Odessa 2018 (and, yes, it was a bit damp), and a bit more
There's little point in moaning about the weather, Sunday was a bit better than Saturday but neither day did much to encourage a whole lot of visitors. So, with fewer of the little people to play with our tugs, at least we had more time than usual to try out our latest creations in the pool.
Well done John (McK), the sampan works really well! That little motor gives an almost perfect scale speed and will there will be a few more embellishments? This little "scratch built" was remarkably difficult to make. Getting the thin styrene planks and frames to line-up was like trying to herd cats ...... but there is just about the right unevenness to represent the real thing (most of which would have been hand-built and just that little bit imperfect). The colours are good too.
It looks as if the sampan will soon have a "tender" , production is well underway!
Of course there is always the chance of a perfect picture at our events .......... even for those a little camera-shy. Albert brought his fleet and enjoyed having plenty of pool time.
We had some newly launched and relaunched vessels at the show, some yet to be completed and other's, like Peter's "Footy" sail boat, have taken several tries to get the bugs-out (at last the lug sail freely pivots around the mast and it really loves a good breeze). John's (McK) footy had grounding problems and needed more water in the pool. New member John (McC) had completed his tug and it was working very well (on the far side); nice job, hope we'll see it at the pond.
Peter's Bantam tug finally got launched and despite his fears that it would be too heavy and poorly shaped (an extremely bluff bow with pusher bars for manoeuvring U.K. narrow-boat canal barges). It seemed to work OK. Remember it has a kitchen rudder and not the more normal propeller and single blade rudder for power and steering.
Hopefully there will be better weather conditions to give the model a better workout at our next pond meeting.
No, your not seeing things, but Bob's mad keen on blasting away and what better way than to fire off a few golf balls at enemy shipping. Thanks to help from Clair, Bob now has his mortar. A nice bit of machining and, yes, there would be a test (but not here)!
Don had his display of WW II battleships and "fantastic" they are. The collection is still growing and I have blogged about these amazing of static models several times before .......... but you really do have to see them, pictures do not do them justice! And, of course, now you're ready for an update on the Rodney!
There are 76 pieces for the crane and when you've gone nuts after putting them altogether, in the right order and in the right places ......... and they all look shiny and bright because they are brass ......... you have to paint them with a "yucky" coat of primer. And then use a naval black to make like it's real. well done Don, I don't know how you have the patience (actually the Mrs. gave him the kit and said he had to finish it properly ......... or else)!
Where next with the Rodney model? Well, actually, it's more painting, the railings, the waterway and the barrier (and there's several hundred feet of them; ooops, sorry, I was thinking of the real thing, but the work will certainly keep Don at the kitchen table for the next week or more (just as well, there's no more hockey).
Good luck Don.
