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10 Compass360
This mo nth’sh ob by -related news ro un d- up
12 Sc aleModel World
Dave Wool ey re po rt sbac kfro m Te lfordi nasix-pag ep ho to sp ec ia l
18 XV PatrickBlacket t
Ph otog ra ph er Fras er Gray th rows down an exci ti ng newyea rb uild challe ng e
20 Tackling theTamar
Bria nK nigh ttakes on th e1:16 sc al eforme rM od el Slipways ki t, nowava ilab le to pu rc ha se via Mo un tfl ee tM od el s
30 Lead Acid Batteries
Wa nt to ge tm orelon gevi ty ou t of yo ur s? Gl yn nG ue st of fe rs so me to ptipsi nthi s‘powe rp oi nt ’ pres en ta tion
32 “Grandad…”
NevWadecreates twosimply superb models of Titanic and Bismarck forbudding youngc aptains
38 Save moneywit ha subscription
Ch ec ko ut th elates tp ri nt an dd ig ital of fe rs fo r2025a nd ge tyou rfavou ri te ma gfor le ss
40 TSS St David (III)
Ba rr yL alon de te ll sthe ta le of this finally,b ut ve ry fin el y, finis he dferry
46 Shell Welder
Mo re plas ticmag ic from Phil Bu tton, as he ex plai ns howh econve rted a pa rtia ll yb uilt plas ticcoa stal ta nker fo un da tac ar boot sa le in to as up er li ttle ‘s ea -g oi ng’rad io -con trolle d mod el
55 ModelPlanDesigning
Ji mPot ti ng er prov id es afasci na ti ng in sigh ti ntothe modu so perandi he’s deve lo pe dove rthe pa st fived ec ad es
60 Flot sam&Jet sam: Quick, slow down!
Jo hn Pa rker ta ke saretrosp ec ti ve look at sp ee dcon trolle rs
64 Boiler Room
In am us t- read fo ra ll mo de l
Following thepublication of last month’sfreeplanfor theMS Oldenburg,thank yousomuch forall theenthusiasmalready shared It ’s always lovely to getsuchimmediate andpositivefeedback. This,ofcourse, Ihavebeendelighted to pass on to the plan’s supertalentedcreator,Ray Wood, andour brilliantdraughtsman,Grahame Chambers,and we nowall look forward to seeing some of theresulting builds in thenot-too -dis tant future.Thatsaid, as a little spoiler, Ic an reveal that an absolutely splendid examplefeaturesinthe Your Models sectionof this month’smagazine–although,asyou’lldiscover, this isn’tquite themiraculouslyspeedyachievement it wouldinitially appear to be!
stea mb oa to pe ra to rs,Ric ha rd Si mpso n revi si ts th eRul es
68 Your Models
Mo re of yo ur VIBs (Ver yImp re ssive Bu il ds)s howc as ed
73 Your Letter s
Op en fo ru mfor allmat te rs mo de lb oa t re la te d
74 Next mont h…
Ju st th re eo fthe reason syou wo n’t wa nt to mi ss th eMarch 2025 is su eo f Mod el Boat s
Ic an al so reveal that ou rn ex tfre e plan will of fe ryou ye ta no th er exci ti ng newven tu re fo r2025–q ui te li te ra ll y, in fa ct,a sJim Po ttin ge r’sd esig nfor th eM V Venture,aS he tlan d- ba se dfi shin gtrawl er, is sc he du le di nfor th eMarch 2025 is su e (o ns al efro mFriday, Fe brua ry 21,b ut li ke ly to be wi th su bscrib er su ptoawee k ea rlie r).A sap re lu de to this,s ta rtin g on pa ge 55,Jim shares th es to ry of his ow np er so na ljou rn ey as am od el plan prod ucer,w hich be ga nw hile he wa ss till am eresch oolboy in te nt on co ns truc ti ng hisver yown ca no e. It ’s an in spirin gtal e, es pe cially if yo u’ve be en toyi ng wi th th e id ea of pu ttin gp en to pa pe ra nd draf ti ng ou ta nideaofyou rown fo rthe ve ry fir st ti me bu ta re pe rhapss till ne ed in gtha t final li ttle ‘yes,you ca n’ nu dg e.
