US Navy YT144 scratchbuild

[jbelwood]

Got a head start on this little cutie a few weeks ago. My Samson Tug & Barge Co. is looking
to add to their tug fleet and found this advertised in Navy surplus. Not sure if I'll paint her
as pictured or in company colors.


This will not be a build thread but will try to post some pix as I go along. Already struggling
with the main superstructure which is 100% styrene.

[UP Fan]

You've hit on my second favorite hobby; ship building.  Love those tugs.  I'll be checking back every once in a while to see the progress.
Here's some shots of a ship I'm working on.  When I'm not scratch building that is.  It's a plank-on-frame model of the USS Syren, a 240-ton brig build in 1803.  Good luck with the tug.

[jbelwood]

Hi Bob, thanks for checking in. The Syren is a popular model in the boat building community. My friend and ship modeler Ron Neilson built
Syren recently and the ship is just beautiful.

Are you registered with Model Ship World? http://modelshipworld.com/ Many build threads on Syren and others that I follow daily.

[UP Fan]

While I haven't been on the site lately, I am a member.  Best ship building site on the net IMHO.

[jbelwood]

Here's the basic hull, carved and routed out by my friend Ed Petrucci. I added the cap and rub rails.
Ed also drew the plans that you saw previously. He update plans that were originally published in a
1940's issue of Mechanics Illustrated. Currently working on the super structure made out of styrene.

[UP Fan]

Real nice job carving the hull. sides and cap rail.  The scuppers look real clean also.  Keep up the good work.

Bob

[martin.ojaste]

John, I will be following this build as I have plans to build my first ship sometime this year.


Marty

[bparrish]

John.........

Very cool model.  It must be almost criminal to cut the keel part out of these models.  They appear to be very compete in how they build up from the bottom.

thanx...........

I'll be watching.

see ya
Bob

[jbelwood]

Bob, the model is purposely built as a water line for my layout seaport scene. Hull,
including the bulwarks, is carved from a solid piece of basswood.


Here I got started on the pilot house structure. Using .015 styrene  sheet for the
complete assembly. The dimensions were taken directly from the plan. Getting the
geometry of this was difficult as the sheer of the carved out deck did not follow
the plans.


To be continued...

[postalkarl]

Hi John:

Very cool. I shall be following along with your build.

Karl

[jbelwood]

Assembled the pilot/deck house. Used various thickness styrene sheet. All the panels
were edge glued with Testors Liguid Plastic Cement. In proceeding with this build, I'm
realizing that the plans vary considerably with the prototype. My tug will be somewhere
in between as I am building it for my layout, not for a contest.


Glad to see that a few prominent modelers are following this. Your encouragement is
most welcome.

[martin.ojaste]

John, looking good.  I love the accuracy of the angles of the pilot house. Post a top view if you can.


A couple questions,


- how did you get the double thickness between the upper and lower pilot house?


- what base colour coat did you use?


Marty

[jbelwood]

Martin,


Not sure I understand your first question, but here goes.


The wheel house panels have .020 styrene on the exterior with .010 styrene
glued to the inside. This is noticeable in the small window aft of the door. That
inside frame is cut from a full panel that is glued to the back. Originally, every
window had that frame until I noticed that the prototype did not.


Here is an updated shot that I took last night. The low walls of the deck house
are .020 styrene braced with 1/16 sq styrene strip on the inside. Also got a start
on the engine room skylight and the stack. Skylight made with pieces of .010
styrene glued, using CA, over a balsa wood form.


To be continued...

[martin.ojaste]

John, yes it makes sense.

[jbelwood]

A belated hi again Marty. Have been under the weather these past few days and
haven't felt like working on the tug. At any rate, here is a top view for you. Looking
closely you can see that the wheel house roof is canted slightly to starboard. The
wheel house itself follows this slight.


Nothing is painted in any of these pix. Can't do any painting until the weather breaks
as my paint booth is my garage. New England weather has its downside right now.


John