Building SMS Vulkan (sub-rescue ship )and its tugs in 1/350

[JIM BAUMANN]

Thank you for your encouraging words!

The nav light boxes from my last post were painted and installed with a lamps

I added -- visible on builders model --- a vent and a skylight
both were -(-I thought ! ) a good find(!) as they are only( just) visible when zoomed
in only one image of the builders model.

I have chosen -for the moment--to call them tow line deflecting posts...
I can see the logic of this aft-- but all the way fwd...?

maybe someone can enlighten me?

anyhow--on they went!

meanwhile the event I always enjoy...--putting up the mast (s)
Unlike Schelde-- Retter had only one mast-- and unlike Schelde with her lofty pole masts; Retter being of an earlier era ( 1885)
she has a proper ' built' mast consisting of two tapered sections- neither the builders model images nor indeed the plan drawing
showed the masts completely-- I gauged the mast heights from the one photo of Retter with the mast visible in total ( in the ice!)

The lower mast was a substantial affair-- especially at near deck level!

I used some stainless steel welding rod tapered ,
and a brass topmast also tapered, the lower boom being nickel silver wire

and the gaff made of brass

Fiddly stuff - but successful

The lower boom on the real ship had a support-- but further fwd than the builders model suggests
I chose to follow the photo !

all in all--it is beginning to looking a bit like a proper old fashioned Tug!!

More soon

JB

.....The end is sort of in sight

[wefalck]

Nice work - as always.

While fairly uncommon on German tugs, many British tugs seem to have had towing-posts forward as well. Don't now about Dutch tugs.

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

Those forward posts I never saw on any Dutch tug. I don't really see how it would work in practice either.

And a little note: on picture P 11200031 the hatches over the motor room are now all the same, but in reality the starboard hatches are mirror images of the port hatches. So the starboard hatches should be replaced (or flipped over?) Please check with the builder's model picture Retter3, just above it.

It's that you are even more perfectionist than I, otherwise I wouldn't have dared to mention it...

[JIM BAUMANN]

Indeed seems unlikely to tow via a hook

but I can see them being useful if towing something alongside...to use them as samson posts
rather than deflect the tow-line

meanwhile !

what are these...?

[wefalck]

Smoke-stacks from ovens in the crew-quarters ?

The now scrapped paddle-tug RELIANT ex OLD TRAFFORD in the National Maritime Museuem Greenwich had such forward towing bits. She was meant for work on the Manchester Ship Canal mainly, so there may have been occasions when she could not turn around, but hat to pull out some berthed ship, or something like that. They definitely were not meant for towing over any distance, but rather for maneuvring things around.

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

Smoke-stacks from ovens in the crew-quarters ?

The now scrapped paddle-tug RELIANT ex OLD TRAFFORD in the National Maritime Museuem Greenwich had such forward towing bits. She was meant for work on the Manchester Ship Canal mainly, so there may have been occasions when she could not turn around, but hat to pull out some berthed ship, or something like that. They definitely were not meant for towing over any distance, but rather for maneuvring things around.

Hi Wefalck,

Yes, but that's typically the job for harbour or inshore tugs, not seagoing salvage tugs like RETTER.

[wefalck]

On the other hand, seagoing salvage tugs may be in a situation, where they need to tie-up against a larger ship to steady or move it etc. In this case, the mooring bollards would not be useful, because the mooring bollards of the assistet ship are much higher above the water than the one of the tug. Bollards above the bulwark would be much more useful.

[Iceman 29]

Yes, heating stove/kitchen stove pipes like the two here on Hydrograaf.