Do n’tworry,thoug h, if,likem e, you se ed rawi ng as tick ma na sa brid ge too fa r. You’re boun dtofi nd so me thingtha t will float your boat in th epag es ah ea d, be ca usewe’ve go tfea tu re sfoc using on ever ythi ng from an epic la rg esca le ki tcon stru cted li fe boat to afi na llya nd ve ry fin elyfi nish ed pa ssenge rferry,a nd from Titanic an d Bi smarck ea sy bu ilds fo rbud di ng youngs ki pp er stoaver y pl ea si ng ‘pla stic ma gic’ R/Ccoa stal ta nker co nver sion,not to me ntio nasix-pag e photorepor tfro mthe Sc al eMod el Wo rld show in Te lford, so me grea ta dv iceo n howtog et mo re ou tofyou rl ea da cid ba tterie sa nd afasci na ti ng re tros pe ctive on sp ee dcon trolle rs Enjoyyou rrea d!
Li nd sey
Compass360
If you have anews story for these pages,please contact the Editor,Lindsey Amrani, via e-mail ateditor@modelboats.co.uk
OUTAND ABOUT
The2025Midhurst Th 5Midhurst ModellersExhibition Mo ersExhibition
This year’sshow has been scheduled for 10am to4pm on Sunday,February 9, at the Grange Hurst LeisureCentre, Bepton Road, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9HD. The main hall will be devoted to model railways, while the other halls will embrace amuchbroader spectrum of modelling interests, including model boats. Therewill also be numerous associated trade stands to browse.
Admission will be charged at £6.50 for adults, with concessions. For moreinfo call 01730 815285.
February 7-10 will see alarge collection of woodenmodel boats,expertly crafted toscale, ranging from Navy ships to clinker dinghies and from sailboats to tall ships,displayed at the Waterside Pavillion near Constitution Dock at this year’sAustralian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart, Tasmania. Open daily from 10am to 5pm, AWBF is Tasmania’slargest free event and the biggest celebration of full-sized wooden boatsand maritime culture in the Southern Hemisphere.
For further details, visit https:// awbf2025.org.au/about-awbf/
Winnersfaggedup
The Golden Hinde’s2024 Flag Design Competition attracted entries in awhole variety of mediums from young artists across southeast London. These weredivided into submissions
from those inKey Stage 2(aged 7to11) and those in Key Stage 3(age 11-14), and now,having each been awarded first place in their respective categories, Lois (age 10) and Martha (age 12)
will have their winning designs reproduced on flags that will actually be flown on the ship. These will be raised in aspecial ceremony onboardthe Golden Hinde scheduled for Friday,January 31, 2025.
Congratulations girls! Who knows, perhaps we may also see your designs incorporated into some of the smaller scale versions of the Golden Hinde produced by readers of this magazine in the near future.
Just afew of the brilliant builds that have previously been put on display at the AWBF in Hobart, Tasmania.
Lois’swinning K2 category entry
Martha’swinning K3 category entry
BlackpoolShow Report erratum
We would like to extendour sincerest apologies to Redcar ModelBoat Club and its verytalented members, whose stand and magnificent array of lifeboatmodels appeared onpage14ofour 2024 BlackpoolModel ShowReport (see theJanuary 2024 edition of Model Boats). Duetoacaption error, both the stand andthe brilliant builds being exhibited wereincorrectly attributed to the Model Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. So sorry,chaps –hope you will accept thisbelated bravo!
BUYTHE BOOK OK
Seaforth WorldNaval Review 2025 th dN vi 20
Written by ateam of internationally renowned experts, this year’sannual survey includes topics such as:
*The challenges surroundingthe delivery of new Royal Navy warships
*Analysis of the naval lessons learnt from the Russo-Ukrainian war
*Significant new ships
*Asummary of developmentsinthe world’snaval forces
*The latest in naval aviation.
*Areflection on trends in naval technology since the Cold War
*The AN/SPY-6 radar
Published in hardback format and featuring over 200 colour and black and whitephotos, the annual is price at £35 and is now available from www.pen-and-sword.co.uk. It can also be ordered viayourlocal bookstorewhen quoting ISBN 9781399 078887.
Fairfeld,AShipyardSuccess
Story, 1834-2024
Based on alifetime of research by the leading expert on Glasgow shipbuilders, Ian Johnston’s new book documentsthe history of this, thelast of the great Clydesideyards. Published in hardback format,and illustrated throughout, the book carries aanRRP (Recommended Retail Price) of £40and is available to purchase directly from www.pen-and-sword. co.uk. Alternatively,the title can be orderedvia yourlocal bookstorewhen quotingthe ISBN 9781399 089661.
