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Destroyer to Liberty Ship in 2 easy steps, Converting the Fletcher Class Destroyer


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  • 2 weeks later...

Try as I might, I couldn't find a 1940's fire engine, so this 1950's model had to do. I tried a number of different places for the fire engine, but with the Morris truck towing the bofors gun, it would have blocked the route the Morris would have just driven along. The only option was to move the Morris and Bofors to make way for the fire engine. Canvas fire hoses were made from thin copper wire sprayed, and glued down. One end passes from the water in the dock to the fire truck, then from the other side of the fire truck to the two firemen.

 

quay_firemen4.jpg

 

quay_firemen7.jpg

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I made a B&Q trip yesterday, mainly for some Conti board to make a dam around the area of water. The board was drilled for screws to hold it to the sides of the quayside section, then waxed with mould release wax to prevent the resin from sticking to it ( hopefully!!!! ). The board was then screwed to the side and end of the quay.

 

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While there are a number of cheap polyester resins that can be used for water, I was concerned about the styrene dissolved in the resin attacking the hull of the Liberty Ship. As a result, I had to go for the more expensive epoxy resin. This was to be poured in several layers, with the bottom layers having quite a bit of brown paint mixed in to hide the baseboard. Here we go, the first pour.

 

quay220.jpg

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The last of the water was poured this morning. There was only 250gms left, so it only forms a thin layer, but enough to add the final detail to the surface. After the majority had been poured in and spread around, I mixed in some fibre glass 'Micro Fibres' into the resin that was left. This thickened up up a little, and gave it more of a white colour. A tiny bit of brown paint was added to take the edge off the white and it was carefully poured in behind the tug and landing craft. With the handle end of a paint brush, I dragged the white mix and swirled it into the clear resin, creating the froth generated by the props of both vessels. I'm quite pleased with the result.

 

quay233.jpg

 

quay234.jpg

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Here's the landing craft which was placed into the last wet coat of resin since it was a flat bottomed model. This still needs a few troops gluing in.

 

quay232.jpg

 

The very last of the resin had some green paint mixed in, and this was applied around the edge of the quay as weeds.

 

quay229.jpg

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looking good!!!

 

Like you say, pity about the Dennis Fire Engine, Langley do a Shand Mason, but that would look worse!!! Is there nothing in the war games list of vehicles that could be converted?

 

Mark

 

(why is it I can view these pictures, but not the York MVT thread?!!!!)

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The amount of detail in the model hides the fact that it's such a small scale. I'm sure I'll be blind as a bat by the time I've finished it!

 

I made a start on section two a couple of days ago. This will be a small goods yard surrounded by industries which will join to the end of the quayside. It will be more of an ash/gravel base, rather than the expanse of concrete on the quayside section, much more like the pictures below from Bowes Railway.

 

bowes4.jpg

 

quay_yard13.jpg

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