Paper Ship: SMS Emden (1910), 1:250

[dr_gn]

Riley Blue said:

I think they may be engine room ventilators; I was curious so Googled and found this plan:

http://virtualdockyard.co.uk/0-PLANS-PAGES/EMDEN-2...

That's a good drawing - thanks, I'll nick that one!

Looks like the rectangular things are definitely ventilator inlets, but the domed ones are outlets? But why cover them? I'm sure I've seen them on later battleships as drop-down covers for some instrument or other.

Drawing also confirms the hull sides slope inwards.

Cheers.

[dr_gn]

A really nice touch is the spare screw blades and ship’s bell in laser-cut brass metallised paper. They look much better than the paper versions. I gave them some camber around a drill shank, and made two left-handed and two right-handed:



Here they are fitted to the deck:





So that completes step 7.

[dr_gn]

Few more structures added to the middle deck roof:

[dr_gn]

Next up is bending and installing this insanely difficult starboard longitudinal rail - presumably for a pulley block to move shells etc. around the deck:



It’s suspended from a series of horizontal cantelever beams and the lifeboat supports:



I used a short piece of rod to ensure alignment of those.





Now for the other side...

[dudleybloke]

Looking great!

[dr_gn]

dudleybloke said:

Looking great!

Thanks!

Started on the port side rail today. Attached the laser-cut frames to the front, and attached the rail in stages to keep it straight:



The cocktail stick is there to apply a bit of force upwards while the glue sets.

[dr_gn]

Glad that’s over!





Another page done...



Next step: Funnels.

[dr_gn]

Started on the funnels tonight:







Still a lot of laser-cut details to add, and another two to make.

[hab1966]

Any updates to add dr_gn ?

[dr_gn]

hab1966 said:

Any updates to add dr_gn ?

Did a bit more last week, and hopefully will progress a bit this evening.

[dr_gn]

Did some more work on the front deck-houses, and the beginnings of the bridge structure:



The deck is cambered, and slopes up towards the bows, so I tried to get the tops of the structures as horizontal as possible using a steel rule balanced in the roofs, and another Perspex rule to sight against:





This way, I can keep everything within the levelling limits of blobs of PVA as I build the structures up.

[dr_gn]

On to the main bridge structure. It’s a bit of an animal. The upper and lower surfaces are curved, and double skinned. I opted to glaze the wheelhouse windows with thin acetate, so they are effectively triple skinned. After carefully cutting out the printed windows from both skins, I sandwiched the acetate. This made forming the curves more difficult. The lower curves are defined by a deck former, and the mid deck. I made a wooden jig to hold the curved bits in place while the PVA set:



Same with the mid deck, but this also needed weighting to the lower deck house:





The reason I opted to glaze the wheel house, was that the wheel and binnacle are in there, and partially visible:





With these in place, the upper deck house could be fitted (front and rear is indicated on the tabs). And yes, the main mast is going to be very tight fit in there...



Then the roof piece could be fitted. I wasn’t too happy with the fit around the join, nor with the design of the mid deck join - there’s a slice of deck visible where it should be covered. I opted to add two thin bands of grey paper to neaten these up. Call it a bodge, or modeller’s license, but either way it looks better to my eyes:



Still a load more detail to go onto the bridge, but at least the main bits are there and aligned.

Edited by dr_gn on Sunday 9th September 22:46

[dudleybloke]

Lovely work!

[shortar53]

Looking incredible as per usual Doc.

Damn... the itch has started again. I feel a purchase coming on.

[dr_gn]

The two worst things on paper ships are small cylinders and steps:





The two-step assemblies were about 50% wider than they should be to fit on the deck. Which was annoying.

[shortar53]

Steps and gun barrels. I swore I would use thin tube rather than ever roll another gun barrel

[dr_gn]

shortar53 said:

Steps and gun barrels. I swore I would use thin tube rather than ever roll another gun barrel

That's cheating!

[dr_gn]

Added the steps, the outer deck houses and some of the railings:





Still quite a bit to add to it, but the bridge at least is getting there now.

[dr_gn]

Finished the bridge railings and steps:



and the outrigger support structures:

[dr_gn]

Spent a few dull evenings assembling steps, literally step-by-step:



And fitted them among some of the more complicated rear deck railings. Also fitted the compass binnacle tower: