1/24 Scale AM Minesweeper Scratch build

[SweeperSkipper]

Hello everyone, New to the board here and thought I would share my Scratch build project of a WWII AM Minesweeper. I have actually been working on this project off and on for several years. Right now she is really getting a rebuild and refit where needed. I started this project with a minimum of scratch building experience. Built a few ships in between working on this and learned a lot. Bought a lathe and now is the time to give her a face lift. Being in 1/24 Scale I have only purchased the props, Anchors, a few Doors, Fire hoses and the 20 mm Guns. I had 40 mm Singles that I purchased as well but they have been removed and Scratch built 40 mm Twins have taken there place. The 20 mm's are getting new bases as well. The rest is just your normal building materials cut cussed twisted bent glued and whatever else it took to look like a part. She is over 90" Long and 16.5" Wide. Here are a few pics in the early stages. these were taken about 6 yrs ago. shortly after I put her up and only tinkered on her a few times since. Now im really involved with the build. More on that to follow.

[SweeperSkipper]

When I started this build, I had never built a Hull before. There was an artical in a scale ship model magazine where a guy built a 1/48 scale Cruiser hull. He had each step laid out in great detail. I more or less just followed his construction steps and began building the sweeper hull in 1/24. I had built R/C Airplanes for years. But this was a whole different ballgame. The hull is framed in Plywood. Sheeted with 1/8th Balsa then Fiberglassed. Running gear and electronics were installed.

[Dave Wooley]

Welcome aboard Sweeper Skipper . That's one super model and big . The motors look like Pittmans ?
Dave Wooley

[SweeperSkipper]

Dave, Thank you. The Motors are Pittman 3700's, wish I had a case of those now

Now from this point, decks had been installed and basic structures built. Minimal detailing and she went out for a run. I then did not wirk on her for quit sometime. After extensive research I decided to dig her back out and start in again. So far I have jumped pretty fast here but it is just to bring everyone up to speed with the project. I started my rebuild last winter with the 40 mm Guns. I had purchased the 40 mm Single Mounts from HR. Nice Mounts but not really what I wanted. 40 mm Twins is what she really needed. I had a Quartermaster 40 MM twin resin kit and a set of Drawings from Floating Drydock. I started with upscaling the Resin parts from the kit and making the pair of new Guns. This is where the refit and finishing has now started.

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Sweeper skipper Did you turn the barrels and what material have you used to make the 40mm gun mountings? Once again your build is excellent.
Dave Wooley

[SweeperSkipper]

Dave, Thank you again for your Kind words.

I turned one Barrel from Brass stock and used it as a master for a Mold. I then cast up four barrels with Brass tubing inserts for strength (Help keep it from warping) For the rest of the Gun I used Plexiglass,Brass,Styrene and Wire for the springs as well as other plastics I could turn in the lathe. So far there is some 126 parts in each one and there not quit finished yet. I had made up some extra parts as well just incase I had a breakage and needed to do a repair or wanted a Template for another Build. I have to admit That when building these guns, I had just purchased a Lathe and have never used one before. It has been alot of frustrating fun!

[johnny canuck]

Excellent looking build. I love the work on the 40mm guns. I am thinking about turning and casting my 1/72 3"50 cal barrels and your idea of the inserted wire rod is one I think I will borrow...

I would love to see more.

[GTDEATH13]

The model is fantastic and the job on the guns is also of the highest level...

Does anybody happen to know if ships from this class were transfered to either the Italian or/and the Greek navy after WWII?

If that's the case then the Greek navy is still operating 4 ships of this class. I will also give it a look myself...

[SweeperSkipper]

Johnny Canuck
Thank you. I was using a new casting resin and was not sure how it might hold up. The thought of all that work only to have a Limp barrel really had me concerned. So a bit of Brass tubing solved that problem. An accidental second purpose then presented itself, I trimed the tubing a bit and used it as a pin to lock the Barrel to the breach. Always learning with this Hobby.

GTDeath13.
Thank you as well. I did a quick search and Find none of this class transfered to either country after WWII. However that does not mean that they haven't acquired them since.

[JIM BAUMANN]

Fine looking work--I shall be watching!

JIM Baumann

[SweeperSkipper]

Thank you Jim, The kind words so far from everyone has been very much needed with this Project

The next part that needed attention was the stern Winch. Not much detail out there on the piece of equipment. I had A few drawings that were genaric as well as a few photographs from angles. I had used the stern winch from the Dumas Kit MR Darby, Not evem close to the one required. The new stern winch is almost completed now. I am holding off on the rest until I can find more Documentation. Then I can fix any errors and Finish as needed.

