1/700 Russian Fleet cancelled

[Neptune]

If you do decide to build a rival build, your chances are higher on winning this one... I haven't done any work on her since the last pictures and sincerely don't really intend to do so in the near future either. I'm working on that Song at full pace, drilling ballast holes etc. While on the tanker I was searching for more detailed pics, but with no real results so far. I can't really figure out much about the below decks details.

[Dave Wooley]

Not having enough information is always a problem . Do you need below deck detail? Is there no way you can press on with the model?
Dave Wooley

[Neptune]

Well it depends. The below deck detail I mean is the detail of the parts in that "hole" in the hull. I've noticed that the replenishment rigs actually run through the main deck down in that "hole" in the side. I also saw some tank entrance hatch there and of course that manifold. But apparently there seem to be some doors and other stuff in between those tanks... And that's what's bothering me. Either I have to continue with a very scetchy detail there or I wait until I get a better view... Not sure yet. For now I think I'll add the rig supports below the main deck and that tank entry hatch along with the manifold. And then I guess I'll see. Either I go straight through with the build or I just put it on a halt and continue the Arkmodel Song only (with possibly the finishing touches on the Marshal Ustinov).

[Avery Boyer]

Have you looked on shipspotting.com? They might have some good photos.

[Neptune]

Just a single photo there. I've also contacted some French people I know, because Osipov was in Toulon not so long ago. Again didn't bring much in the way of underdeck detail. Once I get past that stage (I'm working on it though) it's getting easier, but now it's really puzzling to get all the pieces in the correct places.

[Neptune]

Since Mr. Wooley is so impatient I had to continue with my build.
So here is a big update. I've added whatever detail I could find in my mountain of pictures (although most of them quite old and hence of bad quality). And continued with the holes in the deck (measured from GE, matched with the pictures and estimations for shape). And then of course continued with the milliput and sanding.
Here are the pictures of the whole process.





This one is matching the deck to the hull to see if there's any problems to be expected. Then I glued it on the hull and cut off some excess from certain frames and side panels that weren't really fitting.



Here the milliput was already applied, dried for a day and then I sanded.


You can see one of the frames coming through, exactly what I wanted of course.







And the whole ship again. As you can see, the detail gets lost quite easily with any lighting problem. Exactly what happens on the pictures of the real ship too.


That's it for now. Now it's on to measuring all those small pieces of superstructure along the length of the deck and of course adding the main accomodation. I'm going level per level from forward to aft. I measured the two forward superstructures (base of the 57mm guns) and the one aft of that, base of the cranes. That's what'll come first, although I noticed the measurements weren't too accurate, so I'm still adjusting with estimations and comparison of positions with the hull.

Anyway now it's pretty straight forward I guess. The hull still isn't perfect, but it has a clear progress from the LNG Excel hull.

[Pieter]

That hull is perfect enough for me! Very nice for a '700 hull.

[Neptune]

Here is some update. Didn't do much last week.
They are also, as mentioned before, quite complicated. Some of the doors on the main deck level of the accomodation are recessed. I think those are the doors to go inside the accomodation as a sort of cover against gas flow inside or seawater. The doors on the walls, I suppose are regular locker entries. This design makes me think of a '60s or '70s design. Quite complicated and totally not symmetrical. This makes it a lot more difficult to build since you have to compare every position to the position of a different object on the other side and so on. I already discovered that one of my rigs is way too much aft, so I'll have to move the "below deck" part of that rig forward too. That will take me a while to do it clean.







Anyway, main deck level is about ready now. I hope to put the second deck today and continue to the third. The main cover of the superstructure will be one piece of 0.5mm styrene sheet which I hope to bend and stick to the decks. This might be the cleanest way of doing it. If I have to cut several pieces there will always be edges to be seen. All I hope is that it bends easily and that it'll keep it's position...

[Neptune]

And since I got delayed I have a little more time to spend on the model.

Pictures from yesterday. Now, with comparing positions and distances, I figured out the recessed door in the middle of the portside of the accomodation had to be more forward. So now I changed that and started painting too. I had to cut off the second and third levels though. But they are still in one piece.

In the meanwhile I keep working and researching on those damn pieces of superstructure all over the ship. I'm gradually getting to the last one.



Here I put a paper template in place to see and cut to the size. It of course bends very nicely, but I hope the plastic will bend that easily too.












Now I'm waiting for the white paint to dry, then I'll add the windows in black and put another layer of white on it. Then I'll do the deck in the typical red and then I can finally add the one part cover of the superstructure. (well, at least I hope I still have time for that, otherwise it'll be for in November).

[Dirkpitt289]

Neptune

I just wanted to say thank you for showing us the step-by-step process of your builds. I see a lot of scratch built ships in the gallery but not a lot of people detail their builds. For me it�s a learning process. I've never scratch built anything but there are a few projects I want to do and there are no kits so... Watching you is giving me the ideas I need to take on a SB project.

Regards

[Cadman]

I think we need to talk him into making masters so we can all build these cool ships. I'm still wanting a big LNG Tanker myself. How about a large container ship next???

[Neptune]

Hey ho, ain't gonna work...

First of all thank you for the comment. I was starting to think nobody was even looking at the topic except for Pieter. I'm not at all a master or teacher in this. My quality for now is still very low. As you can see I'm still working with styrene and sprue, that's about it. I'm not so happy with that, I don't have the inventiveness of other people I guess...
Anyhow I'm already happy with the hull for now although this tanker is taking a lot from me. All the measuring and estimation and reconstruction is becoming a real burden and somehow I think I'll be happy to be gone for three months soon.

