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PostPosted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:21 am 
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Hello, I thought I'd share my scratchbuild of the HMAS Melbourne R21 Majestic class aircraft carrier. I decided to embark upon this scratchbuild once I discovered that no model manufacturers make this ship in any scale. I did find that a group called Ozmods were planning on making a resin kit and even produced some master moulds for it, however the handed the moulds over to The Resin Shipyard (Canadians who were interested in making the HMCS Bonaventure. I tried contacting The Resin Shipyard but only got one response which was that release of the kit was some time away. So this left me with a choice, give up or scratch build. So having never scratchbuilt anything before I chose to scratchbuild. I obtained plans for the Melbourne and HMAS Sydney R17 from The Naval Historical Society of Australia and found a website called The Tin Shed (Link below) where Tex Bryson built a 1/100 RC version from the same plans and a stack of photos from his brother who served on the ship.

http://tinshed.wixsite.com/thetinshed/single-post/2018/04/02/HMAS-Melbourne-R21-Aircraft-Carrier

I did start building the ship in balsa but after struggling to get finer details in the model I started the build again using Evergreen polystyrene sheet. But I'll explain all that as I load up the progress photos. I am new to this whole forum thingy so please bear with me as I figure out what I am doing.


Last edited by Bonobo_Atho on Wed Dec 25, 2019 7:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:30 am 
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Location: Nr Southampton England
:welcome: to modelwarships.com :wave_1: :thumbs_up_1:


I look forward to seeing how the model progresses

Best wishes
Jim Baumann

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....I buy them at three times the speed I build 'em.... will I live long enough to empty my stash...?
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 2:16 pm 
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Welcome to MW ships. You can find my take on HMAS Melbourne as well as a number of carriergeeks under this thread on the forum. viewtopic.php?f=59&t=18158&start=4680


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 9:39 pm 
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Posts: 100
Thanks for the welcome Jim, and thanks for the link to your build Pieter.

So I started this build about a year ago now and have progressed in fits and starts. But now having taken 3 weeks over Christmas I've managed to work on the model almost everyday and have made as much progress in 1 week as I did in at least six months. Now not wanting to keep you waiting any longer here are some photos of the initial build in balsa.

I started by converting the pdf drawings to jpg and importing them into AutoCAD so I could scale the plans rather than relying on a print shop to do this, and so I could build a 3D model. The end goal is that I want to build a 1/72 RC model of the Melbourne one day and also so I could use the hull profile to design my own carrier (Yeah, I'm a sucker for the 'Australia should have a carrier' camp) to build in 1/350 in the hopefully not too distant future.

I printed the bulkheads, keel, and flight deck templates on A3, cut them out and used PVA glue to stick them to 1.5mm balsa sheet. It was at this point that I discovered how fibrous balsa was and that this could pose a challenge in the future for creating the finer details.


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 22, 2019 8:14 pm 
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As I assembled the ship I decided that I wanted to make it RC and so set about making the necessary space inside which involved cutting out access hatches in the flight deck and removing sections of the bulkhead frames. I also started to think about how what I was going to use as skin for the hull. I am part way through a build of the Artisania Latina HMS Endeavour and have struggled with planking so wasn't keen to go down that path so I settled on making an internal tub with a layer of polyurethane foam sprayed between the that and the hull skin. The idea here was that the foam would provide support for the hull skin between the bulkheads and give me something shape to the lines of the hull. Installing the prop shaft sleeves was interesting as I had to find a way to make holes through the bulkheads and into the tub. Turns out that my needle file was the same diameter as the brass tube so into the cordless drill it when and I basically bored the holes from there. One error I did make here was using soft brass tube for the sleeves as this bent during the installation process.


Attachments:
File comment: Installation of the bulkhead frames and keel to the underside of the flight deck completed.
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File comment: Installation of the dummy prop shafts.
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File comment: Cut out access hatches in the flight deck after deciding to make the ship RC.
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File comment: Installing the internal tub.
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File comment: Prop shaft sleeves installed.
WP_20180427_007.jpg
WP_20180427_007.jpg [ 144.42 KiB | Viewed 3484 times ]
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2019 1:35 am 
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Thanks for the suggestion David. I did eventually come to that conclusion and ended up starting again from scratch for the whole ship using styrene sheet, but we'll get to that later. In the meantime this was the progress with the foam filling and hull skinning. Applying and forming the foam was pretty easy however it porosity wasn't consistent and I found many large air pockets as I sanded away the upper layers and using wood filler to fill in the gaps but this was not as successful as I would've liked. The foam also didn't leave sharp edge detail which was disappointing but expected. For the hull skin I ended up choosing to use the Eze-Kote resin and fibreglass system from Deluxe Materials.


Attachments:
File comment: Filling the hull with foam.
WP_20180830_16_06_02_Pro.jpg
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File comment: Bogging the unevenness in the hull profile. You can make these out just forward of the prop shafts.
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File comment: Hull and deck all glassed up.
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WP_20190215_13_16_23_Pro.jpg
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2019 1:43 am 
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Then I had to decide how I was going to construct the island. I choose to also do this with balsa and this is where I really began to see the limitations in getting fine detail out of balsa. I guess I could have drowned the balsa shape in resin and sanded and bogged my way to the desired shape but I wasn't too keen on that idea so I struggled ahead with the balsa and a little bit of bogging with wood filler. I did get the ship to a reasonable facsimile and started to paint the hull with a base coat so I had something onto which to mark the external openings.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2019 1:49 am 
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So this is where the fun really began. Cutting openings in the hull fabric was very easy to do, just not accurately. The acrylic resin and fibreglass wasn't very stiff and neither was the foam underneath, add that to the fibrous nature of the balsa and it was a nightmare trying to get that fine detail. After trying to construct the various sponsons from balsa and coming up against the same detail issues I gave up on HMAS Melbourne (Balsa).


