Revell U.S.S. Burton Island...Ice Breaker

[spanner570]

Hi all......

Since building my dio. of H.M.S. Belfast going through a North Atlantic Ice flow, this kit caught my eye, so I recently won one on ebay...

It's by Revell and is 1/285 scale, which gives a model about 11" long. It's an old kit, but an interesting subject nontheless.

It's a cob looking ship, but built for the job...Smashing ice!

[ATTACH]91840.IPB[/ATTACH]


The moulding has plenty of detail, but the ship's handrails are awful. I've cut all the main deck ones off and I will replace them with proper 'see through' mesh ones - No, I don't know how either!

As an example, here's the stern rail before I removed it...

[ATTACH]91851.IPB[/ATTACH]


Here's the start of the build. Hull and deck glued, all main deck handrails removed and a first lick of paint applied.

[ATTACH]91852.IPB[/ATTACH]


Thanks for looking and all comments and or suggestions ( I have the vaseline handy!!) readily accepted..

Ron

[Gern]

John does some Plastruct railings in 1/200 scale which might work Ron. I also know you used to be able to get them in PE but I couldn't find any other than those in (very expensive!) sets tailor made for specific ships.

[monica]

nice start Ron,o_O

what about using some gauze and just stretch it out alittle,in that scale and beaning only 10mm at the most mite look ok, ?

I can see why you did away with the rails i would two,

cannot wait to see this one,come along,

are you going to do like the box art,with the ice ?

will look forward to next update,

[papa 695]

Very nice I will follow this one Ron

[spanner570]

Thanks for the suggestions folks....

Dave, I'll take a look at those railings in John's shop. I did take a look at the P.E. ones on ebay, but apart from the crazy prices, there were none suitable.

Monica, I tried gauze, but because the rail strips are so thin, the stuff came apart as soon as I started to cut them - perhaps a coat of some sort of glue beforehand?

I'm going to do it smashing the ice. If you fancy, take a wander over to my builds and look for my HMS Belfast attempt at ice breaking!!!

Thanks Ian, I hope I don't let our 'Boaties' down.....

[spanner570]

Raining today so I've done a bit more....

Here's the first few stages of the superstructure construction.

[ATTACH]91979.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]91980.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]91981.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]91982.IPB[/ATTACH]


Thanks for looking...

Ron

[Gern]

Coming along nicely Ron. If you get really stuck with the railings, I've got some 0.02" x 0.04" microstrip and some plain lace you could maybe use to make your own?

[monica]

looking nice Ron, i do like this one,will be watching ,

thats what i did mean to say, as I,always paint them before i cut so dont get that problem,

give it a couple of coats of steel or brass, first then a coat or 2 of PVA,watered down

[Guest]

That's coming along quickly Ron! Looking good too!

[Guest]

This is looking good Ron for the rails what about the stuff they use for stitches of a fine fishing line.

[spanner570]

I've sorted the safety mesh for the railings by chopping up one of the wife's sieves!

And, thanks to Monica's tip, they didn't fall to bits when I cut them into strips - Cheers lady!

[ATTACH]92024.IPB[/ATTACH]


I used scissors, not the modelling knife!

I contacted John at the shop and he kindly sent me a print out of some railings he has, but they were unfortunatey too big. Thanks John.

I've had a go at making the railings this morning, but being very small, nothing I've tried looks right - or neat enough. So conceeding defeat, I'll go on the hunt for some ready made ones...N Gauge is about right, as the height needs to be about 5mm. OO/HO might do cut down a tad too. I'll see what's about.

Thank you to all who have suggested ways for making these railings, I appreciate your help and offers, but I'll have to admit to being an abject failure and - heaven forbid - Buy something!!!!!!!!!

Cheers all,

Ron

[Gern]

Well, we tried Ron!

I do feel your pain though. What with having to buy your Zulu figures earlier this week, and now some stuff for railings - and, as if that wasn't enough - you gotta get Justine a new seive too! Seems things are just going from bad to worse!

[spanner570]

Thank you David, I find your concern is most touching....

Incidently, I've just found and purchased a suitable (near enough with a bit of hacking about) set of railings for titchy boat.

As you rightly point out, I'll have to replace the wife's seive, but I will get her a nice posh one......That's her Christmas present sorted!!!!

[spanner570]

Bl***y weather, I can't get out!

So to relieve my frustration, I've done a bit more to the ship...

I've added a bit more superstructure, the chimney and the heli-deck. That's it for the main structure...Time for the bits and pieces.

[ATTACH]92031.IPB[/ATTACH]


Unlike the side rails, the netting on the heli-deck is moulded in, so I just rubbed over it with a pencil...It looks o.k.

[ATTACH]92032.IPB[/ATTACH]


Just a quick snap of the blunt 'Look out ice!' bow.

[ATTACH]92033.IPB[/ATTACH]


Thanks for looking,

Ron

[papa 695]

Looking very nice Ron.

So no nice light and fluffy cakes for you then, now the wife's seive as gone for a better use.