TheBritish HawkinsClass Th ti wkin lass Cruisers:AnOdyssey Through TwoWorld Wars
Extensively illustrated with photos and linedrawings, Aidan Dodson’snew book explains why and howthis distinguished Royal Navy class served as an inspiration for awhole generation of big cruisers around the world.
Published in hardback format and carrying an RRP of £40, the title can be acquired via www.pen-and-sword.co.uk or ordered from yourlocal bookstorewhen quoting ISBN 9781399 056120.
Destroyers, Greyhounds of theFleet
In this new book, subtitled Memoirs of aNaval Gunner in the Second World War,authorPeter Saxton covers:
*Service with theRoyal Navy 1939-45
*Hunt Class Destroyers, the ‘Greyhounds of theFleet’
*The essential role these vessels served in the Axis war (North Sea, Mediterranean, Sicily and Italy)
*The protection of convoys and capital ships against U-Boatsand E-Boats
*Details of gunner training, tactics and strategy
*The role played by elite gunnery crews in ‘action stations’
*Apersonal, almost hour-to-hour,account of his service during these years.
Published in hardback format and carrying an RRP of £22, this title can be purchased from www.pen-and-sword.co.uk or ordered via your local bookstorewhen quoting ISBN 9781036 112295.
Redcar MBC’ssplendid model lifeboats on display at the 2024 Blackpool Model Show
IPMS Scale Model World
Dave Wooley reports back from the 2024 showatthe International Conference Centre, Telford
Accommodated in three large halls that make up the International ConferenceCentre locatedinthe centreofTelford, Scale Model World’swide briefembraces military and non-military models of all types, displayed by clubs,societiesand SIGs (Special Interest Groups) from all overthe world –although, naturally, in the report Iwill be focusing on the marine side of things. Trade stands also form an integral part of theshow, with vendors from the UK, Europe and the rest of the world showcasing and demonstratingtheir products. 2024 saw 124 UK clubs, 25 overseasclubs, 96 SIGs,15guestexhibitorsand 136 vendors present.
Asuperbly crafted model of the Type 21 Frigate HMS Arrow
At 1:96 scale, HMS Arrow oozes fine detail, particularly amidships.
Competitionentries
In the past competitionentries have been made up almost entirely of kit builds, but 2024 also sawplenty of semi-scratch and scratch-built models vying for awards, aprime example being the 1:96 scale Type 21 HMS Arrow by Geoffrey Taylor,which took the top slot in the Ship Model category There’snot enoughspace hereto list all the ship modelentered, but many areincluded in the images here and I’ll let thecaptions do the talking! Scales varied considerably, with those between 1:700 to 1:350 being the most prevalent. Notably,1:200 is now also gaining popularity,with kits in this scale being particularly suitable for R/C conversion.
Cluband SIGs stands
The club stands ably demonstrated their members wide variety of interests,
This D-Day assembly scene. Displayed under the title of Departure for Normandy at Southampton Dock, skilfully combines figures, vessels and vehicles in avery convincing diorama.
Spotted on the JustFor Fun Modellers stand, arubber boot with aperiscope, humorously displayed under the title Das Boot.
SMW attracts exhibitors from all over the world –inthis case, from afar afield as Pakistan.
Airbrush demonstrations are very much stock-in-trade at SMW
including the quirky!The Just for Fun Modellers, for example, exhibited a rubber Welly adorned withperiscope, humorously displayed under the title Das Boot in anod to the epic World WarIITV series of thesamename(shown left)
Trade stands
The manufacturers and retailers that support our hobby arethe life blood of events such as this, with trade stands providing both valuable revenue for the organisers and avast marketplace for
the visitors. At this year’sSMW all the big boys, such as Airfix, Revell, Trumpeter, Italieri, etc, wereinattendance and visitors could browse avast selection of kits and indeed shop for just about every model-associated product imaginable!
This 1:350 scale model of the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Mikasa used anovel method for display.which doubled as aseascape.
The Mikasa’ssuperb finish and attention to detail earned modeller Jeff Spencer aGold Award.
Revell, akit manufacturer well known to generations of modellers, presented its new kits for 2025 along with some of its particularly memorable ones.
When exploring the club stands there were gems aplenty.such as this 1:700 seascape model of the armoured cruiser HMS Monmouth. The 1:1 original was tragically sunk at the Battle of Coronel on November 1, 1914.