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WP_20190908_16_33_47_Pro.jpg
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 24, 2019 12:12 am 
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Ad so now the new build starts, HMAS Melbourne using styrene sheet.

I decided to use the same approach as before: bulkhead frames attached to underside of deck then stiffened with the keel. However I deviated a little by using the underside of deck 3 as my reference. The intention was to build the hanger on top of this with all of the voids needed to detail the openings in the side of the hull. This ended up making it hard to align the flight deck, deck 3, and the bulkheads properly. Needless to say some cutting and sanding was required as well as insertion of packing.

I chose 0.5mm thick sheet for the bulkheads and 1mm sheet for the keel but the 0.5mm is just a little too flexible for the job. I was also intending on using 0.25mm sheet for the hull skin but concluded that it too is way too flexible for the job. So on the next build I will be using 1mm for the bulkheads, 0.5mm for the hull skin, and will be building from the underside of the flight deck.

In the meantime it's time to build the open spaces where all the hull openings are.


Attachments:
File comment: Number 3 deck ready for cutting out.
WP_20191213_15_58_42_Pro.jpg
WP_20191213_15_58_42_Pro.jpg [ 181.53 KiB | Viewed 3438 times ]
File comment: Bulkheads installed.
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File comment: Hanger bay walls installed.
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File comment: Keel installed.
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File comment: Elevator openings cut out.
WP_20191221_16_25_13_Pro.jpg
WP_20191221_16_25_13_Pro.jpg [ 212.91 KiB | Viewed 3438 times ]
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 24, 2019 10:43 am 
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Great work! Half the fun of scratch-building is learning your initial efforts didn't satisfy you, and learn from it. You held on to your passion for the Melbourne and tried new materials and techniques.

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 7:21 am 
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I haven't done much over the last few days being Christmas and all but I did manage to complete the basic shapes on the open deck areas at the forward end. I have been looking at 3D printed bollards, fairleads, winches, and boats to detail these areas so future progress in these areas may be a little slow until I acquire those fittings. Also need to figure out what doors I need to install (those that can be seen) and whether I'll make them or but them if available. In the meantime I will continue working on the open deck areas at the stern end.

Thanks for the support and advice. I do like the idea of additional thickness at the frame edges for a larger gluing surface.


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WP_20191226_19_43_48_Pro.jpg
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:47 am 
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Nice work. For fittings shapeways can sometimes be expensive. Look at resin and injection molded parts by various manufacturers. You will need them anyway for your 40mm twins. Mine were fine molds 1/700 with scratchbuild styrene shields.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:57 pm 
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Thanks Pieter. Shapeways is exactly where I have been looking. I have found an example of twin 40mm Bofors on there but also on Free Time Hobbies and Black Cat Models.Which ever one I go for I can see I will need to scratch build the shields. I found Shapeways and Free Time Hobbies when I started looking for A-4 Skyhawks and S-2 Trackers. I was Hoping Trumpeter had them in their 1/350 aircraft range because they make them for their 1/350 Intrepid carrier, but sadly they don't sell the aircraft separately to the carrier. So my kniving little plan is to get the Intrepid model for my birthday and resin cast the aircraft myself:)


Last edited by Bonobo_Atho on Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:14 pm 
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Thanks for the links David.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:55 pm 
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So I've managed to complete the basic shapes to the open areas at the stern end and definitely need to get onto getting the fittings. I would really like to get those installed before painting the open areas, which in turn I'd like to get done before putting the hull skin on. Speaking of which I started investigating how the hull skin was going to match up with the underside of the flight deck. I'm pretty confident I can get those waves out of the flight deck edge but can see it's going to take some patience.


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WP_20191229_09_51_56_Pro.jpg
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WP_20191229_09_52_05_Pro.jpg
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WP_20191229_10_37_51_Pro.jpg
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 29, 2019 3:19 am 
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0.5mm. The same thickness as the sheet I'm using for the hull skin.


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 29, 2019 5:24 pm 
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Sure is. I was thinking of reinforcing the perimeter of the deck edge but hoping to avoid it because it will be a little time consuming doing that in between all of the frames.

On the next flat top model I will definitely reinforce the deck perimeter before installing the bulkhead frames.


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 29, 2019 10:33 pm 
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At those scales I'm not surprised 0.5mm was too thin! I was originally going to skin the hull in 0.25mm sheet but quickly worked out that was too thin. The 0.25mm has ended up coming in useful as shim stock so thankfully not a waste of money. The 0.5mm feels like it will be adequate as a skin both in being not so flexible so as to give between frames and yet thin enough to follow the hull lines. I don't mind the idea of a bit of deformation between the frames if it gives the feel of the deformation that takes place on a real ships hull but will probably need more frames to get more realism from it though. In the next build I will be using 1mm for the frames but am not looking forward to cutting all those out with a craft knife so may invest in a small band saw or scroll saw for that. :smallsmile:

Do you plank your hulls wooden ship style; i.e thin strips of 1mm thick styrene?

What movie was the space station for?


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 7:59 am 
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Well hull skin installation went a lot better than expected. Only a couple of areas where some filling and filing will be required. Still contemplating how I'm going to get the sheet to fit around the stern but am hoping that I can use my balsa and fibreglass version as a mould to form the sheet around, maybe softening it with a hairdryer????


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 5:31 pm 
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Wow, that's cool. The space station that is.

I was thinking about I was going to skin the rest of the hull last night and pretty much concluded I'd do it the way you have mentioned. Have you posted your Lindberg on this forum?


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