fitted on this side of the cabin and the holes must be filled in.

The port side door opening was blanked off with a piece of plastic card. The kit door will then be glued to the blank so allowing it to sit proud of the cabin bulkhead.

View of rear of cabin. The kit has railings (parts 152 & 153) that fit along the length of the "step". However, this is wrong and they should only extend halfway aft. There should also be a guardrail going across the back of this "step" as well. More on these guardrails at a later stage.

I hadn't allowed for the door window sticking out of the rear of the door. So, I had to make a cut-out in the blank in order that the door would sit flush on the blank. In retrospect, I should have cut out this square before fitting the blank into the opening. You can just make out plastic card squares that have been glued to the rear of the holes on the starboard bulkhead that need filling.

Next step was to make a second door. I used the window cut from the cabin earlier and stuck some plastic card to it using the other door as a template. I also fitted a door handle (cannot see in the pic due to camera flash).

New, starboard door fitted. Note how door is external to cabin. I still need to fit track for door to slide on. This will be made from plastic card.

Port door fitted, also external. I still need to fit track for door to slide on here too.

Another view, this time from above. You can see the door handle in this view. Note that the searchlight frame (part 148) has been fitted to cabin roof. It is not in the position shown in the instructions as that is too far forward. I drilled a new locating hole halfway between the original one and the centre locating hole for the handrail at the rear of the roof. The original hole will be filled in.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2006 20:14 pm Post subject:

Test fitting of bulwark during of sanding of deck. Once fitted, I will be able to fit the three triangular braces to the front. Note the new door on the starboard side of the cabin.

Rear of bulwark has now been completed but has not been glued to deck. The door is now over to the port side and has been rescribed. Steps and vents fitted each side.

Cabin dry-fitted to deck. Note steps at rear, searchlight repositioned closer to rear of roof and modified horn at front of roof. The handrail on roof is dry-fitted to ensure correct placement of searchlight. It will be replaced with stretched sprue.

Dave
The searchlight has a piece of silver foil inside to represent a reflector. You can also see the modified horn. The body of the kit part (150) was a rectangle and was cut down to a more representative profile of the body of a horn.

davecov · Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2006 20:27 pm Post subject:

The next step was to construct the torpedo tubes. Before fitting the plates (parts 104 &105) to the outboard of each tube, I painted the plates and the tube underneath. I then glued the hinges to the front each tube door and glued the door to the fronts of the tubes. I assembled the rear doors and hinges too but did not glue them. Note: they must not be put on until the tubes have been put through the bulwark.

I then spent hours cutting pieces from the sprues, trimming and test-fitting them.

I cut a slice off the compass binacle and put a piece of plastic card on (white circle) to represent the glass in the binacle. The gun platform needs to have supports underneath the overhanging sections. These will be done using plastic card.

All the parts were then removed and will be painted before final fixing. Before they can be fixed in place, I now have to tidy up the deck/hull join and paint the deck. The deck will be painted H27 (Matt Sea Grey) as per the kit instructions. Because I am building S11 in her pre-war configuration, I won't be painting the fittings and cabin roofs H27 but will be painting them H64 (Matt Light Grey).

Dave

airfixteen · Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2006 20:34 pm Post subject:

You could have spring loaded the torpedo shoots to give it 'Live Action Firing' and could make foam torpedos...........or then again.........use nails as a missle instead

Looking good Dave You should take it to telford if its finished in time
Very Detailed

luke
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You must listen to what the baked potato say.....

Luke

davecov · Posted: Wed 25 Oct 2006 11:02 am Post subject:

Yesterday I cleaned up the hull/main deck join. The deck received it's first coat of H27 (Matt Sea Grey). The other components received a second coat of H64 (Matt Light Grey). I also gave the keel a second coat of H33 (Matt Black).

I won't be fitting the depth charge rails as S-boats did not carry spare torpedoes on the racks whilst carrying depth charges at the same time. I don't believe S11 had the depth charge rails prior to WW2 anyway which is the period that I am building it. I will be using the stern to stow the two dinghies as you can see in the following picture. The picture also shows my amended colour scheme quite well. Of course, this means that I will have to buy another one to build OOB

!

Note that none of the fittings have been glued yet and won't be until the deck receives another two coats of H27 and the hull has been painted H64.

I was going to modify the kit torpedoes by cutting off the vanes and replacing with plastic card. However, I have decided to treat myself to some WEM torpedoes instead. The WEM torpedoes can be made as G7a or G7e versions. I will be building the G7a version.

The torpedo racks in the kit are in the right place. However, there should be additional racking between these racks and the aft end of the torpedo tubes. I will make these from plastic card. Note, that during action, the spare torpedoes were pulled forward on their racking until just aft of the rear door of the torpedo tubes. This allowed quick loading after the first torpedoes had been fired.

Dave

Ratch · Posted: Wed 25 Oct 2006 14:49 pm Post subject:

Looking good Dave

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davecov · Posted: Wed 25 Oct 2006 23:30 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Ratch.

Not much done tonight. Painted the final coat of H33 (Matt Black) on the keel section of the hull and applied the second coat of H27 (Matt Sea Grey) on the main deck. I also did a little bit of painting on the dinghies and a few other parts.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Thu 26 Oct 2006 22:03 pm Post subject:

Painted props H16 (Gold). I thought this was an unusual choice (as stated in the instructions) but it actually makes the props look more realistic than H55 (Bronze). I also painted the prop shafts H56 (Aluminium) and not H33 (Matt Black) as shown in the instructions.

The keel section is now complete.

The only other painting I did tonight was to paint the guns H53 (Gunmetal).

Dave

davecov · Posted: Fri 27 Oct 2006 11:31 am Post subject:

Got the WEM torpedoes today. They were a bit fiddly but didn't take too long to assemble. Talking of too long, they are 11mm longer than the kit torpedoes (if you exclude the WEM propeller vane for the proximity fuse that fits on the nose of the torpedoes)!

Seeing as there was such a large discrepancy in what are supposed to be identical torpedoes, I did a check on the specification of the real thing. A 1/72 scale torpedo should be 99mm long (including propeller vane). The WEM ones are 97mm (with vane) and 95mm (without). The Airfix kit ones are 84mm (without vane). The difference in length won't really notice unless you try and fit a WEM torpedo into a torpedo tube - they won't fit!

BTW, if stowing the torpedoes on the racks, they should not have the propellor vanes fitted unless going into action. I have fitted the vanes as a matter of principle - I'm not paying for bits to go straight into the spares box!

davecov · Posted: Fri 27 Oct 2006 19:01 pm Post subject:

I started work on the scratch-building of the forward pairs of torpedo rails. The kit has the rails where the torpedoes are normally stowed but does not have the smaller rails between the aft rails and the rear door of the torpedo tubes. The location of the cradles for the forward rails can be seen in this picture in white.

I am cutting additional cradles and rails from plastic card. The plastic card cradles will replace the kit ones in the aft postion and the kit ones (which are better detailed) will be fitted forward.

Dave

Ratch · Posted: Fri 27 Oct 2006 19:05 pm Post subject:

Having discovered the discrepancy in the size of the torpedoes, have you checked the dimension of the boat

Could it actually be 1:76 or 1:87

_________________
and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
Airfix Club 500287
IPMS 10983