Scratchbuilt River Boat Inspired by the African Queen

[Larry C]

Rob you're off to a great start and the original photos look interesting.
I'll be following the master on this one.

[robert goslin]

Thanks Larry.  Not a lot of photo's of the prototype from the movie.
For the movie they used two boats, in two different filming locations.
One is still in Uganda, but the other one is now a tourist boat in Florida.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Queen_(boat)

So I got the boiler made, using some scrap box parts.  Just made up something that looks mechanical.




For the lagging wrapped around one of the pipes I just used a strip of newspaper.
I also made a metal plate for the deck under the boiler / motor from card and embossed rivets on it using a pounce wheel


And have now added the tarp over the canopy.
I used stiff card for this, but sanded the edges so I could give a drooping look.
And have also added the rope bumper around the outside of the hull, and weathered the sides.








Not much to go now.  Just the mast, some crates etc.

[Rick]

WOW Rob, the boiler looks fantastic.
As does the weathering on the boat.

[Larry C]

Rob great job imangineering the boiler assembly. The boat certainly looks well used with a nice amount of grunge.

[deemery]

It's fun seeing Larry and Rob do "competing" small boat builds.  

dave

[Jerry]

Ron really nice work on the boat.
But really an excellent job on that boiler.

Jerry

[robert goslin]

Thanks Rick, Larry, Dave and Jerry.
I'm very happy with how the boiler turned out.  Took me a while to find a suitable size core to use.
And the weathering came up good too. If you go back to page 1 prototype pictures you can see how grungy the boat looked in the film.
History lesson: In the film the boats were actually powered using hidden diesel engines, for filming reliability.
The boiler & motor were just working props, but didn't power the boat.

[robert goslin]

OK, onto the final stage.
I added the name on the sides of the boat. Just used Excel for this and sanded the back of paper down so it would sit smoothly.
I added a mast, made from a bamboo skewer, and the rigging. I've included the British Union Jack flag as per the film. In the book the Charlie Allnut character is English, but in the film he is Canadian due to Bogart's American accent
And have put some crates and sacks, and an oil drum at the front of the boat.  And also made a box full of coal (N scale ballast) to fuel the boiler.

One figure added for now.  Will add another couple when I can find some suitable ones.

[deemery]

Rob, you -have to get- a Katherine Hepburn figure, too!  That's what this needs to be perfect.

dave

[robert goslin]

Thanks Dave.  Scott Eastburn from Character Count Miniatures has offered to do me the figures of Bogart & Hepburn from the film.  He previously offered to do some of the characters from the the Jungle Cruise movie for my La Quila boat.
I will also need some other characters from the Jungle cruise ride, so I may take up his offer.
His figures are normally only about $6 US each, so if I order enough I can probably justify it.

With exchange rate & postage to Australia it will be expensive for me, but hey, it's only money.

[Larry C]

Rob that boat is looking amazing and love all the added details; it's really coming alive.

[Rick]

Rob, congratulations on yet another exquisite model.

[Zephyrus52246]

Great looking boat.  Cool how you made the boiler.

Jeff

[robert goslin]

Thanks Larry.  It is alive now.  Got it running on the New Jungle Cruise layout.

Thanks Rick.  Very happy with the results.

Thanks Jeff.

[robert goslin]

Here is a video of the new African Queen boat going around the future Jungle Cruise layout.  This boat is running much smoother that my other larger La Quila boat.  And it's staying on the magnets, whereas the other one would loose the magnets in a couple of spots.
Maybe because the Queen is smaller & lighter.