Guardsman build (but not as you know Jim)

Hi there Fred - hold your horses and steady the ship - before you go off to purchase balsa wood.

Double check your plans - I have just put a straight edge on the side profile of the plans which I have of the Guardsman. The straight edge runs from the bow deck level to the stern deck level. In the middle between frames 3 and 4 there is a hollow in the deck of approximately 1/2 inch plus - so the deck would look like a bit of a banana shape. My advice to you would be the same - put a straight edge down the centre line of your model and check (roughly about the middle of the model) there should be a drop in the deck of about 1/2 inch and this is quite common on a lot of vessels. 

Also, you will find across from side to side of the vessel, the deck is not flat, but, it is raised in the middle as well.  The correct terminology forward sheer (pointy end at the front)  after sheer (blunt end at the back)   and in the middle where the deck has a hump in it is called the camber.  This is just for the die hards who like to keep things right .

John

Edited By John W E on 26/06/2022 19:03:49

Hi John

You have hit the nail on the head with what you say.

It is just that with this dip in the deck and you make all the deck housings from the plan, when you fit them it gives the impression that she had broken her back.

Having slept on it over night ( yes it was uncomfortable) I was going to put the laser onto the gunwale to see if it was level, then work from there. now that you have said the there is a dip in the deck level on the plan it looks as if I am going to have to remove the beams that I have fixed to the hull, take new fixing points from off the plan and transfer them onto the hull so that I can fix new beams to keep the deck level.

Fred

Returning to the subject of the wheelhouse, I think that when Vic drew the plans, he simplified the shape. This is just a personal opinion, but when I built my Guardsman, I had a long look at the picture of the Enterprise, enlarging the wheelhouse, and decided It wasn't rectangular, as on the plan. To me it seems to be a hexagon, with 2 angled panels between the sides and the front, one of which is the door. Looking at the roofline seems to confirm this, and it would make more sense and be more practical.

Of course, I might be completely wrong, and have misunderstood the picture, but it's how I built mine.

Charles.

Hi Charles

As they used to say on Rowan & Martin's laugh - in " Very Interesting" I will be having a look at the photo again,

I have been thinking that the wheelhouse could do with being a bit bigger, and as I have to make a new one I now think that is the way I will go, I also like you your idea the the wheelhouse shape could be a hexagon shape.

Fred

P/S I have just had a look at the photo and I think you could be right, I say this as you can see the full front of the door.

Edited By Fred Ellis 1 on 27/06/2022 16:13:31

Hi there

With regard to Vic Smeed simplifying things - I think it is the hull structures that he simplified - rather than the superstructures. I have built several models from Vic Smeed plans and I have researched a few others. As far as I can tell it is only the hull that he simplifies. I feel that the bridge of the Guardsman will be square rather than hexagonal and pretty accurate in size as well.

why aye man, John

Hi John

I agree with you on the hull.

I have put a straight edge onto the plan and marked out a new deck level, so as soon as I can remove the beams from the hull I will start setting out the new deck level on the hull.

Fred

Just under two years ago I started this build, then eight months ago I stopped due to having problems with the lay of the deck, she has been giving me the evil eye every since.

Three days ago I took the bull by the horns and refixed the deck so that it now has a more level deck, after twenty- four hours , I refixed the grating that is over the rudder post, and started to fix the bulwark stanchions, I also tried out the deck housings for looks.

Edited By Fred Ellis 1 on 06/02/2023 10:41:40

Hi One & All

So yesterday (18/05/2023) the Guardsman took to the water for the first time.

You can see that I had some issues with this build, no fought of the designer, all my own fought as I did not read the plans right in the first place. all the I now need to do are the small fittings. I have fitted a smouk unit that came out of a 1/16 tank, it dies not look to bad.

Vic's hull modifications on earlier plans were usually to improve the carrying capacity of the model at a time when motors, batteries and radio equipment were a lot heavier and bulkier than they are today.

Colin