| 162 files in 3 albums with 0 comments viewed 25995 times |
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| Examples of models – various types. |
HMS Solebay 221 viewsThis example was modified from the Deans Marine kit for improved accuracy, and featured in Traplet's Focus File series.
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America116 viewsThis historic race began all the trouble about the Americas Cup, which still rumbles on today. Indeed, it has become yachting's premier trophy. The Cup has never come back to Britain, although the Australians and New Zealanders have both won it from the Americans.
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Enterprise (J Class)88 views"Enterprise" was a high-tech wonder. She was built of Tobin bronze over steel frames, a very expensive form of construction, which gives great strength, light weight, and a glassy smooth bottom which is naturally antifouling.
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Fairmile D303 viewsFerocious looking dogboat, based on a commercially available hull and fittings. Today kits are available. We would be happy to replicate her. She makes an interesting exercise in high-powered scale power plants, and on the water she doesn't half go!
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Juliana 117 viewsThis is a nice heirloom model. It was built about 1985 by a father for his son. Recently it was brought to us for refurbishment. It cleaned up well, and although it does not carry all the scale detail of today’s best models, it still looks very good, and besides, think of all the precious memories it revives.
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Fishguard lifeboat.241 viewsThe present Fishguard lifeboat, "Blue Peter VII", was the first offshore lifeboat to be paid for by the famous television programme. Their previous endowments to the RNLI had been inshore boats.
This model is based on the well-known Model Slipway kit. She was an elaborate and time-consuming model to build, taking over four hundred hours. Since every lifeboat is slightly different, we carried out a research visit to Fishguard to check what minor changes had been made to their boat, in order to ensure the accuracy of the model. The kit is extremely detailed, down to the rivets on the frames on the flying-bridge windscreens, and the keyboard on the computer-operated radar in the wheelhouse. She makes a magnificent model, which has a lively and convincing performance on the water.
The Model Slipway, who manufacture the kit on which this model is based, paid me a very pretty compliment on its appearance, and stated that they are happy to refer any requests they receive for completed versions of their range of kits to me.
(model by John Davies)
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Enterprise (J Class)84 viewsBelow decks she was completely stripped out. Even the floorboards were slatted to reduce weight. She had a clean, open, deck layout. All halliards were led below, and a total of twenty-three winches ensured efficient handling of her lines. The mast was laminated from sheets of duralumin, in those days the latest modern wonder material. It was held together by about 100,000 rivets. It was stepped in a steel tube filled with a liquid resembling quicksilver, and a special member of the crew, known as the "mast nurse" had the job of seeing that the stays were properly adjusted on different points of sailing.
All this technology did not come cheap. "Enterprise cost about £100,000, or more than five times as much as the challenger, "Shamrock V". She was built in 1929, before the crash, and in America the rich had money to burn. Four American J class yachts were built that year. "Enterprise", "Yankee", "Weetamoe", and "Whirlwind" were all built without expense spared.
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Sir Galahad.202 viewsIt incorporates a couple of mistakes I certainly wouldn't make today, but I am still not ashamed of it. It has led an adventurous life, being sailed in many different parts of the U.K. On one outing before the Mayor and Lady Mayoress of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, it was run down by a huge model of H.M.S. "Hood". Damage was quite superficial, and was quickly repaired. A properly made scale model is extremely durable, and will go on to give many years pleasure.
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