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

[Rob]

No pressure mate but will she be ready for Telford?

[AllianceModelWorks]

In that case I'll wait. Lots of plastic kits to build in the meantime!

The gantries aren't aligned with the bulkhead sections because the top platform was short.
This was the old deck. We have a newer deck with correct planking orientations, but still exhibits some issues on the inside.


On the interior, there are support structures and vents missing on our model.



Jim also found us this picture, showing some the things we couldn't see before. There are some puzzling features, like the cable routers inside the gantry structures, and it's going to require further research before we could model accurately.

[JIM BAUMANN]

Back from the Telford Modelfest--and now raring to continue on with the Vulkan!


The build of Vulkan continues to fascinate, confound and confuse--in about equal measure!!.

Much discussion with various model colleagues as well as AMworks and analysing and attempted interpreting of old photos... makes for slow progress..

Case in point-- cable reels in the gantries ... these are not shown on any plan drawings that I have

yet the museum model ( in Hamburg) ==|> which is not without its inaccuracies and faults...!!-

and as such cannot be used a an accurate guide

does shows these reels prominently--albeit a bit oversized in my understanding of photos

In many photos--most of which are low res or grainy they are not discernible --yet careful examination of all the images I had did start to confirm the likely presence of these elusive reels

It seems these were fitted diametrically opposed stb 2 x reels fwd a dn port 2 x reels aft

I also installed a - photo verifiable- tank on the gantry stb fwd-

-the tank in the stb gantry aft depicted in the Museum model pitured above I have not been able to hitherto verify with any photo of the real ship

These were duly added -using the earlier made reels using some stainless steel GMM cable reels

I added upper turning blocks for the hoist-these are discernible in some photos from 3/4 aft and fwd

made from some brass PE circles-- I think they were 1/700 US AA gun bases (!)

The inboard railings have now been installed- using some WEM Koenig over-etched rails for thinnest effect--this required considerable "cut-and-shut" to ensure that a stanchion would be present on a corner turn--especially where the railing consisted of stanchion and cable.

The "solid-top-rail-with-wire-lower " effect was simulated by installing the railing turned upside down

The aft inner solid bulwark was made of brass strip

and an overall view of the model that looks generally fairly unchanged apart from the slight increase in its "busy" appearance...

[Guido]

Very nice, Jim! I always admire your ability to find(scrounge) so many reference pictures for the most obsucre subjects. I guess you've laid down another fortune for those. What rreally strikes me is you using a wooden deck instead of painting. Another first, I guess. Keep up the lovely work!
Guido

[Stein Gildberg]

Agreed! Very nice work, Jim!

Stein

[LE BOSCO]

hello Jim

a sharp work on this strange boat and you actually have a sense of observation very developed
cheers
nicolas

[JIM BAUMANN]

slow but steady progress....


My model chum Alexander Glass ( Moelders ) sent me some of his rigging thread awhile back--I have had no real reason to use it yet

http://www.uschivdr.com/products/uvdr-3-rigging/ ( interesting little video there too)

but the opportunity arose for the inner hoist cables ..-- these ( I believe..) are led aft and up from the large cable reels fwd.

at least that is how the plans depict it -

- albeit my photo interpretation thereof suggests that the layout is reversed on the real ship

I used the thicker and medium sized thread-- so far --so good--more images soon

threading the line through with a small stainless steel wire rigging hook

It was tthen time to 'shut the lid '... ie glue on the upper bridge deck.

First I had to install the railings--close spaced three-bar- I used some chunky older PE from my stash( to give stability ) as they would be covered in canvas as per the real thing.

having installed the railing I then painted the INSIDE in grey.-

Once dry I infilled the spaces throughout with white glue--which dries clear....

so that when I painted the OUTSIDE with a brown ochre mix--the inside railings would stand out nicely against the grey rails

Once the deck was tacked in place with white glue for positioning I weighted it down with a rather heavy miniature tube cutter -that conveniently fits between the railings

More soon

Jim Baumann

[mabmanu]

Magnifique ...

[JIM BAUMANN]

Two steps forward...

Three and a half steps back !!