The details make the model I guess. As a mariner myself I do care about bollards and bits etc. There's no ship without bollards, you have to moor the thing somehow. I always think about how the ship I'm building is working. For example the Osipov, I have serious doubts of the safety of that vessel. It doesn't seem to have any Pressure/Vacuum breakers, P/V valves etc. I always suppose that's underneath the main deck, but I'm all but sure of that.
The details are in one way a help. Good pictures are very important, because the details on such pictures (lifebuoys, railing, windows etc.) give a good size estimation and so you can start estimating heights and lengths of all the stuff around them.
In the other way, they are a pain. Because it's the same process over and over again and in this scale I sometimes have to rebuild or repaint things three or four times...

As for the LNG, Timothy, you can come and get it (you get it for free). And for the next build. You already know I have a few projects running. The Baltiysk port is still not finished. Then there is the big Russian Fleet which is getting nearer of course with some ships finished and some nearly finished. And then there is still that 1/100 Arkmodel Udaloy and 1/72 Arkmodel Song to make!

You don't know how much I'm dying from the idea of making an Emma Maersk or Ti Europe next... Really (today I actually thought about starting one to cover the drying time of the Osipov parts). I simply don't have the time, however there is one thing, I would like to make a hull of these. Just the hull and then send it to someone else for fitting out, since I need to get some practice and I'm a little tired of all the details.


Update of today. I've painted the windows on level 0, put some doors on it. Also cut and put in place the base of the bollards fore and aft. And I added another level on top of the main superstructure. I've also tested the cover for the superstructure with styrene. I've used some extra glue in the corners to melt it slightly so it bends easier. It seemed to work, but the cover itself wasn't good yet. I do think it will work this way.


Ok, been talking too much. Time to get back to work! The boss is asking for a container ship And thursday it's time for again.

[Cadman]

I understand about having too many projects. So I will just pop in from time to time to check on yours. Nice work BTW.

[Neptune]

So I'm back! Hope to continue work as soon as tomorrow, also my onboard builds (read: a few more extra unfinished projects) will also be shown;

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Neptune Good to see you active again on scratchbuild
Dave Wooley

[Neptune]

Thanks for the welcome Dave, good to be back

As promised:


Today I also started adding the superstructure "cover" on the Osipov. Guess with all this stuff around it's about time to think about priorities... The two big ones are two models of the same ship; The LPG Donau. My last ship, I was in charge of safety and safety plans etc. and so I was exposed to a lot of plans and stuff onboard... It was stronger than myself... really!!!!
So I had my styrene with me for the beginning of the Altay, yet I discovered some problems with the plans I had of the ALtay and the real thing and next thing you know... The Donau was started. The most complicated thing I ever sailed on and on previous ships I always said it was impossible to build models of LPG carriers with all those pipes. And now I have these Donaus on my desk, the ship wasn't really built as an LPG, but rather as a product carrier, very different from LPG. Now however she's only used as fully refrigerated LPG carrier, but she retains many of the lines (approximately 10x as many as on a normal LPG) trouble trouble, yet a good test for my patience!
As you already can see, on the bow this time I added the bulwark in milliput and also cut out the leads for the morring lines and rollers, something I didn't dare to try on the LNG Excel before. I guess I should have done the same on the Osipov, but it's a little too late to correct that I'm affraid.

Now back to the priorities! I'll start a new thread on these Donaus when the time is there! First I will continue with Osipov as fast as I can. Then I'll see. the closest to finishing would be either the Marshal Ustinov or the small Baltiysk project I had running.

[Pieter]

So you are having pity on me for having so much portholes to work on? Kungsholm has zero pipework -:). Anyway, nice to see you back and building. Love the full-styrene hulls.

[Neptune]

Hehe, I'll post a picture of the real thing when the time is there.

So on with this topic. The cover was placed yesterday and it looks ok for now. Today I'll try to proceed with the bridge structure and possibly the davits. I'll also see if I can do some detailing aft and force those side plates in position.

[Neptune]

So here we go, two batches of pictures of the last couple of days.
Generally I put the LPG on hold, just painted the main deck and that's about it. Luckily she has the same deck colour as those Russian warships

Main progress on the Osipov, day 1:
Mentioned it in another topic, I think my superstructure is practically 1 or 2mm too long. However I fixed the problem by changing some proportions and so things don't really look too odd for now. As you can see the side plates/railings are not fixed yet. In the first picture you see some typical butchering since the upper superstructure was also too long compared to the level below that. So I cut off that aft part, shortened it a bit, and so part by part I achieved a more or less normal proportion of spaces. (although as mentioned, the funnel might be slightly too long)






Superstructure looks ok for now. Made the bridge structure, although I haven't fixed it to the rest of the ship because I have to do some detailing and painting first.

Day 2-3:
Problem of proportions became too apparent, so I lengthened the funnel slightly to make sure the space between funnel and bridge is not too big. In the end it's acceptable. Made three funnels for this actually....
Also side "railing"/plates were fixed to the side of the hull. Only aft part is still loose since I have to do some detailing and painting on that part before I fix the sides.


First rig is in place, this is the one that differs on all ships, Bubnov has one rig for dry stores on both sides, one of them doesn't have that rig at all and on Osipov the starboard side is for dry stores, with rails going in the forward superstructure to transport the goods to the rig and the port side is for refueling.


general view. The rig is not fixed either, just made it to fit. I'm building the RAS winches first, after finishing and painting of these I'll add the rigs. I also made some stuff on the main deck, additions to superstructures etc. Slowly but firmly we're getting somewhere.

[Cadman]

Ditto on the welcome back. Good to see you get to do some scale ship modeling now instead of the 1:1 stuff.