While the new- Mk 3 - ( third version of the promenade windows ) PE is being etched as I write--
so soon we will be back onto tangible bigger stuff again,
but meanwhile work is continuing on the minutia
as promised-
-I revisited the stairwell roofs--making replacement items in brass
so as to have ' near=flush ' windows, I had to fill the sides and the stern windows.
The sides I did a while back--but the new PE also now has overlays for the rounded stern sections
these areas will be painted black ==> and the pre-shaped/ bent and pre--painted white PE
will then be applied over the top -- with luck they should look crisp!
these were flattened off befpre the filler was applied a ittle to compensate for the PE thickness somewhat
the very distinctive, elegant and large breakwater on the bow had braces on its inside
these were cast on ..and were not to my liking alas.
adding ( experimental ) paint made things worse
so I removed the cast braces.
the real thing looked like this
( note the curved aft face of the whale back-I pared and sanded away the casting whose section was too square
until it looked about right
)
The hand rail and lower strake above the hollow undercut was added of thin wire
The breakwater, whilst the correct height did not have enough of an undercut "curl" for my interpretation of photos.
I added a thin length of stainless steel wire and backfilled to this beading with paint and white glue
thereafter I pared away the resin breakwater up to the stainless bead to obtain a thinner breakwater and some degree of curl on the inside face
the effect of the undercut obtained was more pleasing
( poor quality photo alas...)
The braces I added were made of white paper triangles ( very small ! ) as painted brass and styrene were a bit clunky.
the limitations of scale and my own clumsiness ( and will ) prevented me from making it exactly right;
but the effects is more pleasing to the eye and is " about right"
The bridge casting had previously been prepared, and now was about to be fitted up with my new custom PE pieces
but first the bridge wings needed attention, as when a crew member in 1/700 was offered up the the wind-deflector shields he was a bit too talll !!
soem serious paring away with a blade ( bridge wing well supported whilst paring
( on a post it-note pad reduced to appropriate thickness ! ! ! )
Thereafter the bridge with its etched fwd face and side faces ( with the now correct asymmetric side window disposition, ! )
has started to take shape
The navigation light aperture was at best 'miscast' , at worst....
after a bit of probing and cleaning up , I framed it in thin PE, garnered from a handrail
so as to get sharp edges.
( I may revisit this after paint ?)
a small diversion- handrails -which weer enjoyable ni an odd way...
The designers of Nomandie took pains in making the ship smooth and beautiful,
with wonderful and elegantly proportioned windows
and the the reality set in..... and they added handrails; which bisected their beautifully proportioned windows
its an imperfection, like a pimple on the face of a beautiful lady...
the boat winches...
often neglected and not always considered in small scale liner models,
these are complicated structures (and very small in 1/700! )
the cast items are OK in size and outline, but will need " bits" adding
but the wire- rope drums fwd face s were an unattrcative shape no 1
after a bit of pencil work I was ale to better define the outlines no 2
After more working in the effect was improved. no 3
I may yet cut off the outboard faces and add PE or paper discs
undecided at the moment!
The things that do not have photos, are the ( seeming!) hours of test-fiting, re-re-re-re aligning the superstructure decks
versus bridge structure versus the fwd funnel base structure, == as they all interconnect ...
The sanding off the hull surfaces to remove the traces of the 3-d printing ridges,
the sanding and shaping to a blade the bow stem
the cleaning up of portholes and square windows etc etc and so on
more soon
Jim Baumann