Converting model kits to enhance their appearance is very much part of SMW.Here a 50cm Revell kit of the of the Black Pearl. avessel made famous in the film Pirates of the Caribbean, has been given adifferent perspective.
Peter Danks, aone-time regular contributor to these pages and an outstanding scratch builder of period vessels, was awarded asilver medal for this modelofan1815 Axeman.
Imagination can achieve wonders and this Tuna with Bite elicited morethanasmile or two.
Mulberry harbour as part of aD-Day diorama, which proved very popular with visitors.
Special guest Barry Sharman exhibited anumber of his very fine and detailed models, amongst which was this Fairmile DMTB 735.
SMW is ashowcase event for many of the big brand manufacturers.
Model of submarines, while being less detailed than other vessels, have always had agood following at SMW. Here Stuart Horley was awarded asilver medal for his model of HMS Repulse.
Up until recently there were no kits of any type for the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, something that’s now changing.
The latest release from Trumpeter is Titanic’ssister ship Olympic, the parts for which havebeen re-jigged to conform with the structural difference between the two vessels.
2025
Scale Model World Telfordisnow considered to be one of the world’s greatest IPMS (International Plastic Modellers Society) shows. So, why not mark the dates for the 2025 show, November 8-9, on your calendar now –you won’tbedisappointed! ●
Acknowledgements
Our sincere thanks to the IPMS, who kindly made provisions for the photography of the competition entries.
ACommended award went to this 1:400 rendition of the popular Airfix Tudor warship Mary Rose by Chris Hewitt.
This 1:200 scale Bismarck gained awell-deserved silver award for Steven Hewitt.
Barry Sharman’sincredibly detailed large-scale diorama of the Mulberry harbour
Aclub display within aclub display,but slightly smaller!
An unusual andseldom seen 1:700 scale model of the Soviet cruiser Sverdlov
FE XV P
romamodelling perspective, sourcing sufficient information to keep up with the latest developments in military naval architecture is alwaysachallenge. Hopefully,however,the shots Iwas able to take of the XV Patrick Blackett’s recent visit to HMS President,the RoyalNavy’sLondon headquarters, will assist in drafting plansfor the construction of ascale model.
PatrickBlackett, the vessel’s namesake
Patrick Blackett was not only a decoratedscientist but also aformer
EXVPAT CK BL AC TT
The striking paint schemeofblack with charcoal grey ‘X’ logo and pennant number would certainly make avery welcome departurefromthe usual ‘battleship grey’ finishes seen on so many of our military models, while the flourishing 3D printingmarket could serve as asourcefor thevarious sensors and deck furniture. Therewould also bethe optiontoincorporate various ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles –used underwater for arange of military, commercial and scientifictasks) or the Royal Navy’snew Peregrine Rotary Wing UAV(Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), all of which areoperated from the aft deck,into the build. Information on the developments of militaryvessels and their auxiliaries is constantly updated, so furtherresearch on the web may reveal more.
Fraser presents a very potential new year project…
navalofficer,who played acrucial role in integratingscientific methods into military strategy.His legacy is an apt inspiration for avessel dedicated to innovation, embodying asitdoes his approach to problemsolving and continuoustechnological evolution. The XV Patrick Blackett is designed to push the boundaries of naval experimentation, ahomage that Blackett himself would have undoubtedly admired.
Aversatile maritime platform
Unlike traditional warships or auxiliary vessels, the XV Patrick Blackett has been purpose-built as aresearch and experimentation platform. It provides a flexible maritime stage for triallingnew technologies, concepts and operational strategies, without impacting the main fleet’soperational readiness.
Cutting- edge capabilities
The Patrick Blackett’sprimary role is as atestbed for pioneering technologies that could enhance the Navy’s operational toolkit. Afew of its standout capabilities and objectives include:
1. Unmanned
SystemsTrials
With the rise of drones and autonomous surface vessels in modern warfare, the XV Patrick Blackett serves as alaunch and recovery platform for testing unmanned maritime vehicles. This includes both aerial drones and
Gray exciting potential oject…
surface drones, which can conduct reconnaissance, surveillance or mine countermeasureoperations.
2. Electronic WarfareTesting
The ship’sdesign incorporates specialisedelectronics to facilitate trials of cutting-edge radar and communication systems. By operating in controlledand real-world scenarios, these trials helpfine-tune innovations which could offer a strategic advantage in detecting and neutralising threats.
