The Ship Model Forum

This project is the result of the deal discussed here http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=85169

I now have to build a copy of my MAS 527, a II Serie "500" class MTB, but in her 1942 configuration, as when she was operating on Lake Ladoga against the Russians.

All the II Serie "Cinquecento"s had a Breda '31 13.2 mm machine gun but the 4 boats of the XII Squadriglia received a 20 mm Breda '35 cannon (which proved to be troublesome in that its strong recoil overstressed the hull structure; thus, no other II Serie got this upgrade); other differences, compared to my existing "as planned" MAS, were different railings aft, bigger wind bafflings around the wheelhouse and a backup wheel on its back. 20 mm ammo boxes were stowed all around on the deck, secured to the railings. A smoke generator was carried aft.

Here's a wiew of MAS 529, the last boat of XII Squadriglia, identical to the '527



As for now, I'm working in two different places: here on my usual workbench for the smaller items, and at my father's workshop for heavy works. I've started my small works by the Breda '35, which I was curious to see completed



It's not completed yet: the gunsight, the trigger arches and some minor details on the mount are still missing. I use copper wire where plastirod won't just bend in the desired shape. The muzzle cone is winded paper.

Even if I'm not a fan of toyish tricks, I left the possibility to elevate the gun: the overengineered sighting arm was just too crazy to be left static (of course, it has to be operated gently!)



Heavy works now: when I built my own '527, I did her with a fiberglass hull and deck, so that I could eventually make an RC model out of her. Thus, I had a spare fiberglass hull and the master of the deck which I could use for this project.

The hull surface was badly marred by me not properly applying the mold release agent; filling the voids was therefore my first task. Then, I went on with the "water baffles" on the sides (don't know their name ). Those were tricky to do because of the thickness they had and the tight bend they had to follow to stick to the bow.

To build them, instead of cutting a triangular-shaped batten at regular intervals to let it bend, as I did on my '527, I used three strips of decreasing section glued together, filling the "stairways" thus left on the top side with putty





I'm quite satisfied, comparing that to my slightly overscale previous version



I'm afraid it will take me some time to show you the next updates; my client is in no hurry, and I am currently working on a most urgent and most secret project, of which I will tell you everything once I will be done

(want to know what I'm working on? Well, here's her sail )

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Your man went for it then?!!

The water baffles I believe would be called 'Spray Rails'

Indeed the new ones do look sharper!


Watching


JIM B

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....I buy them at three times the speed I build 'em.... will I live long enough to empty my stash...?
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

IPMS UK SIG (special interest group) www.finewaterline.com

Yes, we verbally agreed that I shall build him two models, with no delivery date imposed. Display stand and glass case included. I keep him updated on my progesses by email, in just the same way I'm doing here. He seems to be satisfied so far.

BUT he has bought the same plans I'm working on... I can't afford the slightest mistake as he can now point it out

(Just kidding... Anyway, I was determined to work at the best of my possibilities)

Thanks for the spray rails and for your attention

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The submarine project and some pending exams had me distracted from this build since the last month, yet I have managed to put some bits together



(Sorry for the blurred photo, didn't have my tripod at hand)

Those weird "L" shaped things coupled by a rod are the torpedo launchers' rails; one of their torpedoes is getting sanded. I'm cutting parts as well for the depht charges; will try resin casting to replicate them

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I painted the hull black to check the smoothness of the surface



The two holes below the first step are the water inlets for the engine cooling circuit

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Hi,

Will be watching with great interest - big RC models esp. of MAS boats are wonder!

Do you run some thread on that? Tempted to see.

Do you mean for 'model motors cooling circuit' or to imitate actual water inlets of the real boat? I wonder whether you will need cooling for motors on your boat as it is a big and fast boat so that motors do not overheat at "full speed ahead" (I do not see any reason for a model of a torpedo boat to run in any other mode ) . In this case hope you show the inside of the boat to see the arrangement as it is not quite often done and shown for RC scale boat.

Cheers,

Yevgeniy

Hi Yevgeniy,

Let me explain what the "submarine project" is about: it's a big scale model of a modern SSK that I'm rebuilding for an association of which I am a member; in fact, we wanted to donate a model to a museum, and another member volunteered to build it, but he did it in a hurry, with poor materials and absurd building methods, getting a sort of caricature of the real thing
As the donation had already been announced, I accepted to try to put a patch on the thing (in fact, the only thing I could salvage from the wreck was the pressure hull). But I've been urged by all the other members involved to keep this project under secrecy, in order to avoid conflicts with the original builder, may he find out my build log, and this until we're done.
The good part about this dirty story of jealousy and deception is that I'm keeping track of my work and will be able to show you a nice build report when I will be authorized to publish it

Back to the MAS: in fact, this one has to be a static model (I hope to not deceive you ), so the water inlets are there to reproduce the real ones; originally, I wanted to build my first MAS as an RC boat, and I had foreseen functional water inlets for both engine and speed control unit cooling. But then I renounced and went for the static display. I may try to build an RC MAS starting from the expendable 1/35 plastic model

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Secondo,

Ok, I understood the situation with the sub - I wish you much success with the boat and everything around it!