[JIM BAUMANN]

Thank you for your replies...

ref the stove pipes....

still not being entirely sure and unable to cross-ref them wityh
1 x other photo (!) or the builders model -I may not add them...

meanwhile; progress is afoot;-- all small fry--(!)
but with each small problem solved the model is nearing completion

The 2 x admiralty style anchors--albeit the ones gleaned form the builders model seem to be with a tighter radius to the bottom and long narrow flukes were made of brass, paper, white glue and willpower!

some time and effort was expended on making this item-- an asymmetrically placed ( stb) hand-cranked cable drum on a mono-post (?) spotted on the builders model on stb only it seems

2 x prominent fairleads were made from Model railway carriage handles-(!) -the flare of the casting being simulated
with white glue

the centre spigot bar was added in situ later along with the name --
made by designing the lettering in such a manner that it had a black surround and printed on white decal paper on inkjet
Printer at home

obviously the lettering was to bright, a few washes cured that !
The flush fitting scupper lids were made from black decal strip and added where discernible on photos

The 3/4 views of the bow shows the stb companionway to foredeck , the steam valves and the winch brake levers

this shows the anchors secured, chains added

making the block and pulley assemblies of brass scraps and stretched sprue

The boat hoists were made in the same way-- but noteworthy ( again ) is the asymmetric disposition
of the davits relative to the boat-racks--as per 2 x the photos .. and the builders model...

To the boat-covers I added small drawstring collars ( white glue ) and with a pencil simulated the lacing join line from collar to cover-edge line INBOARD side on the cover ( otherwise the crew would noy be able to reach it to lace up...

with the mast up and painted rigging is imminent!
so installed the gaff hoist blocks

All this small stuff really does take more time than one think; !!

But with continuous painting, streaking and weathering -- the Tug is still looking proud but a bit worn... weary even...
no surprise -- being built in 1885 she already had 34 years of service by the time of the Vukan tow in 1919

rigging next and then the boot-top-- she will be ready for mounting in the diorama soon!
just have to finish the Vulcan first

JB

[Iceman 29]

A nice advance, with creations that are difficult to make!

Bravo Jim, an incredible work of finesse.

Good luck with your work.

[SG1]

Jaw dropping! every little detail is a masterpiece, and the worn look of the tug is simply delicious. Chapeau.

Keep it up, it's nearly done!

SG

[wefalck]

Yes, the level of detail Jim manages to pack into this scale is very impressive

Are you sure that these were Admiralty-pattern anchors and not Trotman-patent ? The proportions look a bit like it. However, at that scale the difference would be barely discernable.

[Neptune]

Great detailing. Very educational as well, wasn't even aware tugboats had a history

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

Great detailing. Very educational as well, wasn't even aware tugboats had a history

Oooh, yes! They have. Particularly the larger ones.

[marijn van gils]

Simply wonderful! She's coming together beautifully Jim!
I love the weathering too.

[zs180]

Jim, I admit that I had not much interest in tugs before, but your work is so inspirational that I just keep admiring these little gems!

[JIM BAUMANN]

Good evening gentlemen!

Finished....

With the exception of a few rope coils and of course the crew
( who will be placed in suitable positions on the ship
when the diorama with Schelde and Vulkan is being formed.....)

===============================================


RETTER is completed...

The rigging was a combination of the Nitinol wire ( 0.046 ) and stretched sprue ( much thinner )

I am unable to scratch-build ratlines or railings in such a small scale , that fine, that regular with such repeatability.

ergo I used the thinnest suitable shapes and size PE I could find

Railings are WEM Koenig ( over-etched frets = 'seconds' -- hence even thinner! )

The ratlines are from Alliance Modelworks--I bought a large quantity ( planning ahead for a change)
some years ago-- both in brass and stainless steel.


a few views of the completed model ( with poor lighting ) images of the completed model;


I was pleased with the finished effect ,---its there but subtle ---
of the tread-plate decking now that it matt varnished ==>( the Butter paper!)

[Iceman 29]

She is really beautiful !

You can be really proud of this ship. An amazing amount of detail at this scale.

[MartinJQuinn]

Really great stuff, as always. She sure looks the part of a old, used tug!

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

She's absolutely fabulous! You have done this old (1885) German tug from Tecklenborg in Geestem�nde really justice...

And you have come a long way since your first idea of creating the tugs for this dio, on 20 April 2014:
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