[GTDEATH13]

Now that's a fine looking winch... Really love these contraptions... As well as windlasses...

You mentioned in a preivous post that you purchased a lathe and that you have never worked with one before...

How difficult was it to achieve a satisfactory result? Though from what I see it was worth the effort...

[SweeperSkipper]

GTDEATH13

It was intimidating at first, I kept wondering if I had just blew my Money. Once I had it all set up I just dove in. I approached it like Flying, Small corrections. I started with making Running Gear for a boat. Turned out not half bad, I just took off small amounts at a time until I had a feel for the Metal. Sounds kinda strange but it does come quick. I have to admit, Building in scales that were more popular enabled me to buy scores of fittings. Building in this scale is a bit different. For the most part if I want it I have to build it. Getting the Lathe has really enabled me to do a better job on this build. Honestly I don't know how I survived without one. Next on my list is a Milling Machine I find that I can cut a great many things in the lathe, Brass, Plexiglass, Etc. The other day I wanted to make an acoustic Sonar for the Sweep. I did not have any material large enough so I took a piece od 1.5" PVS pipe and filled it with Bondo, (An auto Body filler) As it dried it shrank just a bit and I pushed it out of the PVC pipe. Put it in my Lathe and Bingo, I machined my part. It Machined so free and easy I might just use the method again. Here is a Picture of the Sonar Bondo experiment. Not bad, This one I wont keep but I will do another now that I know the idea is workable.

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Sweeper Skipper . That winch of yours is a trully fine piece of workmanship. Yes the lathe is a very handy toool and you can do so much with them. I notice also you make use of Bondo , now that's part of my own tool cabnet , although its goes under a different name in the UK the material does the same job. Larger models lend themselves well to "working Features" do you intend to have any of these? Great craftmanship and thanks for taking the time to post up your photos. Always appriciated .
Dave Wooley

[SweeperSkipper]

Hi Dave, Thank you again, and I am pleased with the winch so far. You had asked about operating features on this Boat. You are right with a Model this size it affords the ability to make operational just about anything that you want to. Of course Lights being one of them. Under the Bow I have a geared Motor with about 15' of anchor chain. I made a switch from a servo that reverses polarity to the motor allowing the anchor to go up and down. The anchors are solid brass and have a good weight to them. I have also left a space between one of the drums on the winch, I need to machine a pulley for that space and I will have a geared Motor under the deck with a belt to the pulley to operate at least part of the winch. Guns will be made to turn as well, However my favorite feature that is still in the works are my K Gun's. Up under the Bow I have made a 12 Volt Air compressor with a 12 Volt pump for airing up car tires. Borrowing some technology from the combat ship modelers, I will use there air firing Valves for there Guns to fire the Depth charges from the K Guns. Bench tests so far will shoot the depth charges about 3 ft to each side of the ship. One of my best finds was a Power distribution panel from Harbor Models here in the U.S. Picture of that below. It takes the power from the main battery and supplies your main drive motors as well as breaking it down for other features. It also eliminates the need for a small receiver pack. This boat is large enough that I use a Truck Battery for Power. Now for a Model this is like a Nuclear power plant. I can run this boat all summer long with out the need to recharge anything.

[SweeperSkipper]

Here are a few Running shots during the build but years before this rebuild and refit.

[SweeperSkipper]

Moving along with some of the rework, Here are some before and after pictures of the searchlight Platform, Wow did I build a bummer here, Then once done I realized I had the floor plan Reversed
I corrected the problem with a removal and garbage toss, Searchlight to was junk so it followed.
I might Add that most of this work was done following very vauge Drawings. Most of the pictures I had were to small to see any detail. Then I found the internet and WOW, The information out there is, Well you know..........Out There. So between Bad craftsmanship and a lack of info, To a wealth of info and a few more years of experiance under my belt, Parts are starting to look a little better.

[Dave Wooley]

Superb work around the searchlight and your model looks good in the water as well. Keep the photos coming .
Dave Wooley

[Reid]

that looks great!!! keep it coming!! i can't wait to see more.

[SweeperSkipper]

Thanks Dave and Reid.
The two things I was Happy about with the Ship before the rework were the Hull and The Mast. However The Mast as much as I liked it was not completely Correct. So since I was doing a refit I decided to Give the Ship A late War refit. A new Mast was needed. Here are some pics before and after. The new mast is still a work in progress. Not quit done with it yet.