Turbinia on a Shoe-string

Turbinia

John Murphy has sent a photo of his latest creation - still in build.

He says:

In true Murphy 'shoe-string' style the hull is made from venetian blind slats - the keel being  a venetian blind laminate! Plating is lithoplate. The forward cabin is the same.

The conning tower is a yoghurt pot with lithoplate jacket. The funnel is a plastic bird-feeder with lithoplate covering. 

The rear cabin again, Venetian blind, lithoplate and just for a change, window frames made from coffee stirrers!

The portholes are eyelets, with 'google eyes' glazing. Cabins and funnel have been painted with undercoat.

The deck, incidentally, is a piece of birch ply from Canada, date stamped 1941, which was intended to make Mosquitos.

The hull below the waterline will be green, the funnel yellow (!) and cabins white.

It should be a striking looking vessel when completed - Wonder if it will have a steam turbine ?

Ferret Number 5

Yet Another Ferret

Harry Twist has sent a photo of his entry for the Commodore's Challenge. Still in primer, but already looking good.

Harry says ..

The torpedo tubes and depth charges are from cheap old felt pens with the centres removed. The rear turret is a piece of plastic conduit pipe. Rear floor pips are cupboard screw covers. Various scrap box balsa bits make up the guns etc. All good fun.

It's amazing what a bit of lateral thinking can come up with !

Today on the Lake

A Pleasant Sunday Morning Sail

Nice to see boats returning to the lake !!

Photo by Neil Barton

Ferret Number 4

Chris Galloway's Ferret

Chris has sent an 'in progress' photograph of his Commodore's Challenge Entry.

He says:

 I am somewhat behind but I shall hopefully get there....... my only need is time cos I have all the bits that I need . It is amazing that the rubber plunger in my diabetes injection syringe  is just about right to represent a depth charge - how's that for recycling ? 

Chris has to take a lot of the blame for the Ferret project. He first suggested it to the Commodore as a possible Commodore's Challenge subject, and John Berry agreed !!

Gallery

New Gallery Section

A new Gallery section has now been added to the website, intended to be a showcase of members' models, which will remain after normal posts have scrolled down into the archives.

If you have any interesting photographs of your prized models which you would like to share with other members, send them to the webmaster - see the Contact us page.

Ideally, include some details of the vessel, or information on its construction.

HMCS Sackville

HMCS Sackville

Just before lockdown started, David Swindells had prepared a talk for a Club Night on HMCS Sackville, believed to be the last Flower Class Corvette still afloat, out of 294 originally built.

He had visited and filmed the ship in Halifax, Canada last year.

As Club Nights still seem to be some way off, he now offers this video of the ship, which can be downloaded from HERE.

Be aware that the file is 138 mB, and will take some time to download if you
have slow broadband.

This film should be of interest to those club members who are warship modellers.

A Tranquil Sail

A Tranquil Sail

On the water yesterday - First sail of new member Neil Barton's Pilot Boat - ex Eddie Higham.

At Last !!

Back on the Lake  -  at Last !!

As you might expect, the Tuesday sailing boys were wasting no time. They were back on the water this morning.

Photo by Dave Lee

Yet Another Ferret

Yet Another Ferret

Since the recent post appealing for more Ferret builders to get in touch, John Senior has sent a pic of his build. His has a rather smart Oerlikon gun.

There are now five known entries, either complete or in build, for the Commodore's Challenge, so we have a competition on our hands. Are there any more, lurking in the background ?