I was happy with progress....

alas...

when it came to adding the under bridge-overhang- supporting struts

I noticed with alarm that my bridge wings were not aligned concentrically in-between the centres of the gantry legs--( should have spotted this!!!!! )

as such the underdeck support structure would have been at odd angles

I took heart that I am not the first person to get it wrong...( ) ( large scale model -Tamm Museum)

But I simply could not leave it-- as it would compromise everything else!

but I did have quite a time (!!!) ripping off the deck( I had glued it on to last a century or two)

and as a consequence doing quite some damage to the scratched bridge deck supporting frames

anyway--after an unhappy six or so hours--and some trimming and shortening of the bridge deck

as well as making an all new support and hoist cable structure

it was back on in broadly the right place.

I consoled myself with doing something easier and more fun-- glazing the bridge windows with white glue
the photo shows some of the windows staring to clear

AM supplied the underdeck struts as a one-piece fold up structure

easy to apply but it thickens up the deck.

Cutting it apart still left me with the upper web to the triangle which would still visually make the deck look thick in my eyes...

I elected --as ever--to do it the hard way --using strips of brass applied individually

I started with the upside down V-bracing

then added the uprights and diagonals--finishing off the gussets with squares of paper

The effect when viewed at normal viewing distance was pleasing--delicate-- reasonably accurate and representative of the real thing

adding the brass platform to the fwd gantry ( having earlier removed it (?1?!) ( after AM had already made it as a fold up... ! doh! )

did reveal up an issue of my own making

that my brass replacement platform was too small.

I enlarged it with CA infused paper then added the pre-prepared stairs--with the treads adjusted for the relatively steep angles.

I modified the supplied resin parts with small styrene bits to from the main anchor winch

more progress soon-- hopefully only going forward!!

Jim Baumann

[Goodwood]

Ooooh, that had to hurt, Jim.

Glad you got it sorted in the end, though. There's nothing quite like having to look at such a piece of art and realizing that you got a fundamental detail wrong. It's like your innards simply disappear, and are then swiftly replaced with concrete...

[Dan K]

It's a truly magnificent effort, Jim.

[LE BOSCO]

hello Jim


incredible work !always in search of perfection this is the right path
cheers
Nicolas

[moomoon]

You make it fascinating watching the build of an ugly ship

[Forlornhope]

Hi Jim
As MooMoon said its ugly, but you are sure working your magic on it to make it a beautiful model.
Regards Callum

[JIM BAUMANN]

Thank you all for your encouraging words...!


Most ( but always all) handrails on PE stairs and companionways are way overscale.

As such I usually make my own--using thin copper wire-- attached with sticky drying ( high tack) matt varnish.

when set I back it up with a droplet of CA applied using a ( discarded by the cat!! ) cats whisker ( softly springy and stiff at the same time )

It is astonishing how long these small items can take... yet they add to the whole look immeasurably

The steam pipes were made of brass Albion alloys tubing

the narrow ladders are WEM

Prior to adding the chain-- the neglect has been implied...

More soon

Jim Baumann

[blacman]

Dear Jim,
this build is absolutely impressive!
May I ask you for methodology of boards weathering?

They look fantastic to me!
Greg

[JIM BAUMANN]

Hello all!

with the Christmas break all but finished--and having managed virtually zero modelmaking (arghh!)

Guido Hopp sent me a cool link to a bit of film footage from which some salient details of Vulkan can be gleaned...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUNVKWyd ... e=youtu.be


I am now back on the Vulkan....

Fighting with the minutia now....

staring at the one reasonable( but not entirely truthful...!) plan I have and trying to triangulate ( poor and or unhelpful!) photos for locations of vents ....

some of the precise shapes of the items are perhaps supposition; but I believe they are correctly located...

More soon-- I intend mounting the ship to its case base shortly -- so as to be able to complete the main ship and start on the tugs.

[Devin]

I was just wondering about the status of this build. Looks very nice (as always).

[LE BOSCO]

Jim

as always ,it is a pleasure to see your progress and this is of an breathtaking finesse sublim
cheers
Nicolas

[zs180]

Masterful build. One can really learn a lot from you every time you build something new.
Congrats!

George P�k