As to MAS I thought it natural that 1/20 scale is designed for nothing but RC that is why I asked. I will be very keen to watch it whether it is static or RC as it is very nice boat plus being able look at your workmanship

Cheers,

Yevgeniy

Yes, to have a big & fast RC boat is in fact the reason why I originally started the whole project... and I kept it on track until I realised that I had invested too much time to risk the boat at sea or in a river

Yesterday, the '527 got a long-awaited little sister



If I didn't have three pending projects, I'd build it at once!

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Interesting project .I am interested ,good luck .

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If you are not living on the edge then you are taking up to much space

Thanks Richard

Here are the propellers; on my previous model I used a pair of Robbe 40 mm nylon props; the proper diameter should be 36 mm. It's not the extra 4 mm that bothered me, but the extra width on the hub. MAS' had propellers with extremely fine hubs, and I wanted this feature to be properly represented. So I went for the home-made madness



All the blades are to be cut and filed using the first one as a reference; I also reinforced the blade roots with white Milliput.

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It's been quite a while since the last update, but progresses were not evident enough to deserve a thorough photographic illustration

I did some resin molding to get six identical (at least, they seem identical) 50 kg depht charges, each completed with a bit of plastirod, and one of the twenty or more ammo boxes for the Breda. You can also see the rudder and a completed propeller shaft (never mind the torpedoes, they are from other projects)



As the wheelhouse, with its wide windows and the elaborate air intakes, is the most interesting part of the project, I will try to cover its building in detail.

Once the interior is nearing completion, I can start building the upper structure by the rear wall. Having already built the roof with the bread and butter method, I can use it as a template to glue into the right position the window frames.



Some dry fitting to check that the frames sit properly in the right position. Next, I will have to complete the interior with the wheel, the compass and the engine telegraphs

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In the 60s and 70s I was involved with high performance racing models . Looking at the hull form on the MAS boat I would just love to see one of these models up and running ,
Dave Wooley

Me too But I soon realized that such a big hull would have needed a light yet massive powerplant to steam "on her steps", which meant costly brushless motors and batteries, so I just went for the static display. I'd like to gain some experience in RC with something less demanding, such as the 1/160 Giulio Cesare that I still have to complete, before to have a try with fast boats. I also think I will go for a smaller scale, like 1/35. Italeri's MAS seems to me the ideal support for such a project.
Thanks for stepping in

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Just a little tease to show you what prevented me from working on the MAS for the whole winter
It's finished, at last!



We'll be back on line with the MAS ASAP

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Wow that is lovely big black boat !! Congratulations!

Wish to see your corazzata Guilio Cesare if you have any pics so far. Italian naval design is just something plus has very close relation to that of Russian WWII and after.

Cheers,

Yevgeniy

Thanks Yevgeniy

It's been a long time since I last tackled my Giulio Cesare as it's a very low priority project; I may take some more photos if I'll have the occasion, but the only thing I've done in the past year was to add plating to her hull.

Back to the MAS: the depht charges rack being built around the DCs, the two rudder wheels, an engine telegraph, the Breda with the trigger's arches installed.

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Spot the differences



Those spikes at the base of the 20 mm mount were footrests for the gunner, who laid the gun by pulling it with his legs: that's why there's a counterweight on the other side of the gunner's seat, its purpose was to compensate for the gunner's weight, thus reducing the effort he needed to get the gun properly aimed on a rolling craft.

There are also the torpedo launcher and two resin boxes of 20 mm ammo with their "locker".

I'm glad to be back at work, I was feeling like I was falling behind

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The air intakes on the wheelhouse roof are expecially nasty: they have a complex shape and must of course be hollow on such a large scale.





For my first MAS, I worked them out by vacuum-forming; foreseeing that I could build some more boats, I molded a dozen of pieces. Those pieces vanished into the interstellar void a month ago. Their moldings are, too, long gone.

Unwilling to redo the whole vacuum-forming process, I tried a different approach based on the technique we use on paper models to get complex shapes out of bidimensional surfaces: trial and error with paper templates until the correct shapes are found, then redrawing the shapes on a plasticard sheet and putting it all together.

Not 100% satisfied, but neither that bad. It will be all hidden by the wind baffles, anyway.

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Wheelhouse structure is now done; I just had to add the last struts and to put the tin band all around its perimeter. I also started the flimsy and elaborated windshields on the roof.



You will notice the two bollards, one is plastic, the other is its resin clone. The anchor too is plastic, no metal anchor I could find had the right form. Now I can say that I used no commercial accessories at all on this build

The torpedo launchers got their supports as well. She's now getting to look good

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