3. Sustainability and Efficiency Initiatives
The vesseldoubles as aresearch base for environmentally conscious
XV Patrick Blackett pictured sailing the River Thames inbound for HMS President, the Royal Navy’sheadquarters in the Lower Pool of London.
XV Patrick Blackett alongside HMS President. The black ’NavyPOD’ on the aft deck was reported by the media to contain an experimental quantum compass. This navigation device has been developed to counter the actions of hostile states or agencies interfering with GPS by distorting or destroying the GPS satellite network.
As the ship sails for her home port of HMNB Portsmouth, this shot provides aview of the aft deck, on which modellers could also opt to feature the ROVs and drones capable of being deployed from that mysterious ’NavyPOD’.
naval advancements. Experimentation withalternative fuels, energy-saving propulsion systems, and wastereduction technology formsacrucial part of the mission, aligning with broader efforts to reducethe Royal Navy’s carbon footprint
Aplatformfor collaboration
The Royal Navy has crafted this vessel as acollaborativespacewhere defence contractors, academic researchers, and even techstartups, can join forces.Byinviting external
experts onboardfor jointventures, the ship acts as abridge between traditional defence research and the fast-paced world of civilian technology development.
Whythismatters forthe RoyalNav y
The operational flexibilityand forward-thinking purpose of the XV Patrick Blackettreflect the Royal Navy’scommitmentto maintaining technological superiority. Naval conflicts and operationstoday
demand rapid adaptation, and having adedicated experimental vessel allows the Navy to cycle through trials at an accelerated pace,ensuring that new systems aremade battle-ready both quickly and cost-effectively.
Rear Admiral Simon Asquith, a proponent of expanding the Navy’s technological capabilities, aptly summarised thevessel’simportance: “The XV Patrick Blackett is not just a ship —itisasignal of our intent to adapt and innovate continuously. By investing in platforms like this, we give our sailors thetools they need to face tomorrow’schallenges”.
Shapingthe future
Looking forward, the XV Patrick Blackett’ssuccess will be measured by how seamlessly the experimental systems it tests can be integrated into active duty on Royal Navy ships, but it is also likely to serve as a blueprint for other navies interested in adopting similar models of continuousand agile development
This vessel represents abold step into afuture,where scientific rigour meets strategic imperatives. It promises not just to safeguard national security buttopush the boundaries of maritime knowledge, paying tribute to its namesake’s legacy,the relentless pursuitof excellence and innovation.
Ship’s particulars
XV Patrick Blackett, pennant number (X01), is a42m (137ft 10in) experimental ship builtby DamenShipyards, Gorinchem, and is powered by four Caterpillar C32 ACERT dieselengines. Its top speed is unknown, althoughit’s been observedtobe20knots, while its range is believed to be in excess of 3,000 nautical miles. The ship’scompliment is 5crew, with accommodation for up to 12. ●
Courtesy of Navy Lookout, the website dedicate to independent Royal Navy news and analysis (www.navylookout.com), we are able to share these General Arrangement drawings for XV Patrick Blackett, drafted by Navy Lookout Director Pete Sandeman himself from the rough plans he managed to acquire from the builder
TACKLING THE TAMAR
Brian Knight takes on a1:16 challenge
Ifthereisone constant in this world it’schange, something the modelling world has certainly seen its fair shareof! Manyofyou will remember Model Slipway kits. Over the years Ibuilt anumber of these myself (including theTrent lifeboat), always impressed withthe qualityand the excellent customer service offered by thebusiness’sowners, Lawrie and (thelate) Jackie White.
So, when recently looking for another RNLI lifeboat model to build, Iwas very pleased to learn that Adam from Mountfleet Models has obtained the licence to supply some of the kits from the old ModelSlipway range. Consequently,after contacting Adam, Iwas able to purchase what was essentially aModel Slipway Tamar kit, reassured by the fact that,having also previously built anumber of Mountfleet kits, Icould expect the samelevel of customer service and post-sale support.
“When recently looking for another RNLI lifeboat model to build, Iwas very pleasedto learn that Adam from Mountfeet Models has obtained the licence to supply some of the kits from the old Model Slipway range ”
Liftingthe lidonthe contents
Ih ave e le cted to sh ow some of the kit’sc onten ts, ju st so th at you can apprecia te th ed et ai la nd complexi ty of th is kit, bu tIf eel Is hould point one th in go ut to other prospecti ve builders. This kit was produced back in 2008, whe n, obviousl y, technology was no ta sa dvan ced as it now is, so some of th ec ompon ents